BRASS

Some years back now, but I got a connection with H&K when the were just up the road. As with all good things the source finally went away when they went South. But before that I acquired enought brass to last me forever. After scratching 3 45ACP carbide dies I started depriming ALL brass on a little reloading bench I made before I got all the room I have today. I still kept my little Lee single stage press and installed a decaying die and use it to this day, some 35 years later. Don't have the brass to clean I once did but the little Lyman sonic cleaner is in the same area and does a super job. Have a cheap little fan to air dry the brass and then move along to the rest of the process to reload.

What did you scratch carbide ring with? I spray Lyman or Hornady lube in mine before I put in press. Diamonds will cut carbide.

I broke a 9mm carbide sizer ring but I've not scratched one. I run all fired cases through a tumbler for an hour before sizing. Didn't do this until I'd ruined a couple of .223 sizers but finally learned my lesson.

I too am curious as to what scratched a carbide dye! I use the Lyman decapper before the cleaning. I find that the Ultra Sonics I have do much better with a decapped case as does any wet cleaning method. A food dehydrater works great for drying. Got mine used from GoodWill and another at a yard sale!

What's a decaying die?

Have no idea what could of scratched the die-- other carbide dust-?? I never did figure it out. All I know is, after going to the above process it never happened again.

I've been reloading for over 60 years, used carbide since it first came on the market, reload at least once a week and have never seen scratched carbide.

I only tumble in a 50/50 mix of walnut/corn cob with NuFinish and some Red Jeweler's Rouge mixed in. One hour of tumbling and it's clean and fairly shiny, which is good enough for me.