The best way I ever found to clean brass is by using stainless steel pins.

[Humpy70]

Now you see it,




Now you don't

The above is the same brass I found in flea market in SC, took it home and tumbled it.

This is done with a Thumlers Tumbler Mod B, 5 lbs of stainless steel media from Brownell's and 2 ounces of Ivory Dish detergent and a teaspoon of Lemishine. This is biggest they make and holds a gallon of water. I have had the smaller ones of different names and some are good for putting moly on bullets with BBs but the Mod B is best I have found and I am running two of them.

Depending on the discoloration you can achieve the above in about 6 hours to tumbling. If you have just fired it you can get to this point in about a hour tumbling. Removes all carbon residue from inside of cases and primer pockets.

You can do 100 medium size cases at one tumble. You can do about 200 5.56 cases on one tumble. The rule of thumb is the cases don't fill but lower half of drum.

Here is all you do:

1. fill drum half way up with deprimed brass. If it is scrungy like above I would tumble then size. For normal cases I deprime, size cases then tumble and this removes case lube.

2 depending on your water Hard/SOFT will determine length of tumble time.

3.On your first attempt tumble two hours. Make sure to use Lemishine (availabe right near Ivory dish detergent at Wally World) Some folks use Dawn, I use both but to me Ivory makes them look a tad better. Lemishine cuts the tumbling time about 75%.

4. Add one gallon of hot water from tap, replace lid and plug in tumbler. Lube tumbler motor with Mobil 1 0W20 Synthetic motor oil. Motor will last for many years.

5. Unplug tumbler, Remove tumbler drum, open lid and pour contents into 12 qt plastic dishpan from Wall world. I get red or black, white will get stained black. NOTE: Feel the water to and see if the soap is still present, If you fingers are not slick add more detergent next time. DO NOT LEAVE CASES IN TUMBLER ! ! ! ! IF YOU LEAVE CASES IN TUMBLER THE DETACHED CARBON WILL REATTACH TO CASES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.

6. Reach in and take two or three cases in you FINGERS while under water and remove cases with the MOUTH FACING DOWN and the pins should fall right out. NOTE: This water is absolutely black with carbon so don't dump your water on your paved drive way OR YOU WIFE WILL.................

7. Throw the brass into another 12 qt pan with a small amount of Lemishine in it (about a 9MM case full) and half full of clean water. Take your hand and slosh them about picking them up and dropping them etc.

8. Pour off your black water through a fine mesh strainer, and pour the stainless media back into the drum and leave lid off. It will dry out just fine.

9.Take your clean brass out same as above MOUTH DOWN and lay it on black/dark blue towel in the sun or in the winter on a warm surface. Heat outlet.

10. Examine rinse pan for stainless steel pins. If your technique is correct you should not find any pins remaining in the rinse tub. If plan is black/red you will spot these quickly.

11. When cases are dry pick them up same way again and examine the towel of pins. Before priming I put cases in loading block mouth down as one last check to see if any pins have been missed.

12. Go load your ammo again.

[B]The quicker you tumble cases after shooting the faster they get clean.[/B]

Buy five extra drive belts from Thumler. When not tumbling take the tension off the belt.

I figure the media should last you about 150 years. If you take care of the tumbler and keep belts on hand it should last about same time.

If you are not going to load immediately place your clean/dry cases in zip lock bags and they will stay shiny. Factory cases are rinsed with a chemical that stops them from tarnishing and exposure to air will tarnish them but not have any effect on them. If you have a lot of cases put them in ammo Gi ammo can.

NOTE: The net bag is for carrying wet swim suits. In the winter I put cases in bag and lay it on heat outlet in floor and they dry nicely.