Clean inside case neck ?

[Mikecr]

I agree with rcoody.
I love the carbon film, and it doesn't build up, don't worry about that.
It also does not affect neck tension in any way.
Friction in necks is a matter affecting seating forces, which is independent of tension. On that, the carbon layer is perfect for consistent seating force (because it's so consistent), which provides for consistent seating depths.

What can matter is primer firing byproducts building in pockets. There are plenty of dry pocket tools for this. Carbon build up on the outside of cases can scratch your dies. A wipe with any carbon cleaner and dry tumbling to take care of this.

As I posted in another similar thread, I can think of no credible reason or benefit to wet brass, or disturb the internal carbon film, with cleaning.

 

[rcoody]

I agree with rcoody.
I love the carbon film, and it doesn't build up, don't worry about that.
It also does not affect neck tension in any way.
Friction in necks is a matter affecting seating forces, which is independent of tension. On that, the carbon layer is perfect for consistent seating force (because it's so consistent), which provides for consistent seating depths.

What can matter is primer firing byproducts building in pockets. There are plenty of dry pocket tools for this. Carbon build up on the outside of cases can scratch your dies. A wipe with any carbon cleaner and dry tumbling to take care of this.

As I posted in another similar thread, I can think of no credible reason or benefit to wet brass, or disturb the internal carbon film, with cleaning.

I would.prefer not to disturb that carbon in the necks.But i do ultrasonic periodically. I anneal every 3 to 5 firings and around that 5th or 6th firing mark i will ultrasonic. If i don't then i get big flakes coming out.of.the cases in the tumbler. I assume that could affect case volume.

I then lube the necks with the imperial dry neck lube. Freshly annealed and lubed necks feel good seating bullets. I use an arbor press and wilson straight line seater.

Lube that new lapua brass too after running an expander mandrel through it and running it through the resizing die.

 

[Mikecr]

If I don't then i get big flakes coming out.of.the cases in the tumbler. I assume that could affect case volume.

It looks to me that flakes of carbon, even from many cases, amount to less real volume than that of a single kernel of powder. I'm sure it could never be observed as affecting MV.

I see excess cleaning in the same category as all other excess actions people take. They buy a toy that makes trimming easy, and then they way over trim. Over annealing, over sizing(in many ways), over crushing primers, opening flash holes, over lubing, irrational sorting, excess group shooting, etc.
It's a weird human condition.

 

[Waynzee]

I agree with rcoody.
I love the carbon film, and it doesn't build up, don't worry about that.
It also does not affect neck tension in any way.
Friction in necks is a matter affecting seating forces, which is independent of tension. On that, the carbon layer is perfect for consistent seating force (because it's so consistent), which provides for consistent seating depths.

What can matter is primer firing byproducts building in pockets. There are plenty of dry pocket tools for this. Carbon build up on the outside of cases can scratch your dies. A wipe with any carbon cleaner and dry tumbling to take care of this.

As I posted in another similar thread, I can think of no credible reason or benefit to wet brass, or disturb the internal carbon film, with cleaning.

Thanks, this is what I thought too but wanted to get some other ideas. I've loaded thousands of rounds and cleaned old school with cob media and never had any problems, I just thought I could get some info here and tweak the way I'm doing things. lightbulb

 

[Mikecr]

If you want to take reloading a bit further you could invest resources into a lot of other things.
Custom dies, borescope & bore cleaning tools, chronograph, K&M indicated primer seating, CBTO tools, BGC for ogive comparisons, better powder dispensing/weighing, QuickLoad, etc.
Then of there are many areas to improve your shooting systems.
Stock, bedding, trigger, bases, scope, bags, flags, aftermarket barrels, Ballistic solutions, etc.

 

[rcoody]

If you want to take reloading a bit further you could invest resources into a lot of other things.
Custom dies, borescope & bore cleaning tools, chronograph, K&M indicated primer seating, CBTO tools, BGC for ogive comparisons, better powder dispensing/weighing, QuickLoad, etc.
Then of there are many areas to improve your shooting systems.
Stock, bedding, trigger, bases, scope, bags, flags, aftermarket barrels, Ballistic solutions, etc.

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

I know i am there

 

[Waynzee]

If you want to take reloading a bit further you could invest resources into a lot of other things.
Custom dies, borescope & bore cleaning tools, chronograph, K&M indicated primer seating, CBTO tools, BGC for ogive comparisons, better powder dispensing/weighing, QuickLoad, etc.
Then of there are many areas to improve your shooting systems.
Stock, bedding, trigger, bases, scope, bags, flags, aftermarket barrels, Ballistic solutions, etc.

Then I'd have that weird human condition again "over doing" as you mentioned in the previous quote. No, I'll keep it simple, I've done that whole shooting system thing with the "Big Magnums" then I bought a Savage 6.5 CM and put 3 shots touching at 100 yards and had to ask myself W.T.H. are ya doing with all the big magnums it was fun with the magnums when I was younger, just don't need all that power and special barrel, bedding, trigger ect. ect., any more.

 

[TracySes23]

Well, Waynzee, it's not actually "carbon" - it's graphite that some use to lube the inside of case necks. I used it a couple of times; didn't like it. I used a very light film of RCBS case lube, applied with a Q-tip on every other case when using the neck expander mandrel then rely on the residue from that to act as a bullet seating lube. I've seen guys who apply neck lube like they were greasing a wheel bearing ... it ain't that critical; and it tends to foul powder.

Graphite actually is carbon, but it's in a different form AKA... diamond is also carbon in a different form. Check out the following..... http://www.differencebetween.net/science/chemistry-science/difference-between-graphite-and-carbon/

 

[flashhole]

I like to use a brass bore brush chucked in a drill to clean the necks prior to resizing. I see a lot of folks use nylon brushes. Am I missing something by using brass brushes?

The brushes I use never get the inside of the necks clean down to bare brass but they are nice and smooth.

 

[Dosh]

Absolutely. One of the advantages of the liquid stainless tumbling media is that the insides end up as clean as the outside of your case.

This gives you a much more positive seal when you seat your bullet.

When I first started reloading I never bothered but eventually figured out that by not doing it I got inconsistent neck tension and moisture could much more easily contaminate my powder.

This procedure has improved consistentcy for me. It's like having new brass every cleaning, but having the advantage of once fired. Don't know about the moisture thing since we don't usually have that issue here in Az.

 

[Pdvdh]

Nothing wrong with inner case necks cleaned of all carbon residue if you pre-lube your case necks with Hornady Unique, or Imperial Sizing Die Wax.

Ultrasonic clean with citric acid. Pre-lube case neck interior with either product.

 

[RevJim]

I vibrate my brass in Jewelers Rouge Impregnated walnut media. I wipe them clean with a dry rag, use a nylon brush about 4 strokes, luge with Imperial Sizing Wax, resize, wipe lube off. I will use a Qtip with a bit of luge every 5th or so to help with pulling the expander button through, usually doesn't need it if I'm using Hornady dies(tapered expander ball), OR every time if it is really hard to do so (RCBS expander "nut"). I don't want to stretch the case out, of course. I use a Sinclair primer pocket cutter to clean up the pocket, load and go!

 

[Mikecr]

I've never done it, but I'm sure lubing neck IDs with wax would greatly reduce seating forces. My concern there & what I would test for is changing CBTO with box/field handling & recoil. I would also be concerned with wax by-product residue combining with fouling in the bore. So I'd be looking for that.

Carbon is perfect. There is enough friction with it to hold CBTO with minimal neck tension, and it cannot affect fouling.
If you dismiss a little bit of lube as potentially affecting anything, you might consider what a little bit of moly does. It's big, and terrible without management.

 

[Don A Parsons]

My Lapua brass is on reload #5 that has never been cleaned nor fl sized. It will see the cleaning process at reload #20 ish.

Shoot, dip neck in graphite powder, primer, powder, seat bullet, then F Class match every weekend.

I load 200 cases by volume now since it takes 2 minutes.

No messing around in my department since I shoot 200+ rounds per weekend.
About 5 to 600 per week.
I'm closing in on 10.000 rounds over the last 4 months between 2 rifles.

No need to get fussy since I only shot under the 1000 yard 90% of the time.

At 1700 meters I load case by weight since it keeps the down range """water line""" tight.

Timing is everything.
Don from Western Canada.

PS: Each person gets to pick and choose what works, mine is about shooting with limited time loading.

My soon to be new press dished out about 1700 rounds per hour.
The hardest part to this is keeping the primer tray full.