ok so I'm a pack rat and want to get the most out of my reloading supplys. I have a question though. Have any of you gone to the extent of washing you shotgun hulls and if you have, what did you use?

Odd question I know, but this is the reason I ask. on the 28th of Jan, I sliced into my left index finger severing a tendon and nerve. now don't worry, it isn't my trigger finger as I'm right handed. but I need to keep the wound clean and I'm starting to suffer reloading withdrawal. dont have a tumbler so I cant do matalic case prep, but I do have a washer and a defunct dishwasher I could use if I could get a little direction. The web in these are plastic. what do you all think I should do?

thanks
Matt

It depends. I have used warm soapy water to clean really dirty shotgun hulls and then let them air dry. Mostly, I load them without any hull prep. All the best...
Gil

I'm like Gil.....little or no hull prep.

I can't help myself.....I hate to see something go to waste that I believe to have "life" left in it. Consequently, I load both types of hulls, Plastic compression-formed cases (Winchester AA) and Plastic Reiffenhaauser style cases (Fiocchi Cheddite).

If the hulls need cleaning then I discard them as I have plenty of once fired hulls and couldn't be bothered mucking around to clean them.

Cheers, Vince

I'm more than likely just being silly. I just need clean hulls or brass to work with until my injury is downgraded. I had read a fourm somewhere about a guy who would run them through the washing machine and was wondering if anyone has tried or had any luck with that rout.

I am gazeing longingly at my reloading room. I guess I could go in and clean and reorganize the place, but I'm getting the itch. lol

Matt

P.S. Most of these hulls are over 20 years old and my win AA 12 gage hulls have probably been reloaded 15-20 times still sorting the ones with split crimps.

If they have paper base wads I wouldn't wash them at all. The one piece plastic hulls that I have loaded never needed anything more than primer, powder, wad and shot. Never even considered washing them.
They don't last long enough to get dirty and Nothing seems to stick to them.