Okay, you have seen the advantages of having clean cartridge cases to handload: It makes examining the cases for cracks and other defects much easier; it subtracts a whole bunch of friction-causing powder fouling from the exterior of the cases thus makes the machine work much more smoothly with less pressure required on the handle to operate it; and it allows you to handle cases, and your handloads once they’re done, without winding up with dirty-black fingers. You’ve picked out your Dillon vibratory case cleaner (large or small, your choice), you’ve chosen your type of case cleaning media (walnut shells or corncob, also your choice), you’re ready to rock ‘n’ roll. Right? Not quite. There’s still one thing you need to make this whole “cleaning cases” thing go fast and easy, and that is Rapid Polish 290.
The vibratory case cleaner, and case cleaning media, are great but they can’t do the job alone, they need a little help. While some people recommend “wet cleaning,” i.e. swishing the cases around in a cleaning solution, then allowing them to dry before loading, the problem is that such solutions tend to contain ammonia, which can weaken the brass. Rapid Polish 290 does not contain ammonia, thus won’t weaken your brass.
Rapid Polish 290 is essentially a liquid solution acting as a suspension medium for petroleum-based cleaning products and a mild abrasive. In color it’s a very distinctive bluish-purple. Once you’ve loaded up your vibratory case cleaner with dirty cases, add a little Rapid Polish 290 before affixing the lid, then that metal washer, then finally the lid-retaining screw. Dillon’s instructions say to add “several capfuls” to the case cleaning media. Admittedly I tend to be a bit more lavish than that, and actually do a thin, complete circle of Rapid Polish 290, on top of the cases and case cleaning media, before closing everything up and hitting the On switch. Of course, it does not escape my notice that maybe I am doing “several capfuls,” just the fact I’m spreading it out makes me feel like a high roller.
Once you’re done cleaning the brass, and you open up the vibratory case cleaner to decant the empties, you will be absolutely amazed at how bright and shiny-clean they are. Rapid Polish 290 makes the process of cleaning your brass not only go faster, but the final product is better.
Over time, your case cleaning media will become so dirty you need to replace it. When your case cleaning media is black, even Rapid Polish 290 can’t help you. Before you get to that point, dump the case cleaning media and replace it with new, clean media. Just make you don’t run out of Rapid Polish 290 along the way. Once you’ve experienced its effects on your bright ‘n’ shiny-clean brass, you’ll never want to clean your cases without it.
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