ultrasonic or tumbler

[scott/r]

What are you guys using? An ultrasonic or a tumbler to clean your cases. And do you clean every time or not? If you use an ultrasonic, do you use the off the shelf liquid or make your own?
This has probably been done before, but I couldn't find it anywhere, so don't be to hard on me if it has.

[bshrestha01]

one word answer - neither.

I use NuFinish to clean the neck and put it through the FLS. Then use a power tool fitted with primer pocket cleaner on the primer pocket and I am ready to reload.

[Tim L]

I use stainless media in a wet tumbler.
Pop the primers. 1 hour in the tumbler with burnishing compound. Neck size and ready to reload brass that's cleaner than new.
No pocket cleaning required and no residue to affect batching.

[BATattack]

I'd seen stainless wet tumblers but always wondered how badly they would dent up fine necks and chamfers?

[DenisA]

I U/S clean every time. Always deprime first with universal decapping die. I use a cap full of Birchwood Casey Case Cleaner and a squirt of dish washing liquid. No need to neutralise or stink the room out with vinegar. I change the solution after I've cleaned approx. 100 cases. The solutions starting to get a lot of carbon in it by then.

I don't really believe that its critical to accuracy as there are shooters far better than I with the runs on the board and still going that don't clean cases.

My justification is that its a variable that I can and is easy to control. Also cleaning them every firing means they clean much easier and better than waiting a few firing and trying with the carbon built up for several layers.

[shooter mcreid]

I like to tumble for about an hour, wipe the case and blow out any loose particles from inside. I have found a very fine layer of carbon left inside the neck is a good thing.

[Tim L]

I'd seen stainless wet tumblers but always wondered how badly they would dent up fine necks and chamfers?

I don't know about fine necks and chamfers, but they don't seem to do much to my rough and ready ones.

[scott/r]

I U/S clean every time. Always deprime first with universal decapping die. I use a cap full of Birchwood Casey Case Cleaner and a squirt of dish washing liquid. No need to neutralise or stink the room out with vinegar. I change the solution after I've cleaned approx. 100 cases. The solutions starting to get a lot of carbon in it by then.

I don't really believe that its critical to accuracy as there are shooters far better than I with the runs on the board and still going that don't clean cases.

My justification is that its a variable that I can and is easy to control. Also cleaning them every firing means they clean much easier and better than waiting a few firing and trying with the carbon built up for several layers.

Denis, what do you rinse the shells in when they are done in the cleaning solution? I have been pouring boiling water over them to neutralise the vinegar solution and then blowing out with the air-compressor, but I have been thinking that may have been the cause of premature loose primer pockets on the last lot of cases. The cases got quite hot from the boiling water. Sometimes to hot to hold on to and my line of thought is this may have slightly annealed the whole case. If that's possable.

[DenisA]

Denis, what do you rinse the shells in when they are done in the cleaning solution? I have been pouring boiling water over them to neutralise the vinegar solution and then blowing out with the air-compressor, but I have been thinking that may have been the cause of premature loose primer pockets on the last lot of cases. The cases got quite hot from the boiling water. Sometimes to hot to hold on to and my line of thought is this may have slightly annealed the whole case. If that's possable.

Scott, I just rinse them in luke warm tap water. If you use vinegar, I'm pretty sure your supposed to use bi-carb soda to neutralise them.

Hot water won't be anywhere near enough to anneal the case and cause it to go soft enough to loosen primer pockets.

How fast are you shooting the 155's, powder and charge weight?

[shooter mcreid]

Dennis is right, it won't start annealing before it reaches a temperature somewhere around 550 to 600 degrees F or 300 degrees C.

[scott/r]

Those cases had a 46.4 grn 2208 at just over 2950 fps. With the 28" barrel I did try 2206h out with 45.4grn but that's when it all went to shit with stuck cases and loose primers. The 2206h was at about 2975 fps.

[scott/r]

They were both neck sized and .005" jam. I've since gone to a full length sized case with 46.8 grn of 2208 and about .002" jump, giving me the 2950 fps the barrel likes . Mainly to get some of the pressure out of the case and back in the chamber. That's why I have asked the question about cleaning cases to make sure I didn't didn't cause the early departure of the last lot of cases with how I was cleaning them.

[williada]

Shane, if you can read this, my pm is still hanging in the outbox. David.

[macguru]

I just wash the cases in detergent, dry them in a low oven and wipe them to remove any carbon residue. No tumbling, etc
that works fine and the oven is ok too, just dont turn it up full ...
sometimes i use vinegar but i think its a waste of time

[ShaneG]

Hi David
Got it thanks - replied
Shane