Normally I toss the once fired cases in the tumbler with some crushed walnut media and let it run for 2 hours. That doesn't make the cases look new, but it gets enough of the fired powder residue off the outside that they are good enough and ready to resize.

But, I also have some new brass that is tarnished with water spots. (This is some of the closeout BeLL stuff from Buffalo Arms)

Does anyone have a surefire way to clean up tarnished brass? My walnut media doesn't really help the appearance at all. I'm sure I need to add some sort of polishing agent to the media, but I've never used any of them. I'd like to hear if anyone has had good success with any of the products. Also, what type of media are you using?

Thanks,
Brian

Not that shiny brass matters one bit, but if you really like it shiny, a tad of this in your media and an overnight polish, and you are good to go:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?catego...tem=03511&type=store

- mike

I was tumbling some 458 brass at work that was as you discribe and forgot about it for 2 days. It was the most beautiful brass you ever laid your eyes on!

Dillon Rapid Polish 290 works well.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/
Seems like I get better results with a good load of brass rather than just 10 or 20 in my tumbler.

Krazy Kloth, available fron Sinclair. $4 each. Shipping for under 12 oz. is actual USPS.

actually the media is just a carrying agent for the polish

Lyman also sells a little bottle of polishing agent that you add a teaspoon or so to your media. But regular old-fasioned auto cleaner polish (the kind with abrasive in it) does the same thing.

Tumble at least overnight for really shiney brass.

I've never tried to clean a large number of cases, but a few old rounds I bought off a collector I cleaned up per his suggestion. Use the mildest of the 3M pads that substitute for steel wool, with a bit of water on them. Fold it and place the case inside, apply gentle pressure with one hand, and rotate the case with the other hand.

This stuff works wonders on the BMG cases I have. 5 minutes max to a nice clean bunch of brass without needing to clean walnut out of the primer pockets

IOSSO Case Cleaner