Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish does NOT contain ammonia!

[Ironbar]

Just got this e-mail from them:

"Dear Jeff,

None of our products contain ammonia -- future labels will also indicate that, to help you guys who use our metal polishes on brass.

Thank you for using Mothers!

Sincerely,
"Jimmy D."

--
Jim Dvorak
Public Relations & Technical Support
Mothers® Polishes•Waxes•Cleaners
5456 Industrial Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
Tel: 714-891-3364 x241 -or- 800-221-8257 x241
Fax: 714-893-1827
www.mothers.com"

So, use with your tumbling media with confidence!

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[XSubSailor]

Brasso is about the only commonly used polish that contains ammonia in any harmful quantity...and you can tell by the smell. I use a capful of NuFinish in my tumbler every once in a while and "reactivate" it occasionally with a capful of mineral spirits. Jeweler's rouge is another additive that adds nothing but a microfine abrasive to your tumbling media. I'm not as anal about getting a mirror shine on my brass as I once was...it will tarnish a little anyway if if don't use it right away. Nickel plated cases are nice for stockpiled ammo though.

 

[Mark W.]

I prefer rouge. The Treated Walnut shell Lyman sells come with it.

 

[deadshot2]

Brasso is about the only commonly used polish that contains ammonia in any harmful quantity...and you can tell by the smell. I use a capful of NuFinish in my tumbler every once in a while and "reactivate" it occasionally with a capful of mineral spirits. Jeweler's rouge is another additive that adds nothing but a microfine abrasive to your tumbling media. I'm not as anal about getting a mirror shine on my brass as I once was...it will tarnish a little anyway if if don't use it right away. Nickel plated cases are nice for stockpiled ammo though.

I use Stainless Steel Pins for the most part so "polish" not really a big deal in my "shop". When I do drag out the vibrator and fill it with corncob, I just use Nu-Finish. I save this for my finished rounds that I expect to have around for a while. The Nu-Finish adds just enough "wax" to keep the brass from tarnishing.

Just a note for any out there that load for their SHTF "stash", tarnish on brass is a good thing as long as it's just the antique bronze color, not "fuzzy green". There's nothing worse in a tactical situation than having shiny brass lying around or flying through the air. Might as well put up a neon sign with an arrow pointing at you.

 

[Ironbar]

There's nothing worse in a tactical situation than having shiny brass lying around or flying through the air. Might as well put up a neon sign with an arrow pointing at you.

Can you reference even once instance where this has ever occurred in the history of modern firearms, or is this something they teach at TFHU?

 

[DieselScout]

Brasso is about the only commonly used polish that contains ammonia in any harmful quantity...and you can tell by the smell. I use a capful of NuFinish in my tumbler every once in a while and "reactivate" it occasionally with a capful of mineral spirits. Jeweler's rouge is another additive that adds nothing but a microfine abrasive to your tumbling media. I'm not as anal about getting a mirror shine on my brass as I once was...it will tarnish a little anyway if if don't use it right away. Nickel plated cases are nice for stockpiled ammo though.

Huh...I had no idea, but after reading this yes the Brasso does smell like ammonia. I've never used any polishing compound in my tumbler, but had though about using Brasso. Thanks for the heads up. I usually pay more attention, but this got by me.

 

[deadshot2]

Can you reference even once instance where this has ever occurred in the history of modern firearms, or is this something they teach at TFHU?

Have you ever served in the Military? Had to paint up your face and rub dirt on all your new gear? Gone to great lengths to make sure your scope doesn't send reflections that say "look here"?

When you go places where you don't want to be seen, and there's lots lots of sunlight, shiny anything is bad.

 

[XSubSailor]

Have you ever served in the Military? Had to paint up your face and rub dirt on all your new gear? Gone to great lengths to make sure your scope doesn't send reflections that say "look here"?

When you go places where you don't want to be seen, and there's lots lots of sunlight, shiny anything is bad.

I would think that muzzle flash would make this a completely moot issue....

 

[Ironbar]

Have you ever served in the Military? Had to paint up your face and rub dirt on all your new gear? Gone to great lengths to make sure your scope doesn't send reflections that say "look here"?

When you go places where you don't want to be seen, and there's lots lots of sunlight, shiny anything is bad.

Apparently you cannot reference even once instance where this has ever occurred in the history of modern firearms. Got it.

 

[Mark W.]

I'm not in the army I like shinny clean brass makes it so much easier to find to pickup and use again. Compared to tarnished near camo brass that I end up crawling around on my hands and knees to find.

 

[deadshot2]

I would think that muzzle flash would make this a completely moot issue....

First, remember I said in a "tactical situation". I rarely saw, if ever, any issued ammo that had any shine to it. We were instructed to remove ANY shine from just about everything we were issued and took to the field. Tape it up, scuff it up, or cammo it with good old fashioned Olive Drab FLAT paint.

The idea was to keep from being noticed BEFORE the SHTF. Once the first round went off it didn't matter but the idea was for YOU to be the one that fired the first shots.

Today, suppressors do a wonderful job of masking muzzle flashes and unlike the so called "smokeless" powders us reloaders use, the Military has some pretty good stuff that doesn't leave much of a trace.

If you like shiney brass, great. So do I, for the Range. For any time I want to remain as invisible as possible to the "other guy" dirty brass is just fine for me.

Ironbar, no, I can't cite a singe incident where it was documented. Does that mean you just ignore it? If reflections are no big deal both on the battlefield or even hunting, why do people even bother with ARD's for their scopes as well?

 

[Ironbar]

Keep talking dude. You're sounding more and more like a mall ninja with every sentence.

 

[deadshot2]

Gee Ironbar, I wonder if you ever served at all. I have this nice DD-214 that the Army gave me when I left their service back during Vietnam. Where did YOU serve?

Just so you can make yourself smarter than you sound, try reading this:

(4) Avoid shiny reflections. Reflection of light on a shiny surface
instantly attracts attention and can be seen from great distances.
The sniper uncovers his rifle scope only when indexing and aiming at
a target. He uses optics cautiously in bright sunshine because of the
reflections they cause.

It comes from FM23-10 which was issued in 1994. It formalized most of what those who served when I did learned, many the hard way.

Again, I was clear to say two things in my post. First regarded "Tactical Situations" and second, if you want shiny brass, go for it.

You all have a nice day. Hope that gas pain passes soon.

 

[deadshot2]

What am I missing?
Why the aversion to ammonia?

Ammonia causes brass to become brittle leading to case failure. Some use polishes like Brasso (w/ammonia) and claim no issues. Others will avoid it, and any other polish with ammonia compounds like the plague.

I find it best to avoid known problem causes than to just ignore and hope no consequences occur.

 

[BAMCIS]

Can you reference even once instance where this has ever occurred in the history of modern firearms, or is this something they teach at TFHU?

Somehow I think the subject of shiney brass would not make it into any after action report. Even if that is what initially caused the action in question.

But yes, as deadshot says this is something which any professional military strives for very hard. At least they did when I was in the USMC and as a contractor in AFG. Besides, it seems to me just common sense. So why are you trying to pick a fight on your own thread Ironbar?

But back to the original subject now. It is nice to know there is no ammonia in Mother's Mag.

 

[Ironbar]

But back to the original subject now. It is nice to know there is no ammonia in Mother's Mag.

You're welcome.