I have a Lyman Turbo 2200 tumbler. What is the best media and or chemical to get very clean brass?. Do you reclean your brass after you press out the primers?. What your method ?

If you use the search feature, you will find at least 134 times that question has been approached!

I go to the pet store and buy crushed walnut media for about $15 per 25 pounds. They sell it for reptile bedding.

I use Dillon brass polisher in the media and it does a good job.

Do not use Brasso, as it will weaken the brass.

If you are going to polish cases with small necks, such as .223, stay away from corn cob media, unless you want to be picking the stuff out with tweezers after you tumble it. I save the corn cob to polish pistol brass. IMHO it does a better job of polishing.

BTW, I used to sell equipment to the Louisville Slugger company. In addition to bats, they also made golf clubs. When they polished brass, they used the walnut media for the inital polish, and the corn cob media for the final polish.

El Viejo - Please direct me to the studies that show brass or copper cleaners weaken brass. I'm unaware of the dangers. I have used a copper cleaner for years on all my rifle brass and have seen no ill effects. I take two worn out socks to the range in a small plastic bag. One has some copper cleaner on it (a little water makes it ready to use), the other is to wipe off the case. I do each case directly after it's fired (good use of time between shots). When I get home, all the brass is ready to size.

The ammonia in Brasso and some other brass cleaners is what harms the brass.

A bit demanding to ask to be directed to the "study" isn't it? Go to NRA's Handloader's Guide. Any one of them starting with the 1969 edition and those that followed. They cover their contacts,and the tests for cleaning brass, with Frankford Arsenal and caution that ANY brass cleaning material which contains ammonia seriously weakens brass. Ammonia will leach the zinc from the brass making it more brittle.

Bob338 - I don't think so. There are plenty of generalizations running around without a shred of evidence to support them. Appreciate the information you provided.

I used Brasso for over 20 years with no problems. I finally stopped because it was so messy and got a Lyman Turbo tumbler. Nothing cleaned so well as Brasso. I got better results with the walnut media from a pet store than corn cob media. Possibly I used too much liquid cleaner, I don't know, but my brass came out hazy. I guess because it was damp it clogged inside the cases. It ended up taking almost as long to clean as by hand. I've since learned to do a better job, but am still not completely happy with the Lyman. I've heard there are better tumblers out there. Can anyojne recommend one? Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

I have cleaned brass with about everything under the sun including rice. I still like crushed walnut in medium and fine grits. I put a little crushed up jeweller rouge to brighten up the cases. Use very little or else you will have to wipe off all the cases.

Crushed walnut shells and Turtle Wax. Cheaper than Dillions stuff and works just as well.

Thanks again, I think
This evening I put some fresh corn cob media in tumbler after a year, with a squirt of brass polish.
Then read these posts.
Oh well
So zinc reacts with ammonia ?