View Full Version : Cleaning 5.56 brass - tricks?
Sparky5019
09-21-19, 15:18
For initial cleaning I usually use corn cob and it does well. My process is lube, “prep” (decamp, size/trim, etc), then tumble the lube off for 30m or so, then load whenever.
My issue is that I’ve had some bits of corn cob cling to lube inside some cases and turn into “rocks” in there.
Does anyone have any better ways to tumble the lube off that might be more complete. I didn’t have issue for a long time then it just started and it seemed like it was dustier than before too. Maybe it was that run of media idk.
I’m open to most things but probably not wet cleaning given time and expense.
Thanks!!
get some 20/40 grit corn cob https://www.zoro.com/zoro-select-blast-media-corn-cob-20-to-40-grit-crn3-40/i/G2165387/ it's small enough not to get stuck in the prmimer pocket holes...
edited to add... - that's an LC 5.56 case, not a 30mm cannon shell LOL
pic looks big
https://i.imgur.com/tthrZ2A.jpg
Sparky5019
09-21-19, 16:41
I’ll look into that. The flash holes aren’t the problem. It’s dust and granules getting stuck inside the cases with line and turning to concrete.
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You’re likely not giving enough time for the polish to be agitated in the media before you add the brass. That’s the first thing I’d look at. And as always, stainless tumbling is far superior.
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Sparky5019
09-21-19, 16:45
You’re likely not giving enough time for the polish to be agitated in the media before you add the brass. That’s the first thing I’d look at. And as always, stainless tumbling is far superior.
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I’m not using polish.
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What kind of lube are you using? Do you think the lube could be causing the collection? Have you considered just wiping the lube off? Or just leave it on?
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Sparky5019
09-21-19, 16:47
What kind of lube are you using? Do you think the lube could be causing the collection? Have you considered just wiping the lube off? Or just leave it on?
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Dillon. Wiping is not an option; too many cases; too much time. I do case prep in multi-thousand batches.
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I use One Shot spray lube. Then a brief session with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel gets 'em ready for priming and loading. No corncob necessary.
Sparky5019
09-21-19, 17:22
I use One Shot spray lube. Then a brief session with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel gets 'em ready for priming and loading. No corncob necessary.
Yeah. I’ve stuck a case with that stuff. Not going there again.
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joedirt199
09-21-19, 17:28
I have found that soaking the brass in a large plastic coffee can with dawn and lemi shine helps break down the carbon gunk. Agitate them a little bit to mix around. Then shake them out in a brass sorter while rinsing in the basement shower. Straight into the tumbler to dry with the corncob media. Come out nice and shiney. I spray some homemade lube in a large ziplock bag them drop in the brass and shake them around. Lanolin/alcohol mix. Works real well and no stuck cases. I look down inside them while they are in a 9mm 50 rd ammo box to make sure nothing is hiding inside before running them through my redding powder drop. Then off to the dillon 550 for bullet seat and crimp.
Sparky5019
09-21-19, 17:36
Ok. Maybe I wasn’t clear...
Here’s the deal. I’m not looking to change my process, change lubes or start wet cleaning. I don’t have time to sit and hand clean the lube off of 5k cases.
I’m asking what people tend to use to tumble lube of of cases.
Are there any better options or less dusty options short of wet cleaning?
Are there better sources for certain grades of corn cob that might be less of a dust issue?
Do people find that Cobb has a lifespan when it comes to lube removal vs just cleaning?
This is the direction I need to take things; all that other stuff is distraction and noise.
Thanks for understanding and insight.
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joedirt199
09-21-19, 19:23
I think the walnut media is less dusty. I put a tshirt over the opening, under the lid to try and catch some of the dust. Some people use old dryer sheets in with the tumbling to collect the dust. I don't bother with tumbling off the sizing lube. You could throw the finished rounds in a towel and rub quite a few around to get the sizing lube off. Corncob can be cleaned, saw it on a video by jerry miculek. I put it in a pillow case and wash it off with dawn soap. Then air dry.
You can wet clean without an expensive tumbler and stainless steel pins. Pet stores carry the corncob/walnut stuff for birdcage bottoms. Cheaper than gun store stuff.
I always preferred walnut over corn cob. You might try adding some mineral spirits to the mix which will help break down the lube.
Haven't tried Harbor Freight walnut, but the price seems decent.
https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=Crushed+walnut+shells
...I’m asking what people tend to use to tumble lube of of cases. ....
I get it
The 20/40 grit, I posted above is what I use to remove my homebrew Dillon style case lube ( lanolin + alcohol spray )
it works very well, and the giant bag lasts a long time, even with high volume reloading.
I have an ultrasonic now but did have a vibratory cleaner. I would save dryer sheets and place them into the cleaner, maybe two, pulled into thirds. It would keep the dust down and help clean the media and also absorb any wetness that may cause the clumping. I don't remember having that issue. I would also place a damp towel over the top to keep excess dust from collecting. IIRC I used Frankford Arsenal media, may have been walnut? Oh-and used Nufinish car wax, dumped a cap or two into the mix prior to adding the cases so it could blend.
I add a capful of Nufinish car wax to the corncob media when it gets dusty. Not sure how many cycles I get out of each capful. I also use Dillon case lube and don't have a problem with the media sticking like you describe.
Sparky5019
09-22-19, 10:05
This was what I was looking for!! Thanks y’all!!
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Sparky5019
09-22-19, 10:06
I get it
The 20/40 grit, I posted above is what I use to remove my homebrew Dillon style case lube ( lanolin + alcohol spray )
it works very well, and the giant bag lasts a long time, even with high volume reloading.
Dillon suggested adding alcohol but it I’m thinking mineral spirits would not evaporate as fast. I’ll check into that grit too.
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Dillon suggested adding alcohol but it I’m thinking mineral spirits would not evaporate as fast. I’ll check into that grit too.
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The alcohol I use is part of my home made case lube, alcohol and lanolin...same thing as Dillon, but cheaper.
I tumble the lube off with dry 20/40grit corncob.
Sparky5019
09-22-19, 12:14
The alcohol I use is part of my home made case lube, alcohol and lanolin...same thing as Dillon, but cheaper.
I tumble the lube off with dry 20/40grit corncob.
Ok. I use dry Cobb as well. Dillon has recommended adding alcohol to the media to help break down the lube.
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The other thing you could do is throw all the sized but still lubed cases in a Tupperware, spray with some brake cleaner, and shake. Empty out the brake cleaner and spread the cases out to dry.
They will be 100% lube free. And brake cleaner is cheap. This is very fast as well.
Sparky5019
09-22-19, 12:20
The other thing you could do is throw all the sized but still lubed cases in a Tupperware, spray with some brake cleaner, and shake. Empty out the brake cleaner and spread the cases out to dry.
They will be 100% lube free. And brake cleaner is cheap. This is very fast as well.
Point.
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Brake clean will eat the tupperware i know from experience. Use something metallic.
Depends on the Tupperware. Actually the cheap pseudo-disposable Tupperware stuff is surprisingly resistant, and brake cleaner evaporates very quickly, so you can get away with it for awhile before the container breaks down.
Just give it a shot between the disposable Tupperware and a can of brake cleaner it is a $4 experiment in total.
FWIW I don't have a tumbler and have used this method for thousands upon thousands of cases.
... save dryer sheets and place them into the cleaner, maybe two, pulled into thirds. It would keep the dust down... I would also place a damp towel over the top to keep excess dust from collecting.
This... My wife doesn't use dryer sheets, so years ago I bought a box of generic unscented dryer sheets.
I drape an old t-shirt over my tumbler, too.
And a bit of Dillon case polish helps keep the dust down and seems to make the cases a bit "slick," in a good way.
Sparky5019
09-22-19, 17:57
This... My wife doesn't use dryer sheets, so years ago I bought a box of generic unscented dryer sheets.
You don’t want your rounds smelling all spring fresh and shit? Lol.
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You don’t want your rounds smelling all spring fresh and shit?
Can't stand that stink...
Brownells or Caldwell or somebody should invent dryer sheets that smell like Hoppes 9!
Travelingchild
09-22-19, 19:14
I throw some of this into whatever media i have in the tumbler
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Diagonal-Tumbling-Jewelers-Finishing/dp/B0187PJ59G/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=diagonal+stainless+steel+shot&qid=1569197309&s=arts-crafts&sr=1-5
Light enough to mix in, gets in the cases and knocks everything loose, the rounds will most likely sink to the bottom but the diagonals will mix in..
You linked to all diagonals...
Did you mean this?
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Tumbling-Jewelers-Tumbler-Finishing/dp/B012BDUC4C/ref=pd_sim_b2b_3/143-5584458-4867721?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B012BDUC4C&pd_rd_r=c3b67e62-9a6a-441b-b65a-bdd28c7fcb5e&pd_rd_w=3smGF&pd_rd_wg=I9di1&pf_rd_p=a07701e4-f565-442a-b97f-93ab23cbb7ef&pf_rd_r=FQ1BJ6PHQM7M3A535P8Q&psc=1&refRID=FQ1BJ6PHQM7M3A535P8Q
Given how much heavier steel is than corn cob or walnut shell, don't you just wind up with all the steel at the bottom of the tumber?
Travelingchild
09-22-19, 19:25
Less pins more diagonal/round I'm about to order just have to sort through all the options can't remember exact item. Yes they will sink to to bottom but so will the brass and pick up some of the stainless, I just toss in a handful it also helps break up any polish clumps if you go that route.
Sparky5019
09-23-19, 04:19
Can't stand that stink...
Brownells or Caldwell or somebody should invent dryer sheets that smell like Hoppes 9!
[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
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This is odd. Is your vibratory tumbler getting the media moving fast enough? Are you using Walnut? (I run the pet store lizard stuff)
Are you putting too much lube on perhaps? I run Dillon lube and tumble off with no issue for 45-60 minutes. Never any clumping in the brass.
Sparky5019
09-23-19, 08:23
This is odd. Is your vibratory tumbler getting the media moving fast enough? Are you using Walnut? (I run the pet store lizard stuff)
Are you putting too much lube on perhaps? I run Dillon lube and tumble off with no issue for 45-60 minutes. Never any clumping in the brass.
So I’m using the big Dillon tumbler with Cobb as stated above. I usually tumble the lube off for 30m or so. You think that may be too short?
I use a P/W auto drive on a 1050 as a dedicated machine to do nothing but case prep. I wouldn’t say to use too much lube (you can never use too much lube [emoji48]) but I dump them into the bowl and spray then rake them around and spray again then run the feeder. I don’t feel like the machine is that gummed up or anything.
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I'd bump it up to a full hour to see if that helps. 30 min in my vibratory is borderline for lube removal.
Walnut media from Harbor Freight works awesome in my experience, far less dusty than corncob.
Let the cases tumble longer too, I rarely go under 90 minutes.
Sparky5019
09-25-19, 04:20
Let the cases tumble longer too, I rarely go under 90 minutes.
90m for lube removal? How long do you let them go for cleaning?
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Sparky5019
09-25-19, 04:21
I'd bump it up to a full hour to see if that helps. 30 min in my vibratory is borderline for lube removal.
Gotcha.
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30 minutes is the minimum amount i run it to dry the brass after wet tumbling.... even for drying that's a short run. I bet an hour cures your issues.
Sparky5019
09-25-19, 09:08
30 minutes is the minimum amount i run it to dry the brass after wet tumbling.... even for drying that's a short run. I bet an hour cures your issues.
Copy that. I’ll give it a try and report back. Thanks for all the suggestions and especially taking in the direction I needed it to go!!
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The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced another 30 min will do it. When I'm tumbling off wet brass, I get some primer pocket clumps if I try to short run the tumbler for 30 min.... and that's only water.
When I'm tumbling off wet brass, I get some primer pocket clumps if I try to short run the tumbler for 30 min.... and that's only water.
And that's in Arizona... I wonder if tumbling wet brass would ever dry here, where humidity is sometimes 70-80%.
And that's in Arizona... I wonder if tumbling wet brass would ever dry here, where humidity is sometimes 70-80%.
Yikes. Yeah. Your media would never get a chance to dry out.
Sparky5019
09-25-19, 17:36
Yikes. Yeah. Your media would never get a chance to dry out.
You have now hit reason 3,276.3 that I won’t wet clean here in NC. LOL.
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90m for lube removal? How long do you let them go for cleaning?
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That is my cleaning usually :p
I never really find brass that's so dirty I need to clean it before resizing, if I have a pile I'll maybe throw it all in a towel and try to wipe down most of it. But that's about it.
Yikes. Yeah. Your media would never get a chance to dry out.
You have now hit reason 3,276.3 that I won’t wet clean here in NC.
I have a stainless tumbler, but I also have an old toaster-oven I plan to use for drying when it's rainy here...
1_click_off
09-29-19, 14:28
How full is your tumbler with media? I found mine really wakes up how fast it tumbles if I run less media in it. Try pulling a cup to a cup and a half media out of it.
How full is your tumbler with media? I found mine really wakes up how fast it tumbles if I run less media in it.
Amen to this... I have the smaller Frankford Arsenal dry tumbler (it's 25+ years old), and it slows waaaay down if it's more than 3/4ths full.
fedupflyer
09-29-19, 15:54
You have now hit reason 3,276.3 that I won’t wet clean here in NC. LOL.
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You are missing out.
Sparky5019
10-01-19, 09:47
You are missing out.
[emoji23][emoji23][emoji2361]
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m1a_scoutguy
10-05-19, 12:37
You are missing out.
You can NEVER convince me that I'm missing out on multiple more steps in the reloading process! :p My brass is going back in my gun, not walking down a runway for display, LOL Anyways I tumble before I size but this still could work for you. I use the Lyman media, yea it cost more but I feel its worth it,at least for me. I use 1/3 of the Red media and 2/3 of the Green. I learned this from a buddy years ago that loads thousands of rds a year,both 223 & 9mm and a few others. This mix works great,lasts a long time and dust is at a minimum,when the media gets older I'll start tossing in dryer sheets. This could be worth a shot for you,I know its worked good for me for years.
For me, it's not about the brass going in the gun... rather working the brass through the dies and steps. I don't care about super shiney (although that's nice when you can get it), I just don't like working with brass that's not nice and clean.
Clean brass on bigger calibers also helps me to see the oxidation iris form when I anneal it.
Sparky5019
10-05-19, 13:49
For me, it's not about the brass going in the gun... rather working the brass through the dies and steps. I don't care about super shiney (although that's nice when you can get it), I just don't like working with brass that's not nice and clean.
Clean brass on bigger calibers also helps me to see the oxidation iris form when I anneal it.
Keeping the dies clean and in good working order are really the only reasons.
Markm, if you’re annealing then you’ve really gone into the weeds. Lol.
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Markm, if you’re annealing then you’ve really gone into the weeds. Lol.
Just for 300WM and .308. Maybe 50 pieces per week on average.
m1a_scoutguy
10-05-19, 15:53
I hear ya guys,and you would be surprised at how good the mix works ! My brass is clean for sure,but then just not primer pocket shinny and a bunch of extra steps clean. ;) When the media is new its like maybe 45 min for 9mm or any pistol stuff and its looking great,I have not done much 223 stuff lately but just put together a new AR so will be shooting it soon,I'll get back at ya after I run some brass through it.
I don’t care if my brass is shiny or not. But wet tumbling ensures that there is no debris inside, primer pockets are free of carbon, and that there are not issues with the brass which I can’t see that may cause bras failure.
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I think it took me about 30 minutes to get it to this point. I will let the brass dry overnight. I don't want all the range trash in my corn cob media. I think I have been using the same corn cob since 2008 and it still looks good. I don't use it that often, though.
I feel like washing in Lemishine first cuts down the time needed for the corncob tumble. Either way, I have fun.
Sparky5019
10-14-19, 20:50
I’ll try more time in the tumbler this time. I had to replace all my brass because I was a dumbass and accepted a ton of brass from a distant relative tha the dickhead had trimmed the necks wayyyy too short on. Of course I poured them in with my brass so I just recycled them for scrap and started over. Will report back once I have my first run done. Thanks for all the suggestions.
And whatever you do, don’t take free brass. Lol. Or at least don’t mix them until they prove out. Lol.
Wow. Trimming brass a little long is annoying enough. Trimming it TOO short is stupid as hell.
Sparky5019
10-15-19, 13:08
Wow. Trimming brass a little long is annoying enough. Trimming it TOO short is stupid as hell.
Like so short it wouldn’t even come close to crimping. Honestly, if you set your does to a little short it’s cool but mine are set to lead the correct 1.750. Lol. Plus it didn’t help that I found live round in the mix too. [emoji2361] That really jams an auto driven 1050.
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mechanic1990
10-27-19, 16:11
I am just getting back into reloading after being away from it for 20+ years. I had to start from scratch since I sold all of my reloading equipment years ago. One purchase that I already regret is getting an ultrasonic cleaner for the brass. I haven't tried the store bought solutions yet, but I tried the homemade mixture of water, white vinegar, Dawn dish soap, and table salt. I am pretty disappointed with the results so far. I am really thinking that the better solution would have been wet tumbling with stainless media.
I am just getting back into reloading after being away from it for 20+ years. I had to start from scratch since I sold all of my reloading equipment years ago. One purchase that I already regret is getting an ultrasonic cleaner for the brass. I haven't tried the store bought solutions yet, but I tried the homemade mixture of water, white vinegar, Dawn dish soap, and table salt. I am pretty disappointed with the results so far. I am really thinking that the better solution would have been wet tumbling with stainless media.
I have a cheapo chinese desktop US cleaner. Worthless.
Sparky5019
11-16-19, 14:17
So I prepped at least 2500 5.56 cases today. I used a mix of suggestions to tumble the lube off.
I didn’t want to change too many variables at once so I would know what worked.
I used my current corn Cobb media (Dillon sold) and tumbled for 1 hr. I sprayed the Cobb with alcohol as Dillon and some here suggested.
The cases I spot checked had no “Cobb rocks” inside them that I could see.
I guess we’ll know for sure when I load them and the powder checker start going off. Lol
Thanks for all the tips. I’ll report back if there’s trouble.
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I stopped using corn cob media to tumble bottle neck cases. I use walnut media with a capful of Nu Finish car polish added for tumbling. About 1 hour will get the cases clean enough. I tumble first, then I decap, resize and trim cases.
I buy walnut shell reptile bedding at the pet store when I need more tumbling media. It's less expensive and works just as well as the walnut media I've purchased from vendors who sell reloading supplies.
2500 in a day? Now that’s impressive.
I’d like to hear about your setup!
2500 in a day? Now that’s impressive.
I’d like to hear about your setup!
No Joke. If I get 500 done in a day, that is massive.
After resizing the cases I wash off the glycerin lube with Simple Green and hot water. I let the cases dry for a couple of days and when it appears they are good and dry I run them through the tumbler with walnut shell media. I put about 1/2 an ounce of Brasso in the walnut shells.
kwg
hotrodder636
11-24-19, 22:09
2500 cases in a day is a shit ton.
Not saying you should change but I wet tumble then put in an old food dehydrator. Best brass I have had an I did corn and walnut media previously.
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