Pink Brass "dezincification"?

[Koda]

@Local Loader how do you stack them on end in a basket submerged in solution? Does this mean the sonic waves are coming from the bottom of the bowl?

 

[Koda]

With swabbing this is what I get:

wow, I just swabbed inside one of mine drying and it really cleaned it up nicely. Thanks for this tip...

 

[Local Loader]

its an odd phenomenon to me. From what I read there is little info on pink brass out there but what there is all says to not use it.
Im not experienced enough to know or take chances.

I've seen pink cases that have ruptured, split or cracked after first use. I refuse to use them and if I haven't seen it before I put it with my examples of "Don't Use" if I have than I scrap it. Nice thing about the sonic cleaner I love is it exposes cases that try to hide the lack of zinc.

 

[Local Loader]

@Local Loader how do you stack them on end in a basket submerged in solution? Does this mean the sonic waves are coming from the bottom of the bowl?

I keep extra ammo box inserts that they fit into easily and flip them into the basket than lower it in, though I haven't tried it yet but you could possibly leave them in a holder in the basket. For some machines they do but I belive most are from one side of the unit. I let mine set for about 3-5min to let any of the floating residue sink to the bottom out of the case mouth, otherwise to could settle inside the case possibly. Plus gives me time to rinse and dry the other cases.

 

[Koda]

I've seen pink cases that have ruptured, split or cracked after first use. I refuse to use them and if I haven't seen it before I put it with my examples of "Don't Use" if I have than I scrap it. Nice thing about the sonic cleaner I love is it exposes cases that try to hide the lack of zinc.

I was really bummed to throw out my batch of cases that turned pink, lucky 223 brass is common enough to get more.

BTW the qtip swab trick works in the primer pocket hole too. Apparently inside surfaces dont get enough sonic waves to break them free on their own but they do wipe off pretty good.

 

[Local Loader]

Bonus to the box inserts, they work great as well for holding cases you're loading and they're not as bulky as the loading blocks. 380, 9mm, 223 and 40s&w inserts work great for holding most pistol and rifle cases. 45acp inserts work good too.

 

[Koda]

I keep extra ammo box inserts that they fit into easily and flip them into the basket than lower it in, though I haven't tried it yet but you could possibly leave them in a holder in the basket.

I wonder if the sonic waves work thru a solid plastic barrier.......?

I usually throw those away but should be able to find a few from my factory ammo inventory, I'll give it a try next time.

The inside surfaces all cleaned up nicely with a few qtip swabs. Good tip...

 

[Local Loader]

I was really bummed to throw out my batch of cases that turned pink, lucky 223 brass is common enough to get more.

BTW the qtip swab trick works in the primer pocket hole too. Apparently inside surfaces dont get enough sonic waves to break them free on their own but they do wipe off pretty good.

Yeah they're good for that too. They do get the waves and I've noticed when I do big batches (150-200 223) they don't get as clean as of like. The vibrations will break it free of the case but the liquid tension tends to hold it in place, which is why it can wipe out really easy. It's also why I do smaller batches normally cause the more you do at once the less strength the vibrations have.

 

[Local Loader]

I wonder if the sonic waves work thru a solid plastic barrier.......?

I usually throw those away but should be able to find a few from my factory ammo inventory, I'll give it a try next time.

The inside surfaces all cleaned up nicely with a few qtip swabs. Good tip...

If you use one I'd put them primer side in the holder with mouth side down in the basket.
I'm glad it helped you.

 

[Koda]

Yeah they're good for that too. They do get the waves and I've noticed when I do big batches (150-200 223) they don't get as clean as of like. The vibrations will break it free of the case but the liquid tension tends to hold it in place, which is why it can wipe out really easy. It's also why I do smaller batches normally cause the more you do at once the less strength the vibrations have.

This is all good to know. Right now im loading small batches so I dont need much.
I found a pistol insert that will work, and if I need to will drill out the bottom of each square.
maybe upside down the carbin debris will fall out and I wont have to swab them....

 

[Local Loader]

This is all good to know. Right now im loading small batches so I dont need much.
I found a pistol insert that will work, and if I need to will drill out the bottom of each square.
maybe upside down the carbin debris will fall out and I wont have to swab them....

View attachment 1184117

Looks good to give it a try and see how it does. Though I'd flip the holder so the primer pocket is in the holder with the case mouth facing down. I am curious as to how it turns out though.

 

[Koda]

Though I'd flip the holder so the primer pocket is in the holder with the case mouth facing down

got it, now that makes more sense.

 

[DizzyJ]

Sonic cleaners.

You're doing it all wrong.

 

[DizzyJ]

Part Deux.

 

[Koda]

Sonic cleaners.

You're doing it all wrong.

and to think I was all excited my RCBS came with a drain valve and hose, the plastic jar and ziploc bags is still a really good idea.

 

[DizzyJ]

and to think I was all excited my RCBS came with a drain valve and hose, the plastic jar and ziploc bags is still a really good idea.

Check out the 2nd video. Sounds like glass jars do even better.

 

[Koda]

Check out the 2nd video. Sounds like glass jars do even better.

I did, but Im going to stick with plastic for safety. But this tells me that plastic holders do slightly interfere with the sonic waves.
Its good to know I can just toss my solution jar in the cleaner but the RCBS drain tube makes rinsing the bowl so easy I probably dont need to use a container.

 

[Local Loader]

I just clean mine out with a baby wipe or clorox wipe, gets any leftover residue out just fine.

 

[Koda]

For small batch I'd go with a sonic cleaner, they're easy and simple to use.

So to follow up with this the new sonic cleaner has been great. I owe Local Loader a thank you for sending me in the right direction, along with easy and simple to use its quiet and fast. It took me a few tries to get decent results... the instructions on both the device and the solution are pretty vague, your kinda on your own.... I was cautious about "dezincification" (overdoing it) so at first I started at 10 minutes and it was just ok cleaning but dissapointed but currently at 30 minutes seems to get good clean results with a 40:1 ratio of RCBS solution. The other thing that really really helped was annealing before sonic cleaning... the cleaner removes the tarnish but the flame tarnishes the cleaning residue making things worse I found.
I -think- I have the right photo here but the ones on the left are annealed after cleaning the ones on the right are annealed before cleaning, better but not perfect. I still think I need to fine tune my sonic cleaning "recipe"...