WatchmanUSA Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 I have been processing once-fired .223 Lake City brass. There is a small number of cases that appear to be colored brown. I'm fairly sure it is brass. When I trimmed it the exposed trimmed edge looks like brass. Any thoughts on the brown color? BTW - it remained brown colored after tumbling and it is smooth like the polished brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Never heard of LC being anything But brass......... If you can scratch it and see brass color I would guess that it is brass - just exposed to something that discolored it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmanfixit Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 There are soil conditions, for example, that will stain brass brown pretty deeply. I'm a serious brass scrounge and relentlessly pick brass wherever I go. I get LOTS of pieces from ranges that have been buried and then weather back out. (The brass monster giveth and the brass monster taketh away) It polishes up clean and brown and it shoots fine. It is handy to have a magnet close by tho....just to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WatchmanUSA Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 There are soil conditions, for example, that will stain brass brown pretty deeply. I'm a serious brass scrounge and relentlessly pick brass wherever I go. I get LOTS of pieces from ranges that have been buried and then weather back out. (The brass monster giveth and the brass monster taketh away) It polishes up clean and brown and it shoots fine. It is handy to have a magnet close by tho....just to be sure. It is defiantly brass and not aluminum or steel. It is only stained or oxidized brown. Your explanation of the soil causing the discoloration seems plausible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildot1 Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 DO NOT USE THE BRASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Send to me postage paid for disposal. Mildot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roostershooter Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 (edited) Lake City, on occasion, does special runs of Black Nickel brass. In appearance it looks like a lacquer covered brass, but it IS Black Nickel over Brass! Good stuff. Load them and shoot them in lots so that you don't loose track of them. Edited October 25, 2012 by roostershooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outsydlooknin75 Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I've got 15 gallons of black brass. Some of it is rifle some of it is pistol. I cleaned it up from a local outdoor range that its been exposed to the elements for some time. I hand sorted thru it and have picked out all the rusted steel cases and damaged unusable stuff. I plan on running it thru the tumbler and cleaning it up as best I can. It will be used at all the lost brass matches where I know I won't get it back and don't really care. I have enough clean shiny pick ups for the bolt guns and stuff that I keep track of. Thought about selling it but not sure if people would want it. I think with a wet media cleaning system it might come clean but not 100% sure. Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 We run into some that has been buried and the stainless pin method cleans all of it to about the same condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WatchmanUSA Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 DO NOT USE THE BRASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Send to me postage paid for disposal. Mildot They are in the mail.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildot1 Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 GREAT! I'll let you know when they arrive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustyvarmint Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Maybe throw those in about 1/2 gallon boiling water with 1-2 tablespoons Lemi-Shine - can be found in the dishwashing detergent section at the grocery store. They'll probably turn a rosy-pink and you can re-tumble them again after drying. happy shooting, dv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roostershooter Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Again ... It's probably black nickel brass. A good way to ensure that it's not rusty old steel case ammo .... stick it to a magnet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerseyglock Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 DO NOT USE THE BRASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Send to me postage paid for disposal. Mildot They are in the mail.... Can you post pic? Maybe you can send some my way too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibby Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 The annealing process causes discoloration, and brand new brass does not look beautiful. I would tumble them and see how they come out, but discoloration is probably not a concern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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