Case cleaning

General Reloading Discussion.

Moderator: MudBug

Case cleaning

Postby Mdt1992 » Wed Aug 13, 2014 4:01 pm

Started reloading 4 years ago and cleaned all my cases with a cheap tumbler in crushed walnut shells well after those a 4 years and thousands of handgun and rifle cases my tumbler has begun to bite the dust, it ran for about a half an hour with 20 .450 cases last night before it went from running full Speed to barley going. So my question is what do you all clean your brass with. Is stainless steel tumbling worth it?

Thanks,
Matt
Mdt1992
 
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 3:23 pm

Re: Case cleaning

Postby lungingturtle2 » Wed Aug 13, 2014 4:43 pm

I've been reloading for over 50 yrs., in almost all that time I've used corncob and crushed walnut shells W/mild abrasive in a tumblers tumbler model B with good results. ( I thought ) Last year I started using stainless pin media with water, Lemi-shine, and dawn dish washing liquid. I've never seen such clean cases, inside and out, and primer pockets are clean as new. Its a little more trouble but the results speak for themselves. I'll never go back.
lungingturtle2
 
Posts: 97
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:11 am
Location: Manteno, Il.

Re: Case cleaning

Postby Hopalong » Thu Aug 14, 2014 11:31 am

Lemi-shine? Which version? I've been doing some ultrasonic cleaning and it may be worth trying that in my cleaner.

Here's a link to info on ultrasonic cleaning. I've had good luck with it as long as I don't try to do too many cases.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/technica ... -cleaning/
Hopalong
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:46 am
Location: Colorado

Re: Case cleaning

Postby lungingturtle2 » Thu Aug 14, 2014 1:46 pm

I'm using LemiShine HD in my tumbler, just a tablespoon or two, I always rinse with hot water, you can google LemiShine for info on their products. I found it at my local Walmart. Good luck.
lungingturtle2
 
Posts: 97
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:11 am
Location: Manteno, Il.

Re: Case cleaning

Postby Hopalong » Thu Aug 14, 2014 2:32 pm

Lemi-shine detergent or machine cleaner or?

Thanks.
Hopalong
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:46 am
Location: Colorado

Re: Case cleaning

Postby lungingturtle2 » Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:16 pm

It's dishwasher rinse.
lungingturtle2
 
Posts: 97
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:11 am
Location: Manteno, Il.

Re: Case cleaning

Postby paulmark3010 » Thu Aug 14, 2014 6:06 pm

Tumbler with SS media is the way to go. Don't use too much Lemishine though. I use an empty 45 ACP case full. Brass looks like new inside and out. :twisted:
paulmark3010
 
Posts: 116
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Spring, Texas

Re: Case cleaning

Postby Hoot » Fri Aug 15, 2014 4:09 am

You can get into it for a reasonable price by using the 3lb rock tumbler that Harbor Freight sells. Does smaller loads (25 450b or less) than the nice $269 Thumlers unit. I run my decapping stem out far enough to not begin sizing the case, pop out the primers and throw the cases into the tumbler. For that smaller tumbler I use a 9mm empty case of LemiShine and 2-3 drops of Dawn. In the summer, I run a dehumidifier in the shop with a 1-1/2 gallon hopper which thanks to our wet spring, still gets filled every 24 hrs. I use the water it removes from the air for tumbling, but tap water works as well. If you watch the HF sales, you can get that tumbler for $29.95. I still use my vibratory tumbler for removing sizing lube, but that's about all. That having been said. The first 2k 450b cases I processed were through my vibratory tumbler and walnut media (also available from HF). That worked fine as well. Just required cleaning the primer pockets manually. Performance wise, I haven't seen a benefit from the wet tumbling, but it's result is very pleasing to the eye.

Hoot

EDIT: HF has the dual drum (50 450b cases) version of the tumbler on sale for $54.99 right now.
http://www.harborfreight.com/dual-drum-rotary-rock-tumbler-67632.html
In Theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In Practice, there is.
User avatar
Hoot
 
Posts: 5083
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:34 am
Location: Minnesota

Re: Case cleaning

Postby Mdt1992 » Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:16 pm

Thanks for the replys, I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the model b tumbler due to being able to clean a few hundred .40 s&w cases at a time after the weight of the media and water since I usually don't reload those untill I'm going to sit and do atleast 300 rounds. I figure the 19 450 cases I have left can go in with .45acp cases to make a full load.
Mdt1992
 
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 3:23 pm

Re: Case cleaning

Postby wildcatter » Mon Aug 18, 2014 7:44 pm

Mdt1992 wrote:Started reloading 4 years ago and cleaned all my cases with a cheap tumbler in crushed walnut shells well after those a 4 years and thousands of handgun and rifle cases my tumbler has begun to bite the dust, it ran for about a half an hour with 20 .450 cases last night before it went from running full Speed to barley going. So my question is what do you all clean your brass with. Is stainless steel tumbling worth it?

Thanks,
Matt


I don't know about worth it?? But they do clean, inside and out, like a champ..

..t
Safety First..t
User avatar
wildcatter
 
Posts: 2914
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 8:30 pm
Location: In the Middle of Deer Central Station or better known as, in the Thumb of Beautiful Michigan

Next

Return to Reloading

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests

cron