How clean is clean enough?

[Bitswap]

The only reason to tumble your brass it so keep them from scratching your dies.

My brass rarely 'sparkles'. I use a rock-tumbler and tumble for four hours minumum after firing in walnut or corn cob depending on what I have around. After sizing, I give them another hour to get the lube off. They come out pretty shiny after the process.

During the first round, I keep the primers in. It's a pita to get the media out of the pockets if deprimed. I clean the pockets anyway with a reamer.

For small sessions, less than 100 rounds, I wipe the brass off with Goo-Gone and be done with it. Takes much less than 4 hours. That solvent is oil based and evaporates quickly and doesn't mess up my lube. For the inside necks, a quick swab with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol does the trick.

Yea, my brass doesn't sparkle, but I don't care. If sparkling brass tightened my groups, I would.

 

[inserthumorhere]

Ammonia & Brass

Just a thought here, but it looks to me as if some of the polishes suggested in this thread aren't ammonia free. I won't claim to be an chemist but I've read that it has an adverse affect on brass. When tumbling, I add Flitz Tumbler/Media Additive. It is ammonia free. I'm sure that many have used polishes with ammonia and haven't had any problems but I don't see any reason to risk it. Plus, Flitz is just a great polish.

 

[moooose102]

i buy only media made for brass cleaning, not for animals to go to the bathroom on. there is a reason it is made the way it is. also, you do have to put polish in with the media. it makes it work much better. if your cases are stained from sitting for an extended period of time (which it sounds like is part of your problem) use the THR brass cleaning soloution; 16 oz water, 8 oz. white vinegar, 1 TBLSP salt, 1 tsp dish detergent. drop your brass into this, agitate for 10 minutes, rinse repeatedly in cold water, let air dry. then polish your brass in good, treated media. they will come out looking almost like new. if you have any cracks or corrosion problems, then you will be able to see them (this coming from a guy who cant see worth a darn). i dont know who thought of this soloution, but is really works. the best buck you will ever spend on cleaning your brass. it will leave your brass a dull "etched" clean yellow brass color, at least for the most part. then, when you polish it, it will come out nice and shiney, and shiney is good!