Discoloration on brass heads from US cleaning?

[jonaddis84]

Ive been US cleaning my Lapua 308 for almost 2 years now, have never investigated this, so thought Id finally find out what its from.

The heads of the cases get this reddish discoloration on them.

When I US clean I do a vinegar water mix for 20min with hottish water, then 5 min of baking soda/cold water, then 5 min of cold water.

I then place in toaster oven at ~150*, I think its actually less though, for 20min to dry them out.

I cant remember now when the coloring showed up, but Im 99% sure it wasnt from the toaster oven, that it was from the US process.

Everyone else have this same deal?

I havent noticed anything bad coming from this, but could I be harming the brass somehow? Need to find out before I start doing my $2/case 338 brass.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: Discoloration on brass heads from US cleaning?

quit dipping them in tabacco

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Discoloration on brass heads from US cleaning?

On my 223 brass I noticed that brown oxidation/tarnish turns pink. I'm using lemi-shine and dawn. I think it may be a chemical reaction with the copper oxide and zinc being reduced on the surface of the brass alloy.

 

[myerfire]

Re: Discoloration on brass heads from US cleaning?

I use Citranox in my Ultra Sonic machine and don't have any problems, brass comes out nice and shinny. Try to reduce the ammount of vinegar and see what happens.
Good luck,
myerfire

 

[vman]

Re: Discoloration on brass heads from US cleaning?

Its just a reaction from the vinegar.

I find a little bit of soap helps.

Birchwood casey brass cleaner also works well as a last step and removes the need for bicarb soda. Cases come out yellow/gold

 

[Skyking]

Re: Discoloration on brass heads from US cleaning?

I have found that anytime you dry brass with heat, or use hot water it will discolor them. Plus they will also tarnish faster.

 

[jonaddis84]

Re: Discoloration on brass heads from US cleaning?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Its just a reaction from the vinegar.

I find a little bit of soap helps.

Birchwood casey brass cleaner also works well as a last step and removes the need for bicarb soda. Cases come out yellow/gold </div></div>

Ill give this a shot, I think I have some of that laying around, or something similar. Wonder if its happening when I use the baking soda, now that I think about it because it doesnt happen every time I clean....and I dont do the baking soda EVERY time.

 

[vman]

Re: Discoloration on brass heads from US cleaning?

Well i have noticed discoloration if i have overdone it with the vinegar, or added too much bicarb.

Also i noticed when the mixture wasnt mixed well I tended to get purple'ish heads. I think it was because I loaded up a beaker with cases facing head down. Then i would pour in some vinegar, and then some water. Most likely the vinegar from the initial pour was trapped inside the brass and underneath, and only after some time would osmosis have its full efect and the entire solution become uniform... however in the short time that the brass sits in mainly acid (acetic acid=vinegar), the surface of the brass becomes tarnished.

If you have the BC Case cleaning solution give it a try it adds a nice shine and eliminates the bicarb stage which is handy. I also pour my diluted BC solution back into a container and reuse it. I have cleaned over 1000 cases with the same jug of diluted liquid.