I posted a couple weeks ago that I've had many loads that the accuracy deteriorates on over a few years. When I described the symptoms it was agreed that the cause was changing neck tension from dried lube, etc.

Now the follow up question: What would you suggest for easily cleaning the inside of the necks to keep the accuracy as a load ages?

Please keep in mind I HAVE A LIFE and frankly only reload to get to shoot. I don't enjoy the reloading as much as I used to and would like to keep the process simple and quick.

I don't always tumble cases because they tarnish so quickly anyway and I don't really care what they look like. Would simply tumbling the cases after sizing clean them enough to keep neck tension consistent?

How about a cotton swab with alcohol or some other sort of solvent? Nylon bore brush with solvent?

Please keep in mind quick and simple.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to load up a couple hundred of each accurate load for each rifle and keep them on hand so I don't have to load before each trip.

Thanks,
Kyler

I simply use a nylon brush wrapped with a wet heavy duty shop towel. I tear off little pieces as it gets dirty. I'd say I can swab out 20 cases in 3-4 minutes.

Kyler, the solution is simpler than you think. I assume you are refering to ammunition which has been previousily loaded becoming erratic. This occurs when the bullet and the neck molecularly weld themselves together (slightly.) So load the ammunition as you normally would BUT LONGER THAN NORMAL and then prior to actual usage. Reseat the bullets to the desired length. This has the side benefit of allowing you to adjust to throat wear as the rifling wears. The ammunition will for all practical purposes be the same as if you loaded it that day!

quote:

Originally posted by Kyler Hamann:
I posted a couple weeks ago that I've had many loads that the accuracy deteriorates on over a few years. When I described the symptoms it was agreed that the cause was changing neck tension from dried lube, etc.

Hey Kyler, Apparently I didn't see that thread.

One other thing it could be is "Throat Recession". The more you shoot a rifle, the more the Throat moves into the barrel. It depends on how hot the loads are and how hot the barrel is when you are shooting as to how quickly the Throat is worn away(moves forward). That effectively changes your Seating Depth, so it might be as simple as readjusting it.

Basically the same thing 308Sako is saying, so I agree with him.

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What would you suggest for easily cleaning the inside of the necks...

I wrap 0000SteelWool around a 22cal Bore Brush and screw the Bore Brush into a handle. Then just give a few twists inside the Case Mouth.

No need for a Power Tool to do this. Plus it totally eliminates very tiny burrs left from Chamfering and Deburring after Trimming.

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Please keep in mind I HAVE A LIFE

Good for you!

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Would simply tumbling the cases after sizing clean them enough to keep neck tension consistent?

This may be a "Life Killer" for you, but you are probably going to have to "Anneal the Cases" to keep the Neck Tension consistent.

Or, just toss them after a few reloads, which fits your quick and simple requirement.

quote:

Ideally, I'd like to be able to load up a couple hundred of each accurate load for each rifle and keep them on hand so I don't have to load before each trip.

Nothing to keep you from doing that. But if you shoot the barrels when they are "hot", you can move the Throat and change the accuracy.

Quick and simple would be to take 50 rifles and 40 Loads for each so you can "quickly and simply" switch to a cool barrel.

Best of luck to you.

What's wrong with just using a case neck brush? I have two on my reloading bench. I use the brush before I resize/deprime the case so that the drag on the button is reduced. I just use 3 or 4 strokes every time I reload.
Peter.

If you really value your "life" enough to not want to waste time cleaning your brass, just chuck your cases after every three loadings and buy more.

But, if you value your money more than your time, you will have to use some method of cleaning the cases, as well as perhaps annealing them as HotCore suggests.

My method of cleanng the insides of the necks of my cases is very simple. For .30 cases, I use a .30 bore brush, chucked in a Makita battery-powered drill. I run it in and out of each case while turning at moderate speed, once, before decapping, every time I reload. After every 100-200 cases, I throw the brush away and get out another.

Then when I decap, I automatically turn the case upside down and shake it as I take it out of the shell-holder, just to make sure all the crap from the primer and any little bits of brush/carbon/etc., which may be in there are removed from the empty cases befoe repriming and charging with powder.

If you use Lee collet dies and only neck size (like I do when possible), then there is no lube to remove!

The main reason I clean cases in a tumbler is to remove lube (and it does a fine job to). Clean shiney cases do have very good karma though.

You can clean and polish the inside of the case necks quickly with and old 22 caliber bore brush wrapped in 4 ought (0000) steel wool. Chuck the bore brush in a cordless drill and polish away. Takes only seconds a case and doesn't remove brass.