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Ammunition & Hand Loading => Cartridge and Shotshell reloading => Topic started by: pfinn on January 28, 2013, 02:31:47 PM

Title: Cleaning Brass
Post by: pfinn on January 28, 2013, 02:31:47 PM

I typically clean my brass in a tumbler for about an hour with Lyman Corn Cob media, and then another hour with nutshell media.

I've noticed after handling a lot of shells, my fingers will be black with powder residue. This indicates to me that the brass isn't getting completely clean.

Do you guys suggest changing media, running longer, an additive, or just living with it?

Title: Re: Cleaning Brass
Post by: unfy on January 28, 2013, 03:47:58 PM

If the brass is clean, as in shiny and no caked on stuff, it's done it's job. 

If you look on the insides of your vibratory brass, you'll see it's usually black inside their anyway.

I usually do use an additive with my vibrating / tumble media.  Don't recall what I'm using right now.

Title: Re: Cleaning Brass
Post by: pfinn on January 28, 2013, 05:50:05 PM

Thanks. Its always clean to the eye... so sounds like its clean enough.

Title: Re: Cleaning Brass
Post by: SemperFiGuy on January 28, 2013, 07:28:51 PM

pfinn   [and All Other Reloading Brothers.......]

That black stuff is mostly from the primer pockets and the insides of the cartridge cases.

But.........some of it is lead.    Vibratory tumblers are hotspots for accumulating lead residue.

So---all the usual lead-avoidance precautions apply when handling post-tumbled brass cases.

sfg