Another Brass Cleaning No-No

22 March 2002, 05:00

Zero Drift

I have a few proprietary cartridge guns. As a result, practices like annealing and brass cleaning are part of my reloading routine. This brass is too expensive to simply toss after 5 reloads.

So, every 5 or so reloads, I resize the brass, trim if needed, anneal it, and toss the cases into the vibrator cleaner for a quick polish. I always use a brass cleaner with the media - walnut or corn. One of the best cleaners that I have found is the Dillon Rapid Polish. It is ammonia free, but does have an abrasive in it - most polishes do.

As a result of the presence of an abrasive, I always wash my brass in very hot water with a drop or two of dish soap. I run them into a 140 degree preheated oven and turn the heat off. In 5 to 10 minutes the brass is dry inside and out and squeaky clean. If I do not plan on reloading the brass soon, I will run a silicon gun cloth over the brass before storing.

Where I am going with all this is a recent discussion that I had a guy at the range. He picked up a cartridge of mine and was amazed that I had over 10 reloads with the brass - it looks better than new. He said that he cleaned his brass with a rag and some Brasso. I asked if he washed the brass after using Brasso, his response was ï¿½No,... Why?ï¿½

Well, hereï¿½s the answer - Brasso contains abrasives and some ammonia. Ammonia and brass do not mix, it can soften brass over a long period of time. In any event, it is not a good idea to introduce an abrasive into the chamber or barrel. The best insurance against this possibility is to use a proper brass cleaner and make sure you wash and dry your brass afterwards.

Who else washes their brass? What do you use?

[This message has been edited by Zero Drift (edited 03-21-2002).]

22 March 2002, 06:56

<Mr Mike>

I tumble my brass after resizing, trimming, etc., and I also use the Dillon "blue juice". If I'm going to store the brass for any length of time before reloading again, I put them in zip-lock bags and make sure to get as much air as possible out before sealing the bag. I have some brass that has been stored this way for more than a year and it's still as bright and shiney as the day it was removed from the tumbler.

I work for a photographic supply company, so I have access to white cotton gloves, the same ones used in the photo processing labs to handle negatives. I wear the white gloves when I'm removing the brass from the tumbler and that way the oils and acids from my skin arent transfered to the brass. I will also use the gloves when reloading, especially if the brass is going to be in storage for a long time before shooting.

Call me anal, but my brass is always bright and shiney, it doesn't shoot any beter, but it makes me feel better.

-Mr Mike

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If There's Lead In The Air, There's Hope!!!

22 March 2002, 08:43

<Don Krakenberger>

Would you guys be willing to set up a "boarding house" for my brass??-- Just kidding--I like a few drops of "flitz" in my walnut. I too, keep brass in zip lock bags right by my dehumidifier in the basement.
Have also stored bullets that way--keeps them from tarnishing.

22 March 2002, 11:03

Pete E

Zero Drift,

That is a very timely post! I have just finished prep'ing a batch of brass and used the dreaded brasso! I don't have a tumbler; the brass gets a polish by hand using very fine wire wool and usually white spirit. This time as the brass seemed particularly dirty I resorted to brasso and then wiped them clean with a rag with a little white spirit on...As this is the last time I intend using this batch anyway, I guess no harm done...

Thanks for the warning,

Pete

22 March 2002, 12:17

Bob338

I do much as ZD does as far as annealing and polishing. Except, I use car polish which is ammonia free. I don't wash the brass after pulling it from the treated media. After annealing and polishing is when I bump back the shoulder in a full size die. I wipe the brass,use Imperial Sizing Wax and wipe the case with a clean cloth after sizing, load and fire away. Any abrasive is gone by then. The 1200-1600 grit diatamaceous earth in most car polishes would have no effect on the dies or chamber even if a trace remained on the brass and found its way there. Same stuff as is in JB and the other abrasive bore cleaners so it's much softer than barrel or die metal.

Ammonia leeches the zinc from brass making it very brittle. Any compound such as Brasso or any polish containing ammonia will act on it, particularly if any is left on the brass.

22 March 2002, 12:59

<heavy varmint>

I have always cleaned my brass with dishwashing liquid and water after re-sizing.

According to the Lee Manual the brass will not stick to the chamber walls as well with the re-sizing lube left on them and that should be bad for accuracy and in an extreme case the case slams back against the bolt face hard enough to do damage.

Don't know if this is all true or not as I no several who leave the lubed case untouched after loading and report no problem but since I don't tumble then it helps keep my cases smooth and halfway clean if it does nothing else.

22 March 2002, 13:30

Eddie

I too use the Turtle Wax version of Dillon's Rapid polish.

quote:
The 1200-1600 grit diatamaceous earth in most car polishes would have no effect on the dies or chamber even if a trace remained on the brass and found its way there.

Bob, where did you get the 1200-1600 number? I have sanding blocks graded at 1500, 2000 and 2500. Also, I use sanding gel graded at 3000 grit. All are much more abrasive than any car polish or compound I've ever used. Unless the grading system is different for waxes, 1600 grit would take the paint off.

Eddie

22 March 2002, 16:08

Pa.Frank

I stopped using the walnut impregnated media when I finally figured out that red stuff was iron oxide, or RUST!
Now I use a Thumbler Tumbler and I use a pint of steel BB's a cup of water and one drop of dish soap. An hour in the tumbler, a quick rinse in hot clean water, and let them air dry. works great. I figured out the BB thing when i found out that the mint uses steel ball bearings to polish the planchets (coin blanks) before striking coins.

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Don't tread on me!
Pennsylvania Frank

22 March 2002, 16:27

alleyyooper

I resize and decap all my brass first. then I use bichwood casey case cleaner mixed per the directions, wash the cases then rince them with clean hot water. if its winter I hang then {in a panty hose bag} in my wood furnes room, if summer I hang them on the clothes line in the same bag. Next they go in my tumbler with plain old no name white rice. Now if I pick up the brass the rich people let lay at the range it gets a dish soap bath before the dies ever touch them.

23 March 2002, 01:49

Alex Szabo

quote:
Who else washes their brass? What do you use?...[/B]

ZeroDrift,

I use an ultrasonic process.

1. 7 parts DI water (100 MegOhm)
2. 1 part standard laundry detergent (not the 'parfumed' kind...)
3. heated to 120 degrees and fully degassed

In 10 minutes or so, I have fully clean brass good to go (inside, outside & primer pockets)...

After 20 minutes, even the residue inside of flash hole burrs and the crimped ridge inside of the head are clean as a whistle...

After process, brass receives an acetone bath as a rinse.

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Best regards,
Alex

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin 1759

23 March 2002, 11:20

Pete E

Alex,

Can you elaborate on the ultrasonic equipment you use...Is it something you have built yourself or a commercial unit??

Regards,

Peter

23 March 2002, 16:29

Alex Szabo

Pete,

I use a GemOro 3-qt unit with a stainless steel basket. It is equiped with a heater (on/off illuminating rocker switch); and a mechanical timer switch.

It is small. I will handle 50 pistol or 25 rifle cases at a time. Performance is hindered with anything more.

My DI Water system is Poseiden 7-stage reverse-osmosis deionization inline system.

I use this device for all reloading and general firearm maintenance.

Incidentally, my friend & I want to convert some stainless steel sinks into a multi-staged cleaning system so that we can clean brass by the hundreds. You asked if I built mine. Do you happen to have a handle on some quality ultrasonic transducers? I am concerned about using too little or too big - each would be detrimental.

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Best regards,
Alex

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin 1759

[This message has been edited by Alex Szabo (edited 03-23-2002).]

24 March 2002, 13:22

Pete E

Alex,

Thanks for the info...I have never seen such a unit aimed at the reloading market here in the UK..

With regards the DIY unit, I saw a one someone had built to clean office blinds..Sorry no idea about the actual construction...I was hoping you could tell me!

Pete

[This message has been edited by Pete E (edited 03-24-2002).]

24 March 2002, 15:00

Alex Szabo

Pete,

Try this site for additional information: http://www.tmasc.com/page5.htm

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Best regards,
Alex

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote! - Benjamin Franklin 1759