World's Dirtiest Brass! Cleaning Severely Tarnished 5.56 Brass With The Frankford Arsenal Tumbler 

No matter what you do in the reloading process, it beats the hell out of going to work, or mowing the lawn. Appreciate your enthusiasm.

I have been reloading for 39 years but not in any mask quantities. I have never owned a cartridge case tumbler. After watching your video, I am sold, and will be purchasing one of these Frankfurt Arsenal case tumblers. Thank you for making such a eye-opening video.

I think this is some of the best advertising I have every seen, almost made me throw my money at my computer screen.

I just switched from dry tumbling to wet and wet definitely does an excellent job. I'm doing it on the cheap with a Harbor Freight tumbler. It's performed well but I don't do huge quantities. I strain with a colander i inherited from my mother and dry with a Ronco dehydrator my mother in law gave me. Cheap but everything does a great job. It's very satisfying to restore the beauty to old brass! I really enjoyed this video. You have a very likable demeanor

Same tumbler as yours. I run: steel media, fill tumbler half full of brass, HOT water up to the shoulder, 1tsp dawn, 1 45 case of lemishine, tumble 1 hour, rinse immediately (lemishine is acidic), separate media, put on cookie sheet in oven at 215 for 1 hr. Might not work for everyone, but it makes the shiniest brass for me.

I was completely blown away. I would have never thought it would come back and look that great. Incredible!

Incredible. Great video. I wrapped the rolling contact points of my FART drum with electrical tape. Grips, quiets it down a small amount, and doesn't beat up the motor's rollers.

Those turned out really nice.

I got a cheap Harbor Freight rock tumbler 4 or 5 years ago and started wet tumbling my brass. I think I said "wow" the same number of times you did. Loved your video, wish I had a utility sink in my garage...so jealous!

That's a huge turn around!!!! I'm extremely happy for you man!

Just picked up one of my own. Excited to see what it does! That's crazy how great they looked from start to finish.

Thats a huge difference. I work with all types of metals everyday and have never seen brass like that before. Awesome job sir

Looks like a fun process I can’t wait to start!

Just bought this tumbler on sale... Good to see you're getting great results. Can't mess around with dirty brass when reloading, that's for sure.

Great video, definitely better instructions than many out there! I have the smaller version of the same tumbler, haven’t seen wear, but I’ll keep an eye.

this video needs to go viral for sure

I’ve had my Frankford tumbler for 5-6 years now. Has performed flawlessly. I dry my brass several different ways depending on weather. If it’s a nice sunny day I just put it on a towel in the sun (I’m in no hurry). Inclement weather either the oven on 150 or a dehydrator. As much as possible I deprime before tumbling. When I’m done cleaning I bag it in sandwich bags/100 count or 50 count that way its either ready to prime or swage as necessary.

Alright. That's Tumbling 101. Make sure you make a video for the next step. Just an idea, maybe do a video for each step as you go? Glad to be here for the journey.

Wow that's awesome! have to make you up some 5 gallon buckets and label with each caliber you shoot so when youre on your range you can pick them up as you go and will already be sorted by caliber and take a lot less work to clean, sort & reload next go around! Looks rewarding!

Man my heart sank when the jet dry cycle happened happy for u that it worked out !! Looking forward to the next one !!

really awesome watching this progress.

Looks good man. And you got your recipe down, and the look you want. I do believe you are good to go with your brass cleaning technique. 👍

I remember when I first started cleaning my brass. Fun times. Haha. A bit of advice: Cut WAY back on the dish soap. Slow down your tumbler and cut down on your tumble time. 20 minutes per cycle and change the water until clean. Oh and use your corn cob media tumbler to dry and polish.

I'm new to reloading and was in the supermarket just today looking for Lemi Shine. They didn't have any and I was considering picking up Jet Dry instead. Glad I didn't and glad I watched this video! Thanks, Man!

That came out amazing. The brass came out so bright after drying and I heard to lower my brightness

Thanks for the video... great information

That's really cool. Lot of work in reloading your own brass. Not saving that much money but it is neat. Thanks for sharing.

Keep up the good work! I look forward to seeing how your reloads work out.

I collect the brass for a 4,000 member club here in Canada and over wintered brass is the nastiest. I have been using a Thumler Tumbler for many years now and I can say that when it comes out it looks like factory new. 2hrs, warm water, Lemishine and Dawn do the trick every time. I used to scrap the nastiest stuff but it all comes out pretty. Even better if you decap first as it will clean the primer pockets and firehole.

About 50 years ago, I used dad's rock polisher on some brass. It is a 2 compartment tumbler that holds a half gallon per side. He would run rocks with course, then fine, each for a few days. I decided to use fine and check it after overnight. Mom wouldn't let me dry them where she dried banana chips, so I put them in the sun. Dad liked the look, so he bought me a vibratory cleaner. Now, I use the wet process before annealing, size, and trimming. Then dry to get the oil off and clean the primer pockets. I still use those same machines, about a quarter million later.

Hell yeah brother! I personally love the look of the dark tarnished brass. Makes it easier to tell what is mine and what I just picked up from the range.

Something about the process that just makes ya feel good. Its almost as much fun as emptying the brass.

That is amazing how that cleaned that brass Great video Tools Stay Safe My Friend

I just bought one based on this fantastic video. Thank you!

For any one thinking of getting a wet tumbler the Lyman works very well & comes with the basket & strainer I paid around $150 for mine at local gun shop. Also the Lyman case prep station works great especially for primer crimp removal & with the Lee case length trimmer.

Been using the FART machine for over a year now and I would never go back to media or sonic cleaning. Buy the FART wrench so you can tighten the end caps. Well worth the money. You made a miracle with that brass you saved. Nice job. I don't use the steel pins because they're a PITA !

My tumbler has 100+ hours of run time. It developed a bit of wear at first and then stopped the wear as actually improved its performance cause it now grips a lot better when it was new it had issues where it would slip and not spin the tub but now that it has some wear on it, it no longer slips and so i think it’s designed to “wear in” or “break in”

Great video, very informative.

Wow that’s unbelievable results thx for the video

Great video and great looking brass

Nice work on the cleaning. I have seen people put their deprimmed and just washed brass in the oven ( on a cookie sheet) on low to dry them out. I have also seen people put the dry brass in a zip lock bag and spray furniture polish in it and toss it around to lube the casings. Looking forward to the next video buddy.

MR. Clean. Good stuff Wildman 👏

Fantastic job T&T! The clean brass looks like it just left the factory. I'm glad that worked out. I might suggest looking at the Frankford Arsenal wet/dry media separator on MidwayUSA. It's a real game changer for separating steel pins from your brass. It's the most efficient way I know to separate pins. Great video T&T. Cheers.

I haven't noticed any excessive wear on mine. I feel like the pins really do a nice job cleaning the inside and primer pockets even though they are a bit awkward to deal with. I find pins in just about every place I've used them!

You done a great job that should show everyone that it can be done ...

Great video, don’t use to much lemon shine, It will tarnish the brass red. I use cold water. But keep on man, I’m new to the channel but I like it so far!

I did like your strainer set up with a course mesh and fine mesh. I need to find some of those for myself. I do think to be honest with you a 3-hour run would have done most of your brass without having to replenish anything. The water would be dirtier, but it would have just had to be rinsed and it would have only been one use of Dawn and Lemon Shine. It does pay to have the special magnets because you can pick up and drop the pins so much faster and more effective. It also pays to have a good dehydrator. The Lyman is a good choice because it heats from the bottom and also has a timer like the tumbler. Sometimes the brass discolors when drying if air drying and one side stays not dry for longer time. Been there and done that. I love the tumbler and the dryer. I do wish I had your strainer set up. Right after this posting I will be shopping for them.

If you had not said it wasn’t I sure would have thought it was steel case. The brass looks great. I have the smaller tumbler and it does a great job.

Sounds like a 'Got Milk' reloading commercial. lol 'Got Cleaners' 😂 Those cleaned up real nice. You're hooked now.

When your video first started and I saw all that other cleaning supply stuff, I said to myself “he’ll be returning that stuff soon enough.” 😂

Good work! Love your style

Great video brother luv the step by step keep them teaching video coming 🍻

Been using steel pins for a while now, they still surprise me when they come out.

Nicely done!!! I switched from Dawn to Armor All wash and wax which cuts down on spots and tarnish down the road.

I pick stuff like that up from time to time. They go in the pumbler with my other brass. If they don't clean up on the first try they go into the fired brass bucket to be tumbled again. They all clean up as long as there not breaking down.

Its nice to put something in the search on youtube an a tools video shows up

Good stuff, thanks for sharing!

Man that is beautiful. I dont even reload and I might just pick up a tumbler just for the satisfaction

The quicker you can get the water removed the better as that removes time for tarnishing, don’t use jet dry as it will increase tarnishing, and remember less dawn and lemmi shine does more….especially reducing each batch. Don’t skimp and do use a Frankford magnet, it’s worth its weight in gold. 👍🏻🙏🏻

Great vid!!! I use a food dehydrator to dry my brass!!

I wash brass each time it’s been shot with this method. 3kg tumbler, 60x.223 brass, 1/4 tsp citric acid (lemishine), 1/2 tsp dawn, 1/2 tsp rinse aid for 30 mins and get very nearly the same results.

Looks fantastic great job brother have fun Be Safe and God Bless 👍🎅

another tip when using this system. before you you load up the barrel take some vasoline and wipe it all over both the rubber gaskets. it will seal up both cap openings without having to crank down hard on the caps and keep the tumbler from leaking.

I bust out laughing when you pulled your hand out after 3 hours 😂😂😂

Good Blessing finding enough small rifle primers to do that huge mountain of brass. Gosh that is like a years worth of Ar shooting.

Man did that brass come out beautiful 🤩 brother I’m truly enjoying your content. I feel like we are both going through all the discoveries of reloading together. Oh I wanted to tell you after all the major cleaning you only have to use dawn dish soap. I did a few batches of 223/556 brass that was dirty after the first major cleaning. I used lemmy shine again and the brass turned like a pink color not the bright gold. So I just used dawn and the brass came out just as good and no pink hue to it. Plus you save on cleaning products cause don’t forget we do this to save on cost of it. I’m always looking for ways to save a few bucks here and there. But NOT Sacrifice on quality and accuracy of my loads

I bought a bag of 500 .45 acp range brass a couple months ago and usually when I buy range brass from that hardware store its relatively clean. This batch looked like somebody scrounged up all the brass that was buried on an outdoor range for years. People are cashing in on the shortage and selling the stuff nobody used to bother with.

All you needed to do was use the Dawn and little bit of lemon juice or that lemi shine wash for 1 and 1/2 hours to 2 hours Put The Jug under the faucet with hot water let all the soap bubble out of it then drain and put back hot water with a teaspoon full of Jet-Dry tumble for another half to 1 hour drain rinse and dry I spread out on a cookie sheet and just use my heat gun for about 5 minutes The Jet-Dry is used only with water and by itself not mixed with soap

3 hours in my Lyman 2500 with walnut media treated with car polish and a little mineral spirits would have cleaned that brass up just as well with a lot less effort. I like that I can set my tumbler on a timer and don't have to rush back to dump any water out...I don't have access to water or a drain in my basement either.

I almost puked when you dumped the first batch of water out 🤢 lol. But man my dry tumblers a joke compared to what that will do. I think ill be adding one of these on my next midway usa order

Wow, Dawn and Lemon Shine. I'll have to remember that for tarnish remover.

Duuuuuuurrrr Teeeeeeee!!!! Lovin these reload vids Tools!! Thank You Sir!

Yep I’m going to have to get one of them.

Great video

I told you they would get CLEAN and shiny. See us that know. Like that Frankfort Arsenal tumbler. I just use a harbor feight rock tumbler, dirt cheap, and works for the smaller amounts I do. Eventually would like to have that Rock Island one. Nice looking Rifle brass. Technically you could have after that 1st hour load, just dried them and used them, it would have shot the same, cleaned out the old powder and dirt, so they were reloadable at that point, now you got like NEW brass.

Now you’re addicted. Be sure to check your flash holes because pins will get stuck in there once in a while. Also, I’ve never tried hot water before. I’m gonna try it. I normally use cold water.

Southern Shine makes a wedge type pin of Stainless steel that works fantastic . Even cleaned primer pockets better than pins

Hello, new subscriber here. Just found your channel, and great information on the brass cleaning. I've got some that i forgot about in a bucket outside with no lid, so I'm gonna see if i can get it back. I use the same recipe with my Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler, and ran one batch for 3 hours. I'll run it again, an hour at a time to see if they come back around. Where did you get the two stage strainers from? Any links you can share? Thank you for the information. I'll check out the rest of your videos too

I can't believe that was the same brass you started out with. I have brass just like you showed at the beginning and still have not got them clean. Will try some more.

Man that is Amazinggg!!

I feel your enthusiasm for bright shiny brass. I might have to upgrade to a wet tumbler. Where did you get the screens?

I have the same tumbler set up and will never go back to the corn cob vibrator .The wet tumbler is 100 times better.

great video, what is the strainer that you are using

Off to the races...nice. Well, there goes the Jet Dry sponsorship. Ha. Come on Dawn and Lemi Shine, where yall at? Lol

That's like magic....kinda!!

Also be careful especially with older brass certain cleaners can cause the zinc to leak from the cases and turn them pink to a rose color

1 hour just water for the first run get the crud off… then decap the brass, then 1 hour a squirt of dawn & a table spoon of lemishine. The cleanest brass you have ever seen, as far as spots buy a dryer for your brass.

Found that 1/4 cup Armor all Car Wash and Wax and 1 TBL spoon of Citric Acid powder works excellent on dirty brass.

Amazing !!!

1/2 teaspoon of dawn and 1/4 teaspoon of lemi shine per load run for 2 hours.

Another question. What type of Frankford tumbler are you using. I want to purchase one, but, I believe there are different models. Thanks

I highly recommend two things: 1) Get a media separator from RCBS 2) put a neodymium magnet in the drain of your sink that's too big to fall through. Those pins will get away from you otherwise.

Looks like Justin Wilson measuring salt in the palm of his hand 🤣

I cleaned 30 year old 7.5 x 55 in tumbler (dry) for 3 1/2 hours . Came out almost new .

Key thing about steel pins is how clean the primer pockets and INSIDE the cases are. Clears all the internal carbon out. Use 1 Tbsp of Dawn and only 1/8 th teaspoon of Lemi Shine ....not a lot, too much messes up the zinc in the brass. I hand cleaned primer pockets for YEARS until I learned about steel pins. What a fool.

Great video! What size sifters are you using?

You were using a drain pan??? Where did you purchase it at.

At 19:50 all I can say is wow!!

I know what I’m going to do,thanks for info

Add a 1/2 cup of vinegar along with the other ingredients. Just like cleaning out a tankless water heater