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Do you REALLY need to clean?

jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
edited June 2007 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
The * retentive part of me went down the road of buying a tumbler long ago. However...

A buddy of mine has never yet cleaned a case, and is sometimes on his 10th reload. The cases LOOK awful, but you can't argue with his 2" groups at 100 yards from old military guns.

Other than maybe fouling the chamber- which itself could be cleaned easily enough- can anyone see any problem with never cleaning the damned cases? Assuming you use a lube that truly dries and doesn't remain oily?
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    mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    After a while you get all sorts of stuff built up in a fired case, and that will reduce internal capacity and increase pressures. It sure dont take long to clean them in a US.....
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    PearywPearyw Member Posts: 3,699
    edited November -1
    You don't have to clean cases if you clean the primer pockets. I clean mine more for pride in making ammo that looks as good as factory made. It justs takes a little time and money. I always wipe the lube off my cases after I size them and before I polish them.
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    BHAVINBHAVIN Member Posts: 3,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Not cleaning can be hard on your sizing die and cause scratches if the brass is really dirty.
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    perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390 ✭
    edited November -1
    You really dont need toilet paper but most of us use it. I for one dont want grit in my reloading equipment or in the chamber of my firearms. Does your friend change oil in his car ,lawn mower etc....clean will make everything last longer. Just my $.02
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    Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    I clean all my brass.

    In addition to all of the other benefits aforementioned, it's easier to see minute cracks in the case mouths and possible signs of fatigue around the base.

    Plus it looks cool.
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    sweet_220sweet_220 Member Posts: 12 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with perry that its the same as not changing your oil in your car. Where is the protection on the investment you made. I wish I had the money to throw away on things when I got thru with it. or some people just dont realize the importance of keeping stuff clean. No slam buy any means, it might shoot a 1 inch group clean who knows, and thats my .02
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    fire for effectfire for effect Member Posts: 121 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
    I clean all my brass.

    In addition to all of the other benefits aforementioned, it's easier to see minute cracks in the case mouths and possible signs of fatigue around the base.

    Plus it looks cool.


    Absolutely!! Cleaning the brass is part of the inspection process prior to reloading. Clean brass, inspect it for cracks head separations and other defects prior to reloading. I have a bag full of defective cases that I show to reloading students, that probably wouldn't have been found if it were not for the Cleaning process.
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