Fly Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 if i shoot a factory load 9mm and reload it without cleaning, tumbling etc, are there any drawbacks? I have a lot of once fired, and that is what i was planning to shoot at matches where I don't get my brass back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAWunder Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Why not give it a tumble? It isn't like it is any work. Your dies will thank you for not running all that power reside, dirt, grit, and who knows what from the range through them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echotango Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 I would never even think of running dirty brass through my press. Just clean it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly Posted October 16, 2015 Author Share Posted October 16, 2015 At this point I don't own a tumbler or vibrator, that's why i asked the question. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeactionjackson Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 I would never even think of running dirty brass through my press. Just clean it. ^this, a clean press is a happy press. I deprime on my single stage, all three of my progressive presses run flawlessly 99% of the time. Dry tumbling would be the min, I prefer to also we tumble after depriming. ~g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric_Vmax Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 You might ruin your dies if you run dirty brass in it. You might consider finding a brass dealer on the web that will clean the brass for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 this may seem a little excessive. you pretty much have to clean the cases If you have only a few hundred a bucket and dishwashing detergent stir them in very hot water rinse them off and dry them off with paper towels a hundred tiny beer mugs... miranda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleTK Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 The cheap way http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rival-2-Quart-Ice-Cream-Maker/44457818 Lay it on its side with hamster corn cob bedding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 (edited) if i shoot a factory load 9mm and reload it without cleaning, tumbling etc, are there any drawbacks? I have a lot of once fired, and that is what i was planning to shoot at matches where I don't get my brass back. Yea, the drawbacks are it will stop running! Why do you think shooters clean their brass? It's not for fun, it's for reliability. Plus the dirty brass will wreck your dies. Are you actually shooting competition, or just from a bench? Edited October 16, 2015 by 9x45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpaw Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 You can get a tumbler for under $40 I have a lot of once fired, and that is what i was planning to shoot at matches where I don't get my brass back. What do you use a matches where you do get your brass back? All new brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hceuterpe Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 (edited) I could see someone asking this about trimming and dealing with NATO style and other crimped primers in rifle brass, but seriously forgoing cleaning pistol brass because you won't find it again? Just get a tumbler. A lot of tumblers even come with media. You throw it in the tumbler, turn it on and let it sit and walk away for a while. It's like the easiest part of reloading. Are you actually reloading now, or just shooting factory and thinking about it? Dirty brass can scratch reloading dies. Edited October 16, 2015 by hceuterpe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfalcon00 Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Yeah just get a tumbler there is a reason we all clean brass before loading. If you are handy there are a number of do it yourself designs here and elsewhere that work great and are pretty cheap. I built my own and glad I did, saved me hundreds of dollars. I will confess it does not look as good as the store bought ones, but it works just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 When I reloaded revolver, I didn't own a tumbler - I just wiped each piece of brass with a lubed cloth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Absocold Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 It's not just that you can wreck your dies, you can also scratch the chamber on your gun. It's not as big a problem with revolvers, but with pistols the case is still contracting and pressing more firmly on the chamber walls (and squeezing against the dirt) when extraction starts. $60 will score you a tumbler, sifter and media. Amazon Prime is your friend. Your press and gun will thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shotgunone Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Today I clean my brass by tumbling and lube them with one shot. 40 yrs ago when I was in college and didn't have lot of money (or any sometimes). I reloaded "humptine jillian" (yes that's a lot!) 45 acp thru a RCBS single stage press using carbide sizing die without lube, without cleaning a case. Just wiped them down or maybe gave them a bath and let them air dry in the Texas sun. My bullets were not that pretty but they shot fine. Do I recommend this - probably not - but it can be done. Cleaned and lubed are lots easier on the equipment and on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPatton Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Today I clean my brass by tumbling and lube them with one shot. 40 yrs ago when I was in college and didn't have lot of money (or any sometimes). I reloaded "humptine jillian" (yes that's a lot!) 45 acp thru a RCBS single stage press using carbide sizing die without lube, without cleaning a case. Just wiped them down or maybe gave them a bath and let them air dry in the Texas sun. My bullets were not that pretty but they shot fine. Do I recommend this - probably not - but it can be done. Cleaned and lubed are lots easier on the equipment and on you. I agree. I never owned a tumbler the first 20 years of reloading and shot a lot of rifle and pistol. Cleaning brass consisted of making sure there wasn't any sand on the outside and there wasn't any foreign material on the inside. I still use the same dies today and they aren't scratched inside. That being said, these days I polish brass because it looks good, it keeps things cleaner, and I don't worry about what is inside the cases. If you pick up range brass in these parts trapdoor spiders like to take up residence in brass left on the range. In short, do you have to polish your brass? NO. Is it a good idea? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaldor Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 this may seem a little excessive. you pretty much have to clean the cases If you have only a few hundred a bucket and dishwashing detergent stir them in very hot water rinse them off and dry them off with paper towels a hundred tiny beer mugs... miranda This is more than adequate providing the brass is not filthy to begin with. You just want to get the outside of the cases clean before sizing. Wash them in Dawn dish soap with hot water, and let them sit for 20 minutes. Give them a good rinse with cold water. Dump them onto a towel, wipe them a little, and let them dry thoroughly. From there, load as usual. Myself, Id probably decap prior to washing to speed up the drying time, and help make sure the brass is bone dry before loading. I do this with my 223 range brass that I pick up off the ground before it sees my sizing dies. No reason to beat up your dies. I do tumble with SSTL media after sizing and trimming any rifle brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdinga Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Before I owned a tumbler...I would place the brass in pillow case, zip tie the neck and throw them in the washer with load of towells. They will dry in the sun.... Cheap and it works great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTDMFR Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 At the very least, I'd rinse them off with soap and water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoBell Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 I didn't own a tumbler for the first couple months I reloaded, and I washed the cases carefully with soap and water and let them dry thoroughly. Then I bought a cheap rock tumbler from Harbor Freight, some media, and I've used that tumbler for 2 years now. Cheap and easy. Bought a 10 pound bag of ground walnut shells at the pet store and that bag has lasted 2 years and will probably last 2 more. Definitely need to clean the cases somehow before loading, for all the reasons people have already thrown out there. I don't polish mine with anything, I just tumble them for a few hours and call it good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mic2377 Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 If you don't want to get a tumbler, I will second some of the other recommendations, with a small variation: Get a large tupperware with a tight fitting lid. Fill 1/4-1/3 with brass. Add some Dawn soap, and a healthy splash of Lemi-shine (lemon juice). Cover with HOT water. Shake tupperware for a few min, then rinse several times. Lay brass out to dry for 2 days then load as usual. For an easy, virtually process, the cases come out fairly clean, albeit without the "polished" tumbler look. The citric acid in the lemon stuff helps them turn out fairly shine and gets rid of tarnish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Absocold Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Try some Nu Finish car polish with your walnut. A cap full (two or three tablespoons?) every ten or so tumble cycles helps polish, makes the cases slightly slippery (no need for case lube on pistol brass) and the coating prevents oxidation helping the brass stay bright and shiny. Works for corncob too but helps a lot with walnut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSteel Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Not sure where you are located but I think your best option if you don't want to buy a tumbler is to fill a box and ask if someone at your club would throw it in a tumbler for you and bring back the next match. I'm sure there are plenty who tumble brass with some regularity!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 My decades old method is a 2 step, run in walnut with a couple of teaspoons of mineral oil for cleaning, overnight on a timer, then into corn with a couple of teaspoons of nufinish(or any liquid car polish). Walnut cleans, corn polishes. no dust, I run them open. And loading the media with the additives makes it last a really long time. From Le Crap to Le Creme. They are so slippery there is no need for case lube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly Posted October 18, 2015 Author Share Posted October 18, 2015 My original post was not to appear be cheap or lazy, all I was trying to find out is if I have a bunch of once fired brass (which I do) from factory shells i had shot and collected from my indoor range, and loaded them when I shoot USPSA matches, because at the matches your brass is donated, and once fired to me doesn't appear to be very filthy. The photo in the above post (left side) appears to be shot more than once, as my once fired doesn't look anything like that. Thanks, Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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