Best Wet Tumbling Recipe for BP Cases

[Froogal]

I guess I don't care how shiny my brass is as long as it is clean. I put the black powder brass in a solution of hot water and Dawn dish soap for maybe 20 minutes. Swish it around a couple of times, and then thoroughly rinse. Spread them out to dry for a day or two, and then dry tumble in walnut shell media. Good enough for me.

[DeaconKC]

I started out using the SS pins but Yul Lose over on Sassnet suggested trying it without them. I use Armorall carwash and a bit of Stratosheen and water. They are not bright polished shiny, but clean and it works well.

[Abilene]

I guess I don't care how shiny my brass is as long as it is clean. I put the black powder brass in a solution of hot water and Dawn dish soap for maybe 20 minutes. Swish it around a couple of times, and then thoroughly rinse. Spread them out to dry for a day or two, and then dry tumble in walnut shell media. Good enough for me.

My method for BP brass is similar with a few minor differences.  Brass stays in the soapy water a little longer, as long as it takes to drive home (1 to 2 hours).  In the last couple years I found that if I put my hand into the water and rub/wipe/massage the brass with my fingers, it comes out much cleaner than if I don't, and takes less time to get shiny.  I've tumbled with both walnut and corncob and these days use a mixture.  If I put a little brass polish in the media beforehand, letting it run for about 5 minutes before adding brass, and then tumble a couple hours, it comes out quite shiny.  I do like shiny brass, just because.  And as I do a lot of brass-picking at matches, the shiny stuff IS easier to spot!  Separating the media is done in a Dillon media separator (the small one - it was given to me when a pard passed away, and I love it), outside and I stand upwind if it is breezy and hold my breath while spinning to avoid breathing dust. I do all this cleaning with spent primers in place and have never had a problem with dirty primer pockets.  Cleaning smokeless brass is same thing, just no pre-soaking. 

People move to wet tumbling for a variety of reasons.  Some want the brass super clean inside as well as outside, some want the clean primer pockets, some are avoiding dry tumbling dust.  I think some is just because people get bored and it is something new to do.  In my case, it ain't broke so I ain't fixing it. 

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[DeaconKC]

Abilene had a good point about the differences between wet and dry tumbling. I used an ancient vibratory dry for decades until it died. The next week at our club's swap meet someone had a Frankford Armory wet tumbler which came home with me. I have been extremely pleased with the difference in not having to deal with the dust.