Ultrasonic brass cleaning increases ES and SD?

[Cnickolas]

Has anyone experienced an increase in ES and SD when cleaning brass with ultrasonic cleaner?

 

The claim is that it works too well so it removes the residue in the necks which acts like a dry lube. 

[SnipTheDog]

Sounds like malarkey.  I'd think that wet tumbling with Dawn and stainless steel pins would get the cases cleaner inside and out.

[Cnickolas]

19 hours ago, SnipTheDog said:

Sounds like malarkey.  I'd think that wet tumbling with Dawn and stainless steel pins would get the cases cleaner inside and out.

That was my initial thought as well but only change in reloading process was ultrasonic cleaning instead of tumbling in corn cob medium. 

[Farmer]

29 minutes ago, Cnickolas said:

That was my initial thought as well but only change in reloading process was ultrasonic cleaning instead of tumbling in corn cob medium. 

I could see it if the cases weren’t completely dry. Should be better because of more consistent neck tension from being really clean. 

[Cnickolas]

All day in 110 degree sunshine is amazing at drying cases!  

 

[John Whidden]

I can't say I've tested this in pistol rounds, but it is indeed correct in rifle reloading.  I consistently get more lower SD, ES, and most importantly accuracy when I don't clean my brass. 

 

For rifles I've found that purposely lubing the inside of the case neck gives better results than not lubing.  You'll want to use graphite, moly, or One Shot.

[Farmer]

Maybe that’s why I sometimes  get single digit es when working up a load. They just get shot and reloaded over and over, sometimes a couple of times an hour and get pretty crappy looking. 

[Brooke]

Brass can be too clean. It causes it to stick on the expander funnel and really make the press rough to run. If you want to se for yourself buy some new Starline and run it through the press. 

 

I wet cleaned brass with Dawn and no pins for one years.. It works but its to freaking much trouble. I have returned to vibrating in corn cob. I actually got back to the vibrator because of loading Starline for Major. Didn't take long to return to the vibrator for range brass also.

 

Super clean brass has no upside and leads to the sticking problem. 

[Farmer]

6 hours ago, Brooke said:

Brass can be too clean. It causes it to stick on the expander funnel and really make the press rough to run. If you want to se for yourself buy some new Starline and run it through the press.  

Part of the new brass sticking is due to the small burr on the mouths from manufacturing. All the Starline that I’ve gotten has a light film of lube on it, I believe to keep it from tarnishing. 

[Cnickolas]

On 8/17/2022 at 6:10 PM, John Whidden said:

I can't say I've tested this in pistol rounds, but it is indeed correct in rifle reloading.  I consistently get more lower SD, ES, and most importantly accuracy when I don't clean my brass. 

 

For rifles I've found that purposely lubing the inside of the case neck gives better results than not lubing.  You'll want to use graphite, moly, or One Shot.

Thank you for this. 
 

Which inside neck lube is easiest to apply?  

[John Whidden]

Hornady One Shot is easiest to apply because it's an aerosol.  It works because it is a wax and won't get sticky like the lanolin lubes will.  The lanolin lubes will stick the bullet to the case a little bit which will give inconsistent neck tension leading to increased velocity spreads.