Clean Loaded Brass?

[nicholasjohn]

With the shortage of primers right now, why would anyone want to neutralize one? Many years ago, I used WD-40 to clean my cases before reloading. It worked great. Then when I got a shot at an elk, it didn't. That was the only misfire I've ever had with a reload. I've since read that police who cleaned their guns with WD-40 and then kept the cartridges in the gun for long periods of time without firing, were getting misfires.

A buddy once told me that when he stopped using WD-40 on his guns was when he also stopped having to check the screws all the time. They just stopped loosening themselves, and he firmly believed that the penetrating solvent in the WD-40 was the culprit. This certainly sounds plausible to me, and I haven't used it on guns in a long time. As for mis-fires, I've only had one of those. It was primer with no anvil in it. I don't know how I didn't notice that when I was putting it in the case, but somehow it got by me. A friend of mine had a couple of factory loads mis-fire as well. It was on a very cold day, and it was from too much gummed-up lubrication inside the bolt. Neither primer was properly dimpled by the firing pin, on an old 1903 Springfield. The buck got away unscathed.

 

[vancewalker007]

Never cleaned loaded rounds unless that dropped in the dirt or mud. Never used anything but isopropyl alcohol to wipe cases down during prep.

 

[Moose Whacker]

Factory ammo must have a coating that keeps brass from tarnishing, I have opened factory boxes of ammo that was years old and still looking nice and shiny clean. When I clean my brass in Lemony and Dove it doesn't take long for them to start going dark and dingy looking. Any idea what factory might coat their brass with to keep em nice and clean lookin?

 

[Mike D Texas]

I was wondering when someone would mention Krazy Cloth. It's cheap, it works, lasts for hundreds of rounds. I've been loading since 1968 and I have tried and own everything there is to clean a case. Because of my age, I shoot more paper and steel in competition than hunt, which means 2k to 3.5k rounds per year. After firing a round I aneal for consistency. Wipe with that Krazy Cloth and paper towel, then size with RCBS lube, because it's waterbased and wipes of squeaky clean when I spin it in a drill and wipe with a wet cloth. If I'm doing a lot of cases I might wet tumble instead and clean up the chamfer that the steel pins nicked all up. Of course, I clean the primer pocket and brush out necks if I don't wet tumble, but after completing the loading process I have brass that will stick to any chamber it's fired in and that is a very important part of the "send it" process.

Try Krazy Cloth. Works great.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give that a try.

I was wondering when someone would mention Krazy Cloth. It's cheap, it works, lasts for hundreds of rounds. I've been loading since 1968 and I have tried and own everything there is to clean a case. Because of my age, I shoot more paper and steel in competition than hunt, which means 2k to 3.5k rounds per year. After firing a round I aneal for consistency. Wipe with that Krazy Cloth and paper towel, then size with RCBS lube, because it's waterbased and wipes of squeaky clean when I spin it in a drill and wipe with a wet cloth. If I'm doing a lot of cases I might wet tumble instead and clean up the chamfer that the steel pins nicked all up. Of course, I clean the primer pocket and brush out necks if I don't wet tumble, but after completing the loading process I have brass that will stick to any chamber it's fired in and that is a very important part of the "send it" process.

I jumped on Amazon and bought a Krazy Kloth.

I found a piece of 5.56 brass that had been fired through an AR suppressed. The case was nearly black. Wiped it down with the KK and in less than 30 seconds it was a shiny as the stainless pin tumbled brass I had recently done.

Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[jdavistx]

Soap continues to "clean." A method is to coat the bullets with a non-waxy lubricating compound such as nylon, molybdenum disulfide (moly), polymer and other compounds. Or, WD-40. You need a non-reactive coating that prevents oxygen from coming into contact with the cartridge. Water based coatings are not your friend in this case.

 

[nicholasjohn]

I jumped on Amazon and bought a Krazy Kloth.

I found a piece of 5.56 brass that had been fired through an AR suppressed. The case was nearly black. Wiped it down with the KK and in less than 30 seconds it was a shiny as the stainless pin tumbled brass I had recently done.

Thanks for the recommendations!

Mike,

Glad to help out. When I mentioned it briefly, I wondered how many guys would chime in about it. You can take old green corroded brass and make it shiny again in about 30 seconds. ( It will be pitted, but it will be clean & shiny.) I learned about Krazy Cloth from a guy named Todd Kindler, at the Woodchuck Den. He has a little shop where he sells reloading stuff in Ohio, and he's a really good guy. He told me about it around 25 years ago, and I've been a big fan of it ever since. Todd also used to publish a magazine called Small Caliber News, but it has been out of publication for a long time. It was one of the best shooting/hunting magazines I have ever seen, and I wish it was still around. He has turned me on to dozens of tricks for loading better ammunition and dealing with guns & shooting. Look him up and check out his website.


Nick

 

[Mike D Texas]

Mike,

Glad to help out. When I mentioned it briefly, I wondered how many guys would chime in about it. You can take old green corroded brass and make it shiny again in about 30 seconds. ( It will be pitted, but it will be clean & shiny.) I learned about Krazy Cloth from a guy named Todd Kindler, at the Woodchuck Den. He has a little shop where he sells reloading stuff in Ohio, and he's a really good guy. He told me about it around 25 years ago, and I've been a big fan of it ever since. Todd also used to publish a magazine called Small Caliber News, but it has been out of publication for a long time. It was one of the best shooting/hunting magazines I have ever seen, and I wish it was still around. He has turned me on to dozens of tricks for loading better ammunition and dealing with guns & shooting. Look him up and check out his website.


Nick

This will save me tons of time in the future. I'm a stickler for clean brass (at least on the exterior) and my brass from bolt rifles stays pretty clean. If I don't have to tumble after firing that will be great.

 

[nicholasjohn]

This will save me tons of time in the future. I'm a stickler for clean brass (at least on the exterior) and my brass from bolt rifles stays pretty clean. If I don't have to tumble after firing that will be great.

I was just looking at a case holder from Sinclair that locks onto the case head and attaches to a drill motor. This would be very handy for cleaning more than a few cases at a time. I think I'm going to get one of these. Having to wipe off the oily residue from the krazy cloth with a paper towel adds to the process, but with the cases being turned by an electric motor, it will really speed up the process.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I was just looking at a case holder from Sinclair that locks onto the case head and attaches to a drill motor. This would be very handy for cleaning more than a few cases at a time. I think I'm going to get one of these. Having to wipe off the oily residue from the krazy cloth with a paper towel adds to the process, but with the cases being turned by an electric motor, it will really speed up the process.

Would you mind posting the link to that?

 

[nicholasjohn]

Would you mind posting the link to that?

Mike,

I just went to their website - www.sinclairintl.com - and scrolled through all the pages in the case preparation section and struck out. I couldn't find it, although I just saw it there a few days ago. I can't remember what I searched to bring it up. I wish that I had saved myself a link to it, because I want to buy one. Spinning the cartridge case in this gadget while holding the krazy cloth wrapped around it would be the handiest way to operate.

Everything I've ever gotten from Sinclair over the years has been very well engineered and machined, and has worked great. I plan to call them up and describe the item to them, and they will probably be able to set me up. Here is their contact info if you want to do the same :

Sinclair U.S. Phone Numbers

Ordering: 800-717-8211
Technical Support: 260-482-3670
Fax: 260-482-3735

Good luck. I used to drive up to Indiana to see them when I lived in Louisville, KY years ago, and their sales reps would put on a clinic for me on how to use their many neat reloading gadgets. Brownells own the company now. I don't know how their customer service is since they came under new ownership. I guess that I'll be finding out soon.

Nick

 

[Mike D Texas]

Mike,

I just went to their website - www.sinclairintl.com - and scrolled through all the pages in the case preparation section and struck out. I couldn't find it, although I just saw it there a few days ago. I can't remember what I searched to bring it up. I wish that I had saved myself a link to it, because I want to buy one. Spinning the cartridge case in this gadget while holding the krazy cloth wrapped around it would be the handiest way to operate.

Everything I've ever gotten from Sinclair over the years has been very well engineered and machined, and has worked great. I plan to call them up and describe the item to them, and they will probably be able to set me up. Here is their contact info if you want to do the same :

Sinclair U.S. Phone Numbers

Ordering: 800-717-8211
Technical Support: 260-482-3670
Fax: 260-482-3735

Good luck. I used to drive up to Indiana to see them when I lived in Louisville, KY years ago, and their sales reps would put on a clinic for me on how to use their many neat reloading gadgets. Brownells own the company now. I don't know how their customer service is since they came under new ownership. I guess that I'll be finding out soon.

Nick

Cool. Thanks for looking. I thought you had it handy.

 

[nicholasjohn]

Cool. Thanks for looking. I thought you had it handy.

Sure wish I did, Sir ......

 

[sedancowboy]

Here is the link.

DELUXE CASEHOLDER AND DRIVER SET | Brownells

The Sinclair Driver and Caseholder system is designed to hold and turn your case while you are neck turning, cleaning case necks or case mouth deburring. The caseholders and driver are machined from stainless steel, and the driver has a ¼" hex sha...

www.brownells.com

 

[Mike D Texas]

Here is the link.

DELUXE CASEHOLDER AND DRIVER SET | Brownells

The Sinclair Driver and Caseholder system is designed to hold and turn your case while you are neck turning, cleaning case necks or case mouth deburring. The caseholders and driver are machined from stainless steel, and the driver has a ¼" hex sha...

www.brownells.com

Thanks for the link.