Ok, so I haven't done anything to clean my cases yet. How long will I get away with this? How important is it, and for what reasons? I would be doing it but I dont have the necessary equipment yet. Is their more than just the standard tumbler? Any other good ways? I know I ask a lot of questions...I believe God gave us two ears and only one mouth for a reason.

a vibrating tumbler with corn cob media and polishing agent added is pretty good to make your cases look nice.
if ya can't go that yet....a wipe down of each case with alcohol on a rag will keep your brass clean and/or remove sizing lube....just will not look "shiny" as they will if polished. "shiny" looks pleasing, but is not necessary.

clean cases will help keep from scratching the internals of the sizing die.

Ok, it sounds like its not all that important. I will eventually get a tumbler but there are other things I still need so I will move this to the bottom of the list. Thanks!

Good advise from KYODE. If they get real tarnished use a little dab of 3 or 4 ought steel wool and polish to your satisfaction. Then wipe down with alcohol.


Just keep an eye on Midway USA. They will run a sale on the Frankfort case tumbler from time to time. You get the tumbler, media, additive, seperator and a nice pail to catch the media for about $50.00~55.00. Best deal around. Here is the link;

TUMBLER

I set mine up in the basemant on a receptical with a 12 hour timmer. If cases are real dirty I just set the timmer for 5 to 6 hours THAT NIGHT and go to bed. Shuts off all by it's self. Then after work the next day cases are rady to laod. I must have 500~600 hours on my tumbler without a hitch.

i do the timmer thing too. it's great. my old timer kicked the bucket n i went to "lowes" n made another up. goes to 12hrs. great fer charging any kind of batteries also.

Tigger is right you can't beat that Frankfort tumbler deal from Midway. I too have many hours on mine without a problem.

As to the importance of cleaning brass I would like to add this one thought. Although a gleaming polish is not necessary the brass should be clean. Dirt and grit can stick to cases especially if you don't get all the resizing lube off the case. This grit can scratch the inside of you reloading dies and the chamber of your rifle.

Kyode's suggestion of an alcohol bath works well. So does old fashion soap and water. I'm a sucker for picking up range brass from our range after the local police shoot qualification courses. Being mostly 9mm, 40 s&w, and 45acp they are ejected on the dirt and grass and some get quite dirty. I shake them in a container of water and dawn dishwater liquid, rinse, and then drain in a colander. I then dunk in a container of rubbing alcohol (that I reuse) to disperse the water and then air dry overnight. The whole process takes just a couple minutes and leaves the cases clean and dry (not shiney just clean). I then usually polish in the tumbler but often have just loaded as is.

I take it a step further with the tumblers and I run two of them. I use one with walnut media for really dirty brass and one with corn cob for not so dirty stuff or if I want the cases extra shiny. Before I got my tumblers I used Brasso mixed with hot water and that worked pretty good, I'd let them sit for a couple hours and then rinse in hot water and dry.

popeanyoung,

A little tip that really dries your brass quickly to load if you wash it with water. Lightly towel dry off excess then put the wet brass in a large bowl and get the old ladies hair dryer out .Put it on high and stir with a long handled spoon. Within a few minutes the brass is so hot you can't touch it and it's dry inside and out.

My wolf just rolls her eyes with some of my ideas.

sounds like a good use of a hair dryer to me, I already get funny looks when I can't find my loctite and swipe my wifes clear nail polish.

Hey Tigger, thanks for the timmer idea. I've never thought of that, might have saved many wasted hours watching my tumbler going through the motions .

I have used a Dillon tumbler for years and am happy with it. I know a lot of people add a bit of brasso etc but I would caution against it. If Brasso in the US is the same as Brasso over here then its active ingredient is ammonia (same as some bore solvents). Gets things nice and polished but leeches out the copper in the brass which eventually weakens the metal structure.
May never be a problem,but then again may let go just when you don't want it to.
I am happy to polish with straight media knowing that it cleans the gunk off the cases even if it isn't that gleaming.

Besides which, too many years of polishing brass (belt buckle) for parade has left me with a deep aversion to the whole concept!

That's why I use the Frankford Aresnal polish. Designed for tumbling. Just get a new bottle when the old is gone. I use about a tablespoon full each tumbling and a bottle last a long time. I use the media a long time, it gets real dark, but the polish keeps it going.

Here is another little trick that saves the life of my media. In the center of the pot the plastic post comes up. After tumbling and before you remove the brass and media there is always little brass chips and black residue staticly clung to the post. I have a roll of paper towles beside the tumbler. I take one of and spit on it for just a little moisture then gently wipe the brass chips and crud off the center post and and dry it. Then after the media is out you can clean the drum up a little also.

Hi there Hunlee here!!!!Having never owned a tumbler Hunlee just reload all empty brass!!!Hunlee will size tarnish brass with good result so far....223,7-30 water and 375 Windchester is brass that Hunlee posess and reload with good result!!!Hunlee is no expert like some hear butt hunlee still reload and have fun....Someday if a good deal can be found a tumbler may come to Hunlee!!!!What bad can come from tarnish brass is question that Hunlee ask???

hunlee

if it gets too dirty you can start having extraction problems and if your not cleaning primer pockets you may get to a point where your primers aren't seating all the way but other than that if the brass is just discolored it won't hurt anything.