Tumble or Cleaning Solution for Cases

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ravencon

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It seems that there are a lot of posts about tumbling cases, relatively few about using a cleaning solution.

I was trying to make this a poll and something got screwed up:

1. I tumble.

2. I use a cleaning solution

3. Neither

4. Both, I have OCD
 
I use powdered dishwasher detergent in water. I put them in one of those plastic mesh bags that 5 lbs of onions come in. Dunk dunk dunk swish swish swish . . . drip dry.
 
I use a Harbor Freight rock tumbler. Dual drum. For 9mm and I wash for 30 minutes, rinse, then size and deprime while they're still wet. Tumble again for an hour and sometimes more, roll them on towel then lay them on a screen and dry overnight.

For .223 and 6.5 Grendel I size and deprime first, then one 30 minute wash, and a second one hour wash. I can fit at least 250 cases at a time.

I use a few drops of dishwashing liquid and a tablespoon of lemon juice per drum. I've never had to clean a primer pocket.
 
I use water, with a squirt of dishwashing detergent, and one of vinegar. I dump all into my office ultrasonic cleaner for 20 minutes. The cases aren't bright as new, but are very clean. That's what I care about.

Chuck
 
I now use a vibratory cleaner.

When I was a poor student, I used to put a hand full in a dirty sock, tie it off, and toss in with the laundry. They came out clean and dry, but not shiny after the dryer.
 
I usually "rough tumble" my brass in untreated walnut as soon as I come back from the range, de-prime it, when tumble again in treated corn-cob for a nice shine.

Ocassionally I will soak my brass in Cidar vinegar for about 30 min to help remove the carbon residue from inside the cases - works really good and also shines up the outside pretty good as well.

If reloading on a tight budget, the vinegar is a good "solution".
 
25% corn cob, 75% fine walnut, 2 caps of mineral spirits, a couple of used anti-static dryer sheets (really stretches out the media life) ... an hour in the tumbler when fresh, 2 hours max when well used.
/Bryan
 
25% corn cob, 75% fine walnut, 2 caps of mineral spirits, a couple of used anti-static dryer sheets (really stretches out the media life) ... an hour in the tumbler when fresh, 2 hours max when well used.
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I use a paper towel. I am not sure why but a lot of dirt and grit sticks to the towel. I am using the same media i bought maybe 15 years ago. maybe 4 gallons or so.
 
i have been using walnut shells in a tumbler. it cleans them ok, but i want my brass shiny! i have been hand polishing them with simichrome or maas metal polish paste, or never dull wadding. but it is a pain! i just bought some fine corn cob to put in the tumbler. i will clean them with walnut, then try to polish with the corn cob next. but i have to make a trip to the woods and do a little shooting, as all of my brass is currently loaded.

by the way ilbob, aren't you worried at all about lead build up in your tumbling media? i am sure somebody will miss you when you are gone!?!
 
i have been using walnut shells in a tumbler. it cleans them ok, but i want my brass shiny!
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a little bit of grit goes a long way towards making the brass shiny. thats why i add a little brasso now and then. if the ammonia in the brasso bothers you, there are other sources of grit available. it takes very little.
 
I use Georgia Arms treated corncob media. The stuff works great. .223 brass from my suppressed AR is still dirty but everything else comes out shiny. I've experimented with soaking the really dirty brass in Slip2000 Carbon Killer and it works quite well, but I don't know what kind of damage it might be doing to the case so I haven't loaded the few that I've soaked.
 
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