Neat Vinegar for cleaning shell cases???

[robbobsam]

Is it safe to clean shell cases in neat vinegar.

I have just used some on a single case for 1 hour and it came up mint.

I cleaned it out thoroughly afterwards to clean off the residue but I am a little uncertain about the effects of the acid.

Anyone have any first hand experiences or professional knowledge?

[ilscungilli]

For a while I was cleaning cases with vinegar, salt, and some dawn mixed in. I would mix it with some hot water and let them sit for a few hours and they seemed to come out okay. I always rinsed them well after soaking them and I never had any issues with case weakness. The brass cases have an oxide layer that forms (gives them a dull color), and that is what the acid will react with. It doesn't (a weak acid) react with the brass itself.

I broke down and bought a Hornady tumbler with some corn cob media. Now my brass is really shiny, and I don't have to annoy my wife by drying the brass all over the place!

[out front]

I've used vinegar in my ultrasonic cleaner for the last year and have not noticed any weak brass. I don't know if it matters much, but after the cycle in vinegar I run a cycle with water and baking soda to neutralize any residue and ensure there is no long term exposure to the brass.

6mm benchrest.com has a great article on brass cleaning

try a search on this site and you'll get a variety of opinions as well

[Joaquin B]

I use vinegar or diluted CLR to clean really dirty cases-mostly handgun. I then rinse the cases with tap water very well and after drying, I tumble the cases in corn cob media to make sure any salt/minearl deposits are removed. The cases end-up looking as good as new.