What is everyone using in there Brass Polisher ?

358 WCF":23ih3sv8 said:

I sold my corncob machine decades ago. Noisy, messy, & slow. I load small batches (under 50, usually around 20-25 at a time) & am still using pieces of a Krazy Kloth (the dirtier it gets the better it works) from 30 years ago to clean carbon from outside case necks & an old bore brush for the inside before resizing. It wipes off & polishes up nicely with a paper towel or an old t-shirt. Then a Hart primer uniformer or a Dewey crocagator cleans primer pockets. What else needs is there?

There's a pile of range pickup 45ACP & 9mm for practice rounds in a box, but with carbide dies cant see spending the $$ for a tumbler of any type.

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1Shot":eatyylaj said:

This is my cleaning method. I have two 5 gal. buckets with lids that I store two batches of Lyman treated corn cob media in. One batch is old dirty media. When I have dirty cases like range pick up etc. I put this batch in the vibe tumbler and run them for a couple or so hours just to get the dirt off and clean them up a bit. I have a big plastic sifting pan made to sit on top while fitting down in a 5 gal bucket so you can pour your brass and media into it and sift out the media. This leaves this batch of media in that bucket which I place the lid on to keep out moisture etc.
If cases are not really dirty I skip this and go right to the next step.

I lube and size all my cases. I then pour into the tumbler out of the other bucket a batch of Lyman treated media that I have added some Nu-Finish car polish, big orange bottle, that you can get at auto parts or big box stores in auto section. As a side note, add a couple table spoons or so Nu-Finish to media while the vibe tumbler is running with the Lyman media in it and let it run for a little while to mix it well and not have it clump up. This also keeps any dust down. I add my sized cases and let them tumble for at least 3 hours and they come out looking like new on the outside. I then dump everything into the sifter sitting on the empty bucket and shake to let all the media drop into the bucket. I then inspect each case to see if there is any media in the primer pocket or flash hole and if their is I clean It out using a old Lee hammer type primer pinch that I got years ago to remove crimped in primers out of military ammo. You can use a small eye glasses screw driver also. I then use a RCBS primer pocket brush to clean each primer pocket and if doing small batches of cases I check each case's length to see if it needs trimming. If it is large batches I just put them in a coffee can or container with a lid to protect them from oxidation if it is a good while until I will load them. I will check length and trim these cases at the time of loading.

One thing this cleaning method does is that it removes any real fouling from the inside of the case but it does not leave the inside looking like new. I guess there is still what you could call a small amount of fouling left. I have heard many on other loading forum's about getting the inside of cases too clean with the liquid still pin cleaners. They say that it gives them neck tension inconsistency problems and thus worse accuracy. I don't know because I don't use this cleaning method. Only time I wash any cases is if they have been fired using black powder. I shoot 45-70 black powder loads in my Sharps copy rifle and you have to wash the residue out of the cases within a few hours or it will start working on the brass. I have a universal de-capping die in a Lee hand press that I take to the range and after shooting a few times I de-prime my cases and drop them in a plastic jug filled with water and dish soap and give it a shake for a little bit to start the cleaning process before I get home. When home I have a nylon bristle bore brush that will fit inside of the cases and use it with hot soapy water to clean each case. I then use a hair blow dryer to dry each case then size and vibe clean.

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