Cartridge Case Drying Rack

Ben

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I've been annealing some 30/30 brass.
I keep the neck of the case in the flame for about 7 seconds.
At that time, the entire case goes into a container of cold water to prevent the rim area of the cartridge case from getting too hot.

Once the cases are cool, I needed a way to dry the brass.
I came up with this idea.
The rack will hold 50 cartridge cases.

Ben

OQ6Hsgu.jpg


27WhCSx.jpg


N8F5A6d.jpg


amdUVuh.jpg
 
Last edited:
F

freebullet

Guest
Handy & dandy Ben!
Yours will be dry faster than mine. I'd been laying them on a rag.
 
D

Dale53

Active Member
I have a number of those racks I built many years ago for my Black Powder Cartridge rifles (40-65 and 45-70). They work VERY well, indeed.

FWIW
Dale53
 
Rick

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Yeah that'll work. I've always just laid them out on a towel and maybe run a fan on them.
 
JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Ben,
That is really slick! That's another one of your tools I will be copying So simple / so useful
Thanks for posting
Jim
 
KHornet

KHornet

Well-Known Member
I did one of those years ago, but have no idea of where it went with various mover we made. Have for a number of years now, just dumped the annealed cases in a towel, and shaken it back and forth a few times, then left it out to dry. The next day I tumble them in lizard bedding (crushed walnut shells for a couple of hours.
 
Last edited:
D

Dale53

Active Member
In the summer time, I have often left the washed cases from my black powder cartridge guns (both revolver and long guns) lay out in the sun. You won't believe how quick they dry. No danger of over heating the cases but QUICK. Many dry their cases in their kitchen oven. I have been a bit leery of that method due to having lead (from the primers, etc) around food plus the possibility of an oven thermostat being "off" and having the cases get too hot (annealing possibility) etc. I am probably over cautious but the sun does it quick without ANY danger.

Couple the sun with a drying rack like Ben's and you can load them again in minutes! Before I retired sometimes that quality was VERY useful.

FWIW
Dale53
 
JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
KHornet said:
I did one of those years ago, but have no idea of where it went with various mover we made. Have for a number of years now, just dumped the annealed cases in a towel, and shaken it back and forth a few times, then left it out to day. The next day I tumble them in lizard bedding (crushed walnut shells for a couple of hours.
Click to expand...

That has been my method also for years….however I think i'm going to try one of these drying racks out
 
Ben

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Dale53 said:
Couple the sun with a drying rack like Ben's and you can load them again in minutes! Before I retired sometimes that quality was VERY useful.
Click to expand...

My exact thoughts Dale,

As soon as things warm up around here and we get some warm sunny days, my drying rack and cases will be in the back of my pick up truck ( the truck has a black plastic bed liner in it ) . If you put them out there around 2 p.m. on a warm day, it won't take long for the cases to dry.

Best,
Ben
 
Last edited:
Uber7mm

Uber7mm

New Member
Ben,

Your drying rack is a good idea. You can also inspect and count the cases you have during the cleaning process, i.e., 50 cases fills the rack.

What size nails are you using? 16d are about 3 inches these days. I generally don't run into any finishing nails as long as those....
 
Pb2au

Pb2au

Active Member
Ben,
Thanks for this. This is just the idea I was looking for, as washing 45/70 cases are now in my near future.
Thanks again!
 
Uber7mm

Uber7mm

New Member
Wow, those must be true 16d nails. The ones I'm used to are framing box vinyl sinkers. The measure about an eighth over 3". You have the real deal there, Ben.
 
Ben

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I guess I wasn't thinking ( not the 1st time for that ! )
My nails weren't coated , they rusted when wet brass cases were placed on them.

I didn't like that.
Today, I pulled all 50 nails and replaced them with 3/16 " wood dowels.
Each wood dowel is 3 1/4 " above the block. Each dowel is 3/8 " deep in the block , each with a dab of wood glue on the dowel and hole. This one won't be going anywhere. Very strong.
I'm not reloading any cartridge case that won't fit on this drying block rack.
I think I like this much better.
Ben

n0ITyja.jpg
 
Last edited:
Uber7mm

Uber7mm

New Member
Wooden dowels are a good idea. I'd suggest 1/8" brass brazing rod, but I haven't priced any of that in decades. Probably price prohibitive.
 
Rally Hess

Rally Hess

Well-Known Member
There are also 16 galvanized casing nails available at most any Home Depot type store.

Ben,
I'd varnish those wood dowels while they are still clean. A wet dowel, in the sun, would most likely warp rather quickly. I bet glueing all those was a lesson in patients!!
 
Last edited:
Hawk

Hawk

Well-Known Member
I have the same setup, but I have 100 posts.
Use them for drying and sealing primers for ammo loaded for long term storage and to identify different loads.
I've got friends that want 223 and 9mm loaded for storage in case the SHTF. I also load for family and a few hunting Buddies. This lets me mark different loads I've fine tuned for different rifles and pistols.
Use a paper clip to put a droplet of diluted enamel at the edge of the primer. The capillary action of the liquid draws it around the primer to seal it.
You can also use different colors to identify different loads with the same bullet. Red for high velocity, blue for practice loads, lime green for zombie loads for the kids (they think that's pretty cool), whatever you need to identify different loads.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.