I have about 50 lb of very very tarnished/dirty 308 cases. I'm considering the vinegar/salt solution or vinegar/baking soda? method to soak the brass for a period, (2hr, 4 hr? whole day?)

I/m just concerned about eating into the brass too deeply if I let it really soak for awhile.

Experiences?

thanks!!
DV

Tarnished as just discolored
Or tarnished meaning corroded?

If they are just discolored wash them good to get all the dirt and foreign matter.
I think the old cleaning solution was 5% HCL.

The warmer the solution the less time it takes. You might warm the solution in a pyrex pan and warm the cases too. Clean long enough to turn the crud pink and remove and rinse.
If it is not mostly gone in 30 minutes you are looking at cases that will have to be tumbled.

If you have an ultra sonic cleaner like they sell at Harbor Freight, try very hot tap water, some Lemi-Shine, and a drop of liquid soap.
My cleaner cleans the cruddiest brass in 3 480 second cleanings.

Even if you don't have a ultra sonic cleaner try some of the brass in the solution. swirl it a round.

Try a tumbler and stainless steel pins...they'll look like new brass!

Steve

i once tried some really tarnished 308's and used my vibratory cleaner with corncob media and a bit of automobile buffing compound. took about 24 hrs, but stuff came out pretty well

acid cleaning leaves tarnished cases with a pink hue, I presume it is the copper.

the only way to avoid it that I have found is to chuck the case in a drill and use steel wool and metal polish.

quote:

Originally posted by Ohio1:
Try a tumbler and stainless steel pins...they'll look like new brass!

Steve

You know that's right!!! It'll do a number on dirty cases.

I use citric acid and Dawn detergent. It works great. I had to go to Amazon.com to find the citric acid, nothing available locally. I have a 5 gal. bucket of the stuff and use a smaller bucket with holes drilled in the bottom to drain the solution when through. After drying a 1 hr. trip through the tumbler makes them shine. It doesn't take much Dawn. I put about 2 cups of the acid in. When it stops cleaning quickly I dump more in. It doesn't go anywhere until it reacts with the brass.

This is one time I will agree with stainless tumbleing.

I have this....works GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!


http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

How about a little Brasso in tumbling media and run 24 hours or so.

well I did the vinegar and salt metheod on the 308.
I took all the ugly green is gone, and the copper coat is visible.
took two cycles.
hot liquid.
soak 2 hr.
rinse.
resoak in hot.
rinse rinse rinse.

the brass slightly retarnishes after it is dry.
. I'll post pics when I get them downloaded.

D

If they are very dirty and I never dealt with brass so dirty that it would not clean in my vibratory tumbler,you can use brasso on each and clean them by hand once and that is it.The stainless media way turns out very clean brass but who needs it that clean when you are going to shoot it again in a few days?
Besides,using water to clean brass is the biggest pain in the ass-making sure your brass is dry afterward is the most energy and time consuming thing.
The best way to clean brass is in a vibratory tumbler with a half/HALF treated cob and walnut mixture.This mixture will not leave any residue on the cases and there is no dealing with residue or water after they come out of the tumbler.