Cleaning off brass shell casings

[mthirsc]

Today we found a few .50 and .30 cal empty shell casings that must have been exposed by currents. They are pretty "weathered" and wondered if anyone has a suggestion for restoring their shiny brass surface for display. Is there any kind of solution that they can be soaked in to clean them off, like in the movies, or is that all fiction?

Thanks.

 

[Don Burke]

Part is fact and part is fiction.

http://nautarch.tamu.edu/class/anth605/File12.htm

Do not expect them to come out of solution looking shiny.

 

[mthirsc]

Thanks!! Any simpler methods, involving elbow grease, that will clean it off without damaging too much? This looks like too big a job for Nevr Dull...

 

[miesemer]

Thanks!! Any simpler methods, involving elbow grease, that will clean it off without damaging too much? This looks like too big a job for Nevr Dull...

I use a Dillon vibratory tumbler http://dillonprecision.com/template/p.cfm?maj=16 with corn cob media to clean my brass, however, mine hasn't been sitting in the bottom of the ocean. You might try finding somebody locally who does reloading and ask them to run them through their vibratory tumbler overnight.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I shoot black powder in my 45-70 Sharps and the black powder residue produces stains that even a vibratory tumber with an aggressive media and a polishing compound will not totally remove.

I also used to frequently find .30 and .50 cal cases on the ranch when growing up as the air space overhead had been used as a gunnery range for both fighter pilots and bomber crews in WWII. After 30-35 years exposed to the elements, they were uniformly dark and stayed that way.

I'd second the suggestion to find a reloading freind, but I also would not get my hopes up. On the other hand, if the brass has an even, dark patina after you remove any encrustration, that's not a bad finish either.

 

[mthirsc]

Thanks for the info. I do know a reloader and will see if he can tumble them. I was kind of hoping to remove the encrustation to make the lettering on the bottom of the shells legible, but maybe I'll leave as-is.

 

[herman]

How about soaking them in vinegar for a while before tumbling? It should remove any calcium based enctustation.

 

[phoneman]

I do a lot of metal detecting and have found this site http://treasurenet.com to have the answer for cleaning and preserving almost anything. Go to the Cleaning & Preservation forum. One of the best methods I've found is lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide. Mix approx. 3 to 1 peroxide/lemon juice heat to a light boil (microwave,stovetop) toss your shells in and leave until cool. Just remember to preserve them as soon after cleaning as you can.

 

[mthirsc]

Cool! Thanks guys.

 

[skippy77]

weli found the best way for cleaning the is cut a lemon in half and pour salt over 1 half and rub it on the casing like mad works well for me