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White Rice Brass Cleaning Is Real

Gargoyle

Finder Outer
I don't know why this method of brass cleaning isn't more popular. I saw back in the late 2000s guys talking about this cleaning media. Welp, I tried it recently. I tried white rice alone for a few hours. OK. Clean, but not radiating shiny. So, I added "Goof Off" to the rice. Bling Bling, like the ring! Shot or long grain don't matter. I've got a batch on its 10th tumble and I think it's about done. $1.80 a bag for 5 months of tumbling ain't too bad in my book. Just three steady stream swirls of the Goof Off is all that's needed. 2-3hr tumble time too. Just FYI (No ammonia is in Goof-Off)
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Glad I saw this...I just a couple days ago tried the rice, wasn't impressed at all....BUT maybe the goof off will be the deal changer ??? I have 6.5 Creedmoor brass out of an ar10 with suppressor that has carbon from one end to the other, so maybe this will help cleaning it up...Thanks for the tip...rsbhunter
 
Careful with that Goof-Off, that is strong volatile organic solvent, mostly acetone.

Watch the fumes. If your vibe tumbler motor is brushed, remember that is a source of ignition right underneath the acetone fumes. YMMV
 
Careful with that Goof-Off, that is strong volatile organic solvent, mostly acetone.

Watch the fumes. If your vibe tumbler motor is brushed, remember that is a source of ignition right underneath the acetone fumes. YMMV
By the law of averages I should have perished in a garage fire by now. The amount of the liquid with three swirls in a couple pounds of rice don't present a hazard.
 
I swear that I had read a post on some site where a guy said he put acetone in his media.....made the bunghole waterproof !!!! But, I've done stuppider stuff....rsbhunter
 
I swear that I had read a post on some site where a guy said he put acetone in his media.....made the bunghole waterproof !!!! But, I've done stuppider stuff....rsbhunter
Goof Off is mainly acetone with 10% of other additives that retard the fast evaporation of acetone.
 
Primal Rights has a good write up on it.


I have always wet tumbled until recently. Recently being in the last month and a half.

Saw PRs post on it, gave it a try and I haven't went back. Is it a lot slower than wet tumbling? Yep, but it has given me more consistent seating pressures.

I will still wet tumble for bulk 223, 9mm and so on, but my precision stuff gets the rice tumble.
 
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I did an experiment with rice years ago with pistol cases.
It worked good but took longer in my Vibra-Tek. In my
tumbler, packing in the primer pockets was a problem that
I did not have with walnut.
 
Mineral spirits, a couple of table spoons. Been doin it for years now. Deprimed brass and it will clean primer pockets.
I use either clean cob or plain walnut media, dunno why rice won’t work.
 
I started out with rice and a Thumblers Tumbler. I'd just throw it in at night and clear it in the AM. I was tumbling pistol brass and left the primers on place. I eventually switched to walnut on it. It gave a nice patina and it was cheap. Never used an additive.

Greg
 
Corn cob and a little Nu Finish or any car detailing liquid, couple of hours in vibratory and shiny like new. I leave the primers in and clean pockets after deprimed.
 
Ground up Zilla brand walnut shells (Desert lizard bedding) works outstanding and will not get stuck in flash holes or primer pockets because its so fine. But... It also needs a car polish added to it for the shinny crowd who like to "show off" ; ) Lasts a long time and is cheap at 15$ for a 10 liter bag. If you do mind a little dust, just throw in a used bounce, dryer sheet and no problems. And even that lasts for several uses.
Dan
 
Ground up Zilla brand walnut shells (Desert lizard bedding) works outstanding and will not get stuck in flash holes or primer pockets because its so fine. But... It also needs a car polish added to it for the shinny crowd who like to "show off" ; ) Lasts a long time and is cheap at 15$ for a 10 liter bag. If you do mind a little dust, just throw in a used bounce, dryer sheet and no problems. And even that lasts for several uses.
Dan
This is me exactly to a tee. I had the polish once in a while. I don't tumble long, under an hour.
 

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