22LR brass

[Jim]

knock, knock..... Can I come in? Not bein' from 'round these parts, I'm treadin' lightly.[smilie=s:

I understand y'all use 22LR brass to make bullets. My question is, can you clean up tarnished (translation- green) brass and still use it?

I'm salvaging a big gun range and I can collect a 5 gallon bucket of 22 brass in a coupla' hours. If y'all can use it badly tarnished, I can wash it in a washer/tumbler, package it and ship it. Some of it will be newly fired and look great. The rest is OD green.

If this stuff is usable, I'd rather y'all get it than sell it to a recycler and see it get crushed and smelted.

I'm not interested in the money part of this right now, I just wanna know if y'all can use it first. Anyone interested in cussin' and discussin' this with me, shoot me a PM and I'll send ya' my phone number.

Thanks, guys! 'Preciate y'all lettin' me come in!

[runfiverun]

you'd be surprised what a citric acid bath will clean up.

[Fla9-40]

Hey Jim PM sent your way!

[Lizard333]

I have turned brass that I thought was scrap, with the use of my SS media and Citric acid. That stuff is like magic.

[Jailer]

Do you wet tumble your 22 brass?

[Jim]

Do you wet tumble your 22 brass?


If your question is directed toward me, yes. I wash it in a modified cement mixer turned washer/tumbler. That gets all the sand out of it and some of the tarnish.

[Longwood]

you'd be surprised what a citric acid bath will clean up.

It sure did improve the hand cleaner industry.
I won't buy any cleaner any more unless it has lemon oil in it.

[Reload3006]

If your question is directed toward me, yes. I wash it in a modified cement mixer turned washer/tumbler. That gets all the sand out of it and some of the tarnish.

if you pour in a 1/4 cup of vinegar to the gallon of water it will sure help to shine up even the worst tarnished brass. May not get them perfect but will help a lot. When I am cleaning LR brass for jackets I usually boil them in 1/4 cup vinegar to the gallon of water. basically a 5qt dutch oven full with brass and dish soap. I have a bottle of lemishine that i intend to try out lots of folks swear by it but I havent used it and cant I know vinegar works. I cant think of why it wouldn't work in a cement mixer as well.

[Jim]

if you pour in a 1/4 cup of vinegar to the gallon of water it will sure help to shine up even the worst tarnished brass. May not get them perfect but will help a lot. When I am cleaning LR brass for jackets I usually boil them in 1/4 cup vinegar to the gallon of water. basically a 5qt dutch oven full with brass and dish soap. I have a bottle of lemishine that i intend to try out lots of folks swear by it but I havent used it and cant I know vinegar works. I cant think of why it wouldn't work in a cement mixer as well.

Because the washer/tumbler has holes in it covered by screen, that's why. :groner: [smilie=b:

[sprinkintime]

I have turned brass that I thought was scrap, with the use of my SS media and Citric acid. That stuff is like magic.[

The biggest problem with stainless steel media is the price, I went and tried ceramic balls with they use in polishing jewerly etc. and what a difference in just 20 minutes.I brought 5#'s in the vibratory tumbler added just enough water to cover a tablespoon of citric acid and a spoon of dish soap, the 22lr boolits looked just right out of them factory. Try it you will love it.

[Lizard333]

Do they clean out the primer pockets as well. This is one of the main reasons I went with the SS media. I hated cleaning out the primer pockets on the brass I reload.

[jimrk]

After getting some of the 300 Blackout brass from GRUMPA and seeing what SS can do I had to build a tumbler for myself. (A BIG THANKS TO GRUMPA) SS is indeed magic. For my first run I put in about 5 lbs a .40 plus a about a pound of 22LR. with 5 lbs. of SS, ran it for about 2 hrs. (3 would be better)

[sprinkintime]

Do they clean out the primer pockets as well. This is one of the main reasons I went with the SS media. I hated cleaning out the primer pockets on the brass I reload.
LIZARD
I am not sure that the 1/8 balls will clean out a primer pocket, today I went and ordered a ceramic mix of 4,3.5 & 2mm balls with 10x3mm cylinders, when it arrives I will try it out on primer pockets and report back.

[supe47]

LIZARD
Where do you purchase the 1/8" ceramic balls? Are they the abrasive or non-abrasive type? Or perhaps the MICROBRITE PORCELAIN BALLS?

[Lizard333]

I don't use the ceramic balls. I use the SS pins.

[Longwood]

LIZARD
I am not sure that the 1/8 balls will clean out a primer pocket, today I went and ordered a ceramic mix of 4,3.5 & 2mm balls with 10x3mm cylinders, when it arrives I will try it out on primer pockets and report back.

I used walnut shells since the early 80's and now use walnut shell with ceramic beads that a friend gave me and a few pounds of steel BB's from Walmart.
The ceramic beads are light like the walnut shells so I added the BB's to try and put a bit more force on the media. They seem to help a lot.
A few minutes in a vibrator cleaner with a small amount of acid and a good concentrated cleaner and then 45 min to an hour or so in the vibrator and I have the shiniest brass I ever had in about one tenth of the time it used to take.
I tried tumbling wet and did not like it and went back to the vibrator.

[DukeInFlorida]

Longwood,
You bring up a subject that I have been teaching my reloading students about for a long time. And, that is how to load the tumbler.

It isn't the weight of the walnut (or corn cob) media against the brass that does the polishing. It's the weight of the brass, pressing the media against the brass that makes it go faster.

You need to fill the tumbler properly, so that you get more brass in there, to speed the job up.

1) I add mineral spirits and NuFinish car polish to the media, and allow that to tumble without any brass in there, for about 10-15 minutes, with NO brass.
2) Empty the tumbler of the prepared media.
3) Put brass in. The brass should fill at least 1/2 of the volume of the empty tumbler bowl. Even a bit more is good.
4) Add media to tumbler, on top of brass. Turn the tumbler on a bit to allow the media to fill into the brass. Add more media until you get the bowl just about filled with brass and media.
5) Tumble to your preference for shininess. You can go either just clean, or for polished jewelry.

I am also experimenting with 1/16" ceramic rods that I got off eBay, and also with the SS media. I am constructing a wet rotating tumbler from PVC pipe. Never use liquids in your vibratory tumbler.



I used walnut shells since the early 80's and now use walnut shell with ceramic beads that a friend gave me and a few pounds of steel BB's from Walmart.
The ceramic beads are light like the walnut shells so I added the BB's to try and put a bit more force on the media. They seem to help a lot.
A few minutes in a vibrator cleaner with a small amount of acid and a good concentrated cleaner and then 45 min to an hour or so in the vibrator and I have the shiniest brass I ever had in about one tenth of the time it used to take.
I tried tumbling wet and did not like it and went back to the vibrator.

[Longwood]

Longwood,


It isn't the weight of the walnut (or corn cob) media against the brass that does the polishing. It's the weight of the brass, pressing the media against the brass that makes it go faster.





Yep.... that is exactly why I tried BB's,, to cause the media to rub the brass with a little bit more force.
I cleaned another batch today and was once again surprised at how fast it works.
No question about it, softening up the crud with the sonic cleaner first, sure helps.

I am almost finished with my homemade tumbler for making charcoal etc. I plan on trying it dry with the smallest ceramic balls ( around .0120) and BB's to see if the primer pockets come clean as fast.

I am looking at these drums if mine proves to be problematic.
They make several sizes and they seem to be priced fairly.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350229959048?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

[sprinkintime]

Longwood,
You bring up a subject that I have been teaching my reloading students about for a long time. And, that is how to load the tumbler.

It isn't the weight of the walnut (or corn cob) media against the brass that does the polishing. It's the weight of the brass, pressing the media against the brass that makes it go faster.

You need to fill the tumbler properly, so that you get more brass in there, to speed the job up.

1) I add mineral spirits and NuFinish car polish to the media, and allow that to tumble without any brass in there, for about 10-15 minutes, with NO brass.
2) Empty the tumbler of the prepared media.
3) Put brass in. The brass should fill at least 1/2 of the volume of the empty tumbler bowl. Even a bit more is good.
4) Add media to tumbler, on top of brass. Turn the tumbler on a bit to allow the media to fill into the brass. Add more media until you get the bowl just about filled with brass and media.
5) Tumble to your preference for shininess. You can go either just clean, or for polished jewelry.

I am also experimenting with 1/16" ceramic rods that I got off eBay, and also with the SS media. I am constructing a wet rotating tumbler from PVC pipe. Never use liquids in your vibratory tumbler.

Duke, you say never use liquids in a vibratory tumbler, why when certain ones are made for liquids?

[DukeInFlorida]

Commercial wet vibratory tumblers are one thing.

But, buy a Dillon, or Frankford Arsenal, or any of the commonly available vibratory tumblers, and put liquids in them, have them leak, and then try to get warranty replacement...... won't happen.

If the tumbler is rated for it, and doesn't have "no liquids" warnings everywhere, then go for it.

[DukeInFlorida]

Your link shows some painted schedule 40 PVC pipe, and a couple of fittings that can be purchased from any plumbing supply store for under $30.

It's missing a set of interior paddles, which keep the brass tumbling rather than just sliding around on the inside.






I am looking at these drums if mine proves to be problematic.
They make several sizes and they seem to be priced fairly.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350229959048?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

[Longwood]

Your link shows some painted schedule 40 PVC pipe, and a couple of fittings that can be purchased from any plumbing supply store for under $30.

It's missing a set of interior paddles, which keep the brass tumbling rather than just sliding around on the inside.

The closest decent plumbing supply store that has large diameter PVC would cost me more in gas than what these cost.
If I need paddles I will weld or glue some into it.

As a fabricator, this companies base, is far above the quality of the Thumblers tumblers or the other brands with the molded tubs.
Real bearings?
I wonder why the other guys could not think of that.
They certainly charge as though they do.