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Brass cleaning?? #7233378 07/23/18 09:22 PM
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What do you use?

Primarily will be used for rifle brass, but possibly in the future suppressed 300BLK brass that is extremely dirty.

I've had a dry media tumbler before and have ehhh results with it. I've been watching videos on the rotary media tumblers with the stainless steel media. The results look amazing, but are pretty pricey. I've also looked at the ultrasonic cleaners which would be great for cleaning suppressor baffles and gun parts as well.

So what do you guys use?


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233429 07/23/18 09:59 PM
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Best I have found (for my use) is simply a vibrating tumbler with some treated corn cob media. The best media polish I have found is the cheap Graf's brass polish. I have a small one and the large Dillon tumbler.

The ultra sonic and stainless media tumblers work well. IMO, they get the brass too clean. Both use a cleaner or treatment that goes in the liquid, and makes the brass sticky. They remove the carbon fouling in the neck, which brings the brass back to bare metal with a film or residue left on it. For basic shooting, they will work. But many shooters I know had very high ES spreads on their velocities with the stainless media. For basic hunting, I'm sure it will work fine. For precision shooting at longer ranges, I don't like it as much.

https://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-s-cv-2001-vibratory-case-cleaner_8_8_23658.html


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233474 07/23/18 10:54 PM
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I don't throw my brass on the ground so I don't have a tumbler...I clean my necks with a Krazy Kloth and wipe off with a microfiber cloth....then resize, clean pockets and get a stiff brush down and back on the inside of the throat.

I agree with Chad on the SS and ultrasonic.



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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233475 07/23/18 10:57 PM
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Well that's awesome then, way cheaper too.


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233518 07/23/18 11:26 PM
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I put up to 50 in a cloth bag and toss them in the washer when I have a full load. Cleans them quite nicely.


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233613 07/24/18 12:57 AM
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Walnut shell, add polish, vibratory tumbler. My Hornady ran all night with that combo, and will run tonight with it. Makes for clean outside, carbon left on the inside. The newer the walnut shell, the less run time for clean, shiny brass.

I also own a stainless tumbler. It is used for range pick up brass, one time. All my precision rifles, and any other rifle will not have its' brass see the stainless media again.


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: ChadTRG42] #7233632 07/24/18 01:14 AM
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Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42
Best I have found (for my use) is simply a vibrating tumbler with some treated corn cob media. The best media polish I have found is the cheap Graf's brass polish. I have a small one and the large Dillon tumbler.

The ultra sonic and stainless media tumblers work well. IMO, they get the brass too clean. Both use a cleaner or treatment that goes in the liquid, and makes the brass sticky. They remove the carbon fouling in the neck, which brings the brass back to bare metal with a film or residue left on it. For basic shooting, they will work. But many shooters I know had very high ES spreads on their velocities with the stainless media. For basic hunting, I'm sure it will work fine. For precision shooting at longer ranges, I don't like it as much.

https://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-s-cv-2001-vibratory-case-cleaner_8_8_23658.html


If you don’t use cleaners wouldn’t it be better? I have used stainless for a while and never seen major issues. But I don’t shoot at your level or velocity

Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233649 07/24/18 01:26 AM
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Carbon in the necks produces a barrier between case and bullet. Thereby providing a preventative measure, combating cold metal welding. The bond that is showing to be more than theory of loaded ammo, stored for an extended period of time. Judd has observed it's merits, Chad has observed it, and I have observed it.

In April, I shot a PRS match. I essentially had three lots of ammo. Though same powder lot, same brass life, same scale, same bullet lot, same box of primers. 100 were loaded in December, 100 were loaded in February, 100 were loaded in March. I had to have 3 different DOPE charts, that I recorded on each box of ammo, 50 count, that I hand loaded. What else could cause 3 different trajectories? Nothing but cold metal welding, in my opinion. All the brass had NOT been stainless or ultrasonic cleaned. Had it been cleaned that way, I surmise things would have been worse.


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233666 07/24/18 01:42 AM
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I had this dilemma about 6 months ago - needed a cleaner. Many, many hours of research later, I ended up with a $50 Hornady vibratory cleaner from Academy, some walnut media from amazon, and RCBS polish powder from ebay. Works amazingly well for both exterior brass cleanliness and good shooting performance (leaving carbon fouling in the neck).

One of the few areas where simpler and cheaper actually works just as good if not better.

The Hornady cleaner is way quieter than the Lyman I had borrowed from a buddy before that. I had corn cob media in that one and it was fine, but it left quite a bit more dust than the walnut media I use now. Here are links to everything I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/Zilla-Reptile-Ter...=walnut+bedding

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/hornady-m-1-case-tumbler

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Polishing-Compound-Pack-5/dp/B001OPR2VA

I get about 300 cases of cleaning on a packet of polishing compound, so it's about $1 per 250 cases, give or take. Still haven't recycled the walnut media.

Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: J.G.] #7233723 07/24/18 02:46 AM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Carbon in the necks produces a barrier between case and bullet. Thereby providing a preventative measure, combating cold metal welding. The bond that is showing to be more than theory of loaded ammo, stored for an extended period of time. Judd has observed it's merits, Chad has observed it, and I have observed it.

In April, I shot a PRS match. I essentially had three lots of ammo. Though same powder lot, same brass life, same scale, same bullet lot, same box of primers. 100 were loaded in December, 100 were loaded in February, 100 were loaded in March. I had to have 3 different DOPE charts, that I recorded on each box of ammo, 50 count, that I hand loaded. What else could cause 3 different trajectories? Nothing but cold metal welding, in my opinion. All the brass had NOT been stainless or ultrasonic cleaned. Had it been cleaned that way, I surmise things would have been worse.


Or it could have been something else...

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2008/09/tech-tip-humidity-can-change-powder-burn-rates/

Interesting to note that single base powders that are always touted as being more temp stable are effected most by humidity changes...... just giving food for thought

Last edited by DStroud; 07/24/18 02:51 AM.

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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233927 07/24/18 12:37 PM
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I normally just tumble with walnut media and wipe down with a cloth. If I have badly tarnished brass, I put it in a plastic container and cover it with hot water with a few drops of Dawn dish soap and about a table spoon of Lemi Shine. Within a couple of hours, all the tarnish is gone. Rinse several times with fresh water and lay out on a towel to dry. I then run it through the tumbler as usual and it comes out looking almost new.


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233968 07/24/18 01:12 PM
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Thanks everyone, just got the Hornady tumbler, RCBS walnut media, and RCBS polish. Along with my bullet puller so I can pull my 80 Ricky Bobby rounds rofl


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7233999 07/24/18 01:49 PM
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Originally Posted By: KRoyal
Thanks everyone, just got the Hornady tumbler, RCBS walnut media, and RCBS polish. Along with my bullet puller so I can pull my 80 Ricky Bobby rounds rofl


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Originally Posted by Phil Robertson
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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7234096 07/24/18 03:13 PM
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Originally Posted By: KRoyal
Along with my bullet puller so I can pull my 80 Ricky Bobby rounds rofl


LOL!!


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7234757 07/25/18 01:00 AM
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If you shoot suppressed AR guns....SS media all the way. It even cleans the primer pockets! Bolt gun stuff...corn cob or Walnut shell will work fine

Before and after AR Creed suppressed with SS media. As far as SD goes I’m around 6

Last edited by Tye; 07/25/18 01:04 AM.

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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: DStroud] #7235624 07/26/18 12:07 AM
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Originally Posted By: DStroud
Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Carbon in the necks produces a barrier between case and bullet. Thereby providing a preventative measure, combating cold metal welding. The bond that is showing to be more than theory of loaded ammo, stored for an extended period of time. Judd has observed it's merits, Chad has observed it, and I have observed it.

In April, I shot a PRS match. I essentially had three lots of ammo. Though same powder lot, same brass life, same scale, same bullet lot, same box of primers. 100 were loaded in December, 100 were loaded in February, 100 were loaded in March. I had to have 3 different DOPE charts, that I recorded on each box of ammo, 50 count, that I hand loaded. What else could cause 3 different trajectories? Nothing but cold metal welding, in my opinion. All the brass had NOT been stainless or ultrasonic cleaned. Had it been cleaned that way, I surmise things would have been worse.


Or it could have been something else...

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2008/09/tech-tip-humidity-can-change-powder-burn-rates/

Interesting to note that single base powders that are always touted as being more temp stable are effected most by humidity changes...... just giving food for thought


The humidity level when I loaded each batch?


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7235770 07/26/18 02:17 AM
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I'm not sold on ultra causing high sd. Only photo on my new phone but ultra sonic ammo we with chargemaster powder throws. Not sure if there is room for improvement.


Last edited by dee; 07/26/18 02:19 AM.

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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7235777 07/26/18 02:23 AM
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You got magic machines.


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: dee] #7235788 07/26/18 02:30 AM
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Originally Posted By: dee
I'm not sold on ultra causing high sd. Only photo on my new phone but ultra sonic ammo we with chargemaster powder throws. Not sure if there is room for improvement.




I think the question would be, how long were your bullets seated before you fired the rounds?


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7235795 07/26/18 02:37 AM
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Few months loaded before hunting season but swapped barrels and they sat in a crown bag on my bench. Didn't get fired until January.


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: J.G.] #7235825 07/26/18 03:18 AM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Originally Posted By: DStroud
Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Carbon in the necks produces a barrier between case and bullet. Thereby providing a preventative measure, combating cold metal welding. The bond that is showing to be more than theory of loaded ammo, stored for an extended period of time. Judd has observed it's merits, Chad has observed it, and I have observed it.

In April, I shot a PRS match. I essentially had three lots of ammo. Though same powder lot, same brass life, same scale, same bullet lot, same box of primers. 100 were loaded in December, 100 were loaded in February, 100 were loaded in March. I had to have 3 different DOPE charts, that I recorded on each box of ammo, 50 count, that I hand loaded. What else could cause 3 different trajectories? Nothing but cold metal welding, in my opinion. All the brass had NOT been stainless or ultrasonic cleaned. Had it been cleaned that way, I surmise things would have been worse.


Or it could have been something else...

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2008/09/tech-tip-humidity-can-change-powder-burn-rates/

Interesting to note that single base powders that are always touted as being more temp stable are effected most by humidity changes...... just giving food for thought


The humidity level when I loaded each batch?


Did you check it (humidity)when you loaded the ammo..... I just assumed everyone has an hygrometer in their
Reloading room?


"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."

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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7235935 07/26/18 11:03 AM
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No. And I never assumed anyone did.


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Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7235948 07/26/18 11:26 AM
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I never check the humidity but I do turn on the heat or ac depending on the season where it will not cycle off for at least an hour before I load to remove excess humidity.

Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: KRoyal] #7236946 07/27/18 05:03 AM
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I reload in a metal shop. Whatever the weather is, that's what it is in my shop.

Re: Brass cleaning?? [Re: patriot07] #7237328 07/27/18 04:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: patriot07
I reload in a metal shop. Whatever the weather is, that's what it is in my shop.


Same, in the garage it felt like a sweat lodge the Friday before the match when I was loading.


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