Dirty Brass After Tumbling

[mikld]

I'd like one reasonable answer (not "Just 'cause I wanna") for tumbling to a pristine, glossy case interior?

Besides, case tumbling seems to be the most talked about, but least important part of reloading...

 

[AJ]

I'd like one reasonable answer (not "Just 'cause I wanna") for tumbling to a pristine, glossy case interior?

Besides, case tumbling seems to be the most talked about, but least important part of reloading...

Clean brass is easier on your loading dies and more than likely is better for the chambers on our guns. I remember before I learned real proper techniques. I loaded untumbled brass in steel dies and it was hard. Then I learned to lube the brass. When I found carbide dies , I learned about clean unlubed brass being easier to load and it was. To me it just stands to reason that clean brass would be better for our guns too.

Besides the tumbled clean cases look pretty!

 

[rockquarry]

I'd like one reasonable answer (not "Just 'cause I wanna") for tumbling to a pristine, glossy case interior?

Besides, case tumbling seems to be the most talked about, but least important part of reloading...

You covered it in your post. No "reasonable answer", but there's a whole new group of fastidious reloaders / handloaders these days. Many may easily see that they attach an importance to unimportant things, but it's their time, effort, and expense. As such it should be of little regard to the rest of us.

 

[Moe Mentum]

It's just gonna get dirty again....

 

[AJ]

It's just gonna get dirty again....

So is your firearm. But you were taught to clean it after shooting it.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I've been reloading since 1979. I've been wet tumbling with SS pins for 10 years. The 32 years in between, my brass had corrosive stains, Black Powder Sulfur stains, oxidation from WWII ammo, and bugs climb inside of cases and lay eggs!

Clean brass holds a more consistent load. For 1000 yard ammo, that is important, for 10 yard ammo not so much!

I size and/or deprime first then clean. This gets the inside and the primer pocket to like new condition! Primer Pocket consistency is super important in any high precision ammo!

Ivan

 

[Ranger41]

Been reloading off and on since 1987. Cleaning brass was always the worst part of the process. Had a Lyman vibratory cleaner and tried all the various techniques : Corn cobb media with and without polish; ground walnut shells treated with polishing rouge; etc. Was never satisfied with the results. Took too long and the brass never seemed to be as clean as I liked.

Recently tried wet cleaning using a Frankford Arsenal tumbler and their pre-packaged cleaning solution. Was amazed with the results. I don't use the pins, but after about an hour and a half the outside of the cases look like new. I rinse thoroughly, spin the remaining water out, and let dry overnight on a piece of old carpet. I don't de-prime first and am not concerned with the inside of the cases. I don't know what is in the pre-packaged cleaning solution, they look like dishwasher detergent packs, but the cases do not tarnish in storage and work smoothly in my dies. This change made my reloading much more enjoyable.

Most of the complaints I read about wet tumbling seem to revolve around issues with the stainless pins. My experience is you don't have to use them to get good results.

 

[oldman10mm]

I've been SS pin wet tumbling since 2015, got rid of/sold the dry media apparatus in 2017 due to non-use.
Whenever I do a batch of brass I toss in other non-weaponry household stuff. Brass, aluminum, stainless steel hinges, door latch plates, dirty pennies, plumbing small parts, drawer/door handles, disc brake SS parts, decorative fasteners. everything comes out looking brand new.

 

[Tilheyra]

So, I am slowly working through cleaning the collection of brass I have accumulated over the last year. Yesterday, I tumbled roughly 150 cases of a mix of 38 Special and 357 Magnum, but placed 4 quarters of a used dryer sheet in the mix this time. I am quite please with the results! The outside of the cases looked a little cleaner than the batch without the dryer sheets, and the insides appeared free of any buildup. I think, for now, I will consider this to be good for my purposes, but I'll reevaluate as time goes on.

Perhaps I will look into more thorough cleaning methods if I get into more precision shooting. Right now, I'm wanting to reload to have ammo to have fun with at the range, so precision accuracy is not on my radar at this time.

I appreciate the comments! I am enjoying learning about the different cleaning methods, and I really appreciate all of the advice!

As a new reloader, you all will probably see future posts from me asking more questions on various topics!

EDIT: I'd like to show off my reloading bench, so I'll probably create a new thread about that in a few days!

 

[AJ]

So, I am slowly working through cleaning the collection of brass I have accumulated over the last year. Yesterday, I tumbled roughly 150 cases of a mix of 38 Special and 357 Magnum, but placed 4 quarters of a used dryer sheet in the mix this time. I am quite please with the results! The outside of the cases looked a little cleaner than the batch without the dryer sheets, and the insides appeared free of any buildup. I think, for now, I will consider this to be good for my purposes, but I'll reevaluate as time goes on.

Perhaps I will look into more thorough cleaning methods if I get into more precision shooting. Right now, I'm wanting to reload to have ammo to have fun with at the range, so precision accuracy is not on my radar at this time.

I appreciate the comments! I am enjoying learning about the different cleaning methods, and I really appreciate all of the advice!

As a new reloader, you all will probably see future posts from me asking more questions on various topics!

May try the dryer sheet thing. Can't hurt.

AJ

 

[Tilheyra]

May try the dryer sheet thing. Can't hurt.

AJ

I should mention that there is still a light coating of grey stuff inside the cases (I assume it is carbon?). However, there's no built up crud inside the cases, so I am satisfied enough to try out reloading these cases.

 

[AJ]

I should mention that there is still a light coating of grey stuff inside the cases (I assume it is carbon?). However, there's no built up crud inside the cases, so I am satisfied enough to try out reloading these cases.

Will see. I just put a dryer sheet in with the brass that I had in the tumbler.

 

[Goffmint]

Recently i use corn cob and walnut and like the corn cob the best, this process is enjoyable and it always comes out squeaky clean

 

[SMSgt]

I've been following videos from some world-class, long-range rifle shooters, national champions and such. The guys who shoot 2-3 inch groups at 1000 yards. What they do to their brass--or in some cases do not do, is interesting. One thing several of the top shooters said they did not do is clean their brass. They just wipe them off and prep them for their next loading.

 

[rockquarry]

This has been quoted repeatedly. A wipe down to remove any fine grit, etc. that may scratch a size die is all the cleaning necessary to make the most accurate ammunition possible. Very few tumbled or vibrated brass until it became a fad about forty years ago. I fell for it too.

 

[AJ]

I've been following videos from some world-class, long-range rifle shooters, national champions and such. The guys who shoot 2-3 inch groups at 1000 yards. What they do to their brass--or in some cases do not do, is interesting. One thing several of the top shooters said they did not do is clean their brass. They just wipe them off and prep them for their next loading.

How many times do they reload those cases? A lot of the folks I know reload pistol cases (straight walled) many, many times.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I took this picture of some old cases, and they still kept going.
I lost tract on how many times that they were loaded.

Sort of like a Timex.................

 

[len917]

ultra sonic lyman with a little dawn and lemi-shine 20 minutes, spread out on driveway to dry. shiny exterior, clean interior and primer holes--note only 20 minutes per load.

 

[vinn]

tumbling;

Dry tumbling will never clean the inside of the cases. Wet tumbling with stainless steel pins will.

where do you get these pins ?

 

[oldman10mm]

The pins come with the 'wet tumbling' tumbler package.