tips and tricks

[greyhawk]

OK—'For What It's Worth'—-(Anybody who can name the group who sang that song and approx year will receive a free 5x5x5 box full of all of my used gun cleaning patches I use this year. No cheating by looking up-winner will be determined by whoever can name by total recall only!)  . Anyway back to the post—A little over a week ago I saturated my burn pile and surrounding area with 'shock and awe' with 100 rds of Colt 44 blk powder rds topped with Mav Dutches by means of a Richards II. Resulting brass cases were their normal sootie black kinda greasy tarnished selves. (You would be to if ya got crammed in a metal tube and had a quantity of black powder ignited around ya  ) I did the Oxi-Clean wash on them again as I mentioned in my post right above Senior Coffinmakers. Results were the same as before, brass cases devoid of any sootie Black kinda greasy residue. They were lightly tarnished, but had that squeaky clean feel to them. They could be reloaded as is or be tumbled to bring back the bright brass shine.

I then did as I probably should have done before the first time I used the Oxi-Clean, I read the manufacturers label on the tub of the "do's and don't's" for the Oxi. One of the things 'they' say not to subject Oxi-Clean to is jewelry and some metals. Didn't say why. Curious, I called the 1-800 number on the tub and talked to a customer rep of the outfit that makes Oxi. I asked her the reason for the no jewelry and metal no use. She advised that the Oxi wouldn't damage any stones or cause any metal damage, but may tarnish some metals. She advised not to leave in the solution long and to rinse really well. I explained the why of my call and what I used the Oxi for. She said this was a first for Oxi-Clean uses. Advised she'd have to pass on to r&d as they'd get a kick out of it. I advised that the brass was already tarnished so no fear of Oxi affecting the metal that way was feared. As a side note, the brass wasn't any more tarnished using the Oxi than by using vinegar, soapy hot water, or any other solutions. In fact, I think it was less, they certainly a lot cleaner in appearance.

Just passin on my 2nd go-round using the Oxi. If nothing else for your readin pleasure    Good Day All!!!

Fr what its worth ?
I use citric acid to clean brass + a bit of detergent an the whole lot goes in a little ultrasonic cleaner I got off Ebay - got lucky the one I picked is only small but it has got more grunt than a lot of bigger, more pricey ones - I run it on low setting for 15 minutes and give the brass a few stirs round with a bamboo stick along the way - shells come out as good as new on the inside - not a speck of black or grease in there anyplace! Outside they clean but have a few tarnish marks . Citric acid dont hurt brass and its cheap to buy in bulk (ag store , winery supply, fertiliser place etc)   

[Lefty Dude]

Hi Lefty  .  Just thought I should let you know I'm thinking some really mean, Nasty, Unprintable Things that might be construed to question your Parentage and IQ.

But .... I do admit ... I wish I were there in Paradise wid ya   
[/quote

Ouch; 200 inches of Snow out your Way !!!!  Guess What, a huge Low Pressure will be here tomorrow. And it is heading your way.

[Navy Six]

Hey Crow Choker, to answer your question about what group sang "For What Its Worth", I believe it was Buffalo Springfield. That means you are probably as old as me! Haven't been on the computer for awhile and just now saw your question. Promise I am working from memory and didn't look anything up. Not sure I'm right, but if I am, those used cleaning patches are a great prize! !

[Crow Choker]

Navy Six-🌟🌟YOU ARE THE WINNER☀️☀️!!!!
Right on Right on!!! Buffalo Springfield was the group. Early 1967. Was their biggest hit. Good tune. Yep probably around same age. Graduated  same year as song,'67. Will have to start filling box with cleanin patches! 

[Noz]

I have a Thumler's Tumbler that does an excellent job on dirty brass but it is a PIA to load and unload.
I had a pile of 38 special that needed cleaning. It sure was easier when I used the walnut and a vibrator tumbler to clean cases but the walnut is not as aggressive as the ceramic and the cases frequently are not clean inside.

I had a thought so I poured the brass in the vibrator, added a goodly amount of walnut and a couple of cups of the ceramic media.

Voila! Clean shiny brass, dry and ready to load.

[Dick Dastardly]

A mixture of media isn't all bad for brass cleaning.  I use 3 hours with SS pins and then do 3 hours with Ceramic Porcelain.  Same soap/surfactant mix fresh with both.  Fresh fluid with each change.  My brass shines and sparkles inside and out.  The CP media is made right here in Sun Prairie and I have to buy it in 50lb batches.  I no longer offer it for sale, but I can lay in some if there's demand for it.  The stuff doesn't wear out and gets better and better with each use.  I have to take care to tumble it without brass now and then to clean it but I've never seen any degradation with continued use.  I really do like reloading with clean brass.  I guess it's pride that makes me want sparkling clean ammo when I get to a match.

DD-MDA

[Coffinmaker]

Well ...... I just guess I'm an opposite.  Or is it apostle ??  Anyway, I don't mind stained brass at all.  Makes it look like I been playin this game for a while (honest ... I have) and my beat-up stained old brass just looks like me.  Beat-up, stained and Old.  But and however, we (both the Brass and Me) are quite functional.  Stuff primer, powder and ball in my brass it it goes BOOM!!  Just like, you stuff a good Steak, some Grilled Onions and a bottle of Ale in me and I can break wind with the best of em.  Gimmie deviled eggs wid that Ale and ya better get outta da ROOM!!

Just think of the thousands of rounds of copper cases from the Henry and the 1866 and the Open Top that were never picked up to reload because you couldn't.  Just left for the Prairie Dawgs to use fer toys.  Now, there'd be 5 or 6 conservationists yelling in yer ear to pick em up and cart em off to the penny factory.  I just saw some NEW pennies.  What a waste.  I don't think you can actually BUY anything for a penny anymore.  Maybe we should recycle old pennies into cartridge cases??  Put em to some good use anyway.

The sky broke today.  Blue stuff showing through.  May actually be able to warm up the shop and get some work done.  HORRAY!!  First two days of Spring around here SUCKED!!

PS:  If this has anything to do with the OP, it's not my fault.  I wasn't paying attention.  So, if you want to just ignore this missive, I won't be insulted nor upset.  Quite understandable.  Imagine that.  There is actually something "blue" on the other side of the great sky.  WOW!

[Crow Choker]

A mixture of media isn't all bad for brass cleaning.  I use 3 hours with SS pins and then do 3 hours with Ceramic Porcelain.  Same soap/surfactant mix fresh with both.  Fresh fluid with each change.  My brass shines and sparkles inside and out. 
DD-MDA

Dick, I'm sure and have no doubt that all the special solutions, SS pins, and ceramic get brass super shiny, but I've seen the cost of all the needed items, tumblers, etc needed for getting brass mint clean and shiny and IMO doesn't justify the purchase. Regular washing with 'what-ever' and tumbling with corn cob or walnut media is WAY cheaper and just as effective. I don't reload my cases all stained as Coffinmaker penned, but do wash and tumble. It gets somewhere 90% plus somewhere of the stains and what is left is of no problem to me (IMO). Those who like how you do it may say I can do it however I or anybody wants-very-true, but as I penned, IMO the pins and ceramic is an expense not needed. I could go out and buy the whole setup with no need to cut back on grocery's for the month, but over kill as far as I'm concerned.  As far as using the Oxi-Clean, may continue with it, has worked twice, cleaning the sooty stained brass 3-4 times as fast as anything else I've used, so thee ol time will tell.

Well ...... I just guess I'm an opposite.  Or is it apostle ??  Anyway, I don't mind stained brass at all.  Makes it look like I been playin this game for a while (honest ... I have) and my beat-up stained old brass just looks like me.  Beat-up, stained and Old.  But and however, we (both the Brass and Me) are quite functional.  Stuff primer, powder and ball in my brass it it goes BOOM!!  Just like, you stuff a good Steak, some Grilled Onions and a bottle of Ale in me and I can break wind with the best of em.  Gimmie deviled eggs wid that Ale and ya better get outta da ROOM!!
The sky broke today.  Blue stuff showing through.  May actually be able to warm up the shop and get some work done.  HORRAY!!  First two days of Spring around here SUCKED!!

Coffinmaker, yer a 'hoot'! Spring here in North Iowa has been on and off all winter. Nice sunny days with 35-45* F temps. Cold, windy, moisture laden air that sucks the warm otta ya. Snow, sun, cold, wind, sun, nice days, cold days, 0-15* F (we didn't have to many -20 to -10* weather this year). Sick of it. I think my snow cover has melted 3-4 times this year. This coming Fri/Sat calling for wet heavy snow 6-8". Not contusive to fun or any shooting.

Speaking of volatile foods, back in the days of my youth, we'd attend feeds where smoked carp, rocky mountain oysters (nuts), baked beans, and pickled eggs were in abundance, not to mention the beer. WOW--Talk about Boomers! The guys I ran with then, well we couldn't stand being around each other the next day if we were out hunting (close quarters in a vehicle) or such. I ate 9-10 pickled eggs once in one of our local 'gin mills' as the owner said I couldn't have any of the pickled onions that were in the jar until the eggs were gone, so I ate the eggs and got the onions. All washed down with some of the nasty tap beer they had on tap. Some of my shootin/huntin friends stayed away from me for a spell.   Remember those days Jubal Starbuck 

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Coffinmaker,

I can tell you that that blue sky has been up their all along.  I know because I am a pilot.  Sold my old airplane and have always missed her.  But, now with spring officially starting I'm ready for the first match of the season here in Wisconsin.  I have thousands of rounds all loaded up and ready to smoke up the range.  Let the games begin!

One of the things that I have learned over the years of SASS matches is that my sparkling clean brass is easier to find and pick up.  I do get most of it back to clean, reload and shoot another day.  Since I shoot C45Spl. brass I don't want to lose a lot of it.  Damn stuff is expensive and I don't ever get more back than I shoot.  Then again, when I'm shooting 44ELR (Extra Long Russian) to those in Rio Linda, found brass is more common.  Even better with 45 Colt.

However, my winter reloading keeps me and my pards in the shooting and I'm happy with that.  We have a good mix of talents in our camp.  Silas McFee is the very best dutch oven campfire cook I know.  The Brothers Bach do a great job of breakfasts and my little sidekick, Cowboy Ken, winner of Spirit of the Game kid is a great asset in camp.

One of my favorite "Tips and Tricks" is to have plenty of ready black powder ammo on hand.  We have no concerns about running out of booms and smoke.  It's my contribution to our camp and I'm happy to make it happen.

DD-MDA

[Dick Dastardly]

P.S.  That 44ELR is more commonly known as 44 Magnum.  This just happens to be a great black powder cartridge.  I have a Browning 92 chambered for it and a brace or Ruger OM Vaqueros for it.  They are the most RELIABLE guns in my closet.  I started out SASS match shooting with these and they remain my go to guns when I'm in the mood.  Loaded with 35 grains of FFFg Holy  Black pushing Mav Dutchman Big Lube®LLC bullets, they run with the best and accuracy remains very good.

For anyone getting started in black powder, I can't think of a better chambering.

DD-MDA

[Crow Choker]

Sounds like fun times Dick-stay safe in the 'wild blue yonder'-God's Blessings Always.
I might have to load up some 44ELR in my Super Blackhawk this summer, for funsies! Might like em. I mostly load 44 Colt with the Mav Dutches in my Colt OT and Richards II and 38 Spec Snakes in RM Colt. I did load a couple hundred rds with the 44 Mavs in 44 Special cases, If I recall it was 27 grains of FF vs 25 in the 44 Colts. Shot fine, little more ca-wump! Take care. CC

[Noz]

I became obsessive about clean brass when I was loading hot (near max) smokeless loads for 44 and 41.  I had a load that left excessive amounts of hard fouling in the cases.  Since no one was "cleaning" their cases I did not even think about looking in the cases.  Heavy loads dumped into reduced capacity case almost got me in serious trouble.

[greyhawk]

I became obsessive about clean brass when I was loading hot (near max) smokeless loads for 44 and 41.  I had a load that left excessive amounts of hard fouling in the cases.  Since no one was "cleaning" their cases I did not even think about looking in the cases.  Heavy loads dumped into reduced capacity case almost got me in serious trouble.

Noz
I am kinda half where Coffinmaker is - bright shiny brass says this guy got too much money or too much time -- however - I like cases clean on the inside - ya can squeeze a little more blackpowder in - more kaboom - more smoke --- I used ta clean em with a brass brush - man that was tedious - got me a small Ultrasonic jewellery cleaner and found a bag of citric acid in the fertiliser shed - ta da !! Never seen cases so clean inside !! - they still come out with some tarnish on the outside - i reckon if I got em shiny they would stay clean outside too - cleaner thingy cost about 30 bucks but its only small - cowboy shooters like DD would need to spend a hundred and get a decent size one.   

[Crow Choker]

The methods I've employed over the years cleaning brass for either black or smokeless ammo I've never had a problem with buildup of any residue inside the cases. The brass interior of 'brass' I've shot black powder in are tarnished some, but is of no consequence for reloading any further rounds or is cause for decreased powder capacity. With black powder loads, I always clean as soon as possible with a solution and tumble as soon as possible when dry if I have enough quantity to make tumbling worthwhile. I did have a dozen rounds once that I set aside after shooting, forgot about them until I ran across them one day and upon washing them with a hot water and soap solution I DID notice that the crud inside and out didn't wash off as easy as when done as soon as possible-took extra effort to get them cleaned.

[Gabriel Law]

"Somethin' happenin' here...what it is ain't exactly clear...there's a man with a gun over there, tellin' me I've got to beware!"

[Crow Choker]

"I think its time we stop, Children what's that sound, Everybody look what's goin down!" Wish we had good tunes like that today instead of the "head banger music" wannabe's put out today.

Well I'll tell ya what the sound is and what's goin down here in North Iowa and its 16" of white, fluffy stuff called snow. Anudder' slowdown to do'in some real serious shootin. Suppose to have rain and warmer temps by Monday-gonna be a mess!

[Gabriel Law]

Snow's melting up here too, but still over two feet of it on the ground.  Temps just above freezing, and often a dusting of snow at night, as the temp drops below freezing.  Our gun club is getting heavy use as people are tired of sitting looking out the window at the white stuff.

[PJ Hardtack]

I'm still x-country skiing on a daily basis. Three feet of snow on the outdoor ranges. Fortunately, we have a heated indoor range for pistol shooting and .22s. and I shoot IDPA weekly.

Eatcherhartsout!

[Coffinmaker]

PJ,

Package will be marked "Tick - OK"

[R.M. Conversion]

I like to go to the range with pre-measured charges, in .243 or .308 Win brass with a silicone stopper.  50 of 'em fit nicely in a flip-top cartridge box.

I used to measure and fill them one at a time.  Now I take a bunch of .45 ACP cases, arrange them mouth up on a large sheet of paper, pour the powder on and fill them all at once - leveling the tops with a credit card.  Other calibers are used for different amounts.  The volume of water a case will hold is a pretty close estimation.  I also use this method for BP cartridge reloading, and use a series of cut-down .45-70 gov't cases for my musket charges.  If it wasn't for the expense, I'd use custom sized .45-70 cases for everything since they're less prone to tip over.