Cleaning brass - Page 2

cw308 · November 18, 2015, 09:06 AM

Thank you Mozella, l have been shooting the same rifle for 10 years the Rem 700 308cal. Working on my second barrel. Just love shooting it. When the time comes my second rifle will be a 223 or 6.5. Creedmoor. Wouldn't want a pin hiding in the case.

54 guns · November 18, 2015, 11:59 AM

Some sizes of ss pins can get stuck in flash holes. You just have to check them as part of your case inspection. When dry any pins inside the case will fall out of the neck.

schmellba99 · November 19, 2015, 11:47 AM

Quote:

99, I have a 3 lb. Tumbler only clean 25 308 cal. at a time, the SS pins did a great job. I let them tumble for 2 hrs. 1 lb. Pins, 25 cases, water , dawn blue soap & lemiShine. Hand dried & let them sit in the plastic bullet holders that comes with the store bought rounds. Looks like I will retire the media tumbler for now. Have you used the pins on calibers lower then 30 cal.

I just gave the formula I use for reference, it can easily be adjusted to work for your needs.

I've used the SSTL on everything from .223 through .45-70 in rifle and from 9mm through .45 in pistol without a problem. I bought the .047" pins from Stainless Tumbling Media and have never had an issue of stuck pins in primer pockets or flash holes.

I use a paint strainer bag and a collander to rinse my brass once I pull it from the Thumbler's. If you do it under water in a sink, pins don't stick to the inside at all. Hard to describe for me, but really easy to do.

Everybody's system is a little different, but without a doubt SSTL pins are the cat's meow when it comes to getting brass clean with very little mess and effort.

cw308 · November 19, 2015, 06:09 PM

Thanks again for getting back, tumbling using SS Pins is now the way I clean my brass. Being that I clean small amounts 25 cases at a time, I hand dry also run a patch on the inside. I still wipe the necks,uniform pockets, trim & chamfer also run a # 45 drill bit through the flash hole. Again I'm only doing 25 at the most.

1100 tac · November 21, 2015, 12:05 AM

I coulda swore that parsimonius's grew on trees...

Pin tumbling works very well, gonna try that wash and wax trick, sounds like it oughta work pretty good...

Girvin13 · November 23, 2015, 10:45 PM

I've never heard of SS pins. Gonna have to check it out. How long does it take with the pins?

cw308 · November 23, 2015, 11:49 PM

Girvin 13, I let them run about 2 hours. I don't use the walnut or corn cleaning anymore. I like the way the SS pins clean the brass inside & out. It's like reloading with new brass. IMO only way to go. I got the Harbor Freight 3 lb. Rock Tumbler, ordered the pins from another company 2 lb bag of pins & a cleaner called LemiShine , mixed with water & dawn bishwashing soap. At first I didn't like the idea of water on the cases but they dry fast & look like new. I really like this way of cleaning brass.

DMY · November 25, 2015, 12:24 AM

I am curious about cleaning brass with steel pins. I was given a rotary tumbler several decades ago. Only used it with corn cobb media in the past. I always have to unclog loose media from the flash hole and manually clean primer pockets. It is also rare that the inside of the case is cleaned.
I read this and one other post about tumbling with steel pins. Seems to clean the primer pockets and inside the cases as well. Sounds promising. I have a few questions for using steel pins to clean .45 and .38 brass and would appreciate any input. I don't think wet tumbling is for me since my better half will not appreciate drying brass in her oven.
1. Do you have to buy a particular size of steel pins?
2. Can you clean brass and nickel cases with it?
3. Can you use a rubber tumbler drum with damaging it?
4. Do you generally tumble the cases for the same amount of time and tumble a similar number of cases at the same time?
5. After tumbling a few thousand cases, do you or can you clean the pins so that you can continue to use them?
Thanks for your anticipated responses.

brasscollector · November 25, 2015, 06:34 AM

Quote:

1. Do you have to buy a particular size of steel pins?

May not have much choice in size of the pins themselves. I clean 45auto/45-70 all the way down to 204 ruger, no issues really. Make sure to buy good quality pins that do not rust. The ones that I have are magnetic but do not rust, good stuff.

Quote:

2. Can you clean brass and nickel cases with it?

Yes

Quote:

3. Can you use a rubber tumbler drum with damaging it?

Yes

Quote:

4. Do you generally tumble the cases for the same amount of time and tumble a similar number of cases at the same time?

I have mine on a timer set for an hour, just like ronco "set it and forget it" I try to run 2lb of brass in each load if I can (15lb tumbler) Sometimes I will mix handgun and rifle brass as long as the throats do not interlock.

Quote:

5. After tumbling a few thousand cases, do you or can you clean the pins so that you can continue to use them?

The manufacturer recommends you do it every X # of cycles. I usually run a load of pins and soap when I notice the cleaning isn't as effective (maybe 10-15 loads)

cw308 · November 25, 2015, 08:57 AM

DMY, brasscollector answered your questions, also I would think with a straight wall case would clean easier then a bottle neck. The cases look like new,it's my way of cleaning brass for now on.

Road_Clam · November 25, 2015, 09:09 AM

I'm a simpleton. Good ol' corn cob , add some mother's liquid car polish, and add a few 2" cotton cleaning patches to absorb the residue. Tumble for a few hrs and brass looks like new !

cw308 · November 29, 2015, 01:14 PM

RoadClam, dry tumbler with corn, did a nice job on the outside but the inside always had a build up, with the wet tumbler & pins the inside looks like the outside. I was very surprised how well they cleaned. Never liked the idea of water on the inside of the case, l just keep them upside down in the plastic holders loaded ammo comes with ,they work just fine in draining any water.

schmellba99 · December 1, 2015, 01:37 PM

Quote:

1. Do you have to buy a particular size of steel pins?

The pins come in .040" diameter (can't remember the length). This prevents them from being able to jam up in the primer flash hole or the primer pocket. Look at the link I posted earlier in this thread and there is a lot of information available, along with some very good evidence as to why SSTL tumbling is infinitely superior to any type of vibratory tumbling.

Also, there is no need to dry in an oven. I set my brass out on a towel in my garage facing a little $5 box fan and let the fan blow over them for a little while - dry as a bone after a surprisingly short amount of time, especially in the summer.

Quote:

2. Can you clean brass and nickel cases with it?

Absolutely

Quote:

3. Can you use a rubber tumbler drum with damaging it?

Absolutely

Quote:

4. Do you generally tumble the cases for the same amount of time and tumble a similar number of cases at the same time?

For absolutely horrible cases, I tumble for a couple of hours, change the water and solution, then tumble for a couple of more. For normal cases that are only dirty from firing a quick 2 or so hour tumble is just about always enough. I have a timer that I use and usually set it for about 3 hours just because I'm almost never in a hurry and that is what is currently set on the timer - basically I'm too lazy and see no real benefit to change it for any particular reason.

Quote:

5. After tumbling a few thousand cases, do you or can you clean the pins so that you can continue to use them?

The pins last forever. You do some initial cleaning before you use them the first time, but the process keeps them clean as it is. I dump out the water, separate pins and brass (pins in a paint strainer bag) and then run some clean water over them for a few seconds just out of habit to make sure they don't have any grime left. Rarely does the water come out anything other than clean on this rinse. Put them back in the tumbler, cover with water and they are ready for the next batch whenever that may be.

I have 2 Lyman Turbo tumblers that never get used anymore. I think I turned one of them on a few months back to knock some lube off some rifle rounds after I loaded them, so in the last couple of years I have maybe 15 minutes of run time total on either tumbler. They are collecting dust in my garage as we speak. I probably should sell one of them.

schmellba99 · December 1, 2015, 01:39 PM

Quote:

DMY, brasscollector answered your questions, also I would think with a straight wall case would clean easier then a bottle neck. The cases look like new,it's my way of cleaning brass for now on

It doesn't matter if they are bottleneck or straight wall. Once the pins, citric acid and soap get inside the case, the result is the same.

I would say it is marginally easier to get the pins out of a straight wall pistol case than something like a .223 small neck rifle case, but that's it. And it really is marginally easier.

cw308 · December 3, 2015, 08:55 AM

Thanks 99, good to know. I'm cleaning 30 cal. but I'm giving the 6.5 Creedmoor a hard look. My be my next rifle other then the 223.

November 23, 2015, 11:49 PM	#32
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Girvin 13, I let them run about 2 hours. I don't use the walnut or corn cleaning anymore. I like the way the SS pins clean the brass inside & out. It's like reloading with new brass. IMO only way to go. I got the Harbor Freight 3 lb. Rock Tumbler, ordered the pins from another company 2 lb bag of pins & a cleaner called LemiShine , mixed with water & dawn bishwashing soap. At first I didn't like the idea of water on the cases but they dry fast & look like new. I really like this way of cleaning brass. Last edited by cw308; November 23, 2015 at 11:59 PM.

November 25, 2015, 12:24 AM	#33
DMY Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2015 Posts: 152	seeking more detail I am curious about cleaning brass with steel pins. I was given a rotary tumbler several decades ago. Only used it with corn cobb media in the past. I always have to unclog loose media from the flash hole and manually clean primer pockets. It is also rare that the inside of the case is cleaned. I read this and one other post about tumbling with steel pins. Seems to clean the primer pockets and inside the cases as well. Sounds promising. I have a few questions for using steel pins to clean .45 and .38 brass and would appreciate any input. I don't think wet tumbling is for me since my better half will not appreciate drying brass in her oven. 1. Do you have to buy a particular size of steel pins? 2. Can you clean brass and nickel cases with it? 3. Can you use a rubber tumbler drum with damaging it? 4. Do you generally tumble the cases for the same amount of time and tumble a similar number of cases at the same time? 5. After tumbling a few thousand cases, do you or can you clean the pins so that you can continue to use them? Thanks for your anticipated responses.

November 25, 2015, 09:09 AM	#36
Road_Clam Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 1,695	I'm a simpleton. Good ol' corn cob , add some mother's liquid car polish, and add a few 2" cotton cleaning patches to absorb the residue. Tumble for a few hrs and brass looks like new ! __________________ "To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid"

November 29, 2015, 01:14 PM	#37
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	RoadClam, dry tumbler with corn, did a nice job on the outside but the inside always had a build up, with the wet tumbler & pins the inside looks like the outside. I was very surprised how well they cleaned. Never liked the idea of water on the inside of the case, l just keep them upside down in the plastic holders loaded ammo comes with ,they work just fine in draining any water. Last edited by cw308; December 3, 2015 at 08:49 AM.

November 18, 2015, 09:06 AM	#26
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Thank you Mozella, l have been shooting the same rifle for 10 years the Rem 700 308cal. Working on my second barrel. Just love shooting it. When the time comes my second rifle will be a 223 or 6.5. Creedmoor. Wouldn't want a pin hiding in the case.

November 18, 2015, 11:59 AM	#27
54 guns Member Join Date: November 17, 2015 Posts: 37	Some sizes of ss pins can get stuck in flash holes. You just have to check them as part of your case inspection. When dry any pins inside the case will fall out of the neck.

November 19, 2015, 06:09 PM	#29
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Thanks again for getting back, tumbling using SS Pins is now the way I clean my brass. Being that I clean small amounts 25 cases at a time, I hand dry also run a patch on the inside. I still wipe the necks,uniform pockets, trim & chamfer also run a # 45 drill bit through the flash hole. Again I'm only doing 25 at the most.

November 21, 2015, 12:05 AM	#30
1100 tac Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2012 Posts: 299	I coulda swore that parsimonius's grew on trees... Pin tumbling works very well, gonna try that wash and wax trick, sounds like it oughta work pretty good...

November 23, 2015, 10:45 PM	#31
Girvin13 Junior Member Join Date: November 16, 2015 Posts: 6	I've never heard of SS pins. Gonna have to check it out. How long does it take with the pins?

November 25, 2015, 08:57 AM	#35
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	DMY, brasscollector answered your questions, also I would think with a straight wall case would clean easier then a bottle neck. The cases look like new,it's my way of cleaning brass for now on.

December 3, 2015, 08:55 AM	#40
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Thanks 99, good to know. I'm cleaning 30 cal. but I'm giving the 6.5 Creedmoor a hard look. My be my next rifle other then the 223.