Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Cleaning brass with sodium bicarbonate

Hi,

A question: would the brass structure be affected using sodium bicarbonate to clean and neutralize some very superficial internal greenish patina ...?

Thank you!

PH

What caused the green patina? The reason I ask is if the green patina was caused by something that attracted moisture I would use a drying agent like alcohol.

Thank you Dave,

First of all, don't matter the cause (to be attended later), I want to neutralize that patina. The brass I am talking are once fired ones, may be not stored in the right place. Outside are perfect and shiny and not corroded. But inside they have that slight greenish-grayish stuff. I have used some as they are without any trouble. And after the shot, they come clean. The brass are a lot of NORMA and RWS 9,3X62, very good and truly once fired. But stored some time. I don't want to dispose them!!
My concern is to load AND STORE the cartridges without removing that thing.
So, there is another question: could that (I think acid) layer to decompose or degrade the powder?

Thank you again!

I'd try Iosso brass cleaner and then a hot tap water soak.

https://iosso.com/clean/products/case-cleaner-case-cleaner-kit/

Stainless steel pins and a tumbler will make them look brand new.

Yep, I tumbled some lever action brass that was stored in a leather ammo carrier and had turned mostly green. Stainless media, lemi and dawn made it look better than any new bagged brass.

Take some vinegar, like a cup, or enough to cover the brass. Add a couple of good shakes of table salt. Soak the brass in there. Stir occasionally, and when the green is gone, rinse thoroughly in running water, like 5 minutes. You should be good to go. That formula was introduced to all by the NRA in about 1958. I used it for years to clean range brass.

Depending on how bad the tarnish is, the brass should be nice and shiny in 2 or 3 hours. The salt slows the chemical process down.

What makes you think the green is an acid layer?

The green on brass or copper is a byproduct of corrosion, just like reddish-brown on steel. Acid could be a cause, but isn't even the most likely cause. Baking soda won't do much to remove corrosion.

Thank you all!

I also heard the vinegar treatment. I will do that.

You are right Yondering.

Best!

PH