BBs and dishwashing soap to clean brass?

Zach Vonler · December 7, 2000, 04:54 PM

A guy at the range was telling me that the best way to get brass clean is to use small steel shot (#7 or #8), hot water, and something like Dawn dishwashing liquid in a tumbler. He decaps first, and claims that the BBs get everything superclean, including the primer pockets. Since the BBs are obviously reusable, this sounds like it might be a pretty cheap way to get brass clean. Anyone tried it?

Southla1 · December 7, 2000, 05:11 PM

I never heard of that one but I have used acetone in the small bowl of my Lyman Twin tumbler to get the black sealer off of pulled military bullets. I just put about a half a quart of the acetone and about 300 military 150 grain M2 Ball in there and let it go for about 10 mins or so. I did put a piece of sheet rubber between the lid and the bowl to keep the fumes from getting to the electric motor. That could ahve been interesting.

RugerBoy · December 7, 2000, 09:23 PM

A gun dealer once told me to use salt,vinegar and dishwasing soap and then use a tumbler if the brass is really dirty.

jim-alex · December 9, 2000, 04:06 PM

I guess I'm not quite the stickler about bright, shiny brass as some others but I have a couple of cotton bags that I place my dirty brass in, then place the bags evenly around the tub in my Maytag, set it to hot wash, slow spin and then add a splash of Simple Green. Let it go a cycle.
When clean, I spread the brass on aluminum trays and pop them in the oven at about 200 degrees for 10 minutes.
It may not shine like new, but it is clean.
Regards,
Jim

Southla1 · December 9, 2000, 05:30 PM

jim-alex, I have unintentionaly cleaned brass in the clothes washer myself

. The wife says "I do not do pockets, if you want it take it out first"

. Well over the years a many a piece of brass went thorugh it and it came out PDC(pretty damn clean)too! I bet if $5's and $10's would dissolve in the washer she would check my pockets! (I never have one bigger than a $10......when I do that goes immediately to the gunshop, or the baitshop, or Midway, or HiTech ammo etc. Hell a man has to have priorities!

December 7, 2000, 09:23 PM	#3
RugerBoy Junior Member Join Date: September 6, 2000 Posts: 13	BBs and dishwashing soap to clean brass A gun dealer once told me to use salt,vinegar and dishwasing soap and then use a tumbler if the brass is really dirty.

December 7, 2000, 04:54 PM	#1
Zach Vonler Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 1999 Posts: 126	A guy at the range was telling me that the best way to get brass clean is to use small steel shot (#7 or #8), hot water, and something like Dawn dishwashing liquid in a tumbler. He decaps first, and claims that the BBs get everything superclean, including the primer pockets. Since the BBs are obviously reusable, this sounds like it might be a pretty cheap way to get brass clean. Anyone tried it?

December 7, 2000, 05:11 PM	#2
Southla1 Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 19, 2000 Location: Jeanerette, La. Near the Posts: 1,999	I never heard of that one but I have used acetone in the small bowl of my Lyman Twin tumbler to get the black sealer off of pulled military bullets. I just put about a half a quart of the acetone and about 300 military 150 grain M2 Ball in there and let it go for about 10 mins or so. I did put a piece of sheet rubber between the lid and the bowl to keep the fumes from getting to the electric motor. That could ahve been interesting.

December 9, 2000, 04:06 PM	#4
jim-alex Member Join Date: March 14, 2000 Location: tired of NoVa Posts: 83	I guess I'm not quite the stickler about bright, shiny brass as some others but I have a couple of cotton bags that I place my dirty brass in, then place the bags evenly around the tub in my Maytag, set it to hot wash, slow spin and then add a splash of Simple Green. Let it go a cycle. When clean, I spread the brass on aluminum trays and pop them in the oven at about 200 degrees for 10 minutes. It may not shine like new, but it is clean. Regards, Jim

December 9, 2000, 05:30 PM	#5
Southla1 Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 19, 2000 Location: Jeanerette, La. Near the Posts: 1,999	jim-alex, I have unintentionaly cleaned brass in the clothes washer myself . The wife says "I do not do pockets, if you want it take it out first" . Well over the years a many a piece of brass went thorugh it and it came out PDC(pretty damn clean)too! I bet if $5's and $10's would dissolve in the washer she would check my pockets! (I never have one bigger than a $10......when I do that goes immediately to the gunshop, or the baitshop, or Midway, or HiTech ammo etc. Hell a man has to have priorities!