Matt,
Excellent....thanks!
Tom
Case Cleaning
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- Posts: 200
- Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2016 4:29 pm
- Location: Central NSW Australia
Re: Case Cleaning
I don't bother with the de-prime, into a jug of soapy water at the range regime that appears to be popular.
I wait till I get home to start de-priming and cleaning, it may be the same day or it may be a week later.
After de-priming, I throw the cases into a jug and cover them with white vinegar, I've found that doing so removes the bulk of the crud and left over lube from the cases in just a couple of minutes. The cases will bubble for a couple of minutes and when they stop doing that, I give the container a good shake and pour out the vinegar.
I then give them a quick rinse and throw them into the rotary tumbler with the stainless pins, a squirt of dish-soap and 1/2 a teaspoon of citric acid. An hour and a half later the cases come out spotless clean inside and out, primer pockets included.
The vinegar rinse seems to help a lot with the cleaning process. If I skip that step, it takes twice as long in the tumbler to achieve the same result, that is also when I see the peening of the case mouths that has been spoken about.
I have to say that when it comes to white vinegar, our Aussie stuff is twice the potency of the vinegar that I have used in the U.S.
When I'm here at home, I can clean cases, pour the vinegar back into it's bottle, let it sit for a month and the crud settles out.
I re-use it a number of times, just pouring off the clear vinegar until the sediment starts to come out of the bottle, I discard that each time.
I wait till I get home to start de-priming and cleaning, it may be the same day or it may be a week later.
After de-priming, I throw the cases into a jug and cover them with white vinegar, I've found that doing so removes the bulk of the crud and left over lube from the cases in just a couple of minutes. The cases will bubble for a couple of minutes and when they stop doing that, I give the container a good shake and pour out the vinegar.
I then give them a quick rinse and throw them into the rotary tumbler with the stainless pins, a squirt of dish-soap and 1/2 a teaspoon of citric acid. An hour and a half later the cases come out spotless clean inside and out, primer pockets included.
The vinegar rinse seems to help a lot with the cleaning process. If I skip that step, it takes twice as long in the tumbler to achieve the same result, that is also when I see the peening of the case mouths that has been spoken about.
I have to say that when it comes to white vinegar, our Aussie stuff is twice the potency of the vinegar that I have used in the U.S.
When I'm here at home, I can clean cases, pour the vinegar back into it's bottle, let it sit for a month and the crud settles out.
I re-use it a number of times, just pouring off the clear vinegar until the sediment starts to come out of the bottle, I discard that each time.
Out in western NSW where it don't rain much.
Australia
Australia
- J.B.
- Posts: 646
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:31 pm
- Location: Australia
Re: Case Cleaning
Dan I believe it makes a good gargle too .. just dont swallow...and preferably dont use it until the crud settles.
..I'm guessing this Lemishine that gets spoken of often is a citric acid derivative or similar ? Was planning on picking some up when
Stateside this year.. but that didnt happen
J.B.
..I'm guessing this Lemishine that gets spoken of often is a citric acid derivative or similar ? Was planning on picking some up when
Stateside this year.. but that didnt happen
J.B.
"an experimental weapon..with experimental ammunition ? ...Lets experiment "
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- Posts: 1610
- Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:20 pm
Re: Case Cleaning
Just dissolve some citric acid in water, and you'll probably have 80% of what lemishine is. Beware, too much acid will tarnish cases, you don't need a lot of it.
- J.B.
- Posts: 646
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:31 pm
- Location: Australia
Re: Case Cleaning
[quote=martinibelgian post_id=325180 time=1613755211 user_id=3092]
Just dissolve some citric acid in water, and you'll probably have 80% of what lemishine is. Beware, too much acid will tarnish cases, you don't need a lot of it.
[/quote]
.. Thanks for that. I'll give it a go next time round and yes.. a few have commented that not much is required. One of my shooting buddies just drops his cases into a plastic sandwich bag after a detail and squeezes the air out on sealing. This seems to keep them 'inert' for up to a week or more.. although I'm usually cleaning them within 24-36 hrs after a match. Then its rinse in low ph detergent and or Birchwood Casey cleaner. I suspect this may have a mild acid base and leaves them pretty clean with a scrub. Then its the vibrator to get them shiny.
J.B.
Just dissolve some citric acid in water, and you'll probably have 80% of what lemishine is. Beware, too much acid will tarnish cases, you don't need a lot of it.
[/quote]
.. Thanks for that. I'll give it a go next time round and yes.. a few have commented that not much is required. One of my shooting buddies just drops his cases into a plastic sandwich bag after a detail and squeezes the air out on sealing. This seems to keep them 'inert' for up to a week or more.. although I'm usually cleaning them within 24-36 hrs after a match. Then its rinse in low ph detergent and or Birchwood Casey cleaner. I suspect this may have a mild acid base and leaves them pretty clean with a scrub. Then its the vibrator to get them shiny.
J.B.
"an experimental weapon..with experimental ammunition ? ...Lets experiment "
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- Posts: 60
- Joined: Sat Apr 18, 2020 2:14 pm
- Location: Indiana
Re: Case Cleaning
My first go around with my new FA tumber with 100 pcs of .45-70 that was rinsed and deprimed, some of them pretty tarnished. Results as follows.
1.5 hrs with full tumbler of water, 5lbs of those tiny SS pins and a squirt of Dawn and Lemi-shine. About a third of the primer pockets are clean and none of the insides are. Most of the tarnish was removed from the exterior, but a few stubborn spots are to be found.
On the second tumbling now with the same set-up except I reduced the water to 3/4 tumbler full.
These pins sure are messy.
1.5 hrs with full tumbler of water, 5lbs of those tiny SS pins and a squirt of Dawn and Lemi-shine. About a third of the primer pockets are clean and none of the insides are. Most of the tarnish was removed from the exterior, but a few stubborn spots are to be found.
On the second tumbling now with the same set-up except I reduced the water to 3/4 tumbler full.
These pins sure are messy.
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- Posts: 2899
- Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:21 pm
- Location: Montana
Re: Case Cleaning
I still prefer the Charlie Young method of cleaning !!
Pretty brass doesn't make it shoot any better.
Pretty brass doesn't make it shoot any better.
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- Shadow 4
- Posts: 465
- Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:41 pm
- Location: BIG SKY COUNTRY
Re: Case Cleaning
Yes, Charlie did say that, but Charlie's brass is still cleaner than those are, even after he's dropped it on the ground
You still may need a step or two to achieve "The Charlie Young tarnish"
Cowards rule the world these days.
Coward rules & coward customs
To succeed today, all you've got to know is how to blame & how to complain
Coward rules & coward customs
To succeed today, all you've got to know is how to blame & how to complain