So my normal brass cleaning process is to skip the steel pins in my big tumbler, as they are messy as hell, and just running it for an extra half hour to an hour gets things clean enough for me. But. Today I decided to toss a handful in to get them cleaned up in an hour instead- was immediately reminded, upon rinsing stuff out, why I skipped them- the pins had wedged a bunch of 9mm cases inside 44 Mag. So spent some time getting those all pulled apart and tossed things in the oven.
Which brings us to the reason for the thread. About 45 minutes after putting the brass in the over, I hear this BANG!!! I first thought, holy shit did I miss a live primer or something? Nope. Two cases that I missed, one 9, on 44, had wedged themselves tight enough together to let steam build up and they separated with a bang. The spousal critter, me, and our furball all jumped, and now I'm on notice for drying stuff in the oven........
Oops.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
3It is an unfortunate human failing that a full pocketbook often groans more loudly than an empty stomach.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
4Walnut shells. From time to time a piece gets stuck in a primer hole, so you poke it out with a sheet rock screw from the work bench.
I use walnut shells because I live in the northern Sacramento Valley, where we grow lots of nuts. As it were. Folks in the Midwest would use corn. East coasters would have their pick, and Southerners would use grits.
CDFingers
I use walnut shells because I live in the northern Sacramento Valley, where we grow lots of nuts. As it were. Folks in the Midwest would use corn. East coasters would have their pick, and Southerners would use grits.
CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
5I've grown to prefer wet tumbling to dry polishing- works quicker and gets things a bit cleaner, but definitely don't use the steel pins.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
7Whatever. Then I'd have to do multiple small batches. Which goes against every lazy grain in my body.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
8Although I suppose, to be fair, especially for revolvers, I could just skip cleaning the cases. That would be a whole new level.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
9Yeah! What kind of slob mixes their brass when cleaning?!? I call that a lesson from the brass gods.
Personally, I find those little steel pins do the best job cleaning brass. And they never get stuck in the primer pockets.
Oh and yeah, what kind of slob tumbles brass without decapping them first?
Personally, I find those little steel pins do the best job cleaning brass. And they never get stuck in the primer pockets.
Oh and yeah, what kind of slob tumbles brass without decapping them first?
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
10Oh sure Bisbee. Pile on why don't you.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
11To be fair, I only tumble with pins, but I only tumble black powder brass.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
12Pins definitely clean things up faster and better- but without pins is simpler and still gets you pretty clean brass. Primer pockets don't get as nice though for sure. I also generally deprime anything not going into the progressive press before cleaning.
O/T, I did find some pyrodex FFFG which looks to be suitable for loading up some Webley rounds.
O/T, I did find some pyrodex FFFG which looks to be suitable for loading up some Webley rounds.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
13Use magnum primers with that stuff I think.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
14Stories like this remind me why I like soaking brass in hot water with Dawn and citric acid.
Hey Bisbee - Squirrel!
Hey Bisbee - Squirrel!
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
15Yeah, I did that once. Never again. 44 Mag, 10 mm and .38 cases mixed together get frustratingly intimate.
IMR4227: Zero to 900 in 0.001 seconds
I'm only killing paper and my self-esteem.
I'm only killing paper and my self-esteem.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
16Squirrel? -where?
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
17Well i'm just the newbie here, but i've been reloading since '68 & pins, dawn & lemishine in my old thumbler is among the best discoveries ever in reloading for me. Got tired of the dust from walnut or corn. Invested in a separator, a magnet, 5 gal paint strainer bag, & a dehydrator. Can hardly tell brass from nickle cases.
I always deprime w/a Lee universal decapper (order extra pins), & trim first so all are RTL when dry. & i NEVER mix calibers! They jam together in vibratories w/any medium.
I always deprime w/a Lee universal decapper (order extra pins), & trim first so all are RTL when dry. & i NEVER mix calibers! They jam together in vibratories w/any medium.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
18I"m down with pins, lemishine and Dawn using my Lortone lapidary tumbler. I so love the bright, gleaming, grime-free brass. Don't mix incompatible calibers and life is good.
I'm not keen on dry methods, like walnut shells because of the possibility of lead dust flying about, willy nilly.
I'm not keen on dry methods, like walnut shells because of the possibility of lead dust flying about, willy nilly.
Hell is where:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The French are the mechanics
The Italians make everything run on time
And the Germans are the police
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
19A commercial shop in Phoenix uses glacial acetic acid & water. Works fast, they say without harm.
I guess that is exotic vinegar, in a rubber-lined cement mixer, of all things.
SR
I guess that is exotic vinegar, in a rubber-lined cement mixer, of all things.
SR
"Oozing charm from every pore, he oiled his way around the floor."
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
20walnut or corncob here.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
21well then, hie thee to the new member intro section and tell us all about what you shoot, and your pets, and anything else that comes to mind.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
22This means another oven.....
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
23Well lurker, i need to flesh out my profile on my desktop, as the forum s/w isn't mobile friendly methinks. But i shoot guns, lots, for a very long time, often w/interesting people, preferably mp-5sd, w/others paying for the ammo. & pets, yup, dogs, catrapods, foster kittens, chickens, & a rhinocodile for security. & these days, much of what comes to mind is the mind boggling reality that we have a russian asset in the WH.
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
24yeah, that russian asset thing. i can just imagine the first meeting - "Hi, donald nice to meet you! you need cash? how would you like to be in debt up to your ears to a former KGB major? maybe we can think of a way for you to work it off." makes perfect sense.
but the rhinocodile, that's just too hard to believe. i think you made that up.
but the rhinocodile, that's just too hard to believe. i think you made that up.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?
Re: Another reason not to use steel pins for cleaning brass
25Wait ... Flynn is gone!the mind boggling reality that we have a russian asset in the WH.
Oh, you mean Melania!
Or, maybe even the PresDiDent!
And why not a Rooskie asset in the WH? If it is good for the NRA, it is good for 'Merika.