Why clean brass?

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  • Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,532
    severna park
    Do most of you clean your brass when reloading? How necessary is this step or is it just cosmetic?
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,482
    Fairfax, VA
    When I first started reloading, it was with bolt action rifles. The brass didn't fall into the dirt. All I did was wipe them down before reloading them and it worked fine. With pistols, you definitely want to clean your brass. Pistol dies are meant to be used without case lube, so cleaning them lets you size them smoothly. I also get range pickup brass in various conditions, so tumbling in stainless steel gets them all clean as new. My rifle brass just gets tumbled in walnut media, and then rolled over a wet paper towel to pull off dust.
     

    SKIP

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 5, 2009
    3,248
    Glenwood/Glenelg
    I tumble brass to remove anything that could scratch my dies internally.
    I have 357 dies that leave scratches on the brass when resized.
     
    I buy a lot of brass from places...online, ranges, gun shops...I never know what kind of crap is inside...I have found everything from insect larvae, twigs, grass to smaller caliber brass stuck in them...throwing them into the tumbler usually takes care of that. If you don't have a tumbler or don't want to spend the money on one, there are plenty of DIY videos on building one cheap on youtube.
     

    Major03

    Ultimate Member
    If your brass is just a little tarnished...it basically does nothing more than make it look shinier.

    If your brass has been sitting on the ground a while and is actually dirty, then yes...it helps to visually ID possible case flaws and helps protect your dies and possibly your chamber. I personally wouldn't reuse brass that is that dirty...but to each there own.

    I do it both before I lube and resize (to help protect my dies) and also after resizing to restore a nice luster to the brass and get rid of the case lube...but I know it's really only a cosmetic thing. I mostly like the look of really shiny reloads, and it's not like it takes much effort.

    BTW...don't use ammonia based brass cleaners like Brasso with your tumbling media (if you have a vibratory tumbler). The ammonia breaks down the brass a little, and over time that could cause and contribute to case failure. Lizard litter and/or corn cob media does a pretty good job of making stuff shiny without...and if you really want a dab of citrus based cleaner can bring out a good shine with less risk.
     

    Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,501
    AA Co
    Always! I do it for all the reasons listed...it's how I learned years ago, it works and I see no reason to stop. All brass gets wet tumbled, often a dry tumble after loading (depending on what I am loading). I pick up brass at the range, have bought brass online and reuse all of my brass as much as possible. It all gets tumbled before inspection and sizing.
     

    byf43

    SCSC Life/NRA Patron Life
    Die life and case inspection.

    Plus it just isn't in me to load good components with my time and effort into a crap looking case.


    ^^^ Exactly.


    Why take the chance on scratching (or worse) a good set of dies, with dirty/filthy brass???????

    Clean brass is easier to check for variances in the brass, and possible impending failures of the brass.
    IF you have a 'split' in the brass, with clean brass, the 'split' will most likely be more noticeable.

    Besides......... back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I was shooting High Power Rifle, when someone looks down and sees that 'sparkling clean' and shiny LC69 or LC72 brass, it puts a smile on their face!!!!!!

    :shocked3: :D
     

    C&RTactical

    Active Member
    Jul 24, 2013
    407
    I currently use a wet tumbler and next to good case lube, cleaning brass helps with running it through the dies way easier. Especially with pistol cases which do not need lube.
     

    Jmorrismetal

    Active Member
    Sep 27, 2014
    468
    The same reason you don't put on dirty underwear after you take a shower.

    You don't want carbon, dirt and grit in your dies.
     
    Last edited:

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Pistol dies are meant to be used without case lube, so cleaning them lets you size them smoothly.

    Only carbide pistol dies for straight walled or close to straight wall (9mm).

    If you resize pistol brass in a non-carbide die without lube, you will stick a case.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I tumble all my brass to remove any possible grit or dirt.

    I do not care if they are all bright and shiny. Most brand new military ammo is not bright and shiny.

    Actually getting brass too clean can cause issues with the reloading process, as you remove all the carbon inside, which acts as a lube for the expander.
     

    Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,532
    severna park
    So far I've just reloaded my own brass so it's not that dirty. Just some residue from being fired. I've been wiping them down one at a time with a rag that has some case lube on it before I put it in the single stage press for removing the primer. This gives me a good look at the case to check for flaws but it is very time consuming. The manuals I've read don't seem to include the cleaning step as a prerequisite for reloading.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,819
    So far I've just reloaded my own brass so it's not that dirty. Just some residue from being fired. I've been wiping them down one at a time with a rag that has some case lube on it before I put it in the single stage press for removing the primer. This gives me a good look at the case to check for flaws but it is very time consuming. The manuals I've read don't seem to include the cleaning step as a prerequisite for reloading.

    It really depends on how many times you reload a case. After two times(first being original factory loading) I would definitely clean. Tumblers aren't that expensive.
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    I was going to create my own thread, but got nervous :ohnoes:and figured it would be safer to just hijack this one...

    What about cleaning brass from corrosive ammo? The last time I was at the range, my father and I shot some of his old ammo that he was pretty sure was corrosive (30-06, headstamp "F A 38"). The rifles have been thoroughly scrubbed, but I was wondering how I should treat the brass if I ever want to reload it (or am I better off just not reloading it?) I would imagine that the corrosive residue is still in the case (potentially degrading it) and, unless it's removed, has the potential to contaminate my dies as well as my barrel the next time it is shot. I don't have a tumbler (which, I would think, would become contaminated anyway), but I do have an ultrasonic cleaner.

    I was figuring I would decap only (not resize) first, and wipe down my decapping die thoroughly. Then I'd give each case a deep swab with Ballistol, and a nice warm soak in the ultrasonic cleaner before proceeding as usual. :shrug: Is that a good enough plan?
     

    Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,501
    AA Co
    Find someone that can wet tumble it with SST pins for you... it will clean it inside and out and come out looking like new brass. ;)
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    For cleaning corrosive ammo brass, just rinse in warm water.

    Corrosive is corrosive due to salts left on the metal. The salts are very soluble in water.
     

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