Cleaning Brass - advice?

[Prerylyon]

Before bed, I finished cleaning a batch of .280 brass I had soaking in my poor man's cleaning tub in a well known concoction of 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts hot water, and a wee bit of dish soap.

I shook the brass for a couple minutes, every hour, for a couple of hours. The solution came out grey; like well used dishwater, and the brass looked pretty good. I rinsed the brass 4x; in clean, warm water.

Out of curiosity, I slipped a cotton swab down a case after rinsing and was surprised by all the residue inside [emoji44] ( see pic )

The brass is Norma and has been shot 1/2 doz times-but brass was cleaned each time. The powder was Accurate 4350.

Accuracy has been ok-I guess one could say don't fix what isn't broken-but all the crud on that swab has me wondering if I have been kidding myself all these years about the el cheapo cleaning method?

I went ahead and swabbed out all the cases in my batch; they all had the crud. Would an ultrasonic cleaner be the tool to do a better and automated job? On the other hand, I can buy a lot of cotton swabs for $150.

Curious to hear about others experiences in cleaning their brass and any advice willing to be shared.

Thanks,

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[Colorado Cowboy]

I use a vibration tumbler with walnut shell media (actually lizard litter from a pet store). Nothing more. I shoot competition and shoot 1000's of rounds per year. I reload everything except rimfire.

Just sayin......

 

[Prerylyon]

So, I work in a lab most days lately...

Before getting too deep into the work day, I took a case and shined a fiber optic up the business end, and looked down the throat of the case at one of our microscope stations.

The inside looks wicked clean to my eyes. If I can, I'll try to take a picture of it after the work day to see what you guys think. I am wondering now if all these years, using the previously outlined poor man's method, if I should've been swabbing the cases?

Maybe this Xmas santa will bring me something more automated, but until then, I'll prob swab the cases out. A big batch for me is 36 cases, so not too crazy, plus a few of the kids have shown interest and by helping we can make it a family activity.

Regards,

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[mallardsx2]

Tumble in walnut

then use a Cordless Drill with a copper bristle brush and an air compressor with a needle tip to go down in the case.

Then Finish them with a swabbing brush set up on another drill.

Thats what my dad always did to clean the inside of the necks.

Ultimately I would follow CC. He know way more than I pretend to know about reloading.

 

[JimP]

I have never worried about the inside of my cases except for the neck and primer pocket and have found that my vibrator cleaner with walnut shells works quite well.

Usually the case is done for by the time it will start to make a difference.

Perhaps you need to try a ultra sonic cleaner. They have come down in price to where you can afford one now. And if you want to try a cheaper one before a better one Harbor Freight has one for $80.00

https://www.harborfreight.com/25-liter-ultrasonic-cleaner-63256.html

 

[mallardsx2]

Then you can have Pink brass like me! lol

Too much white vinegar I recon....

 

[graybird]

I switched to Stainless Steel media with wet tumbling and never looked back. By far better then the walnut media and vibratory bowl I was using previously.

Good luck!

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Like JimP said...I never worry about the inside of the case.

 

[Prerylyon]

Like JimP said...I never worry about the inside of the case.

I guess I didn't either til my swab test last nite??

But, like I said, the rounds flew well/true-so maybe making too much of it.

Interesting stuff, nevertheless.

Regards,

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[Prerylyon]

Took these kwik on the way out the door; the one with the primer flash hole is not well focused.

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[Roughwater]

Prerylon,

I've been cleaning brass for a number of years. I started with the vibrator type, then went to the Ultrasonic and a year or two ago went to the Wet tumbler with the stainless steel media. I can tell you the wet tumbler with the stainless steel media is the bomb.
It's quicker, I can run so much more brass through it at one time too and most importantly it does a better job than the other two ways I had been doing it. I got the Frankfort Arsonal version and use their cleaner with it (just a capful) is plenty. I can clean 50 308 brass at a time or even more and not problem. I'll never go back for sure to the other methods I've used. Cleans out the inside, outside, inside the neck and even the primer pockets well. Brass comes out real shiny and looking like new! After cleaning and rinsing my brass in clean tap water I shake what water out I can, put the brass on a cookie sheet. I set the oven for hold warm and after it warms up I turn the oven off and put the brass in. It's warms the brass and dries the brass out without overheating it. I leave them in the oven about an hour. Mind you I only do this when the wife is not home! LOL.