Does anyone polish brass for long term storage?

T

turtlehead

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Am wet tumbling with SS pins and just load what is going to be shot in the near future. So I'm just asking out of curiosity.

Do any of you take the extra step of polishing your brass with some sort of polish / protectant before storing finished cartridges to keep them from tarnishing?
 
I don't wet tumble and I occasionally use auto wax in my dry media for a better shine (my 45 ACP and 30-06 brass gets flung outta my guns and is easier to find in the dirt, rocks of my "range"). Not specifically for long term storage but the wax/polish is a side effect/addition that helps curb tarnish/corrosion...
 
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Brass doesn't need polishing, but that tarnish is oxidization just like any metal. If you want to avoid it during long term storage, vacuum seal your cases in a plastic bag. Sealing machines aren't exactly cheap though. Although you can get one on Amazon for a reasonable price.
Spray lacquer will seal 'em too, but that and mikld's car wax needs to come off before shooting.
 
Do any of you take the extra step of polishing your brass with some sort of polish / protectant before storing finished cartridges to keep them from tarnishing
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Why not? Waxing the case is a good idea to protect it from oxygen. I know that aluminum cases are waxed at the factory, George Frost claims it is to keep the cases from sticking in the chamber. I am certain brass cases are waxed because of the spider web corrosion I have seen on factory brass. That type of corrosion occurs under a coating.

Lots of people toss some car wax in the tumbler and their brass comes out shiny. Not a bad practice at all.

John Pederson received a patent for coating cartridges with ceresin wax which is probably the stuff used in car waxes. Notice he claimed it kept the brass from season cracking and it provided case lubrication. Just try to reconcile the historical evidence of semi auto's firing waxed, oiled, greased cartridges and the claims of those who say it dangerously raises pressures. (Such as http://www.primalrights.com/articles/understanding-pressure )If lubricated cartridges dangerously raise pressures or dangerously increase bolt thrust, than why were they used in the trillions?

http://www.google.com/patents/US1780566
Patented Nov. 4, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN DOUGLAS PEDERSEN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS 11,0 Drawing.

This invention relates to a process for coating cartridges and more particularly the affixing of a coating of hard wax to the metal case of a cartridge; and the object of the invention is to provide a method whereby cartridges may be coated with great uniformity with an extremely thin film, and also whereby a relatively large number of cartridges may be coated in a short time and at small cost.

In the preparation of cartridges having metal cases for storage and for use, it has been found desirable to apply to said metal case a relatively thin coating of some protective substance which will preserve said metal case for comparatively long periods of time against-deterioration, such as season cracking. In the present invention, the material for said coating has been so chosen as to perform the additional function of acting as a lubricant for the case of the cartridge, both for facilitating introduction into the chamber of the gun and the extraction thereof after firing. The most suitable wax which I have found for this purpose and which I at present prefer is ceresin, a refined product of ozokerite; but I wish it to be understood that other waxes having similar qualities may exist which might serve equally well. Some of the desirable features of ceresin are that it is hard and non-tacky at ordinary temperatures having a melting point somewhere between 140 and 176 Fahrenheit. It is smooth and glassy when hard and does not gather dirt or dust. However, when the ceresin on the cartridges is melted in the chamber of a gun, it becomes a lubricant.




 
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Hmm... I wonder if just buffing out the Imperial on my cases with an old t-shirt counts as "waxing". My cases stay shiny after wet tumbling with Lemi-Shine and Dawn (no SS pins).

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I don't like putting them up dirty, so I tumble them with a dab of car wax in the mix. I use whatever I grab first.

Then store them. If they tarnish before I get back to them, who cares? They don't have to be shiny to shoot.
 
I wet tumble after decapping, removal of any primer crimp and trimming. I then full length size them and run them a couple hours in the Lyman 60 with dry media and a capful of Nufinish car wax. Then seal them up in a zip lock bag and toss the bag into a ammo can. Not so much for long term storage as just because it was easier to process a bunch at a time. The dirty empties get tossed into buckets until I get enough to be worth doing another processing.
 
Why would you have them if put in long term storage in the first place? Just load them up and use them! I do have a few boxes in reserve, but in the next few years, they'll get used as I rotate out some well used ones.

That said if the are 'tarnished' in 30 years (long term storage), then tumble 'em again at that time and use them.
 
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I don't plan on loading more than I'm going to shoot soon. Just have read about some folks who even tumble finished cartridges. Figured a lot of people in this hobby are detail oriented and would have an opinion.
 
Citric acid / LemmiShine in a final rinse protects against corrosion, but the finish is not as shiny-bright as polished brass. Unclenick posts about that a lot.

after . . . trimming. I then full length size them
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Sizing can make cases longer. Personally, I Trim to a common length well AFTER sizing. Immediately before loading, I check each fully prepped case with a case gauge, and then trim any that may need trimming. LC 7.62 purchased once fired, then sized will exhibit a surprisingly wide range of length, and degree of trimming needed.

Re: Longterm storage:
#1 I dont.
#2 I like to purchase surplus or sporting good store sealed battle-packs 200 rounds. I have always been satisfied with surplus, sealed ammo.
#3 This long-term ammo always looks about the same every time: clean, dull sheen and shoots fine. Being shiny or not wont change that.
 
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Yep. Wet tumble with SSTL, citric acid and Armor All Wash-N-Wax. The Armor All leaves a wax coating on the brass that keeps it from dulling much over time, plus the wax acts as a lube and helps with running through the dies. Especially on straight wall pistol cases.
 
No, I don't tumble or polish them after the cartridges are finished...for storage.

I use dry media for cleaning spent cases...and there is some polish in the media ( Dillon's polish )...but after the cases are cleaned and sorted ...they go into a box that is ready for the press. I spray the cases with a light spray lube before they go in the case feeder on the press.

Once the cartridges are finished, I box them up and put them on a shelf ( I keep about 40 boxes for each caliber I load in inventory to shoot ) ...for high volume calibers like 9mm...the inventory gets eaten up pretty quickly...for something like .357 Mag or .44 Mag...it may sit on shelf for a year or so...

My storage is in my home...its dry and no humidity...so I don't get much if any patina on the cartridges../ there may be a little polish left over after the loading process - and maybe a little case lube although the cartridges are rolled around on a terry cloth towel on my bench before I case gage and box them up ...
 
I also wet tumble and use auto wash and wax and Leni-Shine. I've got cases that have been in storage for several years still bearing a nice shine.
 
Do any of you take the extra step of polishing your brass with some sort of polish / protectant before storing finished cartridges to keep them from tarnishing?
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That is exactly what I do. Out of the SS cleaning and into the dry media with fine corn cob and Nufinish. Serves to dry the brass and apply polish that greatly retards the darkening. Works well for me.
 
Yep. Wet tumble with SSTL, citric acid and Armor All Wash-N-Wax. The Armor All leaves a wax coating on the brass that keeps it from dulling much over time, plus the wax acts as a lube and helps with running through the dies. Especially on straight wall pistol cases.
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I started doing this a while back but with a twist. I use Lemishine and dawn for about 2 hours with hot water then rinse and add the Wash-N-Wax for about 30 minutes. The brass comes out with a mirror finish and straight walled cases slide through the sizing die like warm butter.
 
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