Nu Finish versus no polish

bamiller · February 19, 2012, 06:42 PM

I'm sure you veterans know this but impressed the heck out of this newbie. Top pile of brass is 5 hours in corn cob media with 1 tbsp. of Nu Finish per lb. of media and bottom is 5 hours without. Doesn't show up real well in photo but difference in the shinyness in amazing.

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Zach W. · February 19, 2012, 06:49 PM

Yep. Once you go nufinish you'll never go back. Works great.

jepp2 · February 19, 2012, 06:56 PM

To get the NuFinish to mix in quicker in the media, I mix it 50/50 with OMS (odorless mineral spirits) in a plastic squeeze bottle - you know like ketchup and mustard come in at restaurants. It lets me put a small stream of the mixture into the media. The other advantage to using NuFinish is it keeps down the dust and it leaves a protective coat on the brass that resists tarnishing. It also reduces the effort to resize in a carbide die.

I know that clean is all you need, but I take pride in my loading and want them to look their best.

Jim243 · February 19, 2012, 08:26 PM

They look nice (top pile) but I question if it leaves a film in the chamber of the gun that is cooked from the heat when fired??

Jim

bamiller · February 19, 2012, 08:49 PM

Quote:

They look nice (top pile) but I question if it leaves a film in the chamber of the gun that is cooked from the heat when fired??

I would guess if it did it would be removed by solvents used during cleaning?

wncchester · February 19, 2012, 09:31 PM

Yeah, glittery cases are purty but they dull fast and it's meaningless to the ammo. Most new guys are fascinated with a high shine, most get over it pretty soon.

Nu-Finish and all the standard case polishes are harmless.

Brasso and any other polishes containing ammonia are NOT harmless!

Uncle Buck · February 19, 2012, 11:52 PM

I like the shiny.

Also, it seems my cases extract/eject better when they are highly polished. Does not take me long to get them back in that shape after the first polishing.

Also, it annoys the heck out of my shooting partner.

ScottRiqui · February 19, 2012, 11:57 PM

I use the Frankford Arsenal brass polish (which I realize is probably just something very close to Ni-Finish pre-mixed with mineral spirits, but hey - I have a quart of it, so I may as well use it.) My question is, how often do you add the polish to the media? Every batch? Every other batch? I don't want to get the media "loaded down" with polish if it's going to cause problems, such as the media getting moist and packing itself into cases/primer pockets.

Zach W. · February 20, 2012, 12:39 AM

I add a capful everytime.

SHNOMIDO · February 20, 2012, 01:20 AM

those poor dead folk...

Uncle Buck · February 20, 2012, 02:00 PM

I add a small capful to every other batch I clean.

Put the polish in, let the tumbler run for about 30 minutes without any brass in it.

When my media begins to look dirty, I add just a little mineral spirits and let it run.

Like others have said, shiny in nice, but not necessary.

wingman · February 20, 2012, 03:37 PM

Lizard litter cap of NuFinsh run 10mins. add brass and cut up dryer sheet tumble until bright, worked many years for this old reloader.

bamiller · February 20, 2012, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Brasso and any other polishes containing ammonia are NOT harmless!

What do they do?

bpeezer · February 20, 2012, 04:20 PM

They harm!

Sorry, I couldn't help it

Uncle Buck · February 20, 2012, 04:57 PM

Brasso and the others that contain ammonia can make the brass brittle.

1Hobie · February 20, 2012, 08:45 PM

I used to pay way more for branded ammo polish and it didn't work as well as nu-finish.
Love the stuff!
Hobie

m&p45acp10+1 · February 20, 2012, 08:58 PM

I use it. A good trick to using it is just dab some on a few cleaning patches and drop them in the tumbler every couple of batches.

Oh I rarely tumble longer than an hour. Clean is clean.

1Hobie · February 20, 2012, 09:13 PM

/\+1 A hour or two at most works well for me.

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · February 20, 2012, 09:19 PM

I will save my pennies and leave the cleaners out. Don't you know that dull brass is more accurate?

jcwit · February 20, 2012, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Brasso and any other polishes containing ammonia are NOT harmless!

Allow enough time for the ammonia to evaropate and there will be no problem using Brasso, as all thats left is the polishing compound.

Regarding Nu-Finish, almost ANY liquid auto polish can be used as well, Nu-Finish just seems to be the one thats caught on.

To those of you adding a capfull with every tumble you're going to gum up the media with polish, don't bother to ask how I know. This is one of those instances where a little goes a long way and less is more.

Don't post here much but I've been reloading since the 60's, tumbling started then also. Back then I started with a rock tumbler.

5R milspec · February 20, 2012, 10:00 PM

just took a batch of 9mm out about a hour ago.and they looked just as good as yours did.

orionengnr · February 20, 2012, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Yeah, glittery cases are purty but they dull fast...

Actually, the Nu-Finish glittery brass stays shiny quite a good while.
And the shine appears to be very resistant to skin oils as well, so my loaded ammo does not tarnish.

jcwit · February 20, 2012, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Actually, the Nu-Finish glittery brass stays shiny quite a good while.
And the shine appears to be very resistant to skin oils as well, so my loaded ammo does not tarnish.

Thats because the auto polish, in this case Nu-Finish, puts a coating of polymer finish on the cases.

Jim243 · February 21, 2012, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Also, it annoys the heck out of my shooting partner.

Best reason I have heard (LOL), will try some.

Thanks
Jim

wingman · February 21, 2012, 08:44 AM

Quote:

I will save my pennies and leave the cleaners out. Don't you know that dull brass is more accurate?

Seriously

, I always thought my super shiny brass was more accurate and my car runs better when waxed, oh well I was wrong.

Man, I thought I was tight with a penny.

February 19, 2012, 06:42 PM	#1
bamiller Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2010 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 455	Nu Finish versus no polish I'm sure you veterans know this but impressed the heck out of this newbie. Top pile of brass is 5 hours in corn cob media with 1 tbsp. of Nu Finish per lb. of media and bottom is 5 hours without. Doesn't show up real well in photo but difference in the shinyness in amazing. 003.jpg Last edited by bamiller; February 19, 2012 at 06:47 PM.

February 19, 2012, 08:26 PM	#4
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	They look nice (top pile) but I question if it leaves a film in the chamber of the gun that is cooked from the heat when fired?? Jim __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum

February 19, 2012, 11:52 PM	#7
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	I like the shiny. Also, it seems my cases extract/eject better when they are highly polished. Does not take me long to get them back in that shape after the first polishing. Also, it annoys the heck out of my shooting partner. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

February 20, 2012, 02:00 PM	#11
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	I add a small capful to every other batch I clean. Put the polish in, let the tumbler run for about 30 minutes without any brass in it. When my media begins to look dirty, I add just a little mineral spirits and let it run. Like others have said, shiny in nice, but not necessary. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

February 20, 2012, 04:20 PM	#14
bpeezer Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 118	They harm! Sorry, I couldn't help it __________________ Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast

February 19, 2012, 06:49 PM	#2
Zach W. Member Join Date: March 4, 2010 Posts: 72	Yep. Once you go nufinish you'll never go back. Works great.

February 19, 2012, 06:56 PM	#3
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	To get the NuFinish to mix in quicker in the media, I mix it 50/50 with OMS (odorless mineral spirits) in a plastic squeeze bottle - you know like ketchup and mustard come in at restaurants. It lets me put a small stream of the mixture into the media. The other advantage to using NuFinish is it keeps down the dust and it leaves a protective coat on the brass that resists tarnishing. It also reduces the effort to resize in a carbide die. I know that clean is all you need, but I take pride in my loading and want them to look their best.

February 19, 2012, 09:31 PM	#6
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	Yeah, glittery cases are purty but they dull fast and it's meaningless to the ammo. Most new guys are fascinated with a high shine, most get over it pretty soon. Nu-Finish and all the standard case polishes are harmless. Brasso and any other polishes containing ammonia are NOT harmless!

February 19, 2012, 11:57 PM	#8
ScottRiqui Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 2,905	I use the Frankford Arsenal brass polish (which I realize is probably just something very close to Ni-Finish pre-mixed with mineral spirits, but hey - I have a quart of it, so I may as well use it.) My question is, how often do you add the polish to the media? Every batch? Every other batch? I don't want to get the media "loaded down" with polish if it's going to cause problems, such as the media getting moist and packing itself into cases/primer pockets.

February 20, 2012, 12:39 AM	#9
Zach W. Member Join Date: March 4, 2010 Posts: 72	I add a capful everytime.

February 20, 2012, 01:20 AM	#10
SHNOMIDO Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 423	those poor dead folk...

February 20, 2012, 03:37 PM	#12
wingman Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2002 Posts: 2,108	Lizard litter cap of NuFinsh run 10mins. add brass and cut up dryer sheet tumble until bright, worked many years for this old reloader.

February 20, 2012, 04:57 PM	#15
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	Brasso and the others that contain ammonia can make the brass brittle. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

February 20, 2012, 08:45 PM	#16
1Hobie Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2010 Location: west central Illinois Posts: 277	Good stuff that Nu-finish I used to pay way more for branded ammo polish and it didn't work as well as nu-finish. Love the stuff! Hobie

February 20, 2012, 08:58 PM	#17
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I use it. A good trick to using it is just dab some on a few cleaning patches and drop them in the tumbler every couple of batches. Oh I rarely tumble longer than an hour. Clean is clean. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

February 20, 2012, 09:13 PM	#18
1Hobie Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2010 Location: west central Illinois Posts: 277	/\+1 A hour or two at most works well for me.

February 20, 2012, 09:19 PM	#19
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	I will save my pennies and leave the cleaners out. Don't you know that dull brass is more accurate? __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

February 20, 2012, 10:00 PM	#21
5R milspec Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 360	just took a batch of 9mm out about a hour ago.and they looked just as good as yours did.