9 mm case cleaning

Lager

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
2,096
Location
Corn Field, Eastern NC
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
I had a pistol match last month and came home with about 300-400 rounds of mud coated brass for me to reload.. Looking at this mess, decided to water and soap clean them first. So, I threw all the brass in a bucket hosed it down to get rid of the mud and grass. Then let them soak in the water with some dawn dishwashing soap and every once in a while for the next 3 days, I swirled the mixture with my hands. I then rinsed the brass off and dried them. I was pretty surprised to find the brass all clean and shiney and thought they looked better then I ever saw coming out of my case cleaner filled with walnut shells. But I threw them in there any ways because Im old and this is what I have been doing for the past almost 40 years.. Took them out of the case cleaner and they look dull and almost dirty and this is with almost new media ? I think Im done with the dry media and will just use my bucket with dish soap from now on unless some out there can convince me otherwise..
 
Last edited:
Buy a harbor freight rock tumbler. Some stainless steel pins, dawn and lemishine and you will have gorgeous brass.

I run mine 1.5 hrs in the tumbler. Then 1.5 hrs on a food dehydrator to dry them. Probably could do 1hr each just haven't tried lowering it.
 
I had a pistol match last month and came home with about 300-400 rounds of mud coated brass for me to reload.. Looking at this mess, decided to water and soap clean them first. So, I threw all the brass in a bucket hosed it down to get rid of the mud and grass. Then let them soak in the water with some dawn dishwashing soap and every once in a while for the next 3 days, I swirled the mixture with my hands. I then rinsed the brass off and dried them. I was pretty surprised to find the brass all clean and shiney and thought they looked better then I ever saw coming out of my case cleaner filled with walnut shells. But I threw them in there any ways because Im old and this is what I have been doing for the past almost 40 years.. Took them out of the case cleaner and they look dull and almost dirty and this is with almost new media ? I think Im done with the dry media and will just use my bucket with dish soap from now on unless some out there can convince me otherwise..
Do you have any wax mixed in with the walnut media? This helps shine them up

i typically mix 2-3 bottles of wax mixed in a case of Harbor Freight media
 
I use about half a cap full of Nu-Finish car polish in my dry media and comes out great. The liquid one.
On the nu-finish car polish. I put two or three swirls around the bowl for each load of brass. Run it for a few minutes before tossing in the brass. After a while you will have a great polishing media. I never change out the walnut. I just add some new every once in a while.

Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
 
I use it until my brass starts to look not so shiny. I have done about 5 loads so far and only run it about an hour each time. It comes out shiny still
 
I've never used pins. I'm sure they'd make the insides nicer... I just can't bring myself to care that much about the insides.

I used to dread going from tumbler to dehydrator since I'd have to take care of all those pins. I even had all the fancy tools to help (big magnet and spinning thing and it still took at least half an hour). Now it's simply dump the old water out, wash the brass with water, straight to the dehumidifier (5 mins max), boom, can't beat it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Me.
Once I wet tumbled in my FART for the first time, it took a long time for me to even look at my dry tumbler.
Next revelation was with a batch of muddy brass, no pins and it came out looking really good. I only use pins sporadically now, but find that car wash soap does better than dawn
I also learned to NOT over do it with the lemishine unless you want weakened pink brass.

Wet tumbling FTW.
 
Last edited:
This is what works for me:
50/50 mix of walnut shells and corn cob media.
Cap full of Nu-Finish, every other load. Run for 30 minutes to prevent clods of media.
Load 3 pounds of brass.
Run for 2 hours. If it's not clean and shiny, it's never going to be.

Too old and set in my ways to get into wet tumbling. :(
Larry
 
Last edited:
When I dry tumbled, I used Nufinish wax, and a cap full of mineral spirits. Seemed to cut the dirt a little quicker.
 
I use an old rock tumbler in which I had to replaced the motor. I always deprime before tumble. I know, it's another step, but I love to make sparkly clean shiny brass... I use ArmorAll Wash & Wax, and a good pinch of powdered Lemi-Shine. Just enough water to cover the brass and steel pins. The secret is to use as HOT water as your faucet can muster. I tumble for about 1 hr to 90 minutes. I leave everything in the tumbling barrel, and just flush it with clean water until all the runoff runs clean. I pick each shell out, making sure there's no steel pins in each one, and put them in a plastic tray. (Those plastic trays that microwavable lazagina comes in make GREAT sorting trays,) When all the brass is out of the tumbling barrel, I take them downstairs and shoot a blast of compressed air through the bottom of each primer pocket, and usually, a puff of water vapor blows out the case mouth. Let them air dry overnight, and they're ready to load. It's not all that much "extra" work, it's "therapy." The brass sparkles, and to me, it's worth the time and effort. I love making shiny brass almost as much as I enjoy "deloading" them at the range.
 
I had a pistol match last month and came home with about 300-400 rounds of mud coated brass for me to reload.. Looking at this mess, decided to water and soap clean them first. So, I threw all the brass in a bucket hosed it down to get rid of the mud and grass. Then let them soak in the water with some dawn dishwashing soap and every once in a while for the next 3 days, I swirled the mixture with my hands. I then rinsed the brass off and dried them. I was pretty surprised to find the brass all clean and shiney and thought they looked better then I ever saw coming out of my case cleaner filled with walnut shells. But I threw them in there any ways because Im old and this is what I have been doing for the past almost 40 years.. Took them out of the case cleaner and they look dull and almost dirty and this is with almost new media ? I think Im done with the dry media and will just use my bucket with dish soap from now on unless some out there can convince me otherwise..


I just posted this in the "What did you do in the reloading room today" thread but I figured it might be applicable here too. Sorry for being repetitive.

I did a little experiment cleaning my 9mm/223 brass. I just got in to reloading and I have everything except an "official" cleaning apparatus. Dry/wet tumbler, etc. So I tried a method I found online. Hot water, touch of dawn and a teaspoon of lemishine dish washing detergent in an old instant coffe jar. Similar to what you used with the addition of the lemishine. The results were better then I expected. Brass came out shiny and very clean inside and out. Removed most of the carbon residue. Then I tried another method. I rebuilt some motorcycle carbs a few years ago and I had a bucket of Berryman chem dip carb cleaner so I figured why not? The chem dip is used for the same purpose we clean the brass. To get the carbon off the brass. Carb jets are brass so I knew it wouldn't hurt anything. Again, very good results. Shiny brass with most if not all of the carbon removed inside. Both methods took about an hour including the time spent drying the brass in the oven after thoroughly rinsing. The lemishine is basically citric acid so couldn't leave it too long. 15-20 mins max with a good shaking here and there. Didn't even have to touch the brass in the chem dip. Drop it in the bucket and let em soak. 30 mins later done. Can't leave the brass in either solution too long or it will ruin the finish. Purely cosmetic but the results were great in the allotted time so no use leaving them in any longer. All the stuff I used was free because I had it in the house. And if I had to buy the chem dip it's only about $20 at the local auto parts store. The lemishine can be found at wally world and other grocery stores for about $8. I can use it over and over again indefinitely. Both methods require no media to buy. No messy primer pockets to clean because the corn cob or walnut shells got stuck. Honestly, I'm not even going to buy a tumbler. I don't see the need at this point.
 
Last edited:
Can you use cat litter made from walnut pieces to tumble brass?
Is it much different than Lizard/Reptile litter that’s also made from walnut? I’m going to guess it’s the same stuff, maybe kitty litter has a fragrance added to it.

Pretty sure what you’re after is the abrasive properties, so unless one is a much larger grind, you should be good.
 
Is it much different than Lizard/Reptile litter that’s also made from walnut? I’m going to guess it’s the same stuff, maybe kitty litter has a fragrance added to it.

Pretty sure what you’re after is the abrasive properties, so unless one is a much larger grind, you should be good.

I use this and NuFinish like a lot of others have mentioned. I might have to try adding mineral spirits or pain thinner. It makes sense that it speed things up.

GroundEnglishWalnutShells._V375952611_.jpg
 
Is it much different than Lizard/Reptile litter that’s also made from walnut? I’m going to guess it’s the same stuff, maybe kitty litter has a fragrance added to it.

Pretty sure what you’re after is the abrasive properties, so unless one is a much larger grind, you should be good.
I bought a 14# bag for $17. Hopefully it will work
 
I had a pistol match last month and came home with about 300-400 rounds of mud coated brass for me to reload.. Looking at this mess, decided to water and soap clean them first. So, I threw all the brass in a bucket hosed it down to get rid of the mud and grass. Then let them soak in the water with some dawn dishwashing soap and every once in a while for the next 3 days, I swirled the mixture with my hands. I then rinsed the brass off and dried them. I was pretty surprised to find the brass all clean and shiney and thought they looked better then I ever saw coming out of my case cleaner filled with walnut shells. But I threw them in there any ways because Im old and this is what I have been doing for the past almost 40 years.. Took them out of the case cleaner and they look dull and almost dirty and this is with almost new media ? I think Im done with the dry media and will just use my bucket with dish soap from now on unless some out there can convince me otherwise..
I use Frankford Arsenal Corn Cob media with about a tablespoon of Mothers liquid Chrome Polish. Takes about 30 minutes with the tumbler empty for the polish to mix in. It will start out as big clumps but eventually will mix in. It shines up my brass like brand new in about an hour. Every time I put in a new batch of hulls I put in another dose of polish. I did about 3k 9mm cases last week before having to change the corn cob. I found that Walnut does a little better on really dirty brass but won't get it real shiny. I relate the Walnut as course sandpaper and Corn Cob as the fine finish
 
Back
Top Bottom