Need answer to a probably dumb question

[China Bob]

Hello, I am new to the site and I am also new to reloading. I recently purchased a fellows equipment and his brass. The brass was primed, inside the hull was a red oily residue he said was from the media he used to clean the brass. My question is will this residue affect my loading in any way and if it will what can I do about it. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[rsrocket1]

Up to you. Throw away or reuse a 3 cent primer and reclean the brass or risk lost shots. If you are loading and shooting within a couple of days, it's not likely to be a problem unless the "oily" stuff affected the primer.

 

[Blue68f100]

My guess is Lyman media. It will be fine but if you want to clean it. Re polish using just plain corncob with out the polish. It will clean up what's left.

 

[China Bob]

Thanks

Thanks for the quick replies. I didn't think it would be a problem but I wanted opinions from someone who knows more about it than me. Thanks again

 

[Lafitte]

My guess is Lyman media. It will be fine but if you want to clean it. Re polish using just plain corncob with out the polish. It will clean up what's left.

I think this is "right on". I have cleaned with Lyman media for a long time. When fresh, it leaves a coating. Never had a problem!

Lafitte

 

[matrem]

A Lyman reloading manual just might be able to shed a lot of light on that.

Reading that one, and maybe even a couple more will make you even more comfortable.

 

[rcmodel]

Red residue is normal from iron oxide treated media.

Oily residue IS NOT normal from any media I have ever used in 50 years.

I would be wary of dead primers before I loaded a whole bunch of them.

rc

 

[matrem]

That "residue" is most likely not at all "oily".

Again.. A manual or three will be a huge help if you are really serious about leaning hand/re loading.

 

[Bottom Gun]

The treated Lyman walnut media I use does leave a redish color residue inside some of the cases. It doesn't hurt a thing.

 

[gamestalker]

If it's actually an "oily" residue, I would probably deprime those, tumble, then prime with fresh primers.

But from experience, I use Lyman Walnut media, and when it's fresh, it does leave a pretty heavy residue in and on the brass. I just tumble it in corn cob for a bit, which gets almost every bit of it out, and off of it.

And just for the sake of knowing, did he say what primers they are primed with? I'm really OCD about any reloading operation I did not perform with my own two hands. That said, I wouldn't personally use them without first priming with my own selected primers.

GS

 

[RPegram]

The red treated Lyman walnut media leaves a nasty oily residue exactly as you described. After tumbling brass in it I would put brass in a large cloth and roll it around to get it off the outside, but it still had that red junk on the inside. Once I rolled them in the towel, the head stamps would have a reddish tint. Washing the cloth would not get the stains out, so I put a whole container of that media on the top, ain't going to use no more, shelf. Oh, it also leaves that red oily residue on your hands. Nasty stuff. Switched to crushed lizard litter with a capful of Nufinnish and haven't looked back.

 

[ku4hx]

Do yourself a favor and use this as tumbling media: http://www.petco.com/product/102881/Zilla-Ground-English-Walnut-Shells-Reptile-Bedding.aspx

It's cheap and works very well. If you want to polish your empties use Nu Finish car "polish".

 

[gandog56]

I would load up about ten and see how they worked. If no problems go ahead and load up the rest of them. If something does not work, i would unprime them, and run them through my rotary wet tumbler with stainless steel media. That way I end up with brass looking like this....

 

[OilyPablo]

Not a dumb question. I wouldn't use such brass. I'm all about clean and dry media with unknown oily red stuff isn't.

 

[345 DeSoto]

Don't load up any until you fire a few of them, with out powder or bullets in them. That way you'll be able to tell if the primers are good or bad...

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

The treated Lyman walnut media I use does leave a redish color residue inside some of the cases. It doesn't hurt a thing.

Ditto and shot thousands of rounds with no issues. The polish is inert and harmless to charge.

 

[Bottom Gun]

Does anyone really think that Lyman would sell polishing media that is harmful to primers or powder?

In my experience, the Lyman walnut shell media does a better job than the corn cob media I used to use with Dillon's case polish. It also cleans the cases faster. I like it.

 

[g.willikers]

Did you ask the fellow you got it from what he used to clean the brass?
Have you tried one of those primed, but empty cases in your gun to see if it fires ok?
Just a thought or two.

 

[OilyPablo]

Clean is clean. Regardless if the junk left behind is inert or not, it occupies volume and has some impact (maybe very very small) on the overall load. People can do what they want. I start with clean brass and recommend the same to newer reloaders.

 

[TfflHndn]

I mix the red media about 1:5 with the regular stuff. Still polishes the brass, but no residue problem.

 

[lauderdale]

Im w/post 19.

 

[Rule3]

Well all the speculation is great but why not just ask the guy what media he used????

Lyman Tuff Nut will leave a red dust but it is not oily, It's red polishing rouge.

 

[trania_000]

Load it up, shoot it and repeat! Wont hurt a thing.