New guy question. How clean should brass be?
- Thread starter JellyJar
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jr_roosa
Member
Welcome.
All that is truly necessary is to have all the grit off the brass so you don't scratch your dies.
You could probably wipe down the outside with a rag and maybe run an old cleaning brush inside and be plenty clean.
That being said, I think that most of us like the brass to look pretty and shiny too, but that is not functionally necessary. I use a vibratory cleaner with walnut media, and sometimes I even polish loaded rounds to get the fingerprints off before I store them.
-J.
All that is truly necessary is to have all the grit off the brass so you don't scratch your dies.
You could probably wipe down the outside with a rag and maybe run an old cleaning brush inside and be plenty clean.
That being said, I think that most of us like the brass to look pretty and shiny too, but that is not functionally necessary. I use a vibratory cleaner with walnut media, and sometimes I even polish loaded rounds to get the fingerprints off before I store them.
-J.
dbarnhart
Member
In the grand sheme of things, polishing your brass is a relatively new part of thks hobby. 35 years ago when I started reloading, very few people polished their brass. It needs to simply be clean enough to not score the sizing die.
Twmaster
Member
Soap and water works pretty good. Put the brass in a ziplock bag add soap and water. Shake like mad.
Drain, rinse etc. Let dry. Just do not use any soap product containing ammonia.
As I am sorta lazy I just toss my brass into the tumbler for a hour with fine walnut shell.
Sift, use. Simple.
Drain, rinse etc. Let dry. Just do not use any soap product containing ammonia.
As I am sorta lazy I just toss my brass into the tumbler for a hour with fine walnut shell.
Sift, use. Simple.
USSR
Member
Personally, I've never been a guy to get hung up on "shiny" brass. Hey, if it floats your boat, go for it. I usually just run my brass through the tumbler for an hour and call it good.
Don
Don
amlevin
Member
Most people aren't really cleaning their brass, they are just polishing the outside. The inside of most polished cases are just as filthy as when they started with the possible exception of any loose crud that falls out during the process.
Unless the brass is washed in a wet process, cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner, or cleaned using Stainless Steel Pin/Ceramic media, it really isn't clean. It's just polished on the part you can see.
I've started using the Stainless media. All the brass I reload now is just as clean as if it were brand new. Inside, Outside, and Primer Pockets as well. Pretty shiny too. No dust either.
Unless the brass is washed in a wet process, cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner, or cleaned using Stainless Steel Pin/Ceramic media, it really isn't clean. It's just polished on the part you can see.
I've started using the Stainless media. All the brass I reload now is just as clean as if it were brand new. Inside, Outside, and Primer Pockets as well. Pretty shiny too. No dust either.
When I throw them in the tumbler they get clean on the inside. They might not get as shiny as the outside but still clean. I rarely clean brass tho. Pistol gets cleaned more then the rifle. Rifle only see the chamber & box so it only gets a little carbon on the neck.
Dish washing detergent with citric does a really good job of cleaning the brass. I do mine by hand in a plastic container with hot water. If I find a batch that is dragging on the neck sizer ball I will use a brush to clean the inside of the neck too. Cleaning the inside of the neck is good bang for the buch so to speak but I only do it on rifle cartridges.
OldmanFCSA
Member
You mean this CLEAN !!!!!
Cleaned with SS pins - PM me if you have more questions - this is FA-1949 50BMG brass, once-fired surplus.
FROGO207
Member
Sick sick sick----I would have to use sunglasses to load that brass.
The SS media does really get the brass super clean. I use a small amount of IOSSO liquid in with my media and that does speed up the process if it is really tarnished.
The SS media does really get the brass super clean. I use a small amount of IOSSO liquid in with my media and that does speed up the process if it is really tarnished.
FROGO207
Member
I have no problems with the flash holes or for that matter having any media stay in the casings. Any that will not just drop out when they are removed from then cleaning media will drop out when they are rinsed. I will tumble with my Thumlers model B (I have slow speed one purchased used for $25) for 5 hours or so then have to rinse well, 4 rinses with hot water and dry, usually overnight on an old folded up bed sheet. Mine are not always THAT shined up but if I was to keep them in longer they would be just as bright as the picture. One note is that when starting out the SS media did not start to really work well until it broke in. It took 10 or 12 batches in my case IIRC, then it will last forever I am told. I still use my old tumbler with corn cob and Nu Finish to polish my finished rounds (15 min) to help them keep the shine after long term storage unless the plan is to shoot em up within the week. If you do get a Thumlers get the high speed one it will work much better.
paperpuncher49
Member
Quote: Life is much too short to shoot ugly brass!
Define "ugly." Is a gun stock ugly because it has a scratch or a ding on it from a past hunt? Many people would say that such marks add "character" to the firearm. I would say the same about brass. As long as it doesn't scratch dies, it is fine. Furthermore, the electricity used to tumble brass just to make some (perhaps anal retentive) reloader happy adds to the carbon footprint and lightens the wallet, when that money could be better spent on more reloading components and/or another firearm. Shiny brass does not improve accuracy, reliabilility, or any other aspect of the shooting sports.
Define "ugly." Is a gun stock ugly because it has a scratch or a ding on it from a past hunt? Many people would say that such marks add "character" to the firearm. I would say the same about brass. As long as it doesn't scratch dies, it is fine. Furthermore, the electricity used to tumble brass just to make some (perhaps anal retentive) reloader happy adds to the carbon footprint and lightens the wallet, when that money could be better spent on more reloading components and/or another firearm. Shiny brass does not improve accuracy, reliabilility, or any other aspect of the shooting sports.
OldmanFCSA
Member
Uh-oh - another potential Sierra Club member in the works.
I do use solar panels to create my own electricity.
I heat hot water using geo-thermal means.
I re-use the water by filtering thru my sand&carbon water filters.
I do not scratch my dies.
I do not scratch my rifles chamber.
I do not damage my rifle.
I do not hunt.
Are you an animal KILLER?
I do not fish.
Do you kill reptiles too?
Do you drive a car or truck?
Do you shoot?
Do you drive to the range where you shoot?
Have you figured out yet I'm making fun of you and your "carbon footprint" statement? and other comments?
You do as you do!
I do as I do.
AND WE ALL MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES IN LIFE.
Except I can't hunt, fish, and shoot as much as I want due to a physical limitation.
At least my fellow FCSA members support shooters with disabilities.
I do use solar panels to create my own electricity.
I heat hot water using geo-thermal means.
I re-use the water by filtering thru my sand&carbon water filters.
I do not scratch my dies.
I do not scratch my rifles chamber.
I do not damage my rifle.
I do not hunt.
Are you an animal KILLER?
I do not fish.
Do you kill reptiles too?
Do you drive a car or truck?
Do you shoot?
Do you drive to the range where you shoot?
Have you figured out yet I'm making fun of you and your "carbon footprint" statement? and other comments?
You do as you do!
I do as I do.
AND WE ALL MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES IN LIFE.
Except I can't hunt, fish, and shoot as much as I want due to a physical limitation.
At least my fellow FCSA members support shooters with disabilities.
FlyinBryan
Member
i like to make my brass look like jewelry so i first clean with walnut, then i polish with fine corncob with mothers wheel polish thrown into the tumbler.
LordDunsany
Member
I bought a Lyman case cleaner several years ago, along with two kinds of media.
Have yet to take it out of the box...
I 'clean' my brass by a quick wipe with a shop rag, a blow inside to remove any powder ash, and a glance to make sure the primer pocket is clear.
Then I resize and reload.
Now I realize I won't ever make the initial cut at Camp Perry, and my ammo may look a bit grungy, but it shoots to minute-of-venison consistently, as does my similarly grungy pistol ammo.
No, they aren't pretty, but they function as they should, and I don't need to shake walnut shells out of each one, nor ever worry about plugged flash holes.
Pretty ammo is nice, and looks good, that's for sure, but I'd rather spend my effort on consistent charges, proper overall length, and good crimps.
My ammo is made to shoot, not look at...
Ron in Texas
Have yet to take it out of the box...
I 'clean' my brass by a quick wipe with a shop rag, a blow inside to remove any powder ash, and a glance to make sure the primer pocket is clear.
Then I resize and reload.
Now I realize I won't ever make the initial cut at Camp Perry, and my ammo may look a bit grungy, but it shoots to minute-of-venison consistently, as does my similarly grungy pistol ammo.
No, they aren't pretty, but they function as they should, and I don't need to shake walnut shells out of each one, nor ever worry about plugged flash holes.
Pretty ammo is nice, and looks good, that's for sure, but I'd rather spend my effort on consistent charges, proper overall length, and good crimps.
My ammo is made to shoot, not look at...
Ron in Texas
jcwit
member
Seems like the "oldman" gets offended a little to easily.
jcwit
member
Maybe, but that was not what the thread is about. And oldman goes off on a tirade regarding global warming, fishing, and hunting, and his choices in life.
Back to how clean brass NEEDS to be, see previous posts as to what is actually required which was what the question asked.
wally
Member
My first couple of thousand rounds reloaded I just cleaned the cases with boiling water and let them dry in the sun.
I quickly decided a vibrating cleaner was easier, so I bought one and never looked back. OTOH I don't obsess about how shiny they end up, although a bright polish makes them easier to find after shooting.
I quickly decided a vibrating cleaner was easier, so I bought one and never looked back. OTOH I don't obsess about how shiny they end up, although a bright polish makes them easier to find after shooting.
RustyFN
Member
I like my brass nice and shiny. It makes them a lot easier to find in the gravel at the range. I tumble them in 50/50 walnut and corn cob and add a little Nu Finish car polish. It takes them 1 to 1.5 hours to come out nice and shiny and ready to load. I ony have five minutes of my time invested. You can't clean 500 cases in five minutes by hand.
OldmanFCSA
Member
Sorry Guys,
Somedays my medical issues get to me.
Living with constant pain affects me in ways even I don't like.
Again, Sorry Guys!
But "some of my choices" were made for me, not by me.
Seedtick
Member
Amen!
You got that right but maybe tomorrow it won't be quite so bad. Hang in there Brother. We can do this.
Seedtick
FROGO207
Member
Trying to reload and develop a good load with constant pain that will vary is the pits. You reloaders that are healthy as a horse as they say, should count your blessings. It is a good day when I can still work 8 hours then reload 50 or so rounds without major pain. Clean brass is not necessary but I do like it.
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