Cleaning brass?

[jotto]

As I get closer to joining the reloading ranks I have yet another question. My apologies for the "FNG" questions.

When cleaning fired brass to prepare it for reloading do you need to tumble or use a ultrasonic cleaner? Just one or the other works? Pros and Cons to each?

If it matters I have my reloading area set up in my basement. If I understand things correctly tumbling may cause some dust issues. In that case I could always set up the tumbling station in the garage which might not be a bad idea anyway if tumblers tend to be noisy.

I appreciate the help in sorting this out gentlemen.

 

[jcwit]

No real need to tumble or polish brass cases, many do as do myself, just for personal reasons and it does make it easier to spot flaws ie; split necks.

Tumbler or sonic? Either works well, if you're really concerned about the dust use a sonic cleaner with water and cleaner. Actually dust should not be that much of a problem, keep the cover on while running and use used dryer sheets to absorb the dust.

You will have prettier looking cases using a tumbler tho, if that matters.

 

[john16443]

I tumble in the garage with a lid, and separate the media outside. Dust isn't an issue for me. Another alternative would be no tumbler or sonic cleaner at all. Just make up a gallon jug of water, vineager, salt, Dawn dish soap. Recipies available on the internet. I fill a small container with cases, pour in the solution until covered, and agitate for about 15 to 20 minutes. Cases won't be all sparkling clean and shiny, but plenty clean enough for putting through the reloading dies. I do this when I get some really grungy range brass, soak it first, rinse well, dry overnight, and then run for a few hours in the tumbler with corn cob media.

 

[Rifle1894/5]

When first getting started I observed tumbler methods using media of one sort or another. What I didn't like was the presents of media in cartridges at 'reloading time'. Therefore, I chose the ultrasonic route. I can do 50 cartridges or so, depending on caliber, in 10-15 minutes. I use Hornady cleaner and a 50-50 mix of cheap white and water with a drop or two of liquid detergent. Rinse three times or so in water. Both clean great, not sure which leaves the brass brighter, but I reload, shoot, reload, shoot . . . . .
While I'd like them shiner I haven't found the additive for ultrasonic cleaning.:banghead:

 

[Arkansas Paul]

As has been said, you don't HAVE to clean them at all. I know a guy who has been reloading longer than I've been alive and has never owned a tumbler or a ultrasonic cleaner. His stuff is spot on consistent too. It just makes em pretty that's all.
I do clean mine, using a vibratory tumbler and corn cob media. It works well, so I've seen no need to change.

 

[gamestalker]

I tumble because it really does make other wise difficult to spot brass issues easier to identify. I'm also not crazy about running dirty brass through my dies or gun. Any remaining lube or other elements left on the brass is also something of a concern in my opinion. It could possibly interfere with the brass siezing against the chamber wall when firing, thus putting unecessary stress and wear on the bolt face and lugs. And though only a cosmetic benefit, nice shinny brass is appealing to the eye's.
So far as the ultra sonic or tumbling method, one being better or more necessary than the other, I couldn't advise you on that cause I only own a tumbler. The tumbler I have is the Ultra Vide 10, it is very quiet. I have an older tumbler that is probably 30 yrs. old, it isn't as quiet.

 

[W.E.G.]

Accumulate enough brass, so that you only have to deal with tumbling once a year. Football playoff time (if you are a football fan) is a good time to do it. While you watch the game - or whatever- run the tumbler outside so the dust stays outside. Every few batches of brass, let the tumbler run for a couple minutes with the lid off, and a lot of that ultra-fine dust will just blow away.

 

[jcwit]

When first getting started I observed tumbler methods using media of one sort or another. What I didn't like was the presents of media in cartridges at 'reloading time'. Therefore, I chose the ultrasonic route. I can do 50 cartridges or so, depending on caliber, in 10-15 minutes. I use Hornady cleaner and a 50-50 mix of cheap white and water with a drop or two of liquid detergent. Rinse three times or so in water. Both clean great, not sure which leaves the brass brighter, but I reload, shoot, reload, shoot . . . . .
While I'd like them shiner I haven't found the additive for ultrasonic cleaning.

I'll bet you spend much more time cleaning cases than I do tumbling cases.

I dump mine in the tumbler befopre going to bed, snooze all night with no time spent on the cases, turn tumbler off in the morning and walla cases are ready to reload, no time spent at all.

 

[Rifle1894/5]

Tumbler vs. Ultrasonic

"I'll bet you spend much more time cleaning cases than I do tumbling cases.

I dump mine in the tumbler befopre going to bed, snooze all night with no time spent on the cases, turn tumbler off in the morning and walla cases are ready to reload, no time spent at all."

Could be I do, although it might be close. (Don't you have to tumble the cartridges in a basket or something to get the media out?) I just dump liquid in, then cartridges and turn it on. Do something else for 10 or 15 then take the basket out, rinse three times in clean water and dump to dry. Dump the liquid out or into a bottle for the next run.

Did tumbling a few times and didn't see all the media coming out of the cartridges, seemed to always be some when I went to reload. I didn't want media in the primer pocket or with my powder, so ultrasonic was my choice. But, I'm still pretty new at this, media tumbling has been around a long long time, maybe media in those places is okay, I'm don't know. God bless America, we're free to choose!!

 

[OldmanFCSA]

I tumbled cases for 34 years, wore out many tumblers, cement mixers, vibratory, and hated slowness of ultrasonic.

Then I tried Stainless Steel Pins.

I recommend this site but have no connection to them.
[URL="http://www.stainlesssteelmedia.com"/URL]

I highly recommend you try it as you are starting out new.
No dust - very clean inside and out!
It is a wet process, so you will need access to water and a drain, which should be easy if you are in the basement.

I love this process and have not tumbled a case in walnut media or corn cob media for over a year.

PM me if need be.

 

[jotto]

Thank you all very much. Learned a lot from the posts and some very good reccommendations.

To be honest I was surprised to hear that cleaning the brass is an optional step, I assumed you had to do it. I still think I'm going to but does give some food for thought.

Thanks again all.

 

[jgiehl]

I tumble plinking pistol brass every 5 or so times other than that I just wash them in the sink.
Rifle brass and hiking handgun brass I tumble every time and reload very few times.

 

[jcwit]

(Don't you have to tumble the cartridges in a basket or something to get the media out?)

Nope, I don't. I dump the media with the cases in it in a screen collander then dump the media back into the tumbler. I use media thats fine 20/40 grit, flowes like fine sand and does not get stuck in flash holes let alone primer pockets.

Time spent separating cases from media? Less than 30 seconds more like 10/15 seconds and its ready to reload immediately.

 

[OldmanFCSA]

A few pictures,if I know how to load, my frst attempt here on this site.
Please pardon the mess on my loading bench, it's a catch-all

 

[OldmanFCSA]

I've posted in 4 different threads about cleaning brass.

Now I will try to only post pictures in this one.

I only de-prime before cleaning using punch and hammer - de-capping only die highly recommended!
Primer pockets are thus cleaned as well - very clean with no additional processes required.

Use "Ctrl +" to Zoom In on pictures - "Ctrl -" to Zoom back out.


Really dirty French 50BMG brass with 5 clean cases to show cleanliness of insides.


Same brass viewed from the left - note cleaned brass in background from same lot.


Same brass viewed from the right.


My Hi-Tech separating station - flexible shower faucet helps.

 

[OldmanFCSA]

This is what I wrote for another in a private message.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Damm - sorry I missed you here in ........................

I do deprime prior to tumbling - deprime only - no sizing - I like to keep my dies clean now that I know how. I have been slowly replacing older scratched dies from walnut shell/iron oxide media. I load in excess of 34 different calibers.

Get 2 Home Depot plastic buckets, 2 Frankfort Arms separators, a LARGE bottle of Dawn dishsoap, several bottles of LemiShine (Walmart) and us a laundry tub if you have one. I also got a package of SuperMagnets to pickup stray pins.

If your tumbling mix does not finish with soap bubbles - use more soap!
If your brass turns PINK, use less LemiShine. (Don't ask)!

Use cold water to separate initially, and reduce bubbles.
Use HOT water to rinse down thru and around cases.
Tumble in a bath towel to remove most of water on cases.
Use wife's hair dryer to finish.

Let set in a rack in house to remove any other moisture.

Bag & Tag.

I will include more pictures on site for you and others.

 

[mdi]

FWIW; I reloaded for several years (10?) before I got a wobbler. I like to inspect all my brass so I used a rag, dampened w/mineral spirits and looked at/wiped each case first (no grit or sand to scratch dies). I had no trouble spotting split necks or other damages and had no problems related to bad brass. When I wanted "BBQ" brass I used a mandrel and fine steel wool to polish the case, and some I used wax to keep 'em shiny. Back when, you could tell a reloader at the range by his brass; dull but clean vs. bright shiny virgin brass...

 

[OldmanFCSA]

FWIW; I reloaded for several years (10?) before I got a wobbler. ....................................................... Back when, you could tell a reloader at the range by his brass; dull but clean vs. bright shiny virgin brass...

Nice try !!! But all brass pictured above will be shot at the 2011 Fall Alliance Nebraska FCSA Sanctioned Match. I prefer my match brass be loaded as exactly as possible. Dirt inside the case inhibits proper powder burn, (IMO). And "Virgin" .... ????, LC-52, FA-49, TW-45, and IK-98 are pictured, and now reloaded. Virgin does not exist in my loading room, at least not for very long. I did buy some Virgin IK-07 brass awile back, but it does not shoot as good as the older crappy brass.

I've been reloading since 1972 - but am not sure what a "wobbler" is ?

Careful you don't burn yourself.

 

[jcwit]

I've been reloading since 1972 - but am not sure what a "wobbler" is ?

Come on OldMan, we all here have a pretty good idea what mdi was referring to regarding a wobbler, as I'm sure you do to if you'll just admit it.

 

[mdi]

A "wobbler" is what is commonly called a "vibrator" cleaner. They don't vibrate, but "wobble" because of an unbalanced motor (weights are attached to motor shaft to produce a wobbling motion). And congratulations on your shiny brass for competition, I'm sure it helps...

 

[Mxracer239y]

I tumbled cases for 34 years, wore out many tumblers, cement mixers, vibratory, and hated slowness of ultrasonic.

Then I tried Stainless Steel Pins.

My experience mirrors this. I live in an apartment, and hated the dust and noise of vibratory. My neighbors were not fans of the humming noise transmitting through the walls and floor either.

I love this process and have not tumbled a case in walnut media or corn cob media for over a year.

Couldnt have said it better myself. The ONLY advantage of other methods (IMO) is volume; I can only tumble 180-200 223 remington cases at a time. That being said the reduction in dust and noise, and the beautiful results, make it 100% worth it.

 

[Hondo 60]

The advantages of a "dry" vibratory tumbler is that you can use the brass immediately after tumbling, the tumbler itself is much cheaper and it takes less time (about 2 hrs).

I use this tumbler...
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=158440

with this media...
http://www.drillspot.com/products/521055/econoline_526040g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

a 40 lb bag will last a looonngggg time.
and it's small enough not to stick in the flash hole if you deprime before tumbling (I tumble first so it's a non-issue)

 

[357Shooter]

Hope this is OK to repost

I just posted this on another thread because part of it came from this one, hope it's OK to do this, if not... sorry!
Thank you all for the input, I'll be putting it all to good use. I've got my tumbler on order, and thanks to Brian (Canuk-IL) and Oldman from another post this forum and others, I'm waiting for delivery on a Thumbler Tumbler, SS Media, both at good price, (thanks again Brian). Check out the other recent posts on cleaning brass (I'm sure most have) great info. I hope we can keep this one up for a bit there seems to be a lot to learn from other's experiences. Tomorrows goal will be to get ahold of a few thousand 45acp, 38, & 357 once shot surplus and turn it to GOLD! I'll post some pics when the stuff arrives, looks to be 10 days on the tumbler etc. Thanks for all the help, please keep it coming!

 

[Rifle1894/5]

I just posted this on another thread because part of it came from this one, hope it's OK to do this, if not... sorry!
Thank you all for the input, I'll be putting it all to good use. I've got my tumbler on order, and thanks to Brian (Canuk-IL) and Oldman from another post this forum and others, I'm waiting for delivery on a Thumbler Tumbler, SS Media, both at good price, (thanks again Brian). Check out the other recent posts on cleaning brass (I'm sure most have) great info. I hope we can keep this one up for a bit there seems to be a lot to learn from other's experiences. Tomorrows goal will be to get ahold of a few thousand 45acp, 38, & 357 once shot surplus and turn it to GOLD! I'll post some pics when the stuff arrives, looks to be 10 days on the tumbler etc. Thanks for all the help, please keep it coming!

So, having not been interested in 'shiny', just clean brass, all this discussion has peaked my interest. Seems SSTL media and related machine works best. What is a good price and where??

 

[357Shooter]

I spent several hours yesterday researching and with the advice from several people ended up ordering the Thumbler from Cabella's along with their Media separator, $179 on the Tumbler, $5 shipping ends TONIGHT, so I added a few misc things I needed. The advantage, $179 was the best price, no tax, can't beat $5 shipping. I did find one place for I think $176 on the Thumbler, but cheapest shipping was $26. Got the pellets coming from Pellets LLC, for sure the best deal, that one also from the help of another poster. I figure I can now buy once shot range brass at 1/4 to 1/7 the price and the thing will pay for itself in no time. Even got my wife excited, she makes jewelry and can tumble rocks in same, after of course I get my thousands of cases all shined up! Check out the several other postings of recent, lots and lots of great info from the past few days. Oh, by the way, Oldman is the culprit who got me started on this madness, he's got some good input and was very helpful to me.