dh1633pm
Contributing Member
Yup, everyone saying how they feed their OCD for clean brass. And I do like shiny brass. Nobody really answering the question. Does shiney brass Shoot better. I say nope. Just looks nicer.
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Does shiney brass Shoot better. I say nope. Just looks nicer.
I don't doubt you....just depends on the brass. The small bucket of MG 7.62 LC brass I got once at Widners was grungy stuff that took two one hour tumbles......and as I said I don't wait around for it. Typically I start a batch at 7:30AM set the timer for 1 hour and drive to work. So it gets an hour. If it only needed 30 minutes....oh well.... Do I still dry tumble? Maybe once in several years.Brass I take to the range can certainly wet tumbled clean in less than 30 minutes and completely dry in the toaster oven in 15.... I don't accept that dry tumbling is any faster period... range pickups dug out of the mud are clean in an hour....
This is not calling you out!!!!!!!
Just setting the record straight...
Dry tumbling is not necessarily faster. Dry tumbling is less hassle. Dump it in the tumbler, flip a switch, turn the switch off, and sift. No dealing with chemical disposal after every session, no drying of any sort. Yes, the tumbling media does have to be changed but I can get almost a year out of dry media. Not saying that dry tumbling is better. Certainly wet tumbling does a a more thorough job. Both have their advantages. If time and trouble were not a factor I would certainly go to wet. But the time and trouble is a factor for me.Brass I take to the range can certainly wet tumbled clean in less than 30 minutes and completely dry in the toaster oven in 15.... I don't accept that dry tumbling is any faster period... range pickups dug out of the mud are clean in an hour....
This is not calling you out!!!!!!!
Just setting the record straight...
Dull and dirty can hide problems with fired brass. I clean and inspect before sizing.I like it shiny clean because it's easier to detect any problems with the brass, like a crack in the case if one exists. .....
So it gets an hour. If it only needed 30 minutes....oh well
Dry tumbling is not necessarily faster. Dry tumbling is less hassle.
Three weeks? Might try that just to annoy my neighbor. She has wind chimes hanging next to property line. Clang, clang, clang all night long.Set it, and forget it. Literally. When I was driving OTR, I set some .45-70 cases to tumble... then left the next day for 3 weeks. When I got back... it was shiny! ...but, very likely no more shiny than after an hour or two. It is what it is...
+1
I've already invested in the dry tumble method, and it works well enough. About 1 minute of effort invested in each load...
That seems to sum it up nicely though. I think it’s wrong to discuss it in terms of wet v dry, though that is how every conversation about brass goes eventually.My arguments for are;
Shiney brass is easier to find on the ground.
Shiney brass is easier to inspect or to sort.
Shiney brass gives me a sense of pride in my ammo.
I'm running clean brass through my chamber or dies vs dirty brass
My arguments against are:
Shiney brass does not shoot any better than dirty brass.
There is a little extra work and expense to make brass shine.
Probably some more arguments for each that I'm forgetting!
Set it, and forget it. Literally. When I was driving OTR, I set some .45-70 cases to tumble... then left the next day for 3 weeks. When I got back... it was shiny! ...but, very likely no more shiny than after an hour or two. It is what it is...
You have me beat, I only forgot some for a few days once.then left the next day for 3 weeks. When I got back... it was shiny!
What do y’all think? Other than aesthetics is there any advantage to squeaking brass vs just clean enough brass?
You’re right @dh1633pm I, for one, didn’t answer the question.Yup, everyone saying how they feed their OCD for clean brass. And I do like shiny brass. Nobody really answering the question. Does shiney brass Shoot better. I say nope. Just looks nicer.
We joke about the need for shiny brass and varying methods of getting there but it really made me wonder: is there any real advantage to squeaky clean brass versus just cleaning off the lead and dust deposits?
In my experience, clean metal with a light coating of carbon is good. Adding a grease or wax polish is okay for some applications but not others. But just because something works for me doesn’t mean it’s going to work for anyone else. In fact it probably won’t.
I don’t think it’s a real disorder to want shiny brass. Personality disorders are destructive behaviors and polishing brass is not a destructive behavior. It’s just funny to call it obsessive or a compulsion but I don’t think it is either.
Probably not anyway.
What do y’all think? Other than aesthetics is there any advantage to squeaking brass vs just clean enough brass?
You’re right @dh1633pm I, for one, didn’t answer the question.
Here are my reasons for clean polished brass. I think 2 of these have already been posted by others.
1. Clean brass won’t mar or scratch dies or gun chambers.
2. It’s easier to see cracks or other problems with clean shiny brass.
3. Now this is a supposition on my part: Clean brass isn’t adding to the dirt, grime or carbon in the chamber when shooting a match or an extended plinking session.
I guess maybe the problem here is, as far as some folks are concerned, brass is either squeaky super bright or it’s dirty.By the way, NOBODY is saying they load dirty cases and that is not part of the conversation - or, it shouldn’t be, anyway
Yeah............I guess maybe the problem here is, as far as some folks are concerned, brass is either squeaky super bright or it’s dirty.
I just love clean shiny brass. I don’t consider tarnished brass to be dirty if it’s had some form of cleaning.I guess maybe the problem here is, as far as some folks are concerned, brass is either squeaky super bright or it’s dirty.
" I LIKE CLEAN GUNS AND I LIKE CLEAN BRASS"..............................................................................sounds like a song in the making....................I like clean guns and clean brass
Me too. But I don’t mind a little carbon in the case and if the TiteGroup scorching is still visible as a slightly darker spot of brass than the rest of the case, but there’s no measurable difference, that’s fine too.I just love clean shiny brass. I don’t consider tarnished brass to be dirty if it’s had some form of cleaning.
I like clean guns and clean brass. That’s just the way I am.