Brass cleaning

[Ricks2524]

Is it necessary to tumble and clean brass (pistol) after each use?

 

[Mark T]

I do, it is better for your dies to take any dirt, powder residue, etc. off the brass before sizing

 

[max]

No, it is not required, it makes things look better and easier to put through the dies.

 

[FloridaFlier]

You also will get a better inspection for damage if the brass is clean.

Mandatory, no.

Recommended, yes.

 

[venomballistics]

it is not necessary.
it is, however, beneficial.

 

[silentflyer]

For just plinking loads I do mine every 2nd or 3rd session, along with an annealing session in the oven.
Hunting and SD rounds yes every time with my "newer" brass.

 

[Twoboxer]

For just plinking loads I do mine every 2nd or 3rd session, along with an annealing session in the oven.
Hunting and SD rounds yes every time with my "newer" brass.

Annealing pistol brass isn't really necessary - the brass lasts a long time and neck tension doesn't change much . . . until it splits.

For clarity, just sticking brass in the oven to anneal it is a bad idea. If the brass necks were actually annealed, the head would also be so soft it would split.

Annealing is done only to the neck portion of brass. The neck must be heated long enough and hot enough to anneal without destroying the molecular structure of the base. For example, a torch can be applied to the neck while the base is submerged in a heat sink like water.

 

[BongoBoy]

I found that no amount of tumbling (as in leave it in the tumbler 24x7 for a week) removes anything at all from either the primer pocket or the inside of the case, so, I don't tumble at all anymore.

From time to time I do deprime and size then clean in the ultrasonic tank with a citric acid cleaner (about 8 minutes). I then have to rinse and dry, and that process can cause problems of its own (failure to completely dry can mean wet primers, failure to completely rinse can mean corroded cases, etc). The advantage for me is that the inside of the cases and more important to me, the primer pockets, are spotless, shiny and like new brass.

After that agonizing process is over, I then hand select a few hundred cases for personal defense loads, taking a little extra care to get cases with little or no burrs on the case rim and the best case necks.

I also reload uncleaned cases several times if I'm not concerned about poor primer seating--I shoot almost exclusively indoors so brass exterior is generally very clean.

Clean case interior is nice for visual inspection of the case just after the powder station on the press--I have a flex-mounted light that shines right down in there, and I can spot a bad charge if I'm paying attention. Tumbled brass is, for me, just about the worst possible situation for this because I've always used rouge-based media, and that stuff turns case interiors into the darkest black hole in the universe. I'm sure other media is somewhat better, but it hasn't worked out for me and my way of doing stuff. That's all.


This is 40SW brass right out of the ultrasonic tank:



That's clean.

 

[Vortec MAX]

I have switched to wet tumbling in a Thumler's tumbler with stainless steel pin media. With this method even the inside of the case and the primer pockets get cleaned. The brass seriously looks brand new. I have perfected the process so it is quite easy now. I dry the brass in the clothes dryer on the shoe rack. It only takes about 10 minutes to dry.

Mike

 

[federali]

I Agree

As most other posters said, cleaning isn't mandatory but it sure makes it easier going in and out of the dies, especially with bottle-necked rifle brass.

Just soaking the brass in very hot water and Lemi-shine (available at Walmart) and some liquid dishwashing detergent (for use in dishwashers) removes much dirt and tarnish. The downside is that you must wait for them to dry. I place my brass in the sun on a black tray. They dry very quickly, even in winter.

 

[Clovishound]

I quit cleaning mine about a year or more ago.

Shiny brass is pretty. It doesn't seem to shoot any better.

 

[shield]

I quit cleaning mine about a year or more ago.

Shiny brass is pretty. It doesn't seem to shoot any better.

Yeah, but I still prefer the look of shiny brass . Doesn't take much time or effort to tumble it. I use walnut media, so no drying issues.

 

[MyDads38]

I have a Lyman tumbler and it worked well for many years. Then I tried wet cleaning using vinegar, water, salt and dawn, that actually worked pretty well but the primer pockets still didn't get clean.

Then my fiancé bought me a new Frankford Arsenal Wet tumbler with stainless steel pins-This is the only way to clean brass!! Outside, inside, primer pockets-all clean & shiny-sometimes better than factory ammo!
Yeah there's a few more steps, and you have to dry the cases before use, but for once fired brass, 60-90 minutes; for really dirty range brass-2 hours and it will sparkle! Best part-clean water, dab of Lemi-Shine and a squirt of Dawn and you're done. No chemicals, no stained brass.

I don't usually get excited about tumbling brass, but the FA was a game changer for me

 

[arjay]

When I run out of tumbling medium I just use barkeepers friend and water in my tumbler,it works just as good.

 

[ageingstudent]

I have switched to wet tumbling in a Thumler's tumbler with stainless steel pin media. With this method even the inside of the case and the primer pockets get cleaned. The brass seriously looks brand new. I have perfected the process so it is quite easy now. I dry the brass in the clothes dryer on the shoe rack. It only takes about 10 minutes to dry.

Mike

Never thought of using the dryer...great idea thanks.

Another Mike

 

[ageingstudent]

When I run out of tumbling medium I just use barkeepers friend and water in my tumbler,it works just as good.

Where do you find barkeepers friend? Heard of it but never seen it. Is it a commonly stocked item?

 

[arjay]

Where do you find barkeepers friend? Heard of it but never seen it. Is it a commonly stocked item?

I found it at the grocery store with the dish soaps.You do need to rinse the brass after you use it or it will etch it.

 

[chaparrito]

I wash brass when it occurs to me. Pickle bucket with a big stick. 2-300 rounds at a time. Fill with hot water, a teaspoon of citric acid (same thing as Lemishine only cheaper) and a shot of dawn. Let set for a few minutes, stir like crazy and rinse. Dry on a rack I made out of 2x4s and hardware cloth. Insides and primer pockets are clean. Outsides too, although not polished like tumbling. It's ammo, not jewelry.

 

[DWalt]

Lemi-Shine (mentioned earlier) is just Citric Acid. A weak solution (maybe a tablespoon per gallon) of CA and a little dish detergent makes a pretty good case cleaner. It doesn't make much difference how long you let them soak - I usually let them stand overnight.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Unless you are using Black Powder or a substitute, for pistol, you can do as you please. I use several methods,and like new brass is a little harder to load in a progressive press. The little bit of residue left with normal tumbling lubricates the case mouths, so they don't stick to the powder drop funnel. In bottle neck cases in large rifles you might get enough powder residue to effect precision loads, but most rifle loads won't be bothered with unclean cases. (Dirt or mud is a whole story!) Ivan

 

[Yorkie Man]

I noticed that there is a little more resistance seating a bullet in a dirty case versus a cleaned one. I use the ultra sonic cleaner, rinse and then place the casings in my tumbler with walnut media. It drys the casings inside and out.