What some people go through for cleaning 100 pices of brass!

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Mosin77 said:
I’m a relatively new reloader, and I got started reading the hard bound Lee book. Richard Lee opines therein that cleaning brass is pretty much pointless, and that if you want a box of pretty brass the way to go is chucking them up in a drill and shining them up by hand. He also suggested that using the dry tumbling methods is likely to expose you to a lot more lead residue than you might otherwise get from your involvement in the shooting sports. I thought this was interesting because Lee is a big company in the loading world but I have never really heard this opinion anywhere else.

As I mostly load black powder I pretty much restrain myself to throwing the empties in a mason jar with water and some dish soap.

Shiny brass does serve one very good purpose at least though. It’s somewhat easier to find it in grass compared to dull, tarnished brass that tends to blend in.
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I tumble outside dry then when I separated I wear a n95 mask. But, to that point, wet might be the way to go, for the sake of lead exposure
 
Demi-human said:
So you’ve never heard of this in the last 41 years?:)

Pardon my disbelief. I can’t possibly be the first to not have potato farmer hands.:D


Despite its perceived necessity or not, I clean my belly button too!:p
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I was introduced to wet tumbling in the late '60s. Yes I heard about wet tumbling brass w/ss pins several years ago when I tried a few. To me it isn't worth the mess and extra steps. I don't need pristine primer pockets (after a primer is seated can't see the shine!), and case interiors are hidden after a bullet is seated. The only advantage I've found is visual, cosmetic except they are easy to find in the dirt/grass, and my corn cob blast media gets my 45 ACP and 30-06 shiny/glossy.). Because I can find no practical/useful reason (except "pride" aka ego) I asked...

Being an educated city boy of Okie/Texan decent I have no idea what "potato farmer" hands are. I'm familiar with old mechanic's hands but first time I've heard potato farmer hands. I assume blunt fingers, heavily calloused hands (or just unwashe, dirty hands?).
 
mdi said:
or just unwashed, dirty hands?
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Nope, just stronger than mine.:)
What’s wrong with dirty hands? You think carpentry is a glamorous job?;)

I refuse to ream primer pockets on thousands of pistol cases to get Winchester primers to sit below flush in Winchester 45 Auto cases. I have no desire to experience a full auto 1911. Especially by surprise.

I have since changed purely to a cleaner:cool: CCI, but I can’t give up this pretty.
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Nor being done in a half hour. I like peace and quiet as much as any other Dad.

mdi said:
Because I can find no practical/useful reason (except "pride" aka ego)
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Besides the aforementioned safety measure?
If you say so!:D
Pride has been sorely lacking lately in my opinion…

I’m sure batches of two thousand have more to do with it. But you have to admit, those are nice looking.
I don’t think we disagree. It is totally personal preference.
Knowing about wet tumbling for twelve years longer than I’ve been alive, I doubt I would change your mind on it.:)
Not that I’m trying to. I honestly wouldn’t punish a human to walk a mile in my shoes, even if my brass is better.:p
 
Demi-human said:
Besides the aforementioned safety measure?
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What makes shiny brass safer? At what degree of shine does unsafe start and safe begin? I don't know anyone that has a Gloss Meter so how can I know if my cases are safe?
 
Rule3 said:
:what:

Why not distilled water?:D

He does have a very nice hand made tumbler!

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Let’s hear it for cleaning brass, by shooting it in a revolver!

That’s what I like about straightwall. My barrels may keep getting leady-er, but my brass just stays the same dirty.
 
Still new to this game, but I have found, that if my once fired range pick up brass is shiny clean, with no hard/soap spotting deposits left on it after a wet tumble, my 7.62x51 nato brass slides right through the F.L. resizer die much easier than a poorly cleaned case. It only takes 20 minutes of labor, tops, to clean 500-1k of brass, the tumbling time and air drying time is mute, cause in my case, I have a previously cleaned batch ready to go.
- note - be stingy on the lemishine, and rinse well with clean soft water, I use rain water that I gather up, might as well, since I live in rainy s.e. fla.;)
 
For small amounts of rifle brass when I trim using the Lee Case Length Gauge & Cutter and Lock Stud. While still in the lock stud I run over the outside of the brass with 0000 steel wool. This shines that brass right up & helps smooth any sharp edges that the trimming process created.
 
AK Hunter said:
For small amounts of rifle brass when I trim using the Lee Case Length Gauge & Cutter and Lock Stud. While still in the lock stud I run over the outside of the brass with 0000 steel wool. This shines that brass right up & helps smooth any sharp edges that the trimming process created.
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Haha! I do the same sometimes for small batches. Sometimes I'll spin them in a rag with a bit of brass polish while still in the lock stud. My spinner broke so I took the lock stud out of it and put in a cordless drill. Makes me feel good.
 
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