Really Dirty Brass - New Options

[308Jeff]

I picked up 5,000 pieces of really dirty 40 S&W Brass

Prior to having the rotary tumbler, I would have dumped it in a 5 gallon bucket full of hot water with some Dawn and Apple Cider Vinegar for a half hour, rinsed, dried, and put it in the vibratory tumbler for 8+ hours. Then resized. Pistol brass, I'd be done, but with rifle brass I would have cleaned the primer pockets.

But now that I have the F.A.R.T., clean primer pockets is a big feature. I HAVE to have squeaky clean primer pockets now. In everything.

What I'm thinking I'll do is dump some brass in the rotary media separator and give it a whirl (get the big/nasty/loose dirt out), run it through the rotary tumbler (without pins) for maybe 30 minutes, resize (after it's dry), and then put it back in the tumbler (with pins) for a final clean.

Seems like a lot of work. Am I overthinking/overdoing it?

[XDROB]

I like the idea of washing first. To get the heavier junk off. Then I would wet tumble with pins,car wash/ wax, Lemishine in batches.

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[Eddie17]

I rinse dirty, gritty brass in a 5 gal. bucket. Then introduce in the F.A.R.T. for final cleaning with a car wash/wax slope product, with Lemishine!

[308Jeff]

I rinse dirty, gritty brass in a 5 gal. bucket. Then introduce in the F.A.R.T. for final cleaning with a car wash/wax slope product, with Lemishine!

At what point to you decap (or decap/resize)?

[OS OK]

Jeff, you can use a universal decapper on the dirty brass after rinsing the goop out and off, doesn't size, doesn't touch the sides of the brass...just decaps.

[308Jeff]

Jeff, you can use a universal decapper on the dirty brass after rinsing the goop out and off, doesn't size, doesn't touch the sides of the brass...just decaps.

I've got one that I've used quite a bit on brass that wasn't too dirty. I'm thinking that if I'm going to have to clean it up some before I even get in near the press, I may as well deprime and resize at the same time.

Briefly considered buying a hand-held decapper like the Frankford Arsenal or a Harvey, but I'd rather spend money on other stuff.

[Reddirt62]

They are nice for such occasions.

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[pjames32]

There is a thread on citric acid/lemishine. It works! I use a Harvey decapper. You can decap them dirty.
If they are full of dirt you may want to wash them first. Good luck!

[OS OK]

I've got one that I've used quite a bit on brass that wasn't too dirty. I'm thinking that if I'm going to have to clean it up some before I even get in near the press, I may as well deprime and resize at the same time.

Briefly considered buying a hand-held decapper like the Frankford Arsenal or a Harvey, but I'd rather spend money on other stuff.

Oh...you mean like Powder Coating for those boolits your gonna cast and take some pictures of???

[308Jeff]

They are nice for such occasions.

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I like the hardware cloth mod to the Acrobin. Good idea!

Oh...you mean like Powder Coating for those boolits your gonna cast and take some pictures of???

Peer pressure. It's a heckuva thing....

[GhostHawk]

A the Frankford Arsenal decapper is IMO a great tool. Everything I shoot or brass I buy all gets decapped first. Then a half hour soak in hot water, couple drops of dawn soap and citric Acid.

That is clean enough for me. I have a vibratory tumbler and media I have not used any significant amount in 3 years.

I do like to use a brush to clean primer pockets as I dry. I do like to "roll" each piece of brass on a towel laid on my leg. Cracks seem to grab and tell me i have a piece of brass with a problem.

They don't look new, but for me they don't have to. They don't look old and grungy either. They look like me, getting up there, seen some use but still have a good attitude and ready to do what needs doing.

That suits me, YMMV.

I really owe a huge debt to the guys who posted in the citric acid sticky. My brass looks so much better. Thank you.

[David2011]

Citric acid really knocks the primer pocket crud loose if you decap first. A little tumbling in any media leaves them fairly clean but not as clean as SS pins. IMO, making primer pockets clean as new is a waste of time unless rifle bench rest shooting or going very long distances and totally unnecessary for handguns.

[JBinMN]

I just take the cases after they have been fired & give them a bath in hot water to cover, a couple drops of dish detergent, & a few shakes of Citrus powder got from the Grocery store that folks use for canning fruit.

I use one of those "whisk" thingamajobs/doo hickeys & stir them up like I am mixing up flapjacks & then let them sit for the water to cool.

I then take a colander/strainer ( like for spaghetti) & drain & rinse with some more hot water.

Shake & toss them in a towel made up like a hammock to help get rid of the rest of the water & let them air dry for a while til there is no water left.

If I wanted to, I could start the process after just that little bit & reload after that.. but usually I add more steps...


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So, usually, I will decide to do a little more.. It may not be "necessary", but it is what "I" do & I am happy with it.


First thing I do is "Inspect"the cases. Those that have dings I know will not do, I discard. Cases that are damaged to where I know they will not survive another firing, I discard also. So on & so forth..

Then it is time to De prime & size...

(NOTE: Half of my dies(old ones) are steel, thus need lube/Other half don't need lube)

The "survivors" of the culling get the de-prime & sizing ( lube or not lube whichever) then they go into the vibrating cleaner with walnut stuff (& since I have some of that "treated" corn **** , I throw some of that in there too so I can use it up & never get anymore again...) for a while. I do not need my brass "shiny & polished", I just want it "clean".

Next step is separate the media from the brass after the tumble cleaning & it is time for another decision...

After that process, I decide whether I need to just shake them again in a damp towel to get most of the media off, Blow clean with compressed air, or... then it is "Citrus wash" time again...

( This is where I would clean the primer pockets, if needed... before the citrus if I am going to use that method, or before Priming using the other methods. I prefer using another Citrus bath to get the pockets cleaned out good & make sure there is nolube left on before I go further. )

If I decide that I should give them another bath, then I do that. If not, then they go on to either getting themselves into a container for later reloading, or I go into the reloading process of expanding/priming/etc..

A kind of Flowchart for "my" doins... :
----------------------

After shooting

Citrus Bath

Dry & INSPECT

Discard culled cases, De-Prime & Size

Vibrate/Tumble Clean Cases

Shake Tumble in Wet Towel/or,Blow with Air/or, Another Citrus Bath
(To remove media leftovers)

Start Reloading

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No matter what ya decide to do, & whatever process ya use. Have fun & don't make it too much work..

Just be safe & enjoy the "doin" of it!


G'Luck!

[Walter Laich]

Super cruddy brass gets washed (swirled for a bit, let set, swirled, etc) until all the big chunkies are gone. set out to dry in our wonderful Texas Sun.
run through the Lee deprining die which doesn't touch the sides.

then through SS chips* with Lemishine and Armor-All wash and wax (or more likely a store brand of this).

For some reason I have fallen in love with the very clean, almost new looking brass. I know it doesn't shoot any better but makes me feel good when I look a completed cartridge (I lead a very dull life)

*SS chips seem to cut the cleaning time in half vs. pins. https://www.facebook.com/southernshinetumblers/
you have to send him a message or call--not like a big time business with him and no, I'm not part of this, just a satisfied customer

[NoAngel]

I soak everything I get from the range in a bucket of warm water and citric acid. Give it a good hard shake every few hours. Then process. Then tumble. Then load.

[HeavyMetal]

Back in the 60's and early 70's brass cleaning equipment was non existant! closest you got to clean brass was using a Carbide size die for that "burnished" look, which still never looked like it was factory fresh ammo.

Fast forward to today and I've been through several vibrating brass cleaners and have the Frankford wet rotary machine right now and have become very happy with how it works.

As always everyone has there own limit on how much effort they put into reloading and I am the first person to keep my pie hole shut about what should be done by someone else, in the end it's what the specific reloader is comfortable with when he see's his finished product.

Now I can say, for myself, that having found a way to make my brass look like it came from the factory before I load it is the only way I'll roll from now on no matter the extra effort.

rifle brass is easier because I don't shoot as much of it as I do pistol brass. I have a couple Pro 1000 set up for specific calibers and each of these has a turret set up with a universal decapping die as a first step to processing brass. I'll run everything through the case feeder and de prime every round I've fired and then put them the SS pins and Dawn.

As I prime off the press, another step to allow inspection of the case before loading, this gives me completely clean brass to load.

The end result is reloaded ammo that sparkles and I like that!

HM

[country gent]

I decap with a homemade decapper that's similar to a set of pliers on everything then clean one time lube and size If a large batch I run it thru new corncobs for 1/2 hour -1 hour to remove lubes after sizing. I prefer the hand tool as it allows inspection while decapping before anything else is done.

[308Jeff]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. It's always educational and interesting to hear how other people do things.

Love this board. I learn something new every day that I'm here.

[XDROB]

I am one for sparkly brass.

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[308Jeff]

I am one for sparkly brass.

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I as well. Have always been.

It's just taken a lot of hours in a vibratory tumbler to get what I've been after.

I've completely worn out (4) Berry's made tumblers over the last 9 years. On that note, Berry's has replaced every single one of them, even though they were out of their warranty period.