[MI.sabot]

I'm going to the range tomorrow for the first time since doing the ACP conversion.

I fired a primed brass just to make sure everything was in working order before heading out.

Question is: does the brass need to be cleaned before re-priming it?
I noticed what appears to be a fair amount of residue on the inside of the brass after the initial firing.
If so, how do you clean it and with what?

Is there a maximum number of times that the brass can be re-primed?

Thanks

 

[Semisane]

Yes, it needs to be cleaned after you use it. I use a Midway vibrating case tumbler because I have one for other reloading. But you don't need to go to that expense for your purposes. Here's what I would do if I didn't have the tumbler.

1. Take a small plastic bottle of soapy water with you to the range. (I use a 20 oz. plastic Coke bottle, but something smaller will do, maybe a pill bottle.)
2. When you take the fired cartridge case out of the gun drop it into the bottle of soapy water.
3. Whenever you get around to it - a day or two, or a week later - shake the bottle real well, dump the cases into a larger container and flush them with clean water.
4. Punch out the spent primer.
5. Wipe out the inside of the case and primer pocket with a cotton swab, or for a real good cleaning wrap a little steel wool around the swab.
6. Wipe the outside with one of those green dish washing scrubbies or some steel wool.
7. Make sure they're dry, and re-prime.
8. Shoot 'em up and do it all again.

You can reuse them until the new primer will no longer stay in the pocket - probably forever since there's no real pressure to stretch the brass as there is when firing a bullet from the cartridge case.

 

[Redhawk1]

I tumble my 25 ACP brass to clean it.

 

[sabotloader]

MI.sabot

I have shot a lot of 25acp's in my Omega and 32 H&R's in my A&H (usually the same cases over and over again), I do clean the primer pocket with a simple primer tool and on occasion I do clean the inside of the case with case cleaning brush - but that is all i do. None of my cases have ever gotten crusty on the outside - they have discolored somewhat but nothing that is going to cause a problem.

 

[AndyHass]

I tumble them every other use. That is all I do...the inside stays a little cruddy but it doesn't hurt anything. I've reloaded my same 100 or so brass at least 6-8 times each and I've only had to toss one (the rim separated during re-priming).

 

[MI.sabot]

Thanks for the replies.

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive tumbler that'll do the job.
Not into reloading, so the MLwould be my only need for case cleaning.

Sabotloader: can you elaborate on the primer tool and case cleaning brush you use.
A link to where I might find these items would be most helpful.

 

[Redhawk1]

Thanks for the replies.

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive tumbler that'll do the job.
Not into reloading, so the MLwould be my only need for case cleaning.

Sabotloader: can you elaborate on the primer tool and case cleaning brush you use.
A link to where I might find these items would be most helpful.

If you want to get away with very little out of pocket expense. Get a very small pin punch to remove the primers from the case, get a lee load all tool for re-priming the cases, you will need a shell holder for the 25 ACP, you can get them from Lee also. To clean the cases, drop them in some hot soapy water, then remove them and run a Q-tip inside the case and let them dry. I have heard of guys putting them in the oven on very low to aid in drying or an old hair drier. Once dry, re-prime them and your ready to go. Buy some empth cases so you always have loaded ones while you work on the spend cases.
Hope this helped.

 

[AndyHass]

I agree with Redhawk, unless you do a lot of ML shooting I would not buy a tumbler just for the ACPs. It's not worth the expense. Before I had a tumbler I just wiped with a piece of fine sandpaper if they had gritty corrosion on the outside and then with a cloth.

 

[nrb]

I agree you do not need a tumbler

For the limited use of 25acp brass, I recommend just washing them with a good detergent and drying well before repriming. Often, instead of tumbling brass, I spray the dirty cases with Simple Green of another liquid detergent and see how well the cases are cleaned of the powder residue. You can brush them inside also. Then rinse well in water and dry. If you wash after depriming the process cleans better. Because you will be cleaning at most a few dozen cases, it does not require the expense of a tumbler. I usually tumble when I have a few hundred cases needing serious cleaning.

best, nrb

 

[SHOOTALL]

Lee makes a 25acp kit for reloading , might be the best way to go .
It comes in a small box , you use a wooden mallet to work it .

 

[oldsnow]

You could also Go to a local Drug store and buy (Citric Acid).

De-solve 2 1/2 table of Citric Acid in 2 cups of hot water.
Soak your deprimed Brass in this for 10 to 15 minutes or until clean.
Rinse your cleaned brass in hot soapy water.
Rinse again in plain hot water.
After your brass has dried good, it is ready to be reprimed.

 

[nrb]

I do not recommend using any ACID on brass cases

An acid such as citric acid or acetic acid (vinegar) contacts a brass case, the acid dissolves the brass. This weakens the case and will ultimately destroy the case or severely weaken it.

best, nrb

 

[Tracker]

I have used the brass 5 times and never did anything to clean them other than making sure the primer pocket is clean.

 

[DonsHarley82]

If you go to www.thebuckskinner.com they have a complete lee primer set ,it comes with a die ,punch,and primer tool for 24.95 and they also have extra brass.Good luck.
Don

 

[gila_dog]

Please excuse my ignorance, but why is a 25 ACP better than a 209? Sounds like a lot more hassle and expense. What's the advantage?

 

[Keith Lewis]

Advantages of 25ACP: Easier to handle in the field than the 209, more positive seal than the 209 (less blowback). greater variety of primer power levels to select from, small pistol and small rifle primers a lot less expensive than the special muzzleloading 209 primers, and some see accuracy improvement although I have not and in the case of the NEF it also eliminates the need for the goofy breechplug removal tool as the .25 conversion plug has a normal hex head.

 

[gila_dog]

Thanks for the education. Now to reveal more of my ignorance. You mentioned special muzzle loading 209's. What's special about those? Where do you get them? I've been using some basic Federal 209 shotgun primers. Why aren't those ok to use?

 

[Incomplete Deer Hunter]

The 209 can move your Sabot. Take your ram rod and put a patch behind it and put a primer in (make sure its unloaded) and point into a safe direction and fire. Your ram rod will etiher move a lot or out of the barrel. The 209 does that to your load. The primers he is talking about are Winchester Triple 7 primers. There is nothing wrong with the 209's you are using now if you do not wish to change them.

 

[Keith Lewis]

Thanks for the education. Now to reveal more of my ignorance. You mentioned special muzzle loading 209's. What's special about those? Where do you get them? I've been using some basic Federal 209 shotgun primers. Why aren't those ok to use?

Federal standard 209 primers are the "hottest" of all the standard primers. If there is a problem with the primer being too powerful the Federal is the leader of the pack.

 

[Incomplete Deer Hunter]

There made for shot shells. I would like that in a shotgun though. But for blackpowder I would want the Winchester or .25acp. Ill be getting another 25acp conversion for another encore of mine.