Question about brass.

[Bristow Kid]

Is the any thing special that has to be done to reload BP into brass that originally was loaded with smokeless powder?  Like cleaning annealing or anything like that.

Bristow Kid

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Kid,

If it's not dirty, just load it up.  If it is dirty, tumble it rite along with yer BP brass then load it up.  I like my brass clean.  Brass that's picked up at the range may look clean, but it may have sand and grit on/in it.  I don't like to scratch up my dies or gun chamber with dirty brass.  If in doubt, clean it.

DD-DLoS

[Driftwood Johnson]

Smokelss Powder is not going to leave anything in the case that will cause any problems for subsequent loadings with BP. Once you have fired your brass with BP though, it is a different story. You need to rinse away the BP fouling in a timely fashion, or the brass will begin to corrode and be ruined. While still at the range, I drop all my BP sooty brass into a jar of water with a squirt of dish soap added. The drive home agitates the mix nicely. I rinse it several times until the rinse water is clear. Then I lay the brass onto a cookie sheet covered with paper towells. These days I leave it to dry for a few days. I used to warm it in the oven at around 200 degrees F for 1/2 hour. Then into the tumbler just like any other brass.

I find as long as I drop the brass into the jug at the end of the day, I can put off the actual rinsing for several days with no ill effects.

[Arcey]

Kid,

Heard ya were talkin' 45-70 stuff 'n now cleanin'.  Just a werd of warnin' 'n it may not apply.  Whatever ya do don't toss 38/357 cases in the tumbler with 45-70 stuff.  Them 36s find their way inta them big ole 45-70 cases 'n jam in there real good.  Yer gonna have a fit gettin' 'em out.

Took me once, not again..............................................

[Bristow Kid]

Thanks for all the info y'all.  Arcey don't worry about the smaller cases I don't shoot anything smaller then .45 Colt at this time.  But thats a helpful hint I'll keep it in mind  though.  And thanks again everyone.

[Dick Dastardly]

Ol Arcey has hit on a good un.

It's the truth, and it's not written in any manuals.  It's just learnin'.  Don't tumble little brass with big brass.  The little stuff crawls up inside and get's stuck along with some media.  Gettn' it to let go and come out takes am act of Congress and a lot of patience.  I've had 38 Special brass crawl up inside 45 Colt brass and plumb refuse to come back out without some considerable persuation and some loss of religeon.

Ok, so now I more or less sort my brass before I tumble it.  Big goes in this bucket and small in the other one.  Hey, there's learnin' goin' on!!

DD-DLoS

[Grapeshot]

If you are going to use a full charge of BP and compress the load, I would suggest that you drill the flash holes out with a three-thirtyseconds inch drill bit (3/32) and use Large Magnum Pistol Primers in your handgun brass and Winchester Large Rilfe Magnum Primers in the Long Range Rifle Brass.