Tough to clean brass

[4xforfun]

I have some NEW Norma 340 WBY brass I got about 6 years ago during a shortage of 300 WBY brass. I simply necked it down to .308, neck turned, and let fly. I have been storing the last 300 of those at my house. Obviously, it is climate controlled.

I pulled the brass out the other day and it it has all kinds of green and black "stuff" on it. It looks like the green corrosion you see on a battery post. Looks to be actually stained or etched into the brass.

Anyway...IT WILL NOT COME OFF!! Now, usuaeally I don't give a krap about how the brass looks, but this is new, un-fired brass, and that huge stubborn steak in me is getting all out of hand!! It has spent 8 hours in my RCBS sidewinder with corn cob grit. The green is gone, but the ugly black stains are still there.

How do you guys clean brass? I had a friend come in with some "brass issues", and his used brass looked better than brand new!!!! Absolutely shiny and perfect. And...he is a NEWBE!!

 

[4xforfun]

The brass in the pic on the first post is prepped, turned and tumbled for 8 hours

This is raw, right out of the box, brand new, un-fired brass.

 

[ShootDots]

If you have a case holder with enough oomph to handle the speed and torque of a good drill, you are in business. I use the Sinclair holder that is used for neck turning. Get 2 types of "Scruffy Pads">> The "red" scruffys and the "gray" scruffys ( red is more abrasive than the gray), and spin the brass in the drill / shellholder while gripping the brass case with the red scruffy and give it a good "rough" polishing. Then do the same with the gray>> It W-I-L-L come off.. You can get the scruffys at an automotive store, like Auto Zone.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Someone will probably jump in and say BS but, take a few cases and drop them in some vinegar for a while and see if it will remove the stain.
Might take overnight or longer? Then, back in the cob to bring back the shine.

 

[zipollini]

Wet tumble with stainless steel media, some Dawn dish soap and Lemishine. Might also just soak in a weak acid like vinegar, citric acid, or some water and cream of tarter which works well.

 

[Dans40X]

BINGO !!
Wet tumble with stainless steel media, some Dawn dish soap and Lemishine.
In about an hour!

The Scotch Brite Pad turning method is a PITA.

OH,You have too much acidity in/on your fingerprints to be touching metals w/o wiping it off prior to throwing it back into storage.

 

[bigedp51]

If you have a case holder with enough oomph to handle the speed and torque of a good drill, you are in business. I use the Sinclair holder that is used for neck turning. Get 2 types of "Scruffy Pads">> The "red" scruffys and the "gray" scruffys ( red is more abrasive than the gray), and spin the brass in the drill / shellholder while gripping the brass case with the red scruffy and give it a good "rough" polishing. Then do the same with the gray>> It W-I-L-L come off.. You can get the scruffys at an automotive store, like Auto Zone.

4xforfun

ShootDots hit the nail on the head and only to add to his comments steel wool will also polish your cases very nicely.

"BUT" be carful if you shoot anyone and leave your brass lay at the crime scene, you will be dead meat because your finger prints are all over your cases. So stop eating salty French fries while your handling your brass.

P.S. If you want to blind the shooters seated next to you at a match after you use the steel wool on the cases just put some Mothers Mag Polish Wax on a cleaning patch and go to town. This way the Mothers Wax will protect the brass and keep your salty fingerprints off the cases. (just like when they salt the roads in the winter)

 

[bdale]

I had some that looked similar to that and put them in my Thumbler's tumbler with corn cob media and liquid auto polish don't remember the name but it's the stuff in orange bottle I believe it's Nu-Finish anyway I was real generous with it they came out highly polished