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brass prep question

lordt313

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
May 27, 2007
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42
Louisville. KY
I have heard of people washing brass after coming out of tumbler with hot water and dawn. After washing them they place them in an oven to dry off- heres the question: I have recently been trying to learn about annealing brass and have read that over heating the brass will cause the case to separate, so is the oven drying a good idea or bad; and how hot is too hot?

Thanks

Taylor
 
Re: brass prep question

washing the brass is a waste of time if you ask me. And I dont think you can get your oven hot enough to anneal the brass, you would have to get it over 675 degrees, so 2-300 degrees will not even come close to annealing temps.
 
Re: brass prep question

I have used the oven technique when in a hurry.
Use the lowest setting you can for 30 minutes to an hour.

DO NOT use a metal pan....use glass, Pyrex, etc.
The contact points betwixt wet brass and the metal pan will oxidize the brass badly.
My neighbor found that out last week.
 
Re: brass prep question

The guy wasnt trying to f---ing anneal!!! The reason I made the comment about annealing temp and shit was to explain to him that the oven wouldnt do any damage to the brass.
 
Re: brass prep question

Ejected case temp from an AR is around 170F thusly if you are 170 or below you know you are not in danger territory. I lay mine on black plastic in the sun and they dry nicely in a couple of hours. In the winter I will put them in netted bag and lay over heat outlet in floor. Lastly I have a drying box with a 60w bulb and muffin fan(like those in computer)and leave them six to 8 hours. Warm circulating air is the way I go.

You don't want to anneal, just stress relieve the brass so it can be worked and not fail. Annealing destroys grain structure.
 
Re: brass prep question

I wash lots of brass in hot soapy water. Thorough rinsing is a must. I also give them a 10 minute soak in 50/50 hot water/white vinegar. Oven drying for 15 minutes at 175F works really well.
 
Re: brass prep question

For those that wash their brass AFTER tumbling; why? Maybe I'm missing something.

I wash mine after sizing to get the lube off. Then the brass goes into the tumbler and since the media doesn't have to remove the lube, it stays nice much longer and the media comes out of the cases much easier.
 
Re: brass prep question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MitchAlsup</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just take my sized and preped brass out of the tumbler, get rid of the media, and load 'em up. </div></div>

Thats what I do. I dont see the poin of washing them. Corn cob media does a hell of a job absorbing the lube. Not that my cases see lube a whole lot, I neck size with a TiN bushing.
 
Re: brass prep question

thanks again to all who responded, Vic, I think im just going to start PM'ing you with everything, you have all the answers to almost every post ive made, haha

Thanks again,

Taylor