Cleaning black powder cartridges

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kferguson

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I would like to know what cleaning method you have found works well with black powder cartridge brass. In my case it will be mostly .45 lc and 45/70. I know conventional wisdom has it that bp residue will corrode cartridge brass, being on the basic side of the pH scale. Is plain water good enough to wash it away or do you need a weak acid, like vinegar, in the mix to neutralize it? Should you decap first?

Enquiring minds want to know:confused:
 
I decap then put them in an old milk or windshield fluid jug with some warm water and dish soap and shake them up then rinse with water again. If they need a wipe or brush cleaning when dry I do that too.
 
Cleaning Black powder Cases

50/50 mix of hot water and vinegar. Leave cases to soak for no more than ten minutes. Cases then rinsed out then blown out with an air gun, rinsed again and dried in the oven on low heat.
 
At the range throw them into a jug of water and dish soap,every time you add a bunch give them a good shake.I avoid vinegar because it's a mild acid and could make your brass brittle shorting case life.A 2 hour tumble with walnut shell with some rouge and my brass is nice and shiny.
 
I will put my asbestos suit on shortly. One of my trips to the range with my .577 snider I found that my dishsoap and water were on the bench in the shop, oh crap so the only thing that I had with me was a can of WD40. Gave them a good spray and hoped for the best. rinsed them out with hot water dried and tumbled. They came out real nice, so that is what I do fom then on. ymmv
 
wade said:
vinigar stinks ,
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Got that right.....using vinegar mix in the kitchen is a fast way to get real unpopular with the wife........I know.
Used to use it alot, but soapy water seems to work just as good. Unlike others, I like to let the brass get kinda "stained", meaning I don't tumble for several firings......kind of an "antique" look.....but make sure it's washed well.
 
Ben has the right idea. The second I get home, into hot water and dish soap. Use a brush to clean the inside. Cold water rinse. Dry on a towel. Into the tumbler.

Result: Clean brass ready to decap, resize, reload.
 
ben hunchak said:
Soap and hot water, bottle brush, dry and regular tumbling.
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That is what I do also. I decap before the soap and water though.

The only time I do more is with my .25-20 SS cartridges. I use an ultrasonic cleaner on them as gunk builds up on the inside of these tiny tapered cases otherwise (the brush doesn't quite reach everywhere).

Chris.
 
Geat suggestions all......but no consensus, except that vinegar is only for french fries! I am sure they all work. I really like the idea of taking a jug of solution to the range for your empties and letting the car ride home supply the agitation :D
 
kferguson said:
Geat suggestions all......but no consensus, except that vinegar is only for french fries! I am sure they all work. I really like the idea of taking a jug of solution to the range for your empties and letting the car ride home supply the agitation :D
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Vinegar and water for me....Deprime first, toss in mixture,(I do this in the basement) use a dry patch to help clean/dry inside of case's, then tumble.....

Been cleaning my 45 Colt BP case's like that for oh, nearly 20 years and it hasn't weakened my brass case's...

I'm a very lazy person, so I tend to take the easiest way...

If you don't like vinegar, any soap and water combo will work, but I see no point in bringing along a bottle with soap/water/vinegar to the range...Even in high humidity areas, your case's are not going to corrode in a few hours until you get home....I always de-prime before cleaning which be messy to do if you soaked them first....

All are good solution's....Just a matter of preference...You're on a gun site, you will never find "consensus" unless it's about gun control laws...:)
 
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