Case Cleaning

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Bucksnort1

New member
Ok, let's have a show of hands of those who are so obsessed with not trashing ANY brass, they keep a can of brass cleaner handy so they can polish cases where tumbling or ultra-sonic cleaners don't do a good job.
 
I started using the Stainless Steel pin tumbling media, little else will get the job done as well anymore. it all comes out absolutely spotless.
 
iraiam, I was just having a little fun and not trying to solicit cleaning methods but now that you mention stainless steel, how does it work with small bottle neck cases like the 223? I don't use crushed media on these cases because it's sometimes hard to clean the media from inside the case. I use my ultra-sonic cleaner for these.
 
I've seen case's like that to, but that was before SS pins were being used. Just the old corncob and abrasives. Those case's were loaded and shot so many times they wouldn't give up.

Yes the SS pins will clean the inside of 223 cases, just like factory new.

Once you clean cases with the pins they are easier to keep clean and take less time cleaning.
 
I have done Walnut, Corn Cob, and ultra sound.
None got the inside of bottle necks clean.

Then I tried stainless steel media with hot water, Dawn, and Lemi shine.
That gets the job done.
 
I have seen plenty of once fired mil surp cases that you could barely read the stamping on the heads. I am quite satisfied that the SS pins are not wearing out the cases. As a test I have run some of them for 24 hours more than once. So with a 3 hour normal run time that is the equivalent of 8 cleanings twice so 16 cleaning cycles and there is zero damage to them that I am able to find. I am happy using the SS pins and then tossing the clean cases into a dry media vibratory cleaner with some nufinish added to get a final protective coating to help prevent tarnish.
 
For pistol, I use crushed walnut shells, with a little mineral spirits and Nu Finish car polish added in a vibrating cleaner. The outside of the cases come out looking new and the insides are clean enough for general pistol reloading. If I was shooting rifle, I would go with the stainless steel pin option.
 
SS Pin Cleaning method start up $$$$ ?

Not to change the topic question, So yes I do keep handy some sort of brass cleaner/polish for those stubborn stained cases after the FL-2000 w/CCob is done, That may be white or gray Scotchbrite pad too.

I have read with interest for years now re: SS pin cleaning. I have aggressive lung disease and am curious what is the start up cost? lets say 100 .308 cases capacity or maybe that considered a LOT, 50 or less ??

Hope this is not too far off topic, Thanks Mike
 
2Sigs, you're not off topic. Your response is what I was looking for in my original posting. I don't go ballistic (pardon the intended pun) by sitting for hours with my can of Brasso and a bucket of stained cases but I do use it occasionally.

I'm thinking SS is a bit over kill for me. It requires the purchase of a tumbler but, who knows, I may try it, some day.

Thanks for the response.
 
RichJH, Tell me more about the car wax and mineral spirits. How much do you use of each? The problem I would have with the spirits is the odor. Even the no-odor type reeks of mineral spirits. I have used the liquid sold by reloading companies with my crushed media but had a problem with the media clumping. Perhaps I used too much. Do you have this problem with the wax?
 
You go cheap or go higher $ on SS pin tumbling. Me I went cheap. $50 or so at Harbor freight for a dual tumbler. Ordered 2 lbs of pins from stainless tumbling media or something named similar. I ended up replacing the factory dual canisters with a home made single cannister made of a length of 4" schedule 40 PVC and 2 Oatey pipe plugs, which fit inside the pipe. Took a little fiddling to get the length right, but since then no issues. Don't think mine would do 100 .308 but 50 would be doable. I went cheap to see if I liked the results before buying a bigger one, but haven't felt need to enlarge yet.
 
Dude, I pitch anything that I don't want, or isn't clean enough to not embarrass me. I have en entire bucket of primers and ugly/bad brass. Probably 5-10 pounds?

Keep in mind that as I am scavenging my own brass, I pick up anything that gets in my way. I don't waste my time grabbing steel or rimfire, but I don't care how bad the brass looks, it can be recycled. I also collect aluminum as I police my brass. I probably have enough aluminum brass sitting here to buy a box of .22, or a new car.
 
Panfisher, Now I'm interested. I'm ok with the price of the Harbor Freight tumbler. Where do you buy your SS pins? How much? Do they wear out after a time? So what was the problem with the dual drums? Will you share the length of the PVC pipe?
 
SS Pin Cleaning

Panfisher, Thanks, good info, couple questions and I know how google works :o Is it messy and time consuming sorting and drying the brass after cleaning? what are the downfalls if any? Anything to definitely watch out for?

I need to stop using my Big BIG Dillon FL-2000 tumbler due to airborne particles after polished/cleaned and sorting. It is more an issue than some would think, I can feel the respiratory distress then and next day if I do it indoors/basement and/or without a mask.

I will also mention since we're discussing brass cleaning... The crap we try and remove ends up in our system by airborne And skin contact. Also I've had 5 kids and kids like to help dad, It looks fun and getting the kid to do it for us is tempting But Please don't let them without disposable gloves and mask if indoors and everyone always wash hands when done

I wish I had taken breathing more seriously years ago, I've been on o2 over 5yrs. now

Sorry about the rant

-Mike
 
Is it messy and time consuming sorting and drying the brass after cleaning? what are the downfalls if any? Anything to definitely watch out for
Click to expand...

Mike, Once you try it, you'll be hooked. I find it very easy and quick to get like-new brass everytime I use my wet tumbler. 2 hrs in the tumbler, 30 min. in the dehydrator to dry then bagged and tucked away into storage until needed. One thing I really like is since there is no toxic lead dust all this can be going on right next to me in the reloading room while I concentrate on doing something else. No more running back and forth outside to run the vibratory tumbler, then back to the reloading room, then back.....

The water that dumps out after cleaning will amaze you at just how much crud the cleaning actually removes. Every time I get my first glance at the cases inside, I just get a big smile on my face.:D
 
I started out dry tumbling with car polish and walnut media. This worked OK but I found that the primers were best left in because the media would get jammed in the primer pocket requiring some doing to clean it back out. With the wet SS pins the cases get de-capped prior to cleaning and the primer pockets are nice and clean afterwards.
I usually clean for 45 minutes and dry for 25-30 in the dehydrator.
Bottleneck cases will shine inside like a new unfired case.
 
"Box of .22 or a new car". I laughed.

Mike, you have convinced me to move my tumbler from the basement to the garage. Mostly I dump and run, then come back but I'll move it today.

I have an ultrasonic coming I bought on ebay. Mostly for gun parts. The tumbler works fine for me but cleaning guns is losing its attraction.
 
It's possible to avoid the entire, and now reportedly dangerous, process of cleaning brass.
Just soak the cases in one of the well documented cleaning solutions, rinse and dry.
Good enough.
They're just going to get dirty again, anyway.
And the nicest looking cases are invariably the ones that disappear into the weeds, never to be found.
We're not talking diamonds and rubies here.
See how simple life can be? :)
 
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