How do you clean your brass? (Poll) - Page 2

rclark · October 12, 2021, 08:10 PM

I have a vibrating tumbler which works for me.... When I do tumble that is. I never clean my brass every time I get back (unless Black Powder). Simple wipe with paper towel before going into the resizing die. None of my brass hits the ground, therefore I usually resize and go. All depends on if I think they need it or not. The cartridges shoot just as well as if bright and shiny

.

ciwsguy · October 12, 2021, 09:41 PM

Wet tumble with stainless pins. Looking to dispose of my vibratory tumbler

MarkCO · October 13, 2021, 08:22 AM

FWIW, cleaning brass is as much about consistency and keeping the chambers and dies in the best possible condition as anything else. Dirty dies don't make consistent rounds.

armoredman · October 13, 2021, 08:37 PM

15 year old Frankford Arsenal dry tumbler with corn cob media and a capful of polish, just because.

Crankylove · October 13, 2021, 10:35 PM

Dry tumble/vibratory cleaner for 45-60 minutes. Corn cob or walnut media, with a cut up dryer sheet for some dust control.

I’m not going for factory shine level brass, just want to get the dirt and gunk off before running through my dies.

Rifle rounds go back in for 15 minutes or so after loading to get rid of lube residue.

zplinker · October 14, 2021, 08:31 AM

Rifle brass: decap, then ss liquid clean. Dry tumble after sizing, etc.
pistol brass: size and decap, then ss liquid clean.

gwpercle · October 14, 2021, 05:06 PM

This is a surprising poll ... all the talk is about wet tumbling and how great and wonderful it is how it cleans the inside , outside , primer pockets and the kitchen floor ...Then you got Sonic Cleaners , multiple methods and alternate methods and NO methods

But the Poll Shows 50% still dry tumble ...50 % ... compared with all the other methods and the No Method ... 50 Freaking Percent !

AWESOME POLL !!!

I was sure only myself and two others used that old fashioned Dry Media method that came over on the Mayflower ... Looks like there are still a lot of us Dry Media Tumblers out there ... Guys , Keep On Keeping On !
Gary

FITASC · October 14, 2021, 06:18 PM

Dry tumble with half walnut and half corn cob with a capful of Nu-Finish

Smoke & Recoil · October 14, 2021, 07:15 PM

I can sure suggest what NOT to do...don't wet tumble with out stainless pins...I did using only the blue duck soap and limashine and all the case mouths took a beating bad.

TailGator · October 15, 2021, 02:37 PM

I only reload handgun calibers, but I just use a shaker with corncob and a little polish.

7.62 man · October 15, 2021, 05:52 PM

I still have my vibratory tumbler but it doesn't do a large enough load & doesn't do it fast enough as my home made wet tumbler. I still use it for small loads just to polish.
My wet tumbler is very easy to use, I just put dirty brass in, this 2' PVC tube.(about1500 9mm cases)

Add water up to mark, warm water does a little better but cold will work.

Add small amount of Dawn (about 1/8" in container)

Add small amount of Lemi-shine

And clean brass comes out 2hrs later.

(most of the insides of the cases come clean without pins)

If I add pins they would be real clean, but I don't like cleaning up the pins.
And this is clean enough for me.

9MMand223only · October 15, 2021, 10:58 PM

Let me help out.

If you put stick powder in a blender, to exacerbate the vibration type effect, what will happen is that your rifle powder will turn into a pistol powder and burn DRAMATICALLY faster. This is a fact, not a myth.

But tumbling is super less than blender. But stick rubbing against each other, probably has small impact. Small. IN confined space. under extreme vibration. Which is way different than container rocking around in a truck.

This is tested and proven. (Blender that is)

as far as cleaning brass. Here is a proven method you may like. Pretty standard, just add ShineBright.

http://www.natoreloading.com/cleanbrass/

hounddawg · October 15, 2021, 11:33 PM

wet with pins, a dishwasher tablet, and a pinch of Lemishine. Also been known to wipe the neck and shoulder with a piece of Neverdull and call it good.

GeauxTide · October 18, 2021, 08:26 AM

Dry tumble, with a cap of NuFinish.

gwpercle · October 19, 2021, 07:25 PM

Wow ... this poll is even more surprising today ... 54 % dry tumble .

All the talk about wet tumbling and how clean it gets the pockets , cleans the insides , cleans the outsides , shines the brass , heals the sick and raises the dead ...
... yet only 26 % of the people do it !

Sure seems like an awful lot of folks , me included , still Dry Tumble !
If so many do it ... the old way must still be a good way !
Gary

Maxwell Haus · October 20, 2021, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwpercle

Wow ... this poll is even more surprising today ... 54 % dry tumble .

All the talk about wet tumbling and how clean it gets the pockets , cleans the insides , cleans the outsides , shines the brass , heals the sick and raises the dead ...
... yet only 26 % of the people do it !

Sure seems like an awful lot of folks , me included , still Dry Tumble !
If so many do it ... the old way must still be a good way !
Gary

Don't forget the folks that do it more than one way . I do some wet and some dry . If I want it clean I wet tumble it with pins ,If I want it "clean enough" I use the dry method .

7.62 man · October 20, 2021, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwpercle

Wow ... this poll is even more surprising today ... 54 % dry tumble .

All the talk about wet tumbling and how clean it gets the pockets , cleans the insides , cleans the outsides , shines the brass , heals the sick and raises the dead ...
... yet only 26 % of the people do it !

Sure seems like an awful lot of folks , me included , still Dry Tumble !
If so many do it ... the old way must still be a good way !
Gary

For most wet tumbling is too expensive, so they dry tumble.
I have some rifle brass that never gets tumbled. It gets polished with 0000 steel wool.

hounddawg · October 20, 2021, 02:54 PM

Like I said I am flexible. This afternoon I had thirty .308s I needed lube cleaned off of. A bucket, hot water and some Dishwashing detergent solved the problem in less than 5 min. Popped them in a 200 degree oven for 15 minutes and I was ready to anneal and prime

View Poll Results: How do you clean your brass
I Wet tumble	23	25.84%
I Dry tumble	48	53.93%
I use a sonic cleaner	2	2.25%
I use multiple methods	10	11.24%
Clean my brass! Silly people, I resize and GO!	2	2.25%
I have alternative methods (AKA other)	4	4.49%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 89. You may not vote on this poll

October 12, 2021, 08:10 PM	#26
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 2,622	I have a vibrating tumbler which works for me.... When I do tumble that is. I never clean my brass every time I get back (unless Black Powder). Simple wipe with paper towel before going into the resizing die. None of my brass hits the ground, therefore I usually resize and go. All depends on if I think they need it or not. The cartridges shoot just as well as if bright and shiny . __________________ A clinger and deplorable, MAGA, and life NRA member. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes colloquially referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. That said, the .44Spec is right up their too... but the .45 Colt is still the king. Last edited by rclark; October 13, 2021 at 08:41 AM.

October 13, 2021, 08:22 AM	#28
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,308	FWIW, cleaning brass is as much about consistency and keeping the chambers and dies in the best possible condition as anything else. Dirty dies don't make consistent rounds. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

October 13, 2021, 10:35 PM	#30
Crankylove Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2008 Location: 8B ID Posts: 1,753	Dry tumble/vibratory cleaner for 45-60 minutes. Corn cob or walnut media, with a cut up dryer sheet for some dust control. I’m not going for factory shine level brass, just want to get the dirt and gunk off before running through my dies. Rifle rounds go back in for 15 minutes or so after loading to get rid of lube residue. __________________ The answer to 1984 is 1776

October 14, 2021, 06:18 PM	#33
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Dry tumble with half walnut and half corn cob with a capful of Nu-Finish __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

October 12, 2021, 09:41 PM	#27
ciwsguy Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2008 Location: KY Posts: 302	Wet tumble with stainless pins. Looking to dispose of my vibratory tumbler

October 13, 2021, 08:37 PM	#29
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,299	15 year old Frankford Arsenal dry tumbler with corn cob media and a capful of polish, just because.

October 14, 2021, 08:31 AM	#31
zplinker Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2011 Location: way out here Posts: 262	Rifle brass: decap, then ss liquid clean. Dry tumble after sizing, etc. pistol brass: size and decap, then ss liquid clean.

October 14, 2021, 05:06 PM	#32
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,752	This is a surprising poll ... all the talk is about wet tumbling and how great and wonderful it is how it cleans the inside , outside , primer pockets and the kitchen floor ...Then you got Sonic Cleaners , multiple methods and alternate methods and NO methods But the Poll Shows 50% still dry tumble ...50 % ... compared with all the other methods and the No Method ... 50 Freaking Percent ! AWESOME POLL !!! I was sure only myself and two others used that old fashioned Dry Media method that came over on the Mayflower ... Looks like there are still a lot of us Dry Media Tumblers out there ... Guys , Keep On Keeping On ! Gary

October 14, 2021, 07:15 PM	#34
Smoke & Recoil Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: East shore of Lake Michigan. Posts: 714	I can sure suggest what NOT to do...don't wet tumble with out stainless pins...I did using only the blue duck soap and limashine and all the case mouths took a beating bad. __________________ Sent from my Tandy 1000

October 15, 2021, 02:37 PM	#35
TailGator Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,787	I only reload handgun calibers, but I just use a shaker with corncob and a little polish.

October 15, 2021, 05:52 PM	#36
7.62 man Senior Member Join Date: April 30, 2009 Location: Cyber-world USA Posts: 258	I still have my vibratory tumbler but it doesn't do a large enough load & doesn't do it fast enough as my home made wet tumbler. I still use it for small loads just to polish. My wet tumbler is very easy to use, I just put dirty brass in, this 2' PVC tube.(about1500 9mm cases) Add water up to mark, warm water does a little better but cold will work. Add small amount of Dawn (about 1/8" in container) Add small amount of Lemi-shine And clean brass comes out 2hrs later. (most of the insides of the cases come clean without pins) If I add pins they would be real clean, but I don't like cleaning up the pins. And this is clean enough for me.

October 15, 2021, 10:58 PM	#37
9MMand223only Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2014 Posts: 283	Let me help out. If you put stick powder in a blender, to exacerbate the vibration type effect, what will happen is that your rifle powder will turn into a pistol powder and burn DRAMATICALLY faster. This is a fact, not a myth. But tumbling is super less than blender. But stick rubbing against each other, probably has small impact. Small. IN confined space. under extreme vibration. Which is way different than container rocking around in a truck. This is tested and proven. (Blender that is) as far as cleaning brass. Here is a proven method you may like. Pretty standard, just add ShineBright. http://www.natoreloading.com/cleanbrass/ Last edited by 9MMand223only; October 15, 2021 at 11:48 PM.

October 15, 2021, 11:33 PM	#38
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	wet with pins, a dishwasher tablet, and a pinch of Lemishine. Also been known to wipe the neck and shoulder with a piece of Neverdull and call it good. __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

October 18, 2021, 08:26 AM	#39
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	Dry tumble, with a cap of NuFinish. __________________ Reloading For: 223R, 243W, 6.5 GR, 6.5 CM, 260R, 6.5-06, 280R, 7mmRM, 300HAM'R, 308W, 30-06, 338-06, 9mm, 357M, 41M, 44SPL, 44M, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, 450BM.

October 19, 2021, 07:25 PM	#40
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,752	Wow ... this poll is even more surprising today ... 54 % dry tumble . All the talk about wet tumbling and how clean it gets the pockets , cleans the insides , cleans the outsides , shines the brass , heals the sick and raises the dead ... ... yet only 26 % of the people do it ! Sure seems like an awful lot of folks , me included , still Dry Tumble ! If so many do it ... the old way must still be a good way ! Gary

October 20, 2021, 02:54 PM	#43
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	Like I said I am flexible. This afternoon I had thirty .308s I needed lube cleaned off of. A bucket, hot water and some Dishwashing detergent solved the problem in less than 5 min. Popped them in a 200 degree oven for 15 minutes and I was ready to anneal and prime __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek