Ivery Keys #11974 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I know we all have our personal favorite way to clean brass, but how do you store it? I use old bullet boxes for bulk storage, but it seems like some of the stuff I do not use regularly tarnishes up and needs to be cleaned after a year or two. What about using plastic sandwich bags, would that reduce tarnishing? How do you store your bulk brass? Thanks in advance for your suggestions, Ivery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Plastic coffee cans. Loaded goes either into 100 round MTM boxes for match use, or the misc headstamp practice stuff goes in old bullet boxes loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Dobbs Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Agree on the plastic coffee containers. I have some that I tumbled up and stored for a long period of time....popped the top and it still was shiny as can be. I would guess your bullet boxes are not air tight, hence your tarnishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Rider Rudy Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I use plastic coffee containers also. But some of mine still tarnished a liitle after about a year or so of storage. The loaded ammo in MTM Boxes still shine like new? Some of it is two years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I use plastic 1 gallon Ice Cream Buckets. Of course, I have to volunteer to empty them first! Dogmeat (I Love Ice Cream!) Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Canyon Kid #43974 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Key is to clean the brass before long term storage, then store in a reasonably air tight container. I use 2 qt plastic jugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Half Moon Hobo Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Military style ammo cans. Before you close the cover, spray some starting fluid, ether, in and quickly close and lock the cover. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Military Ammo cans ! You can pick them up at a gun show for about 8 to 10 bucks. They will hold about 750 to 2000 of brass Depending . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 I use five gallon plastic paint containers and large plastic storage bins from Home Depot or Lowe's. I use green for uncleaned brass and yellow for cleaned brass. They stack so you can have a pair for each caliber. As long as the brass is clean a little tarnish doesn't hurt anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Scratch Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 long term??? I shoot them up before they sit too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Seal-a-meal vac. storage bags. OR, 50 cal G.I. ammo cans. LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingers McGee Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 I use plastic coffee containers also. +3 long term??? I shoot them up before they sit too long. Pretty much. Unfired brass usually gets reloaded before it sits in the coffee container too long. I only have a couple thousand cases so they get rotated quickly. Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 I know we all have our personal favorite way to clean brass, but how do you store it? I use old bullet boxes for bulk storage, but it seems like some of the stuff I do not use regularly tarnishes up and needs to be cleaned after a year or two. What about using plastic sandwich bags, would that reduce tarnishing? How do you store your bulk brass? Thanks in advance for your suggestions, Ivery This I know a little about, having stored a few tons over the last decade. If brass is truly CLEAN, then clean ziplocks are perfect. Plastic coffee cans with snap-on lids work well also. If it isn't, then nothing helps much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August West, SASS #45079 Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Clear plastic jars, available from Walmart for very low cost. You can see what's inside without opening anything. Two sizes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 As long as the brass is clean a little tarnish doesn't hurt anything. Howdy I agree with Larsen more and more these days. What's the problem with a little bit of tarnish on your brass? Trust me, it will shoot just as well, it just might not be as pretty. I store my brass in used bullet boxes. I don't care if oxygen gets to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 But some of mine still tarnished a liitle after about a year or so of storage. Ask the pharmacist at the drug store to save you the desiccants that Rx shipments have in the boxes. They are free. Put a couple in the brass container and the cases will stay shiny for a long time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 I vacuum seal them along with primers I know I'm not going to use for quite a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rio Brazos Kid Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Plastic 1 gallon jugs, with tight sealing screw lids. Works well for storing brass in various conditions. Fired brass, cleaned and polished brass, prepared to load and primed brass. All will stay in desirable condition. RBK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivery Keys #11974 Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 Thanks, to everyone who replied. I will start drinking plastic coffee and eating plastic ice cream so I can use the containers for brass storage. I figured I should be using something that seals better from the humid cetral Texas air than old bulk bullet boxes, but I built my shelves on 6" centers to use these for storage. Looks like a new project for the shop... Highest regards to all, Ivery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Whiskers Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 I bought one of those cheap 6 drawer storage "carts" from Wally world.Stands about 40 inches high without the even cheaper plastic wheels on it.Measures about 14x14 front to back and side to side.Has semi transparent drawers that I used a sharpee to write caliber on the front of each.Uncleaned brass goes in 1 marked drawer and cleaned brass I bag up in 1 quart zip lock bags and that goes in another marked drawer.I can get about 2500-3000 bagged pieces of cleaned brass (38's) in the drawer.My reloading area isn't that big,so this works out well for me.I save my ammo cans for primers and powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dapper Dynamite Dick Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Zip Lock bags and military ammo cans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Plastic coffee cans. Loaded goes either into 100 round MTM boxes for match use, or the misc headstamp practice stuff goes in old bullet boxes loose. +5 or 6 by now. Loaded shotshells go in 50cal ammo cans, small arms ammo in 30cal can. I use plastic 1 gallon Ice Cream Buckets. Of course, I have to volunteer to empty them first! Dogmeat (I Love Ice Cream!) Dad gallon & ½ buckets at my place... we all scream for ice cream! Military style ammo cans. Before you close the cover, spray some starting fluid, ether, in and quickly close and lock the cover. HH What does the ether do? Wouldn't it leave a residue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 I like using the empty 4 lb and 8 lb plastic jugs that gunpowder comes in. they have a wide mouth and hold a BUNCH of empties, especially the 8 pounders. ..........Widder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaky Molasses, SASS 20549 Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Clean brass? What's that? At the range, I throw my fired brass into those cloth bags that shot comes in. Whenever I get around to reloading, I take the brass straight from the bags. The empties can sit in those bags for years; they don't get any worse just sitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCandless Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 5 gallon buckets. A bit o' tarnish is fine. They won't go bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go West Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Loaded ammo goes in 100 round plastic ammo boxes and then into army ammo cans. Empties go into 3 gallon water jugs (ya know, for water coolers) and clean go into other 3 gallon jugs. I cut the tops to make a pour spout and pour brass into my case feeder. I try to keep 500-1,000 loaded rounds for each caliber in the plastic ammo boxes so I can grab and go for the matches. Refill from the ammo cans and reload when getting low. Depending on caliber, I have 6-9 gal. of brass on hand, so I don't need to tumble or load as often as I used to and prefer to load when the garage is more comfortable to be in. Summers in there are not pleasant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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