New to reloading; Brass cleaning questions!!!

[bullseyeguy]

Hey guys,

New to the forums, but have been reading them for about a year. Finally decided to sign up since I have a few questions for everyone. I have just recently joined the esteem ranks of the home reloader. I have talked to a couple of friends who have talked me through the whole reloading process, so I am good there. My questions are on the aspect of cleaning brass. I have read a bunch of stuff online and heard a few different things, but I figured I would ask all of you my specific questions so i don't have to read through hours of info. Please bare with me, I know it probably gets annoying answering these kinds of questions repeatedly, but I really do appreciate anyone and everyone's input and help. I will just put into list form the questions I have.

First off, I have a Frankford Arsenal Tumbler so you know what I have. I really want shiny, clean brass and need to know which method will work best for me.

Medias:

Which is better to use, walnut or corncob? I have severely tarnished 3+ year old brass I have been saving because I knew I'd reload it one day. Would crushed walnut be better to use first? If so, which grit, coarse or fine (26 or 40)? Do you treat it? And if so, with what?

Next, do i use corncob afterwards like i have read? If so, will the green Lyman's stuff work? And dumb question, but do people add the polish to that kind, or do you not have to? Is it better to get plain and mix in my own polish instead of the green or red stuff?

And lastly, Stainless Steel tumbling. Would that work best for the results I want? I want really shiny brass (I just like making everything I have look its absolute best). Is there a way to make one of these for fairly cheap? Can this be done with a normal rock polishing machine? Or are there special units? Where can you get the media for this at a decent price? (Internet, certain stores, etc?)

Are there other methods that would work better in your opinions? Different tumblers or sonic cleaners, etc?

I am grateful to everyone who decides to help this newbie out, just trying to take bits from all of your knowledge, I know there re some great people on this forum that can help me out.

I am reloading most standard handgun cartridges (9, 40, 45, 10, 38, etc.) and some rifle (223, 308, 30-06, 8mm, etc) anywhere from 500 to a few thousand a month. Starting with a lot since I have so many from the last few years of collecting.

Thank you all so much for your time, and I look forward to everyone's input and can't wait to try what you are willing to teach me to get the results I desire. And if you have anything else to teach me, I am always willing to learn.

Thanks guys, have a great night!!

 

[snatch3838]

Stainless is faster and the best and cheaper in the long run but more expensive to start up with. I use the green and walnut now but iwill make the swap over when volume and money's permits. The walnut I use is very fine I get a large bag At pet co it is lizard litter. I use the green corn cob first to clean then size and depressed then I throw it back in the walnut it's so small it won't get stuck in the flash hole. Green and red will. This second cleaning also get any lube off the cases. The stainless just drop in and go two hour as opposed to six hours plus another two later on another media. Add lemishine or meguires car Polish helps a good deal also.

 

[Cobalt 60]

For pistol cases, I use the same tumbler you have with a mix of Pet Smart walnut lizard bedding and treated corn cob media. At the same time. Gets it plenty clean for my use.

If you want to start loading precision rounds, especially rifle, or just like super clean brass, stainless is excellent. However, without a very large rotary tumbler, you can't do very large batches.

 

[rose jackets67]

I avoid pretreated walnut or corncob. Either with a capfull of Nufinish will make brass look great. Before I started wet tumbling, I kept aside some non-treated and non- polish added media to use for removing case lube on rifle rounds.

Now, I wet tumble my rifle rounds after sizing/trimming/decrimp before priming/powder/bullet/(sometimes)crimp. I feel that wet tumbling pistol brass wastes way too much time loading on a progressive, so bulk plinking pistol ammo only gets an initial dry tumble before being loaded.

 

[YOTESHOOTER]

We use the corn cob with turtle wax in our 2000 Dillon, we have have unhappiness with walnut, the dust gets everywhere and leaves
the dust on and inside the of the case and outside. Needs to be cleaned a second time to get rid of red dust. Pecan shell has the same results.

We use steel media for our competition brass. We use tumblers model "B", for the wet wash process.

The above statements also work, however you must decide for yourself.

just a suggestion....

 

[deerassassin22]

Frankfort Arsenal has a nice wet tumbler kit which is what you going to want. I love it my press stays clean along with my hands and less crap to inhale. This is what I have works AWESOME. Brass is 100% Clean looks better then new bagged stuff.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/713881/frankford-arsenal-platinum-series-rotary-case-tumbler

 

[Bisto5]

I have the Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler and love it. It was expensive to start up but gets brass so nice and shiny. I will admit I have never dry tumbled but the advantages of wet tumbling made me take the dive straight to it, as I new i would eventually end up there.

 

[bullseyeguy]

Awesome, thanks for the tips everyone. Did anyone know if the blasting walnut media addy Harbor Freight would be the same as the lizard bedding? The sell a coarse grit (26 grit) and a fine (40 grit). Which would be a better choice if I wanted to use the walnut? Or should I not even use the blasting media stuff? Thanks again everyone.

 

[shooter63]

I clean a lot of brass.I use an Harbor Freight concrete mixer with 20lbs of stainless pins and lemon shine....
Brass comes out looking like new....

 

[kf4zht]

I have a large tupperware that fits over my tumbler to help control the dust and keep the noise down. It makes walnut litter usable, I have heard that dryer sheets work also

Stainless seems to be the best but requires either an outlay or money or work, both for some people.

I hate the green stuff. Seems to clump and get stuck in everything.