OK to reload badly tarnished brass? - Page 2

F. Guffey · February 8, 2012, 08:15 AM

Again, wnccester said:

I question the truth of that. No one need fear what vinegar - or Lemishine (Citric Acid) - might do to his cases. A week long vinegar soak hasn't been suggested by anyone but in my experience - a test specifically done to see what would happen - submerged soaks of several days in straight white vinegar was harmless to the cases. Diluting vinegar simply means it takes longer to get the job done, otherwise adding water has no effect.

and then he said:

A case cleaning solution including vinegar and salt was common for Army use as far back as the 1930s. Neither acidic (vinegar) nor citric (Lemishine) acids cause any problems with brass.

And I say again:.. submerge a few tarnished cases into the glass container for 7 days, the reaction of the case to the vinegar renders the case scrap..." In vinegar the case will turn pink/orange in a few hours, the vinegar goes after the zinc etc., etc.. and I said for a maximum of 15 minutes....and no one thought to ask WHY!

Then there is the Ol Army story, cleaned and stored brass 'in the old days' turned black, and when cleaning and 'pickling' brass in the Ol Army days time was a factor, the factor of time was 'for a maximum of 2 minutes'.

F. Guffey

wncchester · February 8, 2012, 10:37 AM

"Then there is the Ol Army story, cleaned and stored brass 'in the old days' turned black, and when cleaning and 'pickling' brass in the Ol Army days time was a factor, the factor of time was 'for a maximum of 2 minutes'."

Sure, time is a factor for any large organization. So far as I know, the army never 'cleaned, pickled and stored old brass' but they did do a LOT of experimental shooting and reloading that required cleaned cases. I've never seen any military time limit on the arsenal's vinegar based cleaning solution nor any reason to think there should be a time limit due to chemical reaction and I doubt you have either.

Anyone wanting to see what a few days soak in pure vinegar (the highest possible strength) does should try it on a couple of cases for themselves, not listen to me or any other self styled 'web expert'. Drop 'em in, take 'em out when you wish; then flush, dry and tumble 'em, load 'em (with a mild load if you're apprehensive) and see how they work. I think you'll find they look and perform same as any others. ??

February 8, 2012, 10:37 AM	#27
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,700	"Then there is the Ol Army story, cleaned and stored brass 'in the old days' turned black, and when cleaning and 'pickling' brass in the Ol Army days time was a factor, the factor of time was 'for a maximum of 2 minutes'." Sure, time is a factor for any large organization. So far as I know, the army never 'cleaned, pickled and stored old brass' but they did do a LOT of experimental shooting and reloading that required cleaned cases. I've never seen any military time limit on the arsenal's vinegar based cleaning solution nor any reason to think there should be a time limit due to chemical reaction and I doubt you have either. Anyone wanting to see what a few days soak in pure vinegar (the highest possible strength) does should try it on a couple of cases for themselves, not listen to me or any other self styled 'web expert'. Drop 'em in, take 'em out when you wish; then flush, dry and tumble 'em, load 'em (with a mild load if you're apprehensive) and see how they work. I think you'll find they look and perform same as any others. ?? Last edited by wncchester; February 8, 2012 at 08:16 PM.

February 8, 2012, 08:15 AM	#26
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 1,589	Again, wnccester said: I question the truth of that. No one need fear what vinegar - or Lemishine (Citric Acid) - might do to his cases. A week long vinegar soak hasn't been suggested by anyone but in my experience - a test specifically done to see what would happen - submerged soaks of several days in straight white vinegar was harmless to the cases. Diluting vinegar simply means it takes longer to get the job done, otherwise adding water has no effect. and then he said: A case cleaning solution including vinegar and salt was common for Army use as far back as the 1930s. Neither acidic (vinegar) nor citric (Lemishine) acids cause any problems with brass. And I say again:.. submerge a few tarnished cases into the glass container for 7 days, the reaction of the case to the vinegar renders the case scrap..." In vinegar the case will turn pink/orange in a few hours, the vinegar goes after the zinc etc., etc.. and I said for a maximum of 15 minutes....and no one thought to ask WHY! Then there is the Ol Army story, cleaned and stored brass 'in the old days' turned black, and when cleaning and 'pickling' brass in the Ol Army days time was a factor, the factor of time was 'for a maximum of 2 minutes'. F. Guffey