cleaning your hulls

13 May 2002, 16:58

craigster

If you're talkin shotshells, I don't know cause I don't do 'em. Centerfire rifle and pistol I use ground walnut shells in a vibratory case tumbler. Sandblaster guys use them in place of sand in some applications. They work quite well and the nicest thing about them is I buy them in bulk for $15 for a 50lb bag.

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there's a fine line between hobby and mental illnes

14 May 2002, 02:07

Pecos41

Jim, a vibrating case cleaner with corn cob media or crushed walnut hulls will do the job fine. I've settled on corn cob as I think it lasts a little longer and is cleaner. Midway makes a liquid polishing compound you can pour a slug of into your media and rejuvenate it and keep going forever.

Never, ever use any sand or hard polishing grit. If you did, you would probably ruin a set of reloading dies shortly afterwards.

OH, be sure and clean your cases BEFORE you reload them as tumbling media has nasty habit of getting lodged in primer flash holes. Resizing the cases afterwards will punch any hideout media out of your flash hole.

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A well placed bullet is worth 1,000 ft/lbs of energy.

14 May 2002, 05:33

<Don Martin29>

I use a Lyman vibratory case cleaner with the Lyman media. I set a timer for 2 1/2 hours when I leave the house as even in the basement the noise is not music.

14 May 2002, 07:08

<.>

Varmint Al's Reloading Page --

http://www.cctrap.com/~varmint/arelo.htm

Talks about vibrator tumblers nicking and work hardening the mouths of brass.

I spend a lot of time in brass prep, adjusting neck tension, neck turning, polishing mouths, trimming to length. Seems like beating the brass in a tumbler makes all this work for naught.

When I do tumble brass (handgun brass), I use walnut shell media. Pick up a half gallon bottle of carnuba car polish -- without ammonia in it -- and add that to the media a couple table spoons for rejuvenation. Much cheaper than something sold as a "gun" product, and it's the same stuff.

For centerfire brass, I soak in Dawn/lemon juice/vinegar/salt. Remove the primers first or the steel/iron in the primer will turn the brass an ugly pink.

I rinse in hot water and set out on a mesh cat litter screen to dry. Then I clean the interior with a cotton swab, and polish the exterior with a cloth and some tripoli. (Tripoli can be had in sticks at Home Depot etc. in the tool section.)

Some talk about how fast they can load, how their Dillon press turns out 500 rds/hr. I typically spend six or seven hrs loading 100 rds for the rifle.

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14 May 2002, 17:00

jim81147

Actually I was referring to shotshells . I guess I need to learn how to phrase my questions better.

14 May 2002, 17:38

craigster

Genghis, is this guy for real? You (he) mean to tell me that vibratory case cleaning is harder on brass than the normal rigors brass is subjected to in the standard reloading process? This has got to be one of the largest crocks I have run across in recent history. Maybe someone ought to freelance an article into Guns and Ammo on this one. I eagerly wait your responce. Actually, I don't think I should have bothered to respond.

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there's a fine line between hobby and mental illnes

15 May 2002, 06:43

<Mike M>

As far as shotgun hulls go -- don't waste your time. You won't gain anything. If your are concerned about sand, feathers or other foriegn matter just blow them out with compressed air if you have a compressor.

15 May 2002, 16:51

<.>

quote:
Originally posted by craigster:
Genghis, is this guy for real? You (he) mean to tell me that vibratory case cleaning is harder on brass than the normal rigors brass is subjected to in the standard reloading process? This has got to be one of the largest crocks I have run across in recent history. Maybe someone ought to freelance an article into Guns and Ammo on this one. I eagerly wait your responce. Actually, I don't think I should have bothered to respond.

OK, here are Varmint Al's credentials -- Al Harrel did stress analysis engineering for Lawrence Livermore labs. Lawrence Livermore labs are the US Govt. designers of nuclear warheads.

I'm betting Al knows what he's talking about.

Here's a link:

http://www.cctrap.com/~varmint/arelo.htm

You should look over ALL of Al's pages. He seems to know his stuff.

YES . . . shooting brass will work harden it. But banging it around in a vibratory tumbler will harden the mouths as they rattle into each other. Whereas shooting seems to work harden the brass in a uniform manner, banging the mouths together -- besides causing nicks -- will work harden the edge of the case in a random fashion.

Uniform neck tension is crucial to accuracy. You may not need this anal approach for Elk hunting, but for pasture poodles at 300 meters or more, it comes down to sub MOA at all costs.

I'm pretty sure it's "response" -- even in British spelling.

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[This message has been edited by Genghis (edited 05-15-2002).]

15 May 2002, 18:03

<centerpunch>

[ 06-15-2002, 03:14: Message edited by: centerpunch ]

16 May 2002, 15:17

<George Capriola>

Jim,
Load them in a burlap bag or old pillow case, and wash them in the washing machine!
They make a hell of a racket, so it's probably best to wait until the lovely wife goes out shopping or something. What she doesn't know won't hurt you.
Regards, George

[This message has been edited by George Capriola (edited 05-16-2002).]