Case prep over here as well!

[Mark Daiute]

Forgive the cross posting but I am not sure where to post this so I've utilized two forums. Here goes:


Call me slow but I searched the forums twice through and did not find a forum heading dedicated to case prep so I'm posting my questions here.

1. Do any of you use Lyman's shell based polishing media with the rouge? I got the jug home started reading it and it says right on the jug that Lyman recommends their corn-cob media for polishing shells! Huh? so why did you sell me this media?

2. Is the rouge of concern to any of you? I see it mixing with the bullet lube that goes down the bore with each shot and wearing down the bore...

3. I polished my brass, several hundred Krag shells, prior to re-sizing and de-capping and they looked beautiful. I use Lee's sizing goop for re-sizing my shells and of course those nice clean shells ended up with goop on them and not so pretty anymore. Rather than put them back in the vibrators here's what I did: I washed them in the kitchen sink and rinsed them well then put them in the oven with the oven set to about 150°.

3A: Am I nuts?

3B: Anyone else do this?

3C:How hot does the brass need to be before it is annealed?

Let me know if I am on the wrong track or if I'm missing some obvious evil here because I like the results. I like the way it has worked out and am eager to get the dried shells primed.

Thanks,

Mark
Maine

[dragonrider]

I have done that a few times in the past and usually set the oven for 200 and give them about 30 minutes at that temp.

[13Echo]

I briefly clean in the tumbler if the brass is dirty. I then size, inspect, trim if necessary and tumble in walnut with a bit of mineral spirits and BonAmi cleanser to remove any sizing lube and to polish the brass before loading. I really think it's less trouble than washing and oven drying. If the brass is otherwise clean I'll size and then tumble. The combination of walnut, three or four caps full of mineral spirits and a couple of large tablespoons of BonAmi does a fine job of polishing without the worry of rouge caking in the case or getting in the rifle's bore. BonAmi is so gentle it's used for cleaning glass.

Jerry Liles

[onondaga]

I got some opinions for ya!

1) Nut shell media is a big upgrade from corncob. Corn stuff wears out and crumbles much much faster than nut shell. The nutshell stuff can even be washed with detergent and water then strained, dried and used again like new. It does eventually get small. I start with #12 grit nut media from Harbor Freight- 25 pounds, 25 dollars and it works fine with no polishing compound.

2) Rouge is too fine of a grit in my opinion. sure it gives a beautiful shine. If you are using automotive polishing rouge stick and grating it into your tumbler or a rouge paste mixed in with your media it will work fine but polishing time can be seriously reduced with a coarser grit polish. The coarsest Black Stick automotive polish works great. I will also use the coarsest automotive valve polishing compound. I use 1 tablespoon per half a tumbler full of nut media when I want to use paste compound or grated polishing stick.

3) The Lee case lube comes right off using a micro-fiber towel that has been slightly dampened with Mean Green or 409 spray cleaner. Pinch the shell in the towel and spin it by the boolit a couple turns and the Lee case lube is gone.. Or else forget the Lee case lube and use Mink Oil to lube your brass. A little bit on your hands and you can lube 5 -10 cases at once by rolling them between your hands. With the right and very slight amount, you don't have to clean it off at all and it will be fine.

3A) I think drying washed brass in an oven is nuts. Don't get them wet in the first place. Try the suggestions in #3.

3B)You are pretty close to what I do. You will end up with a problem I have had. Polishing compound will adhere inside the case neck. This can be severe enough to wear out the expander bell on your sizing die. Using zero polishing compound works fine and gives a better finish to brass than commercial ammo but is not jewelry pretty. If you use polishing compounds in your nut media get a Frankford Arsenal neck lube kit and follow directions. It does a perfect job removing grit from inside case necks and aids in easy smooth boolit seating:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=197010&cm_vc=S014
superb product, fast and easy.

3C) Annealing temp is very disputed. I anneal in the dark, at the first color change visible, I am done and let the case cool on it's own accord. I don't use water to cool and it isn't necessary to quickly cool the brass to anneal it.

You are very well on track, keep going!

Gary

[Wayne Smith]

I'm reading into your question but I will tell you that your oven temp of 200 degrees F is no where near annealing temperature. You don't have to worry abut that one.

[Doc Highwall]

When I use to shoot M-14 alot I would give the cases a quick tumble before sizing to get the dirt off so it would not scratch my dies.

Then I would use a water soluable lube and reload the cases.

After they were reloaded I would put the loaded ammo a large strainer and give them a quick dunk in a plastic bowl filled with hot soapy water and a quick rince with the sprayer and dump them on an old towel for a quick dyring and put them in the plastic 20 round ammo boxes.

I never had a misfire.

[noylj]

Please remember that all you need to do is wipe off any dirt and grit from the case exterior. Everything else "should" be to ease the process.
All I do is tumble in 20/40 corn for about 30-60 minutes and the cases are way more than clean enough. I deprime before cleaning (Lee Universal Depriming Die is great). The 20/40 does not pack in the primer pocket or in the flash hole. However, if it did, it would all be knocked out during resizing.
I wouldn't put ceramic (metal oxide) grit in my tumbler, but don't see any "problem" with it. I also would not waste my time competing in the "Shiniest Case" beauty contests.
I found that walnut cleans quicker than corn, but can make a lot of very fine powder that can clump up inside a case, particularly a bottleneck case.
Since I found that problem and am not using brass that has been buried in the mud for days/weeks/years, see no need for walnut.
As the corn wears out, I do put a little mineral spirits in the tumbler and always add used drier sheets or paper towels to pick up dust and dirt to keep the media cleaner.