Brass cleaning

[MudRunner2005]

I sonic clean, then tumble polish.

I thought about the stainless pins a long time ago, but after thinking it through, the stainless pins are harder than the brass, and physics states that this can put micro-dents in the cases, and can eventually cause material erosion from the brass cases, which can lead to premature wear or case eruption.

 

[Barrelnut]

I have and use a vibrators tumbler and a stainless steel pin tumbler but what I do these days is use the technique used by bench rest shooters. Clean the outside of the neck with fine steel wool or a crazy cloth and then run a brush through the inside of the neck.

One of the reasons for doing this approach is to avoid that super clean brass to copper stickiness that can take place. The firing residue on the inside of the neck acts like a lubricant.

This is what I do now. Discovered I was just wasting time cleaning brass. I will clean it if really tarnished for some reason but mostly: Clean the primer pockets, brush the inside of the neck with a nylon brush. size the case with sizing wax and the necked dipped in graphite. wipe the case off with a rag with splash of alcohol and call it good.

 

[J E Custom]

I also saw another method a few years back and maybe JE will comment.
Vinager and water boil in microwave. I tried on some old brass seemed to do a good job.
JE any input on this method.

Vinegar is basically acidic acid and can etch the brass if used as is. (5% or more) it will clean but you need to limit the time. A good friend uses it to remove the bluing from actions and barrels.

I have not tried it my self but have seen brass that was cleaned this way, and it had a unusual finish Kind of like galvanize only a different color.

It might be a good test for someone to perform on some old cases just to see.

J E CUSTOM

 

[WildRose]

hay Shooters, I have been reloading for 20 plus years and have always used vibrater for cleaning brass. I would like to hear opinions, facts and grandpas old stories about which type of cleaner is best. I know what opinions are like. I just did t know if I was stuck in old school thinking. For some odd reason the drying time on a tumbler just turns me away from them but it might not be as big of a deal as I think. Anyways, here's to opinions

I used a vibrator with corn cob or walnut shells for over thirty years. Listening to other here I decided to try the wet tumbling with stainless rod media.

I will never go back.

 

[xsn10s]

The Ultra sonic method does a great job inside and out, and very fast, (10 to 15 minutes) but they also need to be rinsed and dried.

I have a HB ultrasonic cleaner but couldn't get it to work on brass to well. Any tips or suggestions? Thanks.

 

[LDHunter]

I'm not sure I understand what the disadvantage is in using a simple vibratory cleaner with often changed corn cob or walnut media. Can someone please tell me if I use the RCBS Case Prep Center afterwards to clean case mouths, chamfer inside and outside of case necks if needed, clean the outside of case necks, clean primer pockets, and lube case necks inside what I'm missing?

I've watched benchrest shooters at a match and there's almost no cleaning of cases between reloads. I always heard and thought that brass case aggressive cleaning was actually harmful but my information might very well be dated.

Is cleaning until bright and shiny actually important at all or does it just satisfy the people that like shiny things?

I just spent some time googling and came up with this link which seems to summarize the different schools of thought on brass cleaning.
http://forum.snipershide.com/threads/case-neck-tension-with-stainless-steel-cleaned-brass.6707314/

 

[Barrelnut]

I find it harder to get consistent seating depth with squeaky clean necks on the inside. Brushing the inside of the squeaky clean neck with graphite on a nylon brush helps but it is not perfect. I get more consistent seating depth with the carbon left in the neck from firing and just brushing out the loose stuff. It leaves a fine layer of carbon that makes seating the bullets smoother. I also dip the neck in graphite before sizing to a little extra lube for the expander ball.

 

[WildRose]

Vinegar is basically acidic acid and can etch the brass if used as is. (5% or more) it will clean but you need to limit the time. A good friend uses it to remove the bluing from actions and barrels.

I have not tried it my self but have seen brass that was cleaned this way, and it had a unusual finish Kind of like galvanize only a different color.

It might be a good test for someone to perform on some old cases just to see.

J E CUSTOM

I've used it, if you use too high of a concentration it etches the brass slightly.

 

[WildRose]

I'm not sure I understand what the disadvantage is in using a simple vibratory cleaner with often changed corn cob or walnut media. Can someone please tell me if I use the RCBS Case Prep Center afterwards to clean case mouths, chamfer inside and outside of case necks if needed, clean the outside of case necks, clean primer pockets, and lube case necks inside what I'm missing?

I've watched benchrest shooters at a match and there's almost no cleaning of cases between reloads. I always heard and thought that brass case aggressive cleaning was actually harmful but my information might very well be dated.

Is cleaning until bright and shiny actually important at all or does it just satisfy the people that like shiny things?

I just spent some time googling and came up with this link which seems to summarize the different schools of thought on brass cleaning.
http://forum.snipershide.com/threads/case-neck-tension-with-stainless-steel-cleaned-brass.6707314/

I'd rather always use clean brass just for consistency if nothing else.

Guys reloading at the shooting bench really don't have any choice.

With the wet tumbling my brass comes out as close to new each time as possible andI prefer it that way.

As for the old fashioned vibrating tumblers, I got sick of the dust and always having to replace the media. I've run through several thousand cases now with the same 2lbs of stainless media and I can recycled my cleaning solutions as many as six times. Even then it still works fine, it's just so dark at that point it's like mopping the floor with dirty water, makes no sense to me.

 

[J E Custom]

I have a HB ultrasonic cleaner but couldn't get it to work on brass to well. Any tips or suggestions? Thanks.

I looked at this sonic cleaner while looking, and decided to go cheep in the beginning so if i didn't like the process I wouldn't have much in it. I bought the Lymhttps://www.google.com/search?q=lyman+ultrasonic+cleaner&rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS409&oq=Lyman+ultra&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l4.25283j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8an
And have been very happy with it. I also bought their cleaning solution's for brass and steel. I use the steel solution for parts cleaning and it does great.

I use distilled water mixed with it and turn on the heat first an give it time to heat up. (It cleans up faster and better If the solution and cases are up to temp). after the timer shuts off I remove the cases/ parts and place them in the rinse.

I allow the solution's to cool and settle the crud to the bottom and strain through a paint filter for reuse. I store the solution's in a plastic container ready for use the next time. there is a lot of crud in the bottom of the sonic cleaner when done so I know it works on the inside of the cases and the parts come out looking almost new.

Not sure why yours is not working but if the cases don't look clean, i just reset the timer and do a second run while everything is hot.

J E CUSTOM

 

[xsn10s]

And have been very happy with it. I also bought their cleaning solution's for brass and steel. I use the steel solution for parts cleaning and it does great.

The ultrasonic unit looks the same as the Harbor Freight unit so it's either the cleaning solution I have or I'm not using it properly. But it's cleaned parts very well so I think I'll give the Lyman's clean a shot. Thanks.

 

[xsn10s]

One reason to clean cases is to protect the dies from scratching. I've cleaned the cases by hand also prior to loading.

 

[winxp_man]

The ultrasonic unit looks the same as the Harbor Freight unit so it's either the cleaning solution I have or I'm not using it properly. But it's cleaned parts very well so I think I'll give the Lyman's clean a shot. Thanks.

I have the harbor freight US cleaner and it works just fine. Have had it for quite a few years. I also pre heat the water a bit. This way the time it would take the US cleaner to warm up is done.

You might have a cleaning solution problem.

 

[BULLBLASTER]

I like to use my stainless media tumbler to clean my brass after each firing. Once rinsed they either go on a towel on the bench to air dry or if I have time I put them in the annealing machine and that mostly dries them.