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Who's using ceramic media to clean brass

16K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  paradox998 
#1 ·
I'm looking for a better way of cleaning my brass primarily the inside & primer pockets. I processed my first batch of 300 over the weekend and it was a PITA removing corn media stuck in the flash hole. 99% were cloged. I was curious to see how many people were using ceramic/porcelain to clean their brass. Can you tell me your experience/process/ and were you purchased it?

I found a few places selling it but not quite sure if it will work with riffle brass

http://www.shorinternational.com/TumblingMedia.htm

thanks in advance.
 
#3 ·
Try an ultrasound machine. I understand it cleans the brass inside and out. As a matter of fact I will be buying one when ever I get my man cave built this summer.
 
#4 ·
I use corn cob and after tumbling I use a primer pocket tool from Lee. I mount it on a drill and go to town. Media is gone. but I have been interested in this liquid cleaner I saw in Cables and wondered how it does/ have you checked it out?
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
I use walnut. Buy it from sandblasting supply stores. I paid $13.00 for a 50 pound sack 3 or 4 years ago.
Pistol brass I run once before doing anything to the case, and that's it.
Rifle brass I'll run twice. Once just enough to get the case clean enough to run through the resize/deprime die. Then I'll do my case prep. After the case prep I'll tumble the cases again for a couple of hours (afternoon nappy time :D). It sounds a bit much but it works real well for me. ;) :)


Art
 
#8 ·
I use the corn cob media and it does get stuck in the primer hole. BUT, it does not affect the round. However if the granual stops the primer from seating properly it could cause a jam. I test fired several rounds that had the corn granual stuck in the primer hole and they fired just like the rest of the ammo.

The ceramic cleaning material must be small to get in all the nooks and cranies of the brass. I have never used the ceramic because it is so expensive.
 
#9 ·
Hi Gau,

Ceramic media will be extremely abrasive to brass. The cutting rate would be so excessive that you would not realize a cleaning effect - rather a batch of cases that will be consumed by the media. Whether you have large media or small media will make no difference. I have extensive experience with ceramic media and trust me, it will not work with cartridge brass.

There is no need to clean the inside of the cases - only the inside surface of the necks to help the expander ball (with the aid of lubricant) to glide through the distance of the neck. This cleaning operation can be done 'offline' with a drill motor and a brass brush. And the primer pockets can be cleaned offline as well.
 
#12 ·
I use ceramic media for other uses and have tried it on brass. In my experience it left a satin finish on the brass, not a bright polished look. You could use a finer grade of abrasive I suppose but I was trying to clean off some really bad stains and it did do that. For normal cleaning I use walnut first with a little mineral spirits, then after loading I use corncob with Nufinish auto polish for a bright appearance.

To prevent the clogging of flash holes just tumble prior to depriming. Simple.
 
#13 ·
I use Walnut and like several others deprime after I tumble. I like to run clean grit free brass through my sizer die so that is why I wait. I then clean the primer pockets and I'm ready to reload.
 
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