Guys I have been getting brass from my local range and have heard abot flare ups from fresh brass with powder residue as well as paper in the mix. I have been soaking the brass overnight in a 5gal bucket of hot water. Is ths good enough or should I be doing more?

-james

I have never heard of this problem!
I've been reloading since 1974 and I have never soaked brass as you have stated!
I just look it over, then throw it into the tumbler!

I was reading a Reloading book that said to actually boil the cases for a few minutes and then drain them and allow to air dry. I guess its a common practice that i have never heard of before.

That's odd. I have never heard of doing that. Probably won't start either. I just do what the previous poster said, throw them in the tumbler.

I have used 50-50 mix of hot, soapy (Dawn) water and white vinegar with salt added. Cases come out very clean, especially after used for several loads with cast boolits and FWFL. After awhile there is a little waxy film that builds up, and it all comes off. I hardly ever tumble them any more, unless they just really need it. sundog

And I heard that there is a monster in Loc Ness...

DO WHAT???????????????? I've been reloading for over 40 years and I've never heard of anything like this! What "flares up"???? How does the paper get in the cases? Inquiring minds want to know.
We often joke about the hacks needing something to write about but this is bizarre. Whoever dreamt it up is certainly going to get my vote for the Chicken Little Award. Geeeeeez!

The only brass I soak/clean are my BP cartridges.



Brett

I've been handloading ammo for 49 years and this is a first for me too. The only time I soaked brass was after shooting GI WW-2 issue 30-06 and .45 ACP with the corrosive primers. (Yes, I hot watered the rifles bore.) There was an article in the American Rifleman sometime in the late 1950's IIRC, that suggested doing this to alleviate the possibility of left over salts in that GI brass contaminating the barrel and causing rust. As I lived in a high humidity area near the ocean with lots of salt air, I figured it probably was a good idea. With modern non-corrosive ammo, I just throw it in the tumbler and load as usual.
Paul B.

how long do you have to soak the cases with your dawn and vinegar mixture. Do you have to do anything special to dry them or rinse them off?

-james

The range where I get my brass also allows shotgun shells as well as pistol, the paper I assume comes from the shot shells. All of the brass is mixed together with lots of powder residue mixed in. They have had 3 fires from people who collected the brass and let it sit, one was even in there recycling bin. They weren't huge fires just little flare ups which could be a huge problem in a house!! I really want to find a safe and decent way to soak these cases so I don't have any risks to my family. I'm also talking 20-30 lbs of brass a time some of it might have been shot only 10 min earlier!

-james

I remember reading something in the 60s about washing brass to neutralize salt residue from corrosive primers. I've also read that corrosive primers weaken the brass upon firing and the brass should be avoided. I don't know if either is true. If I am suspectious about any brass I throw it in the scrap bucket.

Only brass I ever soaked was used with black powder. Only mercuric primers eat brass and should be avoided, corrosive primers (WWII vintage) are not a problem. Nothing wrong with washing cases as long as you get them dry.
C.G.B.

Now let's get this straight: Spontaneous fires from empty, fired brass just sitting around?

This one doesn't even qualify as Urban Legend.

My vote goes to a cigarette but left in the bucket. This is one for Mythbusters... In 35 yrs. of reloading I've only dumped them into the tumbler.

James, nobody is ragging you but I cannot think of any scenerio whereby fired brass could ignite. If you want to soak it, use one of the vinegar formulaes posted around (I've never heard of one with Dawn). They will get your brass squeeky clean inside and out. (and your reloading room will smell like the salad bar at Shoneys)

James, did the same people that mentioned the "flare up" issue also try to talk you into a late night "snipe hunt" too?

Sorry I couldn't help it..