Storing brass

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I keep mine in plastic coffee cans too. I'll re-tumble them if they start to loose some shine if im selling some that i build up a lot of extras with. More of use brass chickens in my area lately. So it's been slow building up stock.
 
Load, clean, shoot! Repeat often.

What is this tarnish thing you speak of? (of which you speak?) Must be a humidity thing?
 
I'm more concerned or put my attention in where fired rifle brass has been and brand/characteristics/chamber/group/load & # firings then keeping it shiny.
It can be messy for a few limited calibers but once I find it; the plastic Folders can is labeled interior and exterior and references a paper log book. No computer after a few decades, different topic. Super specific loadings keep the same labeled cheap bulk Berry-like boxes they were born in. Finding a box and reading/referencing what you did is a bit golden as a archive. Resize routine, neck tensions vs rifle/bullet with tumble media solutions isn't a constant and I wash in a weak base solution that argues with brass. With pistol brass I do not care but I also do not push the reloading volume vs the other posters. More of a target rifle perspective that I think works.
 
I remove primers and tumble with SS pins, dawn, and cirtic acid. Dry well and run them through the corn cob and NuFinish for 15-20 minutes. Sort and put in ZipLoc freezer bags and remove as much air as possible. Then put in 5 gallon cans and seal. Some have been in there for 12-15 years and seem to look like I just put them in there. Brass that I am going to shoot next week or month I stop at drying them and load.
 
I clean up the deprimmed brass using the FART w/ss pins using Citric acid and W&W Armor All. Then it goes into 3 gal over pack buckets w/lids for storage. The 5 gal buckets get too heavy for me to move around is the reason I prefer the 3 gal size. As long as you don't handle the brass with your bare hands it will keep for years. Most of what I have still looks like new. The ones I cleaned in 2013 still have a shine but not quite as bright as it once was. Which is expected after almost 10 yrs. Currently I'm up to 9 3gal buckets, with most all of it being handgun brass, 9mm, 40cal, 45acp, 45 colt, 38spl, 380. Most all of my rifle brass is in smaller 50/30 cal ammo cans.
 
If you have a Seal a Meal machine, vacuum seal the brass in packages, same for loaded ammo, it stays fresh, waterproof and bright for years. If you cut a V notch in each side, do not cut the seal, it will tear clean to open, with no tools.
My loaded put back, ammo packs, are 10 years old and bright as the day I reloaded it.
 
Armorer 101 said:
f you have a Seal a Meal machine, vacuum seal the brass in packages, same for loaded ammo, it stays fresh, waterproof and bright for years.
Click to expand...

I had started this thread a few months back. Decided to get busy and clean the brass (probably have 10,000+ empties). First batch went a long time with mediocre results. Changed to new walnut media and added NuFinish

6CA1B52D-2D25-4FF9-B039-BBCAA2420FBF.jpeg .
 

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image.jpg I just use the harbor freight ammo cans and built a shelf to hold them in the living room. Have 30+ cans full and labeled as to caliber, brass or nickel, and stage it is in. Numbered all the cans and now keep a log as to what’s in each can and qty. and the stage it is in. I just check off each step as I go on the label.
 
I guess it depends on how much you have? I buy 2.5 gallon sealable metal buckets with lids and clamp rings from Uline. I tumble the brass with Nu-Finish, and dump them in the sealable cans with a handful of dessicant packets. I've taken them out after 10 years, and they look like they just came out of the tumbler. I do the same with my new brass when it comes in, but I cycle through that to fast for it to really be necessary. But it's nice to use standardized buckets because I can stack them 10 high, and it saves a bit on storage space. They also make the same buckets in a 5 gallon size, but I find the 2.5 to be the most convenient...plus I'm to damn old to carry 2 5 gallon buckets of brass up and down stairs, but I can handle the 2.5s.
 
I use our left over cat litter buckets with the red flip top lids. I don't know that the lids are actually "sealed", but the do hold a lot of pistol brass. I don't sort pistol brass, so it all mixed HS.

Now that I've started loading a few rifle calibers, I've noticed the need for smaller containers for various stages of prep. But I might still use buckets, I've already paid for em..
 
Do mine in the Franklin Arsenal then put them in CLEAR containers with duct tape
separating them by mfg & # of times fired plus fireformed. Never have had a problem
with them tarnishing.
Plus when I load them I have a standard simple Notepad I print off telling the info
on the cases when they are loaded.
 
A while back one poster suggested using USPS Priority boxes - they're "free" from the post office, very durable, and made for labeling. Genius! Since then I've swapped most of my unprocessed range brass from big tubs and buckets to Priority mail boxes. I print shipping labels describing the contents and put one on each side (in case I re-rack them wrong).
 
Mine is separated by caliber and stage of processing. Sorted and decapped in five gallon buckets with rubber seals on lids, and then into 40 lb. cat litter pails with desiccant packs for cleaned and ready to load sorted by head stamp and weight.
At one point I believe I handled each case 8 to 10 times till I figured out a process.
 
I store my brass in those plastic storage boxes that Walmart sell. I use the one that have the rubber gasket with the lockable lids that snap on when you squeeze the handles. I find these to be more convenient and stackable.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
A while back one poster suggested using USPS Priority boxes - they're "free" from the post office, very durable, and made for labeling. Genius! Since then I've swapped most of my unprocessed range brass from big tubs and buckets to Priority mail boxes. I print shipping labels describing the contents and put one on each side (in case I re-rack them wrong).
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the effort...now that they’re ready to go, send the 9mm & 45ACP to me.
 
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