Brass Cleaning Without a Tumbler

How to clean brass without a tumbler, using a few simple ingredients.

[@johanels8385]

I live in South Africa and the normal way we do it here is to submerge the brass in tomato sauce. You can leave it for 12 hours or as long you like. Then we rinse it and put it in the sun to dry out. Try it it works fine. Discard the sauce after use. For our tumblers we use rice as cleaning agent.

[@ModernMountainMan]

Thats really cool. I have never heard of that one before.

[@florenciofontecillaphdmba.290]

I created a couple of very similar formulas (both with lemon juice and vinegar) and worked perfect for me for years. I also use a compressed air puff to clean the primer pocket, it will be absolute cleaned in one second. Then, I dry and prime them. Good to know other people use similar process, which is easier and shorter than putting in tumblers. One more thing: I use distillated water for a final rinse, this avoid water spots/stains on the brass, product of the different minerals the tap water contains.

[@ModernMountainMan]

great ideas

[@Tony_Seed]

Wow thank you so much for this I’ve been cleaning with the old method for like a year and was so frustrated with the spotting and discoloration and I just tried this and my brass looks so much better You earned a subscriber from this one

[@chomper1329]

Instead of sink dish soap, opt for dish washer detergent. it's the same product, just doesn't suds up. It's also more concentrated so you don't need to use it as much. It's engineered to be run in cycles. And overall a better product for this application.

[@ModernMountainMan]

Awesome. I will try that

[@MrKaido93]

Bravo, what an effective excellent enginutive insightful method of cleaning metallic brass cartridges! During the 1980s, I was taught and used a similar mix like your old formula, and yes, it would scorch the Brass Casings if they were left in the soultion too long. I really like how you specifically clearly came out and said several times a "Warning" for people to not use Container/ Vessels like the Colander -Strainer or Oven for Food preparation every again. I instruct my Kaido Ojamaa-VKV Universal Bullet Fishing Sinker weight Customers similar. As such, it is important to recognize and do such and relegate such vassals for their new cartridges, making purposes. I will even write , engrave on any Pots, Vessel, Container, Collender, etc. The following bellow: "Use For Bullet Cartridges Lead Contaminated, "Not For Food Use". Bravo, again to you for doing so, you won my subscription!

[@ModernMountainMan]

Thank you and welcome aboard!

[@susana301301]

What a great idea ! Thanks for sharing.

[@ModernMountainMan]

Thanks

[@yankey4]

I miss my buddy Cmax. We got to share a lot of time at Pop's Quest farm. He was a really good man. Thanks for sharing brother. I still just use the lemi shine and Dawn dish soap. But now I know if I can't find the lemi shine I can just buy cheap lemon juice. God Bless brother.

[@ModernMountainMan]

Thanks! He was one of my very first subscribers years ago. He was so encouraging.

[@alexllc2958]

I use dish soap for 24 hr then add the lime shine or lemon juice at the last 30 mins .....

[@fredford7642]

GOOD video! Thank you 've been playing this game for many years, ( lemon juice & vinegar ) which worked ok, but your new idea looks better. Again, thank you. I am now a follower,

[@ModernMountainMan]

Thanks!

[@docgalt2801]

Good stuff! I’ve missed your videos. Since I last spoke with you, what I have been doing is taking a cleaned out cottage cheese container and I’ve been using the same recipe that you are currently. The only exception is I’m using a 10mm casing size of lemi-shine with the Dawn dish soap. It works off the same principle which is citric acid. After the hot water gets poured over the mixture, I stick a lid on it and agitate it the bucket every 5 minutes. I let it sit in this bath probably 15-20 minutes. Then I pull everything out and rinse. The problem with lemi-shine is the same problem with the vinegar. It will start eating the zinc. So it can’t be left in there for a long time. If the lemon juice works better, I’ll give that a shot. I’m always trying to learn new things. Thanks for a great video!

[@ModernMountainMan]

There is always more than one way to skin a cat !

[@napsguns]

Any acid will react with zinc very quickly, I suppose the key is to keep the concentration low and get the brass out of there fast. I've seen some of the commercial brass cleaners are actually basic (as opposed to acid), I'm guessing they have ammonia or something. One thing I want to try is ultrasonic cleaning with some liquid.

[@richardkut3976]

Excellent, thanks.

[@ModernMountainMan]

You’re welcome

[@RingWorm324]

Thank you, trying it today

[@ModernMountainMan]

Did it work?

[@aarons6179]

I know I am late to the party, BUT, Thank you for the wonderful information. I did not want to buy a tumbler, its just more equipment. I can not wait to try this. 😁

[@ModernMountainMan]

Let me know how it goes

[@revv45acp71]

Thank you! God bless you!

[@ModernMountainMan]

Your welcome

[@ralphhernandez3521]

I tried this method about three months after buying a brand new dry vibrating Tumblr. I was so mad at myself for not trying this first before spending $200.😳🤬

[@ModernMountainMan]

Wish I could have gotten this video to you sooner

[@matthewrezuke8130]

sometimes the price is worth it for the process.

[@jungleno.]

You must’ve been mad to spend $200 on a Tumbler!

[@johngarrie2633]

Grate video will try it soon 👍🏻

[@Wonky-Donkey]

Water and citric acid in an ultrasonic cleaner. Rinse and dry in a dehydrator.

[@kilokiloj]

Thanks for the video. Don't think the brass looked as good as with dry media w/dryer sheets and additive but definitely one way to clean without a lot of equipment.

[@ModernMountainMan]

Yeah, there are so many things you need for reloading. Just trying to help people get on base before they buy everything.

[@Shadowmourne07]

Why do you bake it? Is that to prevent work hardening, like annealing?

[@nathanieleasonbign81970]

Dude this shit works and fast! Thanks.

[@ModernMountainMan]

Glad to hear it was helpful

[@gman9945]

Good video. Welcome back!

[@ModernMountainMan]

Thank you!

[@teiwaztim1482]

long time no see man. I use your formula even still, but i do use a bit less vinegar. I also found an ultrasonic jewelery cleaner at goodwill, along with a toaster oven for drying. your earlier video helped me along more than any. hope all is well. 💪🇺🇸

[@ModernMountainMan]

Great to hear from you!

[@toytowninc680]

My brass turns pink with this method if it sits for more than an hour. Not sure what the issue is….?

[@twysted_catalyst9096]

Do the spent primers need to be removed before washing?

[@ModernMountainMan]

Not necessarily, I just like to get the primer pockets clean to.

[@everetttabor4112]

so would you leave this in for atleast 24 hours for cleaning or can it range from a few hours to however long youd like to leave it? great video by the way. just getting into reloads and cant bring myself to spend money on a tumbler yet

[@ModernMountainMan]

Yeah, this formula is pretty safe for a while

[@DavidJ-kc4cz]

Any idea why you can leave brass in the lemon juice formula for weeks without the zinc issues but not with vinegar or lemi shine? Some other formulas also use salt. I wonder if that has something to do with it. Anyway, thanks for the video. Sorry you have to answer to the tumbler people over and over. For the small amount of brass I reload, I don't feel like buying a tumbler.

[@ModernMountainMan]

It’s probably a different acidic profile

[@napsguns]

The vinegar formulas add a shit ton of vinegar and it's more acidic than lemon juice. The salt may play a part too "sea salt" carries many different ions, chlorine among them... it will make the already acidic solution more aggressive (it's like using hydrochloric acid).

[@cbm2156]

Always leave room for agitation. That is a rule of thumb.

[@ryan5637]

Is simply air drying the brass ok? I don't have a toaster oven to dedicate for this.

[@ModernMountainMan]

Absolutely. The toaster just dries them sooner.

[@edwardabrams4972]

You can also put the brass in the oven at the lowest setting for about an hour on an old cookie sheet

[@ModernMountainMan]

@@edwardabrams4972 just don’t do it in one you cook food in

[@danielgodismyjudge]

Wet tumbler with the same formula… 1 hour… done. Well ya gotta let it dry. God Bless you and yours!

[@ModernMountainMan]

God bless you too! How has life been treating you?

[@danielgodismyjudge]

@@ModernMountainMan better than I deserve. But do you REALLY want to ask an old guy that… you may get stuck listening to alllll my ailments!!! 😂

[@scottrussell6717]

1 hour in my tumbler with walnut and mine comes out looking like brand new... less than 5 minutes total time it's ready to resize.. been doing it that way over 25 years

[@Boringunguy]

Lol. No they don’t. Dry tumbling is trash. I guess you’ve never wet tumbled. 1 hour with that and the brass is actually clean.

[@retreadz6971]

@@Boringunguy With a coarse grit its often indistinguishable from most of the wet methods (ultrasonic being the exception) unless you add the buffing step to the wet methods, but if you're doing high volume processing you definitely aren't adding that step.

[@Boringunguy]

@@retreadz6971 I’ve dry tumbled for years. Tried different media and different polishing compounds. Nothing beats wet tumbling. I still dry tumble my finished and loaded ammo before storage. But anyone that says dry is just as good as wet tumbling, is ignorant.

[@jesseboutdoors]

I use to do this same thing before I got a tumbler. I’d use either lemon juice or lemi shine. You do have to watch it with the lemi shine though.

[@ModernMountainMan]

That what I have heard.

[@T.A.B.Videos]

👍👍

[@beretta4775]

can I just use regular lemon

[@ModernMountainMan]

Like squeezing an actual lemon?

[@peterhaldane2362]

Would brake clean work?

[@ModernMountainMan]

Probably, but I have never tried it

[@mblake0420]

dawn and hot water in ultrasonic is as clean as I need

[@murrayandru7527]

Any cheap Sonic cleaner with work !! I use a cheap 35 $ one I bought from Amazon a couple years back ... Use citric acid and Dawn dish soap ... you'll never LOOK BACK ..

[@vincentnastri7736]

Seems a lot of work to me. I deprime my brass , rifle and revolver, divide into two rock tumblers with dawn and pins tumble for a hour , when done dump the water and the brass and pins into a separater with some rinse aid in and turn the handle a few times, put the brass on a perforated tray , drain the separator ( built in strainer ) leaving the pins in , put all equipment and brass into the airing cupboard ( warm boiler room ) to dry ( brass appropriate a hour )and job done ! whole process takes a 3/4 hour or less of actual work. I inspect the brass as I lube when sizing. Don’t like my brass too shiny just clean , I also remove the lube after reloading by wiping the whole cartridge down with clean cloths! Sorted! 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🌺💪. 🤜💩🥷🏽💩🤛

[@ModernMountainMan]

Sounds like a great method!

[@PressedSteel1919]

this will also work to clean antique bicycle nipples.......

[@ModernMountainMan]

Great!

[@daydaymarceaux]

I would add course salt to it like Epsom salt to give it an abrasive

[@ModernMountainMan]

Good add

[@jungleno.]

Why go through all that trouble when all I need do is put my brass in a Tumbler for 2 1/2 hours?

[@Kevin15673]

Because this doesn't require a tumbler.... for people who don't have one.

[@glennearl5621]

Why? It's not like tumbling brass is hard or expensive. This method is, in comparison, complicated, time consuming and messy. Solution in search of a problem.

[@ModernMountainMan]

Not everyone has the money to buy all of the components that you need as soon as they start reloading. As I stated in this video in the previous video, this is for help for people who are just getting started.

[@KYGUNGUY]

I appreciate the video and the knowledge. I’m on a strict budget and an empty Folgers coffee can is a lot cheaper than a store bought system. Thank you sir and God bless you and your family

[@ModernMountainMan]

@@KYGUNGUY Your welcome. I am glad it was helpful

[@jungleno.]

@@ModernMountainMan you can get a Tumbler from Harbor freight for $60

[@lonewolf286]

This is the first time I ever watched you a video. I would be more interested in the vinegar solution. It sounds like it would work better. I don't polish that much brass. I usually just sit down with piece of steel wool and go over it which is painstaking takes about 10 to 15 minutes for each shell

[@ModernMountainMan]

Here ya go Cleaning Reloading Brass without a Tumbler kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKfEnmWqp6mGZ7c

[@thetexasrat]

The vinegar will leach the zinc out of the brass and weaken it. So will Lemi-Shine. Such does not make for a good practice.

[@xippzap]

So please explain to me how this is better or easier than tumbling? I tumble all my brass with stainless pins and only takes 2 to 3 hours a quick rinse and 15 mins in the air fryer to dry and i am done. My brass looks 99% to 100% of new with inside and outside polished up real nice with clean primer pockets. So once again how is this quicker or better then tumbling?

[@ModernMountainMan]

It’s not necessarily meant to be easier or better. It’s just an alternative for if those who don’t own a tumbler.

[@Manjuju123]

@@ModernMountainMan lol exactly these snowflakes get so easily offended

[@EagleRun23]

Are you Anti Tumbler?

[@ModernMountainMan]

Not at all. Just helping new reloaders get started with basic gear.

[@alexgustafson2582]

@@ModernMountainMan You def. helped me, I don't have money to spend on a tumbler at the moment due to buying everything else I need to load at once first

[@ModernMountainMan]

Awesome!

[@VnBsKrK74]

I'll stick with my wet tumbler 2 hours no pins it looks better than new. And so much less time.

[@Kevin15673]

Pretty sure this video is meant for people who haven't already spent hundreds of dollars on equipment. I'm going to try this in my ultrasonic cleaner.

[@ModernMountainMan]

How did it go?

[@Kevin15673]

​@@ModernMountainMan I'm not sure I used the right proportions of everything cause I remember it being a bit underwhelming, but it was probably just user error.

[@blairbreland1443]

Try some lemishine instead of lemon juice

[@ModernMountainMan]

Thanks, I will sometime

[@rolanddansereau6947]

Sorry but I don't find your brass to be very clean. About 1 hour to 1.5 hours in my tumbler with corn media and it looks like brand new brass. Super clean and super shinny. No need to be messing with water, soap, lemon juice, toaster oven. Simply tumble, shake out the brass from the media and ready to go. All the more power to you if you feel that's good enough but I like my reloads to look even better than store bought stuff.

[@dirtfarmer7472]

Not everyone wants to spend 2-3 hundred $$$ I know that I don’t

[@rolanddansereau6947]

@@dirtfarmer7472 I use a Lyman 1200 tumbler and it retails for 110$ so it's not that expensive. Simply my opinion, everyone has their preferred methods. Guess I like the shinny trinkets. 😆

[@jungleno.]

@@dirtfarmer7472 Harbor Freight tumbler…$69

[@Boringunguy]

Bro, wet tumblers cost 150 bucks… stop being cheap.

[@ModernMountainMan]

I will try but cheap is a hard habit to break when you’re a dad of four 😂

[@PhilHewkin]

how important is the cleaning of brass when reloading? thee old manuals do not even mention tumblers, media, or even washing.

[@ModernMountainMan]

I like the "like newness" of clean brass. I run a lot of semi autos, so I don't want to give let tarnish build up over time and possibly gum something up.

[@user-mi2xw4kh8n]

I find my old Ruger semi auto carbine 44 never missed a beat with clean brass but would sometimes jamb if the brass was dirty or tarnished, so l always made sure the ammo was squeaky clean and purdy 😅😅