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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Case cleaner ideas (Read 1249 times)
Mick B
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Case cleaner ideas
Jul 6th, 2024 at 1:00am
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I have a 40/65 and use both Starline and Winchester brass made from 45/70 cases. In the past I have used a Thumlers Tumbler and SS pins to clean my brass, just water with a small dash of Lyman Turbo Sonic case cleaner added to the mix. my local gun shop no longer has any of the Lyman product in stock. I have read here that you can add a little Citric acid to the water and it will achieve the same result .  My question is, just what type of stores sell that acid ?.
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mike.
  
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Bluedog
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #1 - Jul 6th, 2024 at 6:07am
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Try your local grocery store, if they have a canning section, it should be sold near mason jars etc 

Jason
  
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JKR
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #2 - Jul 6th, 2024 at 6:39am
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Mike,
If you want your cases to look brand new, inside and out, use Dawn dish soap and a squirt of Lemmi Shine.
JKR
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #3 - Jul 6th, 2024 at 12:00pm
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All I've ever used is just a squirt of Dawn soap and 1.5-2 hrs. in my wet tumbler with ceramic pins. My cases come out clean and shiny.
  

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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #4 - Jul 6th, 2024 at 1:38pm
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Wet tumble with Stainless steel pins, Dawn and a little lemmi-shine. If you want them to look like new, tumble for at least 3 hours.  However, if you forget about the 1000 9mm cases you tumbled for about 10 hours you have some really shiny brass!  Set your timer.
  

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Mick B
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #5 - Jul 6th, 2024 at 8:24pm
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Thanks for the replies, I don't know if Dawn soap or Lemmi Shine is sold at my local Woolworths, but I will check. I'm pretty sure I have not noticed a canning section there either, I asked one of the store staff if he thought they sold citric acid and he didn't have a clue. I tried tumbling my cases in just water and a dash of my dish washing soap and while they came out clean they were not bright and shiny like when done with a dash of Lyman Turbo Sonic case cleaner.
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Mike
  
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Antonio
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #6 - Jul 6th, 2024 at 8:28pm
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I have just used walnut shells in my vibrator case cleaner, Let it run all night and they come out bright and shiny.
  
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Jeff_Schultz
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #7 - Jul 6th, 2024 at 8:43pm
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Mick B wrote on Jul 6th, 2024 at 8:24pm:
Thanks for the replies, I don't know if Dawn soap or Lemmi Shine is sold at my local Woolworths, but I will check. I'm pretty sure I have not noticed a canning section there either, I asked one of the store staff if he thought they sold citric acid and he didn't have a clue. I tried tumbling my cases in just water and a dash of my dish washing soap and while they came out clean they were not bright and shiny like when done with a dash of Lyman Turbo Sonic case cleaner.
Cheers
Mike

  Vinegar is just as good as citric acid. I use half & half water and vinegar with a squirt of "Dawn".
  

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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #8 - Jul 7th, 2024 at 12:12am
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I been shooting BPCRs (40-65 & 45-70) since 1997 & attend 1 to 2 silhouette matches a month since 2012.  The brass has been in a Tumlers Tumbler with either stainless steel pins or ceramic media & I've tried several solutions.  Here's an article on the subject I wrote a couple of years ago.
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #9 - Jul 7th, 2024 at 6:50am
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I am using ceramic in a vibratory tumbler with just a bit of water and a couple of tablespoons of citric juice, either lemon or lime, just depends on what is in the refrigerator... Wink
  

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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #10 - Jul 7th, 2024 at 9:11am
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Citric acid is available on AMAZON.
  
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JKR
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #11 - Jul 8th, 2024 at 9:36am
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Lemmi Shine is nothing but citric acid with a little something added to make it smell good.
  
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Lead Pot
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #12 - Jul 8th, 2024 at 11:04am
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I like using Cascade dishwasher detergent gel or a cascade pod. The pod is a little too much in the large capacity Frankford Arsenal tumbler but it works.
When the cases are clean I pour them in a 50 mesh classifier that fits a 5 gallon bucket and let it drain off. The 50 or 70 mesh screen will hold the 3mm ceramic balls or SST pins from falling through.

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If I have pins mixed with the ceramic I use one of these prospecting magnets. 
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The drained water from the tumbler I save. I just keep adding more till the bucket is full and use it over and over. The dirty water clears up in a day or two and looks unused. About twice a year I pour off the water easy till I get close to the bottom and clean the mud out and pour the mix back in and add new to the clean old till the bucket gets full again and keep using it over and over.
It's not for saving money it just plain works.

Kurt
  
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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #13 - Jul 8th, 2024 at 8:49pm
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Mick B wrote on Jul 6th, 2024 at 8:24pm:
Thanks for the replies, I don't know if Dawn soap or Lemmi Shine is sold at my local Woolworths, but I will check.


Dang... A "local Woolworths" ? ? ?

In 2024???   For real???

I thought they were all gone, and I'd have more trouble finding one of those than the citric acid or the Lemmi Shine.

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Re: Case cleaner ideas
Reply #14 - Jul 9th, 2024 at 12:31pm
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No 7, they are still around in the old British Empire and the ones in S. Africa have excellent cafeterias.
  
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