Best way to remove colored dye from cases?

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MFInc

MFInc

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I have some range brass that has a dye** on it. I believe they are nickel cases as well. Is it worth cleaning it off to reload them? If so, What is the best way to remove the die that is on them? I thought of dry tumbling. but don't want to turn my medium blue. Tia 20210210_164716.jpg
 
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edwardware said:
The best way is to ignore the dye, and reload them. It will have no effect whatsoever on function.
Click to expand...

Cool. I know it's dried but will I have to worry about the die transferring off from the case lube? Just don't want it everywhere.
 
I'm not familiar with dyed cases, but I would suspect it was applied with methods that make it resistant to solvents and wear. If it is bothersome, just separate/sort them out and reload as usual, looking for any transfer or contamination problems (I don't foresee any, but I don't have any in my hand)...
 
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edwardware said:
The best way is to ignore the dye, and reload them. It will have no effect whatsoever on function.
Click to expand...

^^^This, but how do you know the blue is from dye? I tumble found range brass to make sure it is clean and won't scratch my dies. Tumbler medium is cheap compared to dies. One can use pet bedding like corn cob and crushed walnut available at Walmart that is much cheaper than commercial reloading medium. In a pinch you can use rice. I would tumble and see if the "dye" comes off. Very few things will tarnish Nickel blue, but some acids do. Could be from a previous reloader using some form of agent containing acid to clean the brass.
 
If you want to see if the die comes off try some MEK, Acetone, or mineral spirits on a rag, or throw a few in a little container and let the soak.

I'm not seeing any blue in the photo. I am seeing some annealing indications which will give you a blue band depending on how hot the brass was heated. It's caused by oxidation. This will normally come off using a tumbler with walnut nut hulls or a wet SS tumbling with soap. Remove all the nickle if you go wet. Also scan the brass with a magnet to make sure there is not brass plated steel.
 
Blue68f100 said:
If you want to see if the die comes off try some MEK, Acetone, or mineral spirits on a rag, or throw a few in a little container and let the soak.

I'm not seeing any blue in the photo. I am seeing some annealing indications which will give you a blue band depending on how hot the brass was heated. It's caused by oxidation. This will normally come off using a tumbler with walnut nut hulls or a wet SS tumbling with soap. Remove all the nickle if you go wet. Also scan the brass with a magnet to make sure there is not brass plated steel.
Click to expand...

Yeah hard to see in the pic of the mixed cases and it's more purple. I think it's primer sealer though.
20210214_132221.jpg 20210214_132225.jpg
 
buck460XVR said:
^^^This, but how do you know the blue is from dye? I tumble found range brass to make sure it is clean and won't scratch my dies. Tumbler medium is cheap compared to dies. One can use pet bedding like corn cob and crushed walnut available at Walmart that is much cheaper than commercial reloading medium. In a pinch you can use rice. I would tumble and see if the "dye" comes off. Very few things will tarnish Nickel blue, but some acids do. Could be from a previous reloader using some form of agent containing acid to clean the brass.
Click to expand...

Have you heard of anyone using crushed Pecan shells with any success? I have pretty much cheap access to those.
 
I use a stamp pad to mark the heads of my range ammo so I always know which is mine. I simply dry tumble the brass and I've never had any issue whatsoever with dye in the medium.
Just clean the way you normally do and reload it. It ain't no thang.
 
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