Cleaning brass after tumbling...

precision_shooter · February 16, 2013, 01:50 PM

I know this has probably been asked 1000 times over....

Cleaning up some .308 brass in preparation for when I can find powder and primers... There is a powdery film on and inside all the cases. I'm using Lyman Tuf Nut media.
Do you clean this off?
What about the residue inside the cases?
What methods do you use?

Thanks for any help!

eldermike · February 16, 2013, 02:22 PM

The inside of the necks gets cleaned when I lube them with a qtip before sizing. I leave the rest of the inside to be turned into carbon when I pull the trigger.

medalguy · February 16, 2013, 11:17 PM

Add a splash of mineral spirits to the media, and drop in a couple of dryer sheets cut into 2 x 2 inch squares to trap all the dust. You will end up with very clean brass.

snuffy · February 16, 2013, 11:52 PM

Simple! Get rid of the tuff-nut media! No kidding, it's junk. The red stuff is rouge, finely ground iron oxide,(rust)! It has a bit of oil mixed with it, that's the film you see.

I wouldn't want an abrasive left inside my cases. Even a mold abrasive like that rouge.

Get this extra fine corncob media from drillspot, shipped free. It's fine enough as to NOT plug flash holes if you elect to tumble after decapping.

http://www.drillspot.com/products/52...bs_blast_media

If you want a high shine as well as clean film-free brass, a dab of car paint scratch remover added to the corncob works well.

saitek · February 17, 2013, 12:18 AM

i second getting rid of that rouge junkyou will end up just flushing through your rifle .if you dont get it out,it made a mes out of a friend's m1 .
just use some walnut shells and go to graf's and get a bottle of there hi luster brass polish it has no ammonia . you will be good to go,if you want to clean any sizing lube off the cases just wash them off with cheap laqure thinner ,you can use a 1 gallon ice cream bucket and a gallon milk jug with a corner cut out of the top leaving the handle .punch some drain hole's in the bottom of the jug ,put the brass in the drain jug ,put the jug in the bucket fill to cover the brass a sture the jug up and down and around.man you wont belive how much jung you will get out ou the inside .save the thinner put back in the casn to use again put a paint strainer in the funnel when you pour it back .

February 16, 2013, 01:50 PM	#1
precision_shooter Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 2,475	Cleaning brass after tumbling... I know this has probably been asked 1000 times over.... Cleaning up some .308 brass in preparation for when I can find powder and primers... There is a powdery film on and inside all the cases. I'm using Lyman Tuf Nut media. Do you clean this off? What about the residue inside the cases? What methods do you use? Thanks for any help! __________________ "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." - Thomas Jefferson, 1776

February 16, 2013, 11:52 PM	#4
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	Simple! Get rid of the tuff-nut media! No kidding, it's junk. The red stuff is rouge, finely ground iron oxide,(rust)! It has a bit of oil mixed with it, that's the film you see. I wouldn't want an abrasive left inside my cases. Even a mold abrasive like that rouge. Get this extra fine corncob media from drillspot, shipped free. It's fine enough as to NOT plug flash holes if you elect to tumble after decapping. http://www.drillspot.com/products/52...bs_blast_media If you want a high shine as well as clean film-free brass, a dab of car paint scratch remover added to the corncob works well. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

February 17, 2013, 12:18 AM	#5
saitek Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2011 Location: iowa Posts: 100	clean i second getting rid of that rouge junkyou will end up just flushing through your rifle .if you dont get it out,it made a mes out of a friend's m1 . just use some walnut shells and go to graf's and get a bottle of there hi luster brass polish it has no ammonia . you will be good to go,if you want to clean any sizing lube off the cases just wash them off with cheap laqure thinner ,you can use a 1 gallon ice cream bucket and a gallon milk jug with a corner cut out of the top leaving the handle .punch some drain hole's in the bottom of the jug ,put the brass in the drain jug ,put the jug in the bucket fill to cover the brass a sture the jug up and down and around.man you wont belive how much jung you will get out ou the inside .save the thinner put back in the casn to use again put a paint strainer in the funnel when you pour it back .

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February 16, 2013, 02:22 PM	#2
eldermike Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Location: NC Posts: 545	The inside of the necks gets cleaned when I lube them with a qtip before sizing. I leave the rest of the inside to be turned into carbon when I pull the trigger.

February 16, 2013, 11:17 PM	#3
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,033	Add a splash of mineral spirits to the media, and drop in a couple of dryer sheets cut into 2 x 2 inch squares to trap all the dust. You will end up with very clean brass.