General Reloading ?'s

[statjunk]

After you shoot. Do you clean the black stuff out of the mouth of the case or do you just resize it and move on?

If you do clean it what do you use? How clean are we talking about?

Thanks

Tom

[eldeguello]

ORIGINAL: statjunk

After you shoot. Do you clean the black stuff out of the mouth of the case or do you just resize it and move on? If you do clean it what do you use? How clean are we talking about? Thanks
Tom

Tom, the only time I clean "black stuff" off my brass is if I have been firing black powder loads, after which the cases have to be thoroughly washed out to get ALL the BP fouling off & out of them.

If I am using smokeless powder, I wipe the cases off to get any grime or grit off them before lubing them and running them through a sizing die. This is just to keep from scratching the die. Once a die gets scratched inside, it will make scratches on the cases when you size them.

It has to get fairly nasty before I tumble. I am lazy that way.

[statjunk]

So it is fair to say that by the time it really needs to be cleaned the brass is likely pasted it's life?

Tom

[gunnermhr]

For hunting purposes I don't clean the inside of the neck. For anything to do with matches I do clean the inside. I use a bronze cleaningbrush wrap a little steel wool on it scew it onto the RCBS case prep center and run it down and back up. Done. It still looks a little black inside the neck but it's a whole lot cleaner than when I started. The only reason I clean the inside of the neck is for consistancy. If you don't have the prep center chuckthe brushinto a cordless drill. When I'm done I hit the primer end with the air compresor so there isn't anything left in the case. I don't want any steel particles going down the end of my barrel

[Rammer]

I neck size and load 'em myself. I don't own any of that fancy cleaning equipment.

ORIGINAL: statjunk

So it is fair to say that by the time it really needs to be cleaned the brass is likely pasted it's life?

Tom

Some people like to clean em, and not get that gummy nasty stuff in thier dies. I usually clean and oil my dies after use.

[bronko22000]

Past its life? Possibly. It depends on the case design itself (cartridge) and whether you full length or neck size. Some cases stretch more than others like the 243, 7mm mag, 300 mag, etc. Others usually straight walled or slightly tapered case designs like the 45-70 don't stretch nearly as fast.
I like to resize, tumble, and trim my brass every time. The latter 2 steps are not necessary every time. Its just something I do.

[eldeguello]

ORIGINAL: statjunk

So it is fair to say that by the time it really needs to be cleaned the brass is likely pasted it's life?

Tom

Not necessarily-it all depends on how dirty they get in use.....

[HEAD0001]

I always push the primer's out with a depriming die and tumble all my brass before I size my cases. I would never put a dirty case in my dies, but that is just me. Tumbling will clean the inside, outside, and primer pockets. Tom.