putteral
Member
What is the best way to clean once fired brass?
Best way to Clean brass
- Thread starter putteral
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cdrt
Member
I'm sure there's some threads on this already, but most agree that you should use a tumber with either corn cob or walnut shell media and a good polish like the one Dillon sells or that you can pick up at your local sporting goods store.
I also have a recipe for a liquid cleaner that uses distilled vinegar that I got out of an old NRA reprint if you're interested in a method to use until you get a tumbler.
I also have a recipe for a liquid cleaner that uses distilled vinegar that I got out of an old NRA reprint if you're interested in a method to use until you get a tumbler.
FieroCDSP
Member
There are definitely a few threads on this, and everyone has their recipe. The general consensus is that Nu-Finish is an excellent polish if you use a cap-full every several loads. Used dryer sheets help to keep the media clean and dust free. This was a big time saver for me, as the Lyman red walnut media dust problem encompassed a lot of time cleaning up the cases.
Never No More
Member
I use what my ole man used. Gasoline.
Sounds funny, but it works. Soak for 3 days, then air dryem.
They aint all shiney and reflect light for 100 yards. But they are clean.
Sounds funny, but it works. Soak for 3 days, then air dryem.
They aint all shiney and reflect light for 100 yards. But they are clean.
quicktime
Member
I have been reading good things about hypersonic cleaning. I currently use a Midway Tumbler with their brass polish and am happy for the most part. I was thinking of trying the ultrasonic method to see if I could size and de prime first and then clean to see it the primer pocket got clean that way.
xsquidgator
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Tumbler loaded with a mixture of about half walnut shell and half corncob. Once in a blue moon throw in some nu-finish. I haven't added the polish in a looong time and it still cleans and shines 'em up pretty quickly.
50 Shooter
member
Besides a tumbler I also use Iosso liquid case cleaner. http://www.iosso.com/MivaStore/merc...&Product_Code=00016&Category_Code=GunCleaning
Mark whiz
Member
quicktime..............................
Unless you have access to the really expensive, high tech ultrasonic cleaners - it isn't worth the effort. I tried cleaning with my Harbor Freight Ultrasonic with both a soapy solution and then with cider vinegar and they came out no better than if I had just soaked them in cidar vinegar for 30 minutes.
Actually the cidar vinegar works pretty good by itself anyway. Hit the inside of the case with a plastic bore brush and the primer pocket with a pipe cleaner and then rinse in clear water and the cases come out real nice. But it is time consuming if you have to clean a lot of brass. I use the vinegar only occassionly, when I want to clean out the inside of my cases a little better than a tumbler can do.
Unless you have access to the really expensive, high tech ultrasonic cleaners - it isn't worth the effort. I tried cleaning with my Harbor Freight Ultrasonic with both a soapy solution and then with cider vinegar and they came out no better than if I had just soaked them in cidar vinegar for 30 minutes.
Actually the cidar vinegar works pretty good by itself anyway. Hit the inside of the case with a plastic bore brush and the primer pocket with a pipe cleaner and then rinse in clear water and the cases come out real nice. But it is time consuming if you have to clean a lot of brass. I use the vinegar only occassionly, when I want to clean out the inside of my cases a little better than a tumbler can do.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
I do the ultrasonic cleaning method lately. It's very time consuming since it works best on small batches. It REALLY gets em clean though. For me, they come out almost like virgin brass inside and out. Chemicals (diluted vinegar/soap solution and BC brass cleaner) can be reused many times. Here's a link to the method and equipment I use Ultrasonic Case Cleaning. I went with the 'clean and shiney' method and 'tune' the water/beaker level. I still tumble instead sometimes because it takes so long for a lot of cases.
Problem is, what about the contaminated chemicals/water? It's not very responsible to dump em down the sink/toilet. Dumping on the ground will have the same effect over the long run, putting chemical residue in the water table. Anyone have a 'solution' (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) for this problem?
I do the ultrasonic cleaning method lately. It's very time consuming since it works best on small batches. It REALLY gets em clean though. For me, they come out almost like virgin brass inside and out. Chemicals (diluted vinegar/soap solution and BC brass cleaner) can be reused many times. Here's a link to the method and equipment I use Ultrasonic Case Cleaning. I went with the 'clean and shiney' method and 'tune' the water/beaker level. I still tumble instead sometimes because it takes so long for a lot of cases.
Problem is, what about the contaminated chemicals/water? It's not very responsible to dump em down the sink/toilet. Dumping on the ground will have the same effect over the long run, putting chemical residue in the water table. Anyone have a 'solution' (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) for this problem?
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just pick up a case tumbler for about $50-60 from midway and be done with it. I messed around for a long time using vinegar, rice, nu finish, kitty litter...you name it.... nothing does it near as well as a vibrating tumbler and some walnut media. It's gonna cost about $65-$75 and you never have to worry about it again.
Put it on a simple light timer and set them to run for a few hours while you're at work on Friday morning, when you get home, seperate them after dinner....then reload on saturday afternoon over a six pack of natural light. Shoot the following weekend, and repeat. The tumbler holds about 700 rounds of 9mm or about 400 or so 45acp. I don't push it. Takes anywhere from 30minutes to 4 hours to get them shiny. Don't ever put 9mm in with 45acp at the same time, they nest inside each other and you will have a heck of a time seperating them.
Good luck.
Put it on a simple light timer and set them to run for a few hours while you're at work on Friday morning, when you get home, seperate them after dinner....then reload on saturday afternoon over a six pack of natural light. Shoot the following weekend, and repeat. The tumbler holds about 700 rounds of 9mm or about 400 or so 45acp. I don't push it. Takes anywhere from 30minutes to 4 hours to get them shiny. Don't ever put 9mm in with 45acp at the same time, they nest inside each other and you will have a heck of a time seperating them.
Good luck.
tbeb
Member
I use a rock tumbler and crushed corn cobs. Nothing else. I bought the tumbler at a garage sale for next to nothing. Downside is capacity is limited to approx. a hundred .38 special cases. I'm not a high volume shooter so it works for me.
Kimber1911_06238
Member
don't use kitty litter in your tumbler, use crushed walnut shells or corn cob media.
Kitty litter breaks down into very fine dust and covers everything and is very hard to get off. also, kitty litter is made out of clay, which tends to be more abrasive that corn cob or walnut media
Kitty litter breaks down into very fine dust and covers everything and is very hard to get off. also, kitty litter is made out of clay, which tends to be more abrasive that corn cob or walnut media
Koos Custodiet
Member
... and then some people recommend using rice in the tumbler. Havn't tried it meself.
sm
member
I...cheat big time. 
See, I never got into metallic reloading.
I did the shot shell reloading and others did the metallic.
We reloaded for each other.
Now that I have "sorta retired" from shot shell reloading...
ALL, my brass and hulls are cleaned and reloaded for me.
My Mentors did this ( had me reload their shot gun shells) so it is high time I finally got old enough for others to do all this stuff for me.
Whew!
Hardest thing I have to do sometimes is actually take the coffee can lid off and dump in the dirty brass the kids/ and those I assist with, police off the ground.
Someone cleans, reloads and then sometimes I actually have to walk over and grab the finished stuff.
Trying to train a few kids a bit better in regard to snagging this reloaded ammo so I won't have to.
Just passing forward as passed to me is all...
Live long enough - there are some perks.
See, I never got into metallic reloading.
I did the shot shell reloading and others did the metallic.
We reloaded for each other.
Now that I have "sorta retired" from shot shell reloading...
ALL, my brass and hulls are cleaned and reloaded for me.
My Mentors did this ( had me reload their shot gun shells) so it is high time I finally got old enough for others to do all this stuff for me.
Whew!
Hardest thing I have to do sometimes is actually take the coffee can lid off and dump in the dirty brass the kids/ and those I assist with, police off the ground.
Someone cleans, reloads and then sometimes I actually have to walk over and grab the finished stuff.
Trying to train a few kids a bit better in regard to snagging this reloaded ammo so I won't have to.
Just passing forward as passed to me is all...
Live long enough - there are some perks.
kungfuhippie
Member
As long as you are on city sewer and not septic it will get removed at the sewage treatment plant. If you are on septic then it won't. Vinegar and brass fouling won't hurt the water table, it biodegrades. Solvents should not be dumped in a sewer or septic system, you should collect them into containers (not mixing different solvents which can be dangerous) and take them to a chemical/oil collection facility, every city and county has one. The solvents used to clean guns and metal will do real damage to your pipes, and maybe your ground water.
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