Question about cleaning new brass

[GP40X]

I was lucky enough to pick up a couple of 200 count packs of Hornady brass cases. I was getting ready to start loading them for the first time and I noticed they seem to have a very light film of oil on them. My question for the experienced reloaders is do you clean new brass before loading it the first time? Since I am doing the budget cleaning method (Hot water, Dawn, salt, & vinegar in a repurposed container), if I need to clean them, do I just do Dawn & hot water since they are unfired or will I need to make up a full solution? Also I live in an apartment now so no oven drying. Going to have to be air dried.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TreyG-20]

Probably pre-lubed for sizing. I don't clean new brass.

 

[tonelar]

load it and clean it after you shoot it

 

[66vette]

Probably pre-lubed for sizing. I don't clean new brass.

Actually, any oil regardless if it's sizing lube or other type of oil can & probably will cause problems if it contacts the powder or primer.

At the very least I would tumble them in plain media without any additives.

 

[GP40X]

Actually, any oil regardless if it's sizing lube or other type of oil can & probably will cause problems if it contacts the powder or primer.

At the very least I would tumble them in plain media without any additives.

I don't have a tumbler. Any ckleaning I do will have to be with the wet method in a repurposed container without a tumbler or ultrasonic cleaner. This is basic kitchen table reloading with a Lee Loader.

 

[medicmike]

I don't have a tumbler. Any ckleaning I do will have to be with the wet method in a repurposed container without a tumbler or ultrasonic cleaner. This is basic kitchen table reloading with a Lee Loader.

A bit of Dawn dish soap and water in a container would clean the oil right off for you. Could dry in the oven on low heat to speed up the process. If you suspect they are oily at all I would def clean them.

 

[Txmark]

Is the lube inside of the case or just on the outside. Check the inside with a Qtip swab. If it’s only a very little, load them. I use RCBS case lube in the spray bottle, it does get some inside of the case. I’ve not had a problem with it. If yours has an excessive amount of lube, I would recommend cleaning.


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[Dawico]

Definitely clean them and run your full cleaning regiment. Just do it. It's worth the effort to not have to worry about it.

For your next question, fully size them too. Like above it's worth the effort to not have to worry about it.

I used to not worry about prepping new brass until I had a problem. Now I treat it all like fired brass.

 

[TexMex247]

I agree with dawico. Good practice and peace of mind. I'd FL size them too. I've had batches of new brass I loaded without sizing and I got some bullet shaving. Might as well run through all the steps.

 

[sergeant69]

wipe em off w/a rag and load em. think it, but don't over think it.

 

[66vette]

Cleaning with Dawn & air drying will work well if you don't have a tumbler.
As said above, might as well do it since it's a step in the reloading process.

 

[xdmikey]

I’ve never had new brass. Well, I have some now but it’s 10-14 years old by now. I bought it off a guy who backed off loading rifle rounds. I dug it out since I was about to load 223. They dropped in/out of the case gage easily.

 

[jrbfishn]

Definitely clean them and run your full cleaning regiment. Just do it. It's worth the effort to not have to worry about it.

For your next question, fully size them too. Like above it's worth the effort to not have to worry about it.

I used to not worry about prepping new brass until I had a problem. Now I treat it all like fired brass.

I do buy some pulled primed brass that I only need to neck size. Otherwise all brass, even new, gets treated like used brass. You may or may not have a problem with new brass, but when you do it will almost always be more than you want to deal with.

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[ghostrider45]

I always run new brass in the tumbler (dry media) before loading for the first time. I will size pistol (ie non-bottleneck) brass before loading it, but not rifle brass.

 

[rotor]

The only new brass I have used is Starline, I full length resize and load.

 

[Pawpaw40]

Not only do I run them through a resizing die, I check length also. Bought some new 44 Magnum brass, when I seated the bullet, the crimp was excessive. It swelled the case below the crimp so much it would not chamber.