Cleaning brass

[sam86]

So normally I Dont clean my brass but thought I would give it a try. I used the old NRA mix of 1 pint of hot water, 1 cup of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of dish soap.

Shook them around in the mix for a good 5 mins then rinsed them in hot water for about 10 mins. I made sure to dunk them in clean water then rinse under flowing water, then repeat.They looked pretty clean so I left them in the sun to dry on my picnic table.

Then I noticed that there was white residue in the primer pockets, in the casing and on the rims. It wiped off with a paper towel but was wondering if that's normal?

Think in the future I will get a tumbler and crushed walnut hauls. Or just not clean them like I have been for a few years. Any idea on the white residue? Thanks

[John McCorkle]

You mean never tumble your brass at all? Man I tried that when I first started reloading and got scratches all over my brass from.my dies getting dirty and gritty.

If you are going to buy a tumbler may I suggest the Franklin rotary. It's worked really well for me and though a bit more up front (depending on the tumbler you are going for) it uses soap and water....and a dash of lemishine but not necessary...gets them super super clean.........and no lead dust from the media floating around. Super safe

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[Ed_Shot]

Take a look at the stickey above on Citric Acid Brass Cleaner......effective cheap and easy.

[ThomR]

Before I bought a tumbler I would shake them around in hot water and dish soap. It got them fairly clean.

[GhostHawk]

What Ed said about Citric Acid.

Tried it once, was hooked. I don't tumble at all.

I am using dollar store fruit fresh. Have a lifetime supply the way I have been going.

1 teaspoon of citric acid, couple of drops of Dawn dish soap, an ice cream bucket, and hot water to cover the brass. I normally heat a teapot full to just about boiling then added from the faucet if I need a bit more.

Several good swirls, let it sit and cool for a bit. Then 2 rinses in hot water.

Run them into a strainer and shake well then transfer to a cotton hand towel. Sitting on the couch watching whatever turns my crank I start processing.

At that point I admit I go a bit OCD, I like to run a brush in each primer pocket. Then roll the case on a towel laying on my leg to remove any stubborn gunk.

Insides you can see brass clear to the touchhole without a flashlight.
Outsides may not look like new, but they don't look bad.

When done they get an overnight sitting on the stove pilot light warm spot wrapped in a towel.
Leaves them very very dry by morning.

That is what works for me. I know a lot of guys swear by stainless pins and tumbling, lemishine, etc.

I'm not that fussy.

I'll never go back to running dirty brass through my dies.

Clean brass and a minor smear of sizing lube and they slide right through the sizing die.
YMMV.

[mdi]

I can't comment on the white residue, but I don't think it has anything to do with the brass itself. Perhaps a leftover from the solution. I reloaded 12 years before I got a tumbler, and I just wiped each case with a solvent dampened rag as I inspected it. I had no scratched dies and no damaged chambers. After 20 years of tumbling brass I have settled on corn cob blast media for most of my brass cleaning. I just tumble to get most of thr brass clean and not to get glossy, shiny brass but do shine my Garand brass so I can find it in the dirt at my "range"...

[Reddirt62]

I like clean so I can see defects. Use both wet and dry depending on my mood.

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[sam86]

Yeah I'm going to try the citric acid next time.

[Reddirt62]

PS lemishine = citric acid.

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[osteodoc08]

you can also find citric acid in the canning section this time of year as well.

[dale2242]

My wife picks up citric acid in the bulk spice section of a local grocery store.
I use citric acid and dawn soap in my Lyman Cyclone tumbler.
I also have a Lyman 1200 vibratory tumbler that I fill with ground walnut shells.
I use the rotary for very dirty/stained pickup brass and the vibratory to clean off sizing lube...dale