tumbling brass

[Blastmaster]

Do you tumble your brass each and every time you use it? Irregardless if it is BP or smokeless. I do.

[Sparky Nelson]

I do too. My loads leave a lot of soot on the outside of the cases.

[Cat Brules]

I do, too. Usually. Kinda. Most of the time.

:-)

Yeah, I do clean them in a vibratory "tumbler" each time.

[Hollywood]

I do as well. Like said above, my reloads often leave a sooty residue on the cases.

 

Plus it was really nice that my brother had an extra vibratory tumbler which he gave to me. All I needed to get was a Frankford Arsenal media separator (boy, I should have gotten one of those sooner!), and cleaning my brass is fast and easy. So why not?

[Isom Dart, SASS#8096]

I do, smokeless in corncob/walnut,, B/P stainless pins.

[Sleepy Floyd]

Same here. Sooty Trail Boss powder.

[Nickel City Dude]

I use a wet tumbler every time I shoot my 44-40 brass. I like having shinny brass that is easy to see when the pickers try to pick up the brass. This way I get most of my brass back.

[Noz]

My practice rounds are loaded with Bullseye, real rounds with FFFg. Real ones get wet tumbled, practice ones get thrown back in the reloadable pile.

[Kid McC]

I dry tumble using walnut shells.

Thinking about starting wet tumbling.

Any suggestion on getting stated. what's a good Wet tumbler, what solution to use and how to dry the cleaned brass.

 

 

 

[wyliefoxEsquire]

I have been experimenting with wet rotary tumbler with ss pins. A few squirts of dawn soap and "blop" of vinegar.

Super bright shiny after 3 hours

Rinse 6 times

Then tend to dull a bit when dry (probably to do the acid exposing fresh metal).

I remove the primers except for 9mm 38 40SW 45acp.

The dry & sonic tumblers are now in a box.

 

I have also wet tumbled with pins, SS Ruger cylinders, separately.

[Barkeep Casey]

I started using a Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler with SS pins about 6 months ago. I use Armor All wash and wax (3 cap fulls) and a TBSP of Lemi Shine and run for two hours. The results are incredible! It also saves me having to soak my BP rounds at the match. Just throw them in the wet tumbler when I get home.

[El Hombre Sin Nombre]

I have been experimenting with wet rotary tumbler with ss pins. A few squirts of dawn soap and "blop" of vinegar.

Super bright shiny after 3 hours

Rinse 6 times

Then tend to dull a bit when dry (probably to do the acid exposing fresh metal).

I remove the primers except for 9mm 38 40SW 45acp.

The dry & sonic tumblers are now in a box.

 

I have also wet tumbled with pins, SS Ruger cylinders, separately.

Mine do that as well. They come out really shiny, but the next day they are pretty dull looking. I thought I was doing something wrong. They still seem to work ok though so I guess it's fine.

[Shooting Bull]

I started using a Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler with SS pins about 6 months ago. I use Armor All wash and wax (3 cap fulls) and a TBSP of Lemi Shine and run for two hours. The results are incredible! It also saves me having to soak my BP rounds at the match. Just throw them in the wet tumbler when I get home.

 

I'm like others in that my brass tarnishes the next day. Does the Armor All solution prevent that?

 

To the OP yes, I clean mine in a Frankfort Arsenal tumbler with stainless steel pins after every match. I rinse thoroughly and use a Dillon Case separator to remove pins. I spread brass out on clean towels to dry. After all is clean and dry I run each case mouth over an old pair of sweat pants to check for cracks. Then it's back into the bin to away reloading.

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

Nobody's brass gets more stained than mine. Nobody. I shoot nothing but Black Powder in CAS and I am unbelievably lazy. Sometimes my brass sits in my soaking jug for weeks before I get around to rinsing it, drying it, and tumbling it. It usually comes out pretty permanently stained. I couldn't care less.

 

Have I mentioned yet this year that shiny brass does not shoot any better than stained brass?

 

The only advantage to shiny brass is it is easier to find in the grass.

 

That's it.

 

Here is a pile of my 44-40 rounds. Notice there is different amounts of staining because my brass gets mixed and some has been shot more than others.

 

Did I mention that stained brass shoots just as good as shiny brass?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Boy]

Consensus so far - brass is cleaned after ever use ... so let's hear from the folks for the remainder of the thread to make it interesting :

Who Doesn't and Why! Thanks Driftwood!

[Lead Spittin Lefty,SASS #79285]

Consensus so far - brass is cleaned after ever use ... so let's hear from the folks for the remainder of the thread to make it interesting :

Who Doesn't and Why! Thanks Driftwood!

Not cleaning brass is a good way to scratch sizing die!! Then every case run thru it is scratched as well! Don't ask how I know this.

 

LSL

[Matthew Duncan]

Do you tumble your brass each and every time you use it? Irregardless if it is BP or smokeless. I do.

Yes. I believe clean brass will make my reloading dies last longer.

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

I'm a bit late and belong in the tumble every time; use SS chips in wet tumbler. The Armor All Wash and Wax will keep the brass shiny for a long time. I had some cleaned over a year. they got a bit darker but kept their shine.

 

I may not hit many targets but my brass looks top notch

 

cr

[Rolan Kraps, SASS # 24084 Life]

 

 

Yes, I tumble my brass prior to reloading.

[El Hombre Sin Nombre]

Howdy

 

Nobody's brass gets more stained than mine. Nobody. I shoot nothing but Black Powder in CAS and I am unbelievably lazy. Sometimes my brass sits in my soaking jug for weeks before I get around to rinsing it, drying it, and tumbling it. It usually comes out pretty permanently stained. I couldn't care less.

 

Have I mentioned yet this year that shiny brass does not shoot any better than stained brass?

 

The only advantage to shiny brass is it is easier to find in the grass.

 

That's it.

 

Here is a pile of my 44-40 rounds. Notice there is different amounts of staining because my brass gets mixed and some has been shot more than others.

 

Did I mention that stained brass shoots just as good as shiny brass?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that's some good looking brass. Mine isn't anywhere near that. Well maybe some of your shinier brass looks close. If I keep it up though, perhaps mine will look like that eventually.

 

Not cleaning brass is a good way to scratch sizing die!! Then every case run thru it is scratched as well! Don't ask how I know this.

 

LSL

Are you trying to tell me that the soot left over in my brass, be it BP or smokeless, is harsh enough to scratch my steel and/or carbide dies?

 

 

 

 

Yes, I tumble my brass prior to reloading.

Thank you very much! I wanted to say the same thing, but I have been called the grammar nazi too many times this week already

[Lead Spittin Lefty,SASS #79285]

Now that's some good looking brass. Mine isn't anywhere near that. Well maybe some of your shinier brass looks close. If I keep it up though, perhaps mine will look like that eventually.

 

Are you trying to tell me that the soot left over in my brass, be it BP or smokeless, is harsh enough to scratch my steel and/or carbide dies?

 

 

Thank you very much! I wanted to say the same thing, but I have been called the grammar nazi too many times this week already

sand/grit particles can attach to the Soot, and carbide can be scratched. But very unlikely, If 1 in a million get scratched I would be the 1.

[Rolan Kraps, SASS # 24084 Life]

Thank you very much! I wanted to say the same thing, but I have been called the grammar nazi too many times this week already

 

[Palmetto Traveller]

I tumble after each use in a Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler with ss pins, 3 capfuls of the FA solution and a squirt of Lemi Shine. 3 hours later everything shines like new and has so far stayed that way. Only problem I've experienced is the pins will get stuck in a 38 special casing. Very happy with the way my 45LC cases come out even after BP without pre soaking.

[Colonel Lou]

I tumble after every time, had a stuck casing once and "think" it was due to uncleaned brass. I did lube them prior.

[Tom Bullweed]

Rifle brass -yep. It makes it easier for the brass pickers to all of my brass retreived.

BP loads - yep. I need to be able to use that brass again.

Smokeless pistol loads - nope. I do not see the benefit.

[Nahiossi]

Cleaning the brass is part of my "unpacking from the range" procedure. I will also try and visually inspect all the cases to weed out those that are split, crushed or otherwise damaged. If I am hard pressed for time, I will throw them in the "dirty brass" bucket for cleaning later on.

 

I use a vibratory tumbler which does a job good enough for me. Though I am jealous of wet tumbling that seems to clean up the inside of the case as good as the outside!

[CodyMaverick]

I dry tumble using walnut shells.

Thinking about starting wet tumbling.

Any suggestion on getting stated. what's a good Wet tumbler, what solution to use and how to dry the cleaned brass.

 

Here's what I use:

 

Rebel 17 Extreme Tumbler

17lb max. capacity

3lb media

6lb brass MAX - Usually only put in about 4lb

8lb water (1gal) fill to approx. 1" from top of drum

1 tbl spoon of dawn

1/4 teaspoon of lemi-shine

Run for 1hr min / 2hr max

Separate with RCBS media separator

Rinse well with cool tap water

Set oven for 170deg and to turn off in 15min

Spread out brass on shallow baking pan

Put pan in oven and leave until feel like taking them out.

Note to self: Always check oven for brass before preheating for cooking.

4lb of Cby45Spl or 45acp = approx. 286 cases

4lb of 45LC = approx. 260 cases

 

 

 

[Blackey Cole]

I use to but now I'm using the wet process instead of the vibratory process. Healthier four you no particles in the air. I may use my vibratory cleaners down the line if needed. Because until I can find a brass dryer in stock it takes a overnight to dry the brass after cleaning. Before sass I had use brass a couple times between cleaning if the load burned clean, but most CAS loads don't burn clean.

[Will Lynchem]

I posted this same question about a year ago and got many of the same answers. I already had a a dry tumbler that I have used both corncob and walnut shells to good effect. So I stuck with it. Now when I finish a monthly match or any shoot, I come home and put my dirty brass in the tumbler with a bit of Frankford armory brass polish and let it run overnight. I wake up to the cleanest most shinny brass you ever seen! Works for me! W. L.

[Hurricane Deck 100366]

I use the wet tumble with stainless pins. three shooters worth of brass in thumlers tumbler. we're usually home from a shoot by 4:00pm and it takes no time at all to load the tumbler, let it tumble while we enjoy our afternoon the after dinner it gets seperated from the pins and into an old dehydrator overnight at 160 degrees. in the morning the trays get dumped into the "clean" brass bin to be reloaded.

 

total time on my behalf: 20 minutes from home to clean.

[Krazy Kajun]

Howdy

 

Nobody's brass gets more stained than mine. Nobody. I shoot nothing but Black Powder in CAS and I am unbelievably lazy. Sometimes my brass sits in my soaking jug for weeks before I get around to rinsing it, drying it, and tumbling it. It usually comes out pretty permanently stained. I couldn't care less.

 

Have I mentioned yet this year that shiny brass does not shoot any better than stained brass?

 

The only advantage to shiny brass is it is easier to find in the grass.

 

That's it.

 

Here is a pile of my 44-40 rounds. Notice there is different amounts of staining because my brass gets mixed and some has been shot more than others.

 

Did I mention that stained brass shoots just as good as shiny brass?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driftwood, your brass has that nice patina, just like a 66 rifle that's been around a while.....gives your brass character!

 

Kajun

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy Again

 

One time last year I was at the unloading table and somebody saw my brass and said that he guessed I don't polish my brass. I let it go at the time and did not correct him. Of course I polish my brass. After I have rinsed it to remove the BP soot (and any crud it picked up from the ground) and after I have dried it. I just don't polish it enough and add anything to my lizzard litter to make it look like new again.

 

Kind of like trying to scrub off the carbon rings on the front face of the cylinder of a revolver. There isn't any point, and it's just going to get dirty again anyway.

[Wild Hair Sam]

Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler with SS pins ,Lemi Shine and dawn is what I use.

I blow dry the brass on a large flat surface on a bath towel then place a fan on them for a few hours or overnight.

They don't tarnish if you get them dry.

[Grizzly Dave]

When I started reloading I never did, didn't have a tumbler. And loading on a rock chucker that meant I was handling that dirty brass a whole bunch of times for each loaded round. Tried the latex and nitrile gloves but all they seemed to do was rip.

 

So I bought a tumbler and tumble every time now. Have also since gotten a Dillon 650 so now I typically don't touch the brass until I inspect and box loaded rounds.

[Griff]

Do you tumble your brass each and every time you use it? Irregardless if it is BP or smokeless. I do.

Yes, dirty brass leads to scratched dies. Scratched or dirty dies lead to scratches in brass, scratched brass leads to early case failures. Clean 'em, yes; polish 'em, no. Although, I did one time, leave home for two weeks on a road trip, left the vibratory machine going... came home to a dead vibratory cleaner and the brightest, cleanest brass I've ever owned!