What do suppliers put on their brass to keep it sh

45Kimber

April 12, 2010 08:50

My brass always tarnishes after I am done reloading. I am wondering what Winchester and the like put on their brass so it keeps from tarnishing?

Also I just started using Imperial Sizing Lube and was wondering what to do with the cases after resizing - should I just wipe them off a little or what?

Thanks

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  jonk

  April 13, 2010 10:01

  Well they don't handle it with salty fingers for one, I'm sure. It DOES tarnish though- you tumble your brass it will be almost white, even factory new brass is more of a dark yellow from age and tarnish. It's just uniformly tarnished.
  
  Regarding what to do to get the Imperial off, you've just hit on the number one reason I stay away from any oil based lube product for case sizing. Imperial, Dillon, etc.- any oil or lanolin based lube leaves a sticky tacky film that should be removed. When I DO on occasion use lanolin based lubes- mainly for case forming- a pain as the tumbler media always gets stuck in flash holes- I either tumble the sized cases with a little mineral spirits in the tumbler media- or boil them in soapy water followed by a rinse and a dry period. 1 hour in the oven on 200 is fine, it isn't hot enough to soften brass- or 3-4 hours in the hot sun if summer.
  
  Normally I use Lee lube as it is water based and truly dries. That means I can load the sized shell without fear of contaminating the powder inside (it's essentially just inert white dust once dry) and then either wipe off the outside or toss them back in the tumbler loaded.
  
  A lot of people say this last step is unsafe. If it makes you uncomfortable don't do it. However the ammo companies do this as a final finish on their ammo, and unless you have bullet lube or moly coating to worry about, it's not been an issue for me.

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  bpost

  April 13, 2010 11:08

  I use lacquer thinner, as a final cleaner, for loaded rifle rounds. It gives me one last chance to find cracked necks, loose bullets or problems that I don't need.
  
  Plus, I love the smell of the thinner!

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  B17-P51

  April 13, 2010 12:28

  A quick alcohol wipe works fine.

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