?on brass cleaning

Gster · August 30, 2014, 07:06 AM

I got to thinking last night, then wondering. Do you suppose copper plated bbs would work for wet tumbling?

BumbleBug · August 30, 2014, 07:20 AM

Since we are talking hypothetically here...

I'd guess no, because copper is softer than brass. But the brass may polish the BB's...

Bart B. · August 30, 2014, 07:30 AM

A friend cleaned his fired cases in a tumbler half full of water with Joy dishwashing soap and BB's. Cleaned his fired cases good enough to allow him to win the Nationals 6 or 7 times, set numerous records plus doing similar stuff for his wife and two girls who performed as well on the firing line. Enabled long case life, too. I think he uses stainless steel pins now.

BB's work well on my cases when they're mixed with rice and walnut media in a dry tumbler.

Does it really matter if the BB's get polished, too?

precision_shooter · August 30, 2014, 07:37 AM

Bart, did he use the copper washed BBs or regular steel BBs? Which do you use?

Bart B. · August 30, 2014, 08:02 AM

Copper plated, as I did also. Decades ago, I asked him what he used with Joy in the water and his answer was "Daisy BB gun ammo."

A cousin was the head accountant in Rogers, Akansas, at the Daisy plant at the time so I called him to let him know their ammo was also used to clean rifle cases that used to win matches and set records. He laughed.

RC20 · August 30, 2014, 01:36 PM

Good one.

My once fired brass was done with stainless steel pins by the supplier, came out very nice, pretty much like new and easy to inspect.

Maybe one bad per 100 so far and thats plenty good with me.

August 30, 2014, 07:06 AM	#1
Gster Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2012 Location: N.central Pa. Posts: 302	?on brass cleaning I got to thinking last night, then wondering. Do you suppose copper plated bbs would work for wet tumbling? __________________ Gun control means: Being able to hit what you are shooting at.

August 30, 2014, 07:37 AM	#4
precision_shooter Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 2,475	Bart, did he use the copper washed BBs or regular steel BBs? Which do you use? __________________ "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

August 30, 2014, 08:02 AM	#5
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	Copper plated, as I did also. Decades ago, I asked him what he used with Joy in the water and his answer was "Daisy BB gun ammo." A cousin was the head accountant in Rogers, Akansas, at the Daisy plant at the time so I called him to let him know their ammo was also used to clean rifle cases that used to win matches and set records. He laughed. Last edited by Bart B.; August 30, 2014 at 08:30 AM.

August 30, 2014, 07:20 AM	#2
BumbleBug Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2013 Location: Near Heart of Texas Posts: 870	Since we are talking hypothetically here... I'd guess no, because copper is softer than brass. But the brass may polish the BB's...

August 30, 2014, 07:30 AM	#3
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	A friend cleaned his fired cases in a tumbler half full of water with Joy dishwashing soap and BB's. Cleaned his fired cases good enough to allow him to win the Nationals 6 or 7 times, set numerous records plus doing similar stuff for his wife and two girls who performed as well on the firing line. Enabled long case life, too. I think he uses stainless steel pins now. BB's work well on my cases when they're mixed with rice and walnut media in a dry tumbler. Does it really matter if the BB's get polished, too?

August 30, 2014, 01:36 PM	#6
RC20 Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 7,014	Good one. My once fired brass was done with stainless steel pins by the supplier, came out very nice, pretty much like new and easy to inspect. Maybe one bad per 100 so far and thats plenty good with me.