cleaning inside brass cases

[unclejhim]

Does anyone know of a way to clean the inside of brass cases. I purchased some once fired .38spl. brass (&nickel) and it's pretty funky looking on the inside. Trying to find a way to clean it up a little.

 

[kengel2]

Put it in a tumbler with some media.

 

[Ritten]

Put it in a tumbler with some media.

+1. A couple of hours in a stainless steel tumbling set up will make it like new again.

 

[Redd508]

I soak mine in hot water, lemon shine and dish soap. Let them soak for about an hour and aggitate a couple of times by dumping back and forth from bucket to bucket. Rinse with clean water and let them dry. They wont come out polished but i've cleaned filthy range brass this way.

 

[Ivan]

I built a wet stainless rotary tumble system and love it. Cases come out like new inside and out.

 

[mickey]

Harvey hand deprimer to knock the primers out and 4 hours in a Thumblers tumbler with stainless media. Even the primer pockets are clean.

 

[unclejhim]

Ivan, Can you share how you built the wet tumbler with us?

Mickey, that's some good looking brass. I can't justify a stainless tumbler just yet....

 

[Ivan]

Sure,I can do that for y'all. I will figure out how to get pics uploaded.

 

[Ivan]

Ok, having difficulties uploading files tonight, not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'll figure it out hopefully and get a list together. Most of the material I used is recycled stuff. I went on a cheap budget and it works. The frame is made from wood, I used a old pool pump motor that I had laying around. The whole set up cost me about 100 bucks. So when I can figure the picture thing out ill upload them with the list of materials.

 

[Ivan]

Some old 2x4's, scrap piece of osb, I got the motor from an old pool pump. just disassembled and modified to accept a small pulley. the pulleys came from grainger, the belt came from the belt store here in Lafayette. I picked up the 1/2" shafts come from home depot, the bearing blocks came from a bearing supply store, and the secondary pullys that connect the two shafts together with the ribbed belt come from a few old scrap push mowers. picked up a piece of scrap metal for the brackets and made a roller stop or guide for the drum. the drum is composed of 6" sewer pvc 15 bucks at home depot for a 3 ft section. the end cap and 6 to 4" reducer is from lowes and for the drum seal its just a pressure check valve, easy on easy off and seals perfectly. inside the drum I took a piece of 2.5" pvc and cut it in to 1/3's and used epoxy to glue in place. it took a few days to round up the stuff but about a day to put it together. works great, it spins at 46 rpm. which is perfect. my drum hold 1.5gal of water empty. after brass and media about a gallon of water. add lemi shine and dish soap. comes out looking new!!!

 

[Ivan]

crude and rude looking but it freaking works good.

 

[unclejhim]

Thanks. That's cool ( ugly & crude) but cool. Good looking brass also.

 

[Ivan]

No problem. I didn't feel the need to spend 2-300 on one and if I get more media I can put up to about 9-10 lbs of brass in it. Compared to the 2-4 lbs for readily available machines.