How clean is your brass?

Euro

Euro

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I'm looking at getting something to clean my 9mm brass (all I really shoot). I'm looking at getting an ultrasonic cleaner, using the homemade solution or just a basic tumbler. Where I am stuck is, the tumbler will not really clean the inside too well from everything I've read and watched, where the ultrasonic will with the right set up.

So my question! for 9mm where you are shooting 5-50 yards, does the inside of the brass really need to be spit shined? Will the leftover carbon really throw my shoots off that much?


Thanks
 
just my two cents here - i looked at an stainless steel media brass cleaner and when i asked the guy behind the shelf if it was worth it - he myself included preferred the tumbler method - I use different media (yes also used cat liter) and it worked well.
 
I clean mine in a SS rotary tumbler and they come out like new.

Reason I like the inside clean , is ,I think it's easier on my dies.
But I'm not sure :)
 
No, it won't make any difference.
But don't take my word for it;
Test it yourself. Load ten "dirty*" cases and load ten "clean" cases and hit the range.

Cheers,


*reasonable dirty


More info:
Cleaning by hand-
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1597331-Handwashing-brass?highlight=tumbler

Is the Frankford Arsenal Rotary Wet Tumbler worth purchasing? (steel pins)- (check out page 5)
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1572687-Is-the-Frankford-Arsenal-Rotary-Wet-Tumbler-worth-purchasing-(steel-pins)/page5?highlight=tumbler
 
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IMHO, people get way to anal about cleaning their fired cases before reloading them.

I load for several different handguns and rifles and over the years I have found shiny polished brass doesn't shoot straighter than dull finished brass.

That being said, I do inspect the cases for dirt and to make all well put them into a potato sack, tie it off, then sink it into a 20 litre bucket of hot water and Lem Shine. Slosh it up and down for about 30 seconds. Let it all sit for another half hour and repeat the process.

The brass comes out clean but not shiny. Some of my dies, especially the 9mm and 357 mag, have hundreds of thousands of properly lubed cases through them. They don't show any signs of wear and they shoot every bit as well as new shiny brass.

I went the route of washing, polishing in compound etc. Not any more. I have much better things to do with my time.

If that carbon is welded onto the side of the cartridge case, it can stay there. Of course if it's lumpy I just chuck it, depending on what it is.
 
bearhunter said:
IMHO, people get way to anal about cleaning their fired cases before reloading them.

I load for several different handguns and rifles and over the years I have found shiny polished brass doesn't shoot straighter than dull finished brass.

That being said, I do inspect the cases for dirt and to make all well put them into a potato sack, tie it off, then sink it into a 20 litre bucket of hot water and Lem Shine. Slosh it up and down for about 30 seconds. Let it all sit for another half hour and repeat the process.

The brass comes out clean but not shiny. Some of my dies, especially the 9mm and 357 mag, have hundreds of thousands of properly lubed cases through them. They don't show any signs of wear and they shoot every bit as well as new shiny brass.

I went the route of washing, polishing in compound etc. Not any more. I have much better things to do with my time.

If that carbon is welded onto the side of the cartridge case, it can stay there. Of course if it's lumpy I just chuck it, depending on what it is.
Click to expand...

Kind of what I thought, I'm not looking for that new shine, I could care less what it looks like, as long as it's clean.
 
Euro said:
Kind of what I thought, I'm not looking for that new shine, I could care less what it looks like, as long as it's clean.
Click to expand...

Huh? You don't care what it looks like as long as it's clean? What do you think clean looks like? lol.

Get a wet tumbler. I do 1K of 9mm in under two hours.
 
4n2t0 said:
Huh? You don't care what it looks like as long as it's clean? What do you think clean looks like? lol.

Get a wet tumbler. I do 1K of 9mm in under two hours.
Click to expand...

Look at brass out of a dry tumbler vs wet tumbler. The brass from the dry tumbler looks dirtier, in my opinion, but it's still clean and ready to load.
 
I use a vibrating tumbler. I will add a cap full of Nu Polish to the coen cob media to add to the shine factor. Tarnished brass can be clean brass from my experience.

Take Care

Bob
 
bearhunter said:
IMHO, people get way to anal about cleaning their fired cases before reloading them.

I load for several different handguns and rifles and over the years I have found shiny polished brass doesn't shoot straighter than dull finished brass.

That being said, I do inspect the cases for dirt and to make all well put them into a potato sack, tie it off, then sink it into a 20 litre bucket of hot water and Lem Shine. Slosh it up and down for about 30 seconds. Let it all sit for another half hour and repeat the process.

The brass comes out clean but not shiny. Some of my dies, especially the 9mm and 357 mag, have hundreds of thousands of properly lubed cases through them. They don't show any signs of wear and they shoot every bit as well as new shiny brass.

I went the route of washing, polishing in compound etc. Not any more. I have much better things to do with my time.

If that carbon is welded onto the side of the cartridge case, it can stay there. Of course if it's lumpy I just chuck it, depending on what it is.
Click to expand...

You lube 9mm and 357? I don't. carbide dies+clean cases = No lube required.

Wet tumbling with SS pins cleans better and requires less effort than dry tumbler. Yes, in total it takes hours, but it takes only minutes of my time. It's like a dishwasher for brass.
 
No comparison between SS pins and a dry tumbler. Used the dry method for almost 30yrs and recently switched to SS and far superior. I like my brass clean so it's easier to spot issues.
 
OK then,some guys like dirty brass and some guys like clean brass.
So it's really a personal choice ,as either way works.

Myself,I prefer clean , smooth,shiny, Br ass.
 
Euro said:
I'm looking at getting something to clean my 9mm brass (all I really shoot). I'm looking at getting an ultrasonic cleaner, using the homemade solution or just a basic tumbler. Where I am stuck is, the tumbler will not really clean the inside too well from everything I've read and watched, where the ultrasonic will with the right set up.

So my question! for 9mm where you are shooting 5-50 yards, does the inside of the brass really need to be spit shined? Will the leftover carbon really throw my shoots off that much?


Thanks
Click to expand...

Never used a dry tumbler but I have both a wet tumbler (with SS pins) and an ultrasonic

There is no comparison between the two for cleaning brass - the wet tumbler wins by a mile. The brass is clean and shiny and it really cleans out the primer pockets. With the ultrasonic it is clean to the point that it feels clean and wouldn't damage your dies (but still looks dull and tarnished)

When I first got my wet tumbler I ran some brass through that had been already been cleaned ultrasonically for a couple of long cycles. The water that came out of the tumbler after the cycle was black with dirt (and the brass was infinitely more clean and shiny)

It is worth noting that the wet tumbler is pretty much a one trick pony but the ultrasonic can be used to clean lots of things. Both have their place.
 
I dump my brass in the tumbler with car polish in the media and leave for work. When I get back they are usually pretty shiny... go through my dies nice and smooth. More importantly they don't stick to the powder funnel-expander.
 
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