38spl brass

After many years of using vibratory tumblers and a mixture of walnut or crushed corn cobs media and Car-Nu or other car waxes. I first bought a Frankfort arsenal wet tumbler and it leaked pretty badly. I sent it back and got a refund. I then bought a Thumblers Tumbler. Boy what a difference it made. A few hours in it with Dawn, car wax and SS pins and the brass comes out bright and shiny, inside and out; even the primer pocket. I use an old jerky drying unit to dry the brass. my experience anyway, james

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Originally Posted by max it

I traded off my vibrator. Now I am waiting for Father's Day; my youngest promised me a Frankfort Arsenal wet machine.
Meanwhile I need to wash/clean a few hundred .38, .45. 9mm ? so I was thinking I would wash them in a bucket with some Dawn and Rinse Agent from the dishwasher. Will it work?
Much obliged, Max

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I just use regular dawn dish soap and stainless pins in my wet tumbler with great success. I’m not sure how dishwasher soap would work out.

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Originally Posted by lar45

My guess is that there was some dirt in your brass somewhere. I had that happen with some 44 AutoMag brass several years back. I changed out the media and the problem went away.
I don't think there's anything wrong with the brass, it just has a light frosted surface is all.

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The second batch of this same brass came out great after I changed the media.

I was more concerned with the integrity of the brass than the actual finish. I was thinking that maybe I had tumbled too long or caused a problem that would make it weaker. Just wanted to ask more experienced people before I blew up my rifle.

EyeRon, that brass is toast! Send it to me and I will give it a decent burial! :)

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Originally Posted by Iron369

I was more concerned with the integrity of the brass than the actual finish. I was thinking that maybe I had tumbled too long or caused a problem that would make it weaker. Just wanted to ask more experienced people before I blew up my rifle.

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That is a valid concern. Since nobody wants you to shoot your eye out---
When in doubt: Ya probably should send your problem children to one of us older guys for proper disposal.

Once upon a time, I was wondering about polishing a case too much and thinning it out.
I had some odd ball case like a .338Wheatherby I picked up somewhere.
I left it in the tumbler and ran it with every batch for a couple years. It sure looked pretty.
If it had thinned out enough to matter, I wasn't smart enough to be able to tell.

If you want shinny brass that looks new factory go to a stainless steel pin tumbler and mix in a couple drops of Dawn dish wash soap and a teaspoon of powdered citric acid and 2/3 rds full of water in the drum. Tumble for a couple of hours. Ahhhhhhh! Its a thing of beauty. Ditched my vibrators a couple of years ago. The Franklin Arsenal tumblers are reasonable.