Author Topic: Cleaning bullets (Read 799 times)

Reloader · « **on:** June 21, 2003, 12:20:14 PM »

:oops: I bought a box of bullets recently that are quite tarnished.
Would there be any reason why I couldn't put them in my vibrating case cleaner to polish them up a bit before using them? :roll:

IronKnees · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2003, 04:19:25 AM »

Sure you can do that, and they will come out looking just great. I do it often. Just don't put them in with anything else, like cartridge cases... The bullets will get damaged by the case mouths, and will also manage to find their way into the cases and get lodged ... just do them alone and you will be fine...

The Shrink · « **Reply #2 on:** June 23, 2003, 01:21:14 AM »

Reloader

Then again, why bother? I shot Sierra seconds for years and the two major problems they had was lead flashing and tarnish. I never noticed the targets complaining that the bullets weren't shiny!

IronKnees · « **Reply #3 on:** June 23, 2003, 02:50:49 AM »

Quote from: The Shrink

Reloader

Then again, why bother? I shot Sierra seconds for years and the two major problems they had was lead flashing and tarnish. I never noticed the targets complaining that the bullets weren't shiny!

Yep Shrink... You are absolutely right... It's just a matter of personal preference... If you like your loads to look pristine, fine, and if they don't, they will shoot just as well... Me, well... it just depends on what kind of mood I'm in, or maybe how much of a hurry ...

Old Syko · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2003, 03:27:54 AM »

Been known to dip um in TarnX in the past and rinse well before dumpin um in the tumbler. Makes um shine like new money. :shock:

IronKnees · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2003, 03:34:04 AM »

Quote from: Old Syko

Been known to dip um in TarnX in the past and rinse well before dumpin um in the tumbler. Makes um shine like new money. :shock:

Yep, but don't let the fumes from that Tarn X get to your brass... it will cause the brass to become brittle... Many household solvents and cleaners will do the same...

KN · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2003, 12:50:21 PM »

IRONKNEES is right! I made the mistake of doing that with a batch of old 35 rem brass that I had in a box for several years. Dipped them in Tarnex to clean the black tarnish spots off and reloaded them. About 10% of them separated at the case heads. These were all once fired cases. Luckily the cases came out of the chamber easily. Took me a while to figure out why it happened because the loads sat on the shelf for several months before I used them. Never again. KN

Old Syko · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2003, 01:30:20 PM »

OK guys, fill me in. What is the chemical in Tarnx that causes the hardening of brass? This is something I've used since the advent of said product. I've also used this and other such products for 30 or 35 years and never noticed any problem. Have I been wrong all these years even through the 70s when I loaded 2000 rounds a week?

KN · « **Reply #8 on:** June 23, 2003, 04:01:23 PM »

Hardens, weakens,etches, I don't really know. This was the only explaination I could come up with that would cause my case heads to separate the way they did. My loads aren't that heavy, and they were once fired. I know this because they were still in the original Federal boxes that I bought them in. I always use the plastic boxes. I found these in a box that was shelved about 10yrs before I started reloading for the 35. I always saved them just in case. KN

John Traveler · « **Reply #9 on:** June 23, 2003, 07:20:14 PM »

Ammonia is a common component of metal and brass polishes.

It's the ammonia that attacks brass and makes it brittle.

That's why you shoulnd't use Brasso bras polish to clean cases and cartridges.