Additionally, when I chamfer the mouth of my .375 brass, I am noticing that small pieces of brass are sticking inside the neck of the case. Does that need to be removed before seating the bullet and how should it be done?

Thanks.

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

I wipe the cases off on the outside with a towel. On the inside of the necks I wipe each neck with a rag twice. I do each case the same and use right size allen wrench for that caliber to get the rag inside the neck. Old cotton sheets are the best material.

Do chips of brass in the necks make a difference? The answer to this is the same as when should a sailor reef? The time to reef is when you first think of it.

[This message has been edited by Don Martin29 (edited 05-05-2002).]

Before sizing/decapping, I brush the inside of the case with a nylon 25mm pistol bore-brush to remove any trash. Then I lubricate the inside (neck area) with RCBS water soluble lube, size the necks, and finally trim the cases if needed.

I clean the primer pockets, and then wash the inside of the cases with the nylon brush, liquid soap, and plenty of hot water, followed by a thorough rinse with hot water.

I shake the cases to remove any water, and place them in an aluminum leading block that has small drain holes. After that, I dry the cases with a hair dryer (blower), or I place them in the oven at the lowest temperature possible (around 150 degrees) for 30 minutes. Otherwise I blow-dry them, and then place them outside to let the sun do the work. Finally, I keep them in a dry and dust-free place until I need them.

The aluminum block can be built as follows: Take a 6"x8" flat piece of aluminum, and with a drill press drill the correct size holes for your cases. You will need another piece of aluminum to serve as a base to hold the loading block elevated. Use thin and long screws, with at least 3 nuts each to create 4 pillars. Drill a hole at each corner of the aluminum pieces, and use the four screws or spacers to hold the two pieces of aluminum together and far apart from each other. The idea is to have enough room between the plates so the cases can be suspended uspside-down without touching the lower plate. The gap between the cases mouths and the lower plate allows the water to drain.

[This message has been edited by Ray, Alaska (edited 05-05-2002).]

I stuffed a pipe cap with steel wool and rotate the mouth on the wool by hand. Then I remove the debris inside the case with a cotton swab.

Varmint Al discusses this "clean up" process in pretty specific detail.

Here's a link to Varmint Al's:

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

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.223 Ackley Improved Wildcat Forum:
http://www.hotboards.com/plus/plus.mirage?who=223ackleyimproved

You will not expose yourself to solvents, but you have no hessitation about primer dust, lead or the solvents contained in powders?

Solvents, like all tools, are fantastic when they are used properly...

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Shoot straight , Shoot often
Rudie

Forgot to include . I wont be home this week coming so dont get p!@# off if I dont reply before Friday.

Rudie

Thanks for the heads up on primer and powder dust. But I don't think I will bother with dipping cases in solvents or wiping them with my hands anyway. But thanks. At least I will avoid that hazzard.

I don't think benchrest shooters that load at the bench use solvents. I know I did not.

And anyway to get metal really clean soap and a triple rinse is quite good. The days of triclor are past us for the most part thank goodness.

Ola

I use water soluable spray lubes for all the cases I size in non-carbide dies. To clean them I place them in a small container and add a couple of squirts of GOJO handcleaner. It is fairly cheap and the stuff does the job. I then let them soak for half-dozen minutes and then rinse 2 or 3 times is HOT water. Then it is to the oven. I place mine on aluminum foil or a cookie sheet at 225 degrees for about 10 minutes. I then just let them cool slowly in the oven that I have turned off. A quick swip with a neck brush and maybe a primer pocket cleaning tool and they are ready to reload. I don't use the primer pocket tool every time...it just depends on how they look...Good-luck...BCB

Bullets slip into and out of the neck well and haven't had any bullets move due to recoil...yet. If I get a little too much wax on the brush the powder sticks to the inside of the neck but the wax doesn't seem to cause a problem with the powder going into the case (except with the 17's), the ignition or seating the bullets. I always have bright, clean, loaded cases, and they seem to shoot better also.

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From my cold, dead hands!
Thanks Chuck!

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if you run, you just die tired

Dave

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BigBob

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob338:
I don't do a thing but wipe the lube off with a clean paper towel as I finish sizing and start handling. All you really need to do is to make sure the case doesn't have enough lube on it to affect the grip on the chamber walls as it expands upon firing. It's unnecessary to completely degrease.

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AMEN, Bob. I've used exactly your method for the last 40 years and haven't had problem one.

Tumbling cases after they are lube sized is just a great way to get the media stuck in your primer flash hole and screw up ignition. Using solvent and putting cases in water to "wash them" is equally crazy and another good way to compromise primers and powder with moisture. I've never heard such wacky suggestions!

Just wipe your cases clean with a good absorbent towel or rag is all you need do. If a person uses the new spray on lubes, there is hardly anything to wipe off in the first place. All this other nonesense is much ado about nothing. Needless steps added to reloading until finally making bullets become a real pain in the ass production.

Listen to Bob. He's dead on this one.

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

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