Do you clean your brass?

[chav0_12]

I will usually clean off any carbon or dust or anything to keep that stuff out of my dies, then, like others, I will tumble them again to get the lube off.

 

[JTH]

I almost always de-prime and tumble clean with walnut and flitz before sizing. Sometimes clean again after sizing. I usually chamfer and debur after final cleaning, I think tumbling the brass roughs up the necks a little.

 

[Sykes]

I don't clean them unless it's range brass and has got muddy or really dirty. I feel the carbon in the neck after firing helps with bullet seating, squeaky clean necks are sticky. And yes I use dry neck lube whether its dirty or clean brass.

 

[FAIRCHASE]

Always.

 

[Lee7588]

I don't clean them unless it's range brass and has got muddy or really dirty. I feel the carbon in the neck after firing helps with bullet seating, squeaky clean necks are sticky. And yes I use dry neck lube whether its dirty or clean brass.

In the interview that was what Erik had said also. The carbon in the neck acted as kind of a lube if you will. And clean brass and a clean bullet had more friction .

 

[victor3ranger]

I guess I must be a stickler but I clean before sizing, trim, anneal what ever needs done then I clean again before I load.
If I have large batches I will process a pile and keep it stored then load it up in a session

 

[Ken61]

My main thing is to get the lube off. Most of the time I put shells in the tumbler I forget about them for a day or two before to turn it off

I use an appliance timer

 

[Hoss50]

If the brass is dirty I will clean then size and deprime. If it is pretty clean I will just size then deprime, then tumble for awhile to get the lube off. Clean the primer pockets, seat primers, and load.

 

[comfisherman]

Yup, some or my best load combos make more soot than a redneck in a poorly tuned diesel truck. Stainless pins and ultra sonic depending on whats getting cleaned.

 

[jjmp]

Yes I tumble once fired range brass,in walnut media ,this cleans out carbon in cases , then I anneal them,then they can sit and don't draw moisture,carbon from the powder burn if left will draw moisture and start turning the brass green, if left over time it will pit the brass surface and act like rust on steel ,and ruining the brass pieces . After your walnut media has cleaned thousands and thousands of brass pieces ,I use small screen from windows it's made from a tough plastic,but flys can and do chew holes in it lol, I'll double it up then pour my media on it and roll it back n forth, what falls through is very small pieces of media and dust of carbon ,which I sweep up and throw away ,ps, the dust is very fine so I wear a covd mask .cheers

 

[Tiny Tim]

I dry tumble before sizing. I have scratched the inside of sizing dies in the past from dirty brass. It left some bad scratches on my brass. I sent the dies back to the manufacture to have them polished or replaced.

I used to do this all the time for fear of scratching my dies. Now I just wipe off my brass and tumble to remove the lube.

However, I will clean first if shot in my AR, range brass, or if I see something that may cause suspicion. I completely agree on protecting your dies, they are quite an investment.

 

[Lee7588]

This is the link for those who want to see the interview

 

[Elkeater]

that works for me, I deprime, anneal, size and trim then toss them into the tumbler. doing hundreds of small cases is rough on my hands when try to use a rag.

I do the same exact process. Deprime and check for damage or dirt/mud/whatever, anneal, size, trim, chamfer, deburr, clean primer pocket, then into the tumbler with walnut.

 

[Ol' Red]

This is the link for those who want to see the interview

That was interesting to watch while having my morning coffee. Thanks for posting @Lee7588