Case cleaning this vs that

[Smittiac]

So I decap then clean using dawn+lemishine in a large ultrasonic. The brass doesn't look "brand new" but it is still nice and shiny and I always have an anneal mark anyways. I imagine you get more of a "brand new" look from wet tumbling with media because a layer of old oxidized brass is removed via friction. If that is the case, wouldn't ultrasonic be better for brass life considering it doesn't remove the outer layer every time?

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

A layer of oxidized brass is removed from wet tumbling?

 

[Smittiac]

I said I imagine, honestly have not a clue but it seems logical to me.

 

[JimTN]

I do the wet tumble method and discovered that I was not using enough Lemishine in my mix. A little bit more than I "think" I need brings the shine out in my brass now. It looks better, but does it make more accurate ammo, always open for debate. LOL

 

[Steel head]

I almost never clean my rifle brass unless it gets muddy.
I definitely don’t have a brass life issue.
I do tumble my 9mm brass because it’s shot in a blowback and is all gunked up.

 

[cruze5]

I almost never clean my rifle brass unless it gets muddy.
I definitely don’t have a brass life issue.
I do tumble my 9mm brass because it’s shot in a blowback and is all gunned up.

do you shoot surpressed?
I can't imagine the inside of your reloading dies if you do

I tumble my brass for 45 minutes to an hour and wipe the necks down each time I reload

 

[Steel head]

do you shoot surpressed?
I can't imagine the inside of your reloading dies if you do

I tumble my brass for 45 minutes to an hour and wipe the necks down each time I reload

Nope but that could certainly be a situation like my 9mm

 

[rady]

I will have to admit that I was reluctant to use s.s media and tumble, but it has been a real epiphany for me. Get rid of the corn cob/ walnut and the greasy kid stuff that you add to it. S.S. is king for me.....No more cleaning media out of primer holes!!
I don't think that you have to worry about the micro amount of brass that might possibly be removed with s.s. tumbling. You probably remove more due to frictional forces from shooting.
One concern I do have is the citric acid from the lemishine and how that may act an etch-ant over a long period of storage time. My guess is that it is a non issue, but that is just a guess. Maybe a more knowledgeable person can answer this question.

 

[JimTN]

If you rinse the brass well, etching should not be an issue. Lots of comments about rinsing in hot water, but I've always just used a garden hose for my rinsing. I do change the water out several times and use the FA wet/dry media separator to help shake the ss pins out. Never found a pin in a case yet, or in the bore.

 

[Smittiac]

Pretty sure I read somewhere that the brass turning pink in spots or however it happens to yours(I use lemishine and dawn as well) is of no concern. I would worry more about things like over annealing or something.

 

[Smittiac]

30 minutes in the ultrasonic. Plenty clean for me. These are just out the wash like 20 minutes ago.

 

[Rocketmandb]

Pretty sure I read somewhere that the brass turning pink in spots or however it happens to yours(I use lemishine and dawn as well) is of no concern. I would worry more about things like over annealing or something.

That will happen if you leave brass in an acidic solution too long. It's not etching, it's the leaching of zinc out of the surface layer, leaving just copper. Again, it's just the surface. Not an issue.

 

[Rocketmandb]

30 minutes in the ultrasonic. Plenty clean for me. These are just out the wash like 20 minutes ago.

Your brass is shinier than my brass out of the ultrasonic. Mine gets a bit of a tarnish on it before it dries, which I think must be because of something in my water. But then unless I'm taking someone shooting for the first time, and thus want my ammo looking good, I don't care how shiny the brass is, only that it shoots well.

 

[lewmed]

Your brass is shinier than my brass out of the ultrasonic. Mine gets a bit of a tarnish on it before it dries, which I think must be because of something in my water. But then unless I'm taking someone shooting for the first time, and thus want my ammo looking good, I don't care how shiny the brass is, only that it shoots well.

What I like the most about my wet tumbler is the volume I fill the drum 3/4's full of brass about 1500 9mm's then hot water, dish soap and lemishine total weight close to 30 pounds. When I rinse I add a bit of car wax then dry in a large dehydrator for 45 min. You will find wet tumbled cases are so clean you may need to lube with one shot before sizing. I have enough brass I can wait several days or weeks before loading my dried brass a wet primer pocket can cause a hangfire or squib if you don't deprime first.

 

[f>b25]

Powdered citric acid, the same stuff you guys use to clean you copper stills, works well with dawn in a wet tumbler.

 

[Smittiac]

I've been tempted to dry my brass in the dryer using a couple towels and a garment bag, don't think my little lady would be to happy about the delicates bag lol only reason I have yet to.