Wash em

[panman]

The other day i droped a few cases of 9mm in the sand So i put them in the tumbler to clean and polish them.after i did this i didnt want to take a chance on sand being in them so i washed then in very hot water.I put them in a white plastic bucket,and swished them around.I looked at the bottom of the bucket and found a lot of walnut grit,as well as some sand.
from now on im gonna wash them after every tumble.I just cant believe that all that grit is good for a barrel or gun.What say you guys??.Do i worry to much?,or does it matter?.Seems to me that the grit would scratch and whare away parts in said barrel,gun:puking::shock::shocking:.pan.

[jawjaboy]

No washing here Pan. Mine go from the tumbler to da press.

Not a bad idea though.

[Warhorse]

I have never washed mine either.

I guess I like my brass like my wimmin's, all pretty on the outside for the world to see, but a little dirty on the inside (inside meaning the MIND), just for me to see.

:cheezy:

[Blackdog]

I wash, dry, then tumble. I find it takes less time in the tumbler and the media stays cleaner (less powder fouling and bullet lube). Especially range pickups. I like 'em shiny.

[speedracer211]

I wash, dry, then tumble. I find it takes less time in the tumbler and the media stays cleaner (less powder fouling and bullet lube). Especially range pickups. I like 'em shiny.

Dats what I do to. I wash them in a five gallon bucket then dump them on and old sheet to dry in the sun. Then into the tumbler.

[craig110]

Edited to remove question whose answer should have been obvious.

[Rollis]

This is the main reason I, stay away from walnut, way to much dust.

[grendelbane]

Washing your brass in a hot water/citric acid solution will make it shine like new!

It is usually too much trouble though. Some times I do it, and some times I don't.

Actual grit might harm a barrel eventually, but I doubt that tumbler media would.

It doesn't hurt anything though. Wash away.

[panman]

Yea,i think that i will wash them from now on,unless im in a hurry.I never did before,but,now that i did and know that the brass has all that grit[tumble media]i just hate NOT to do it.Thats just me.A lot of you guys can go out and buy whatever you want,me,im lucky to have the guns i have,soo i try to keep them in tip top shape for as long as i can.I spend a lot of time in the man room with a single stage press,cleaning primer pockets,champoring, trimming,and weighing each charge.Washing them is just another step ill do.When done washing them,i hang them in an ole onion bag next to the wood stove to dry over night.In the summer i guess that ill put them in the gass oven,the piolit light should get them dry.As been stated i can also put them in the sun.Thanks for all the responses.

[BigSlick]

Only thing when ya wash em all squeaky clean, ya might wanna use some One Shot or give em a short tumble in corn with a lil NuFinish.

Squeaky clean brass, squeaks all the way in and out of a size die ;)

Washing removes the trace of carbon or media additive on the case and will eventually make your cases wear a little faster due to a dry sizing.

Spray em, tumble em, something, good to go ;)

[panman]

Thanks for the heads up Slick.
I use Flitz mothers,or any metal polish when i tumble.I only use hot water when i rinse em,do you think that they will be to clean?:jawdrop:.again,thanks for the heads up.pan.:patriot:

[BigSlick]

Not too clean at all ;)

Just the residue from the Mothers or NuFinish seems to help the brass glide in and out of the size dies real nice and easy

[panman]

A word of caution about using paste type metal cleaners.After puting in the polish-cleaner,make sure that you run your tumbler for a couple hours,or until the stuff breaks up.Skippin this step will leave some of the paste inside cases in globs.I take a strainer and catch the small pieces and crush them in my fingers.I also put in a dryier sheet cut up in 1/4s.The sheets catch a LOT of dust and crap.Do it BEFORE you put in your cases.I know that most of youse guys know this but some one just starting out may not.Im still beginin,and you guys have helped me along the way a LOT.Thanks guys for your patience,just tryin to give back even in a small way.pan.:group:

[gwalchmai]

I soak brass in a vinegar/water solution (a cup of the household stuff to a gallon of hot water) if it's real grungy, like range brass with a lot of case lube or just dirt. About a half hour seems to work wonders. I've read that citric acid works great, too.

[happy1]

I soak my brass in pure apple cider for about 20 minutes then wash'em in hot soapy water rinse'em in hot water set them in the sun to dry then tumble them.

Paul

[Trooperdan]

I used a Thurber's tumbler with some TSP and warm water. It has a water-tight gasket and the tumbling really shines them up! Dry in the sun and reload!

[giddyupgo55]

I must be a clean freak. I started (about a year back) washing all my brass then run through the tumbler then wash again to remove any dust left on cases.

[BigSlick]

Toss in a dryer static sheet (used one works best) and it will take out all the dust from walnut or corn ;)

[bello]

stick your brass in a fluted bag and throw em in the dishwasher nice clean perfect brass

[BigSlick]

That works, but I'm not sure I want lead styphnate residue in my dishwasher

The high SP content of most dishwasher soaps will help, but I'm too paranoid to try it.

I could absolutely see checking out Craigslist for a used 'shop' dishwasher though ;)

[Jerry Snyder]

Somebody told me about LemiShine? Anybody use it here?

Thanks

[rjrivero]

Somebody told me about LemiShine? Anybody use it here?

Thanks
Lemishine with a rotary tumbler and stainless steel "shot" is a great way to "recondition" the brass.

I haven't done it, but when my tumbler finally gives up the ghost, I think I'm going to convert. The pictures are IMPRESSIVE!!

Link Here (http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6559892&postcount=5).

[craig110]

That is some nice looking brass!

[BigSlick]

Angle cut ceramic will do the same thing and it's available at Cabela's and many other outlets

Any idea on what size/shape stainless steel shot ?

[Jerry Snyder]

There is a link on Snipers Hide and it said the stainless steel rods were small enough to pass through the flash hole.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1513345#Post1513345

JS

[BigSlick]

That sounds like it would work fine... maybe eliminate the need for two types of ceramic media too ;)

Stainless will rust eventually, but, unless it's uber expensive, I can see that being a good option as long as the media is rounded in some way as stainless is much harder than brass and I woulnd't want to etch or thin the brass.

SH is down, with database problems, any idea where he sourced the stainless stuff ?

[Jerry Snyder]

I am not sure, I imagine industrial polishers might have access to the rods.

I am not sure of their applications.

JS

[Dukerdog]

Thanks for the heads up.
Good to know. I would have never used water.