Cleanig brown cases?

[Randy 1911]

Is there a way to clean cases that have set out in the weather so long they have turned a dark brown? I prefer my casses to be shinny. I tried running them in my tumbler for about 24 hours and it didn't help. If it matters, they are 223 Rem. The reason I ask is because the range I shoot at is covered with alot of them and I could use them.

 

[Shoney]

Here is a site with several alternatives

http://www.recguns.com/Sources/VIIE5.html

Once you have cleaned them up, examine the cases for spots that are "redder in color" which means they are in higher concentration of copper than the surrounding brass. This indicates that zinc has been leached from the brass, and is weakened and should be discarded.

The ground is full of different salts. In combination with the salt, brass and moisture, voltaic cells occur and leach away the metal in the brass.

 

[m&p45acp10+1]

Tumble them in crushed walnut media and use some Nufinish. I have cleaned a lot of range pick up brass over the past year. A lot that came from out of the bottom of the bucket that was about an inch deep in mud. I used a half gallon gatorade bottle and filled it about half to three quarters full of the dirty brass then filled it with water, some dish soap, and a shot of vinegar. I shook it up for a couple of minutes and let it soak over night. drained it, and rinsed them. This took out all of the crud inside of them. I let them dry for a day and then put them in my tumbler. I bought the walnut media from Harbor Freight. 25 pound bag for roughly $25. I soaked a hand full of cleaning patches in NuFinish and dropped them in the tumbler turned it on and let it run for about 10 minutes then put the brass in. It came out shiny after about 6 hours. I forgot and left it on all day once when I went out to the range, and then forgot about it when I got home and it ran all night. Most of the brass was more lusterous than when it was new.
Hope the info helps.
Nate

 

[Randy 1911]

Thanks for the advise. I will give it a try. I can proably get a couple of hundred cases that are on the ground. That will help me get a supply.

 

[F. Guffey]

Randy 1911, when cleaning cases with patina I use straight vinegar with nothing added, just vinegar. Not a problem but there is a time limit, I submerge the cases in the vinegar for a maximum of 15 minutes once for the life of the case. 15 minutes in the vinegar will reduce tumble time from 2 days to one hour. Again, because of the appearance of cases that have been stored for 30+ years, I have managed to purchase cases for .01 cent each, 1,400 cases for $14.00. wash and rinse, dry then tumble.

F. Guffey

 

[Mike Irwin]

What cartridge are the cases for?

Some European military surplus is naturally a dark brown color, and you're not going to change that with any amount of cleaning.

 

[Tony C]

Does it matter?

My question here isn't challenging whether you should care if they are shiny, but does it hurt to reload/shoot them when they are brown. I live in Oregon and pick up brass "browned" from being in the rain and on the ground regularly. I have often wondered if, excepting structural flaws, they are safe to use? Sounds from these answers like they can be even if they are not restored?

Thanks for a good thread,
Tony C.
NW Oregon
Merry Christmas to All

 

[edward5759]

if its brown

If the cases are brown flush them with Phosphoric acid.
If the cases are yellow let them mellow!

I have a degree in Chemical Engineering and what drove me to get it, was my interest in shooting.
So if the cases are brown you are in luck it takes several months for zinc to leach out of copper, it takes weeks if dipped in vinegar. The leaching of zinc takes a long time. the chemical whining of the zinc is a little faster but electro whining of zinc is the fastest.
If the cases are brown I wash them real well in a soap and warm water. then I will make a mixture of phosphoric acid in water. Phosphoric acid is used in soda pop and some foods. It can be found at Home Depot or Lowes stores as ”stucco cement wash” also.
I mix about one cup in a sink of water (real technical terminology) and let them sit until they turn a brass color. Make sure all the brass is under the water. This procedure will chemical whin the sacrificial zinc off of the surface of the brass. This zinc is already sacrificed and will not weaken your brass. After the rifle or pistol brass is a brass color, wash once more in soapy water at least three or four times. Then put the brass in corn cob tumbler or vib it until dry and you get the desired shin. This is how reclaimed brass is cleaned and then sold. Ammonia will work as well but is a little harder to manage, less forgiving and more noxious.


Ed

 

[StainlessButcher]

I don't know a lot about cartridge brass, but having been in the tattoo industry for many years and having made a lot of my equipment out of brass, I've found that a "clear" solution of Lysol concentrate and water and a good 24 hour soaking will take the patina/browning/tarnish right off. What I mean by "clear" is you add the Lysol concentrate to water slowly until the murky/milky look goes away. If you guys are nearly as old as I am, you'll remember mom using that brown bottle of Lysol and a bucket of water to clean...that's the stuff...smelly, but very good at what it does. Remember to rinse it well and let it dry before tumbling as the lysol smells horrendous.

Butch.

 

[edward5759]

The old lysol

The old original brown bottle Lysol had phosphoric acid in it 3%.
One of main cleaning chemicals in their mixture.
I thought you guys used "Green soap" for tattoos now that’s a cleaner.
Ed

 

[Shoney]

StainlessButcher

Do you know what % copper and zinc is in the brass you use?

Cartridge brass is 70% copper and 30% zinc. Variations of the percentages higher or lower will render the brass unfit for cartridge use.

Variations in the percentages of copper and zinc also make brass harder or softer. It would seem that your work of tatooing would require hardened brass. Do you know if your tools are harder or softer than cartridge brass?

 

[Randy 1911]

Quoted by Mike Irwin:
What cartridge are the cases for?

The cases that I am talking about are 223 Rem. / 5.56 . I know that is a high pressure cartridge. I was told by some shooters at the range today that trying to clean them up would weaken the brass and not to do it. If it was something like 45 ACP it would be okay. If I get desprate for brass I might try it anyway.

 

[StainlessButcher]

Honestly I couldn't tell ya what the alloy is, I know it's pretty soft though. I get it normally through hobby shops. What I use is 5/16" O.D. thin wall tubing. The alloy may be listed on the display, but I never pay any attention. I only buy the stuff once every 10 years or so when the old tubes have too much damage to be useful anymore.

B.

 

[FrankenMauser]

You can clean them, sure. I do it all the time.
I even separate mine into "Winter brass" and "Summer brass". (The dark, tarnished stuff stands out against the snow really well ; while bright, shiny brass is easier to find in the summer.)

As far as removing the tarnish....
There's no point. The stuff will still function the same, and most chemicals that remove the tarnish will also damage the brass.

Tumble (or use whatever method you choose) to clean it, and load as usual.