Does anyone here not tumble brass?

[Elkins45]

I tumble, but the first few years I reloaded I used the Birchwood Casey liquid brass cleaner, which is basically a phosphoric acid solution. It worked fine but you had to rinse and wait for the brass to dry, so it wasn’t a speedy process.

 

[ilbob]

I uh....might be disgusting but I've never tumbled anything I've reloaded. The brass looks ugly and I'm sure I have to clean the dies more often but I clean out the primer pockets before seating.


Am I in the minority with this? I'd like fresh looking brass but if it's just for me and not for resale, it seems like I'm just adding an extra cost per round to make it look pretty.

Before I had a tumbler I used to put my dirty brass in a sock and tie the open end off and run it through a wash and dry cycle. Came out clean and dry but not shiny. Worked fine though.

 

[bhhacker]

Before I had a tumbler I used to put my dirty brass in a sock and tie the open end off and run it through a wash and dry cycle. Came out clean and dry but not shiny. Worked fine though.

Whew. I imagine trying that and getting my butt chewed out by She Who Must Be Obeyed so bad that its almost worth actually doing! hahah

 

[Jonesy814]

I wash it in soapy water with vinegar or lemon juice, then tumble when dry.

 

[DMW1116]

I don't, but after cleaning and polishing nearly 100 cases today, I'm about to start.

 

[HankC]

I tumble range pickup that may have sit outside for a long time. My own brass only need a wash in soapy water, rinse with clear water, maybe add some vinegar, give a stir fry in an old pan to dry. I do the wash after decapping the primers, much easier to drain and dry.

 

[DMW1116]

What does the vinegar do?