Brass cleaning

[kmk1012]

Wet tumbler here with a QT66 rock tumbler (dual drums). Also added a cheap food dehydrator from WM for quicker drying. Not looking back ever. Only use my dry tumbler to remove lube off of loaded rounds.

 

[po18guy]

Whichever approach you take, don't spend more than you need to on consumable supplies.

25 pounds of crushed walnut shell, fine or coarse, from Harbor Freight, for $24.99. Shipping is $6.99 even if you order 50 pounds.

 

[Pepe-lepew]

I am a shooter, not a reloader and I shoot a lot. My reloading batches are 500-1000+ in rifle almost every month. Reloading became a chore so now I only clean my brass and don't waste time or money on making shiny. I would skip cleaning too if it did't help with sizing and firearm reliability.

Everything I do and buy is to save reloading time. I tumble in the biggest Dillon tumbler with bulk walnut media. I have thought about using a small concrete mixer instead to run less, bigger batches. I have avoided wet tumbling because the extra rinsing and drying steps and dealing with stainless pins. I already rinse and dry in my process to save time elsewhere so I know what it takes. Walnut media cleans decent, it is low labor and is forgiving in the reloading process.

 

[howardm4]

Interesting that the walnut is a few dollars cheaper in the Northwest. Here in the east, it's $28.

 

[Mikej]

Interesting that the walnut is a few dollars cheaper in the Northwest. Here in the east, it's $28.

Taxes on businesses?

 

[Mikej]

Here you go...

Aaand, if you REALLY want to get serious....

 

[howardm4]

Taxes on businesses?

Wouldn't doubt it. This is Tax-achusetts after all

 

[PiratePast40]

I also started out with a Harbor Freight dual drum rock tumbler and eventually went with the Frankford tumbler. It really depends on the volume of brass you'll be shooting/cleaning.

 

[partsed]

Got into reloading "full throttle" with buying a Frankford Arsenal tumbler, a media separator and a Lyman brass drier and haven't regretted it yet.

 

[L-Bo360]

If going the dry route check your local feed stores for walnut or corn cob media. You can typically find it at a fraction of the price of sporting goods stores and you support local business. I toss in a couple of ripped up dryer sheets into the tumbler to manage dust. That and a cap full of brass polish and you are in business.

I have found that walnut works best for cleaning brass, and corn cob works best for making them nice and shiny.

 

[BigGame]

I'm in the none-of-the-above category. I used a wet tumbler and steel media for several years. I ultimately decided I was getting no value from cleaning beyond what I could do with a rag by hand and save myself the trouble.

I do only relatively small batches of rifle loading (50-100 at a time), so I recognize that hand cleaning may not be practical for large volume work.

Reloading became a chore so now I only clean my brass and don't waste time or money on making shiny. I would skip cleaning too if it did't help with sizing and firearm reliability.

I am not certain of the sizing and reliability benefits perceived from cleaning. I don't think I'm missing any by hand cleaning and I consider leaving some carbon in the necks to be an advantage.

Just another option, depending on your loading volume/needs.

 

[po18guy]

Got into reloading "full throttle" with buying a Frankford Arsenal tumbler, a media separator and a Lyman brass drier and haven't regretted it yet.

Think of it as giving your brass a makeover. Easier to sell that idea to spousal units.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Wet tumbling black powder cartridge brass works wonders in my opinion.