Brass polishing...I am confused

[MikFinkel]

When I gear up for metallic reloading, I decided to go the wet tumbling route. I have since learned that wet tumbling can make the brass "too clean". By "too clean" I mean that the brass can gall and seize particularly in the expander die. I was feeling this effect in my single stage die sets but it became a big issue with my Dillon SDB, especially with 45ACP. Dillon said to polish the expander die and use case lube both inside and outside the case. After doing these things, the seizing dodes in fact go away but its likely that you wouldn't see it on dry tumbled brass due to the residual carbon as mentioned above. It is a problem for new brass as well. I went a little overboard with the polishing because it was fun and I learned a lot. My trials and tribulations are in this thread here:
Brass deposit form vertical lines on Dillon powder funnel

I think either wet or dry tumbling can be made to work but wet tumbled brass (or new brass) benefits greatly from some case lube: Hornady One Shot, Dillon Synthetic, DIY Lanolin at 10% in Red HEET fuel treatment. I've tried them all and they seem to work about the same.

LOL, I wish I had read this recently. My tumbler broke and I just bought a Franklin Arsenal wet tumbler. I probably should have stayed with the crushed walnut! But the wet is better than trying not to breathe in the air from around the crushed walnut when you are pouring the brass out. Bummer ither way.

 

[HarpHack]

I make certain cases are free of any grit or gunk which might wear on the chamber or action. That usually means nothing more than a wipe down with a rag. Rarely I'll use a vibratory cleaner but only to clean - I don't understand the need to polish. Heck, the patina helps to remind me of where we are in the case reload life cycle.

I shoot nothing but handloads and I'm proud of my darkened cases. The real expertise is in the careful crafting of custom cartridges that deliver maximum accuracy. Case re-use is one of the main points of it all; should I be ashamed because my ammo doesn't gleam like generic factory stuff that can't come close to what I build?

I should mention I work with low volumes. I get that huge batches need a good mechanical cleaning, and if polish can be added while you're at it then sure, but as a nicety, not a must-do.

Done with soap box, and of course to each his own. It's just that Dad taught me to load in the 70s, with functional cleanliness always a priority, and this subject always strikes me as an unintended slight on the older crowd, so I'm speaking up for us Fudds and curmudgeons

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I resemble those remarks... And, noting wrong with cleanliness.

 

[Racer X]

Maybe Dillon's stuff rather than repurposing a household product
Dillon Case Lube and Rapid Polish

What I learned in my brass polishing endeavor is that household products are poorly specified. Flitz is popular in the gun world for a number of things. After some digging, I found a reference that claimed Flitz uses 5 micron grit. Blue Magic is said to be 40micro (about 400 grit). I'd rather just use industrial products that actually tell you the grit size but I imagine Dillon's product does the job in dry media.

Flitz and Mother's use aluminum oxide abrasive powder, albeit very fine. It is harder than your steel dies. You decide. I use NuFinish because it doesn't have an abrasive component, and leaves the brass slick.

 

[Racer X]

I use Lemishine and Nu-Finish, plus a teaspoon of ATF fluid, and a splash of methyl-ethyl-ketone. The trick is you have to heat it up on the stove to 450* for 25 minutes, then I add my secret ingredient, a half pound of bear fat. Pour into mason jars and add a jigger of Elijah Craig on top before sealing the lid. Bury it under an oak tree for seven years, then dig it up on a full moon. The last step is to throw all the jars into your neighbor's garbage can and go buy a bottle of preformulated brass polish from any one of the major reloading equipment companies.

Good lord another brass polish thread.

is there a particular species of oak tree? How about bear species?

 

[bruce381]

my tip get a spray bottle add a tablespoon of dawn and fill up with water spray on 2 or 3 dryer old dyer sheet put in tumbler with walnut and run 1 hour they look new. Also spray a little extra dawn mix on brass as it runs just a light mist lid off. like doing it wet but no mess it drys off as it runs with lid off.

 

[GypsmJim]

I am only worried about getting it clean enough so I don't harm my dies.

I started reloading in 1971 and never once cleaned any brass. I started tumbling in 2016 when I retired. Now I have time and they now look nice.

I'm still using the dies I bought in the 1970's. Since my ammo is seemingly OK, I don't think I hurt anything.