Author Topic: Brass Primer Corrosion (Read 508 times)

Jim B. · « **on:** September 03, 2004, 04:01:22 AM »

Ok - I did a bad thing. After my first range session with my new Hornet breech plug conversion on my 209x50 I came home and cleaned my rifle as usual. The used brass primers (cut down hornet brass with a LRP) I placed in a box for later decapping and repriming. Of course you can guess what happened, a week later when I went out to reprime the brass primers they were covered with wonderfully colorful corrosion. I have learned my lesson and now wash my spent primers after a range session. But I am left with these several dozen corroded primers. What is the best way to remove the corrosion (it seems only surficial)? I tried my vibratory tumbler with Walnut hulls and Dillon Case Polish but running them overnight did not get them clean. Anyone have some advice?

smoky · « **Reply #1 on:** September 03, 2004, 06:09:06 AM »

The same thing has just happened to me with my .25 ACP conversion. What are you washing them with? As far as the corroded ones, I am planning on trying the tumbler to see if it will clean them. Thankfully, it is only a few, so if I have to discard them, it won't be very many.

Smoky

Jim B. · « **Reply #2 on:** September 03, 2004, 06:19:42 AM »

I am now washing the used brass primers with soapy water like I use for my barrel. I just drop the used primers in the can of soapy water - swish around - toss them in a sieve - rinse under fresh water and lay out on a paper towel to dry. Takes longer to explain than it does to do.

I let my tumbler run all night and it seemed to clean off quite a bit of the corrosion from the outside, but not all. the tumbler did very little for the inside. I left the tumbler on while I am at work today and will see what they look like tonight.

I will probably end up taking some steel wool and cleaning up the outsides and use the steel wool on a .22 bore brush to clean the insides. I could just toss the bad ones but I feel I should do penance for my carelessness.

Jim B. · « **Reply #3 on:** September 08, 2004, 11:19:58 AM »

Running the tumbler all day pretty much cleaned up the Hornet brass primers. I had to touch up a few with steel wool and clean all of the insides with a seel wool-wraped bore brush. All in all, not much fun but an important lesson learned! Wash those primers right away!
Jim B

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 09, 2004, 01:27:28 AM »

Jim B. I bring a small jar with a lid on it to the range with soapy water. I drop the 25ACP cases in there after I shoot. When I get home, I rinse in hot water and place them an a paper towel upside down and let them dry and then, I tumble them for about an hour. They look new again.

Jim B. · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2004, 02:09:15 AM »

Redhawk - does that get the insides of the brass clean as well? I have never had good luck with my tumbler cleaning the insides of cases.
Jim

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 09, 2004, 07:52:25 AM »

Quote from: Jim B.

Redhawk - does that get the insides of the brass clean as well? I have never had good luck with my tumbler cleaning the insides of cases.
Jim

They are clean, but not as shiny as the outside of the brass. Not a lot of room for the walnut hulls to do there job.