Cleaning cases with pins

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ET-Ret
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Cleaning cases with pins

#1

Post by ET-Ret »

I went to Cabelas and bought a box of 5# of pins (Frankfort Arsnel)
I had purchased a Harbor Freight 2 drum about a month ago and now I am ready to try it out on some 9 mm
cases I wonder if any would care to offer a starting load for one drum.
amount of water, pins and cases as I have no experience with this process.
thanks .
Et-ret
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warnmar10
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Re: Cleaning cases with pins

#2

Post by warnmar10 »

ET-Ret wrote: Fri May 25, 2018 9:12 pm I went to Cabelas and bought a box of 5# of pins (Frankfort Arsnel)
I had purchased a Harbor Freight 2 drum about a month ago and now I am ready to try it out on some 9 mm
cases I wonder if any would care to offer a starting load for one drum.
amount of water, pins and cases as I have no experience with this process.
thanks .
Et-ret
Fill the drum ~2/3 full of brass and stainless. Add enough water to just cover. I use an obscene amount of original blue Dawn for Dishes. I let them run ~4 hours. If there is a secret... separate the pins from brass under water. Water breaks the static tension between the case and pins and the pins just fall straight to the bottom. I don't use Lemi-Shine but everyone settles on their own foumula.
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Beiruty
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Re: Cleaning cases with pins

#3

Post by Beiruty »

Beiruty,
United we stand, dispersed we falter
2014: NRA Endowment lifetime member

MaduroBU
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Re: Cleaning cases with pins

#4

Post by MaduroBU »

Run the drum with just pins water and soap for 2 hours. Empty the water and flush well with clean water. Put more water and soap in and now add your cases. Run for 2-3 hours. Enjoy your sparkling brass.

Odiferous
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Re: Cleaning cases with pins

#5

Post by Odiferous »

  • 1 lb pins
  • 1 lb brass
  • hot water to cover (don't fill it to the brim)
  • 1/2 Tbsp or so of Wash & Wax, Dawn, or similar
  • pinch of Lemishine
  • 2 - 4 hrs runtime
You can play with any of the above, but be aware that adding too much Lemishine does not help and will instead discolor your brass.

Treetop
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Re: Cleaning cases with pins

#6

Post by Treetop »

It's not particularly important on pistol brass but if you deprime your rifle brass first (I use a Lee hand decapper) you will be rewarded with perfectly clean and beautiful primer pockets which will lead to more consistent ignition.

I do this every time I reload rifle brass and about every 2nd or third time on pistol brass. It takes time to do but I try to multi task by listening to Bible studies or news on YouTube while decapping. I like the looks of pristine brass! Hope this helps. Semper Fi, TreeTop
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flechero
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Re: Cleaning cases with pins

#7

Post by flechero »

Odiferous wrote: Sat May 26, 2018 8:49 am
  • 1 lb pins
  • 1 lb brass
  • hot water to cover (don't fill it to the brim)
  • 1/2 Tbsp or so of Wash & Wax, Dawn, or similar
  • pinch of Lemishine
  • 2 - 4 hrs runtime
You can play with any of the above, but be aware that adding too much Lemishine does not help and will instead discolor your brass.
I use similar- and have adjusted over time by trial and error... I now use a little more Wash & Wax (1 tsp) and less (or no) Lemishine.

The Wash & Wax is key for me... I read an article a while back promoting it's use in the final rinse water and it's great. I throw my separated brass into bowl with a strainer in it and use hot water and 1 tsp of W&W let it sit a couple minutes before pouring the brass out onto a towel. Hot brass dries in minutes and the W&W in the rinse water has completely eliminated my need to use case lube and also keeps brass looking new during storage (won't tarnish). Actual difference is 1-2 minutes effort per 2 drum load.
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