Advantages of using polish to prevent tarnishing/rust

**45acp** · February 23rd, 2017, 03:52 PM

I am hoping someone can provide some advice. I have been reloading pistol and rifle rounds for a couple of years now. In the past year I stopped using polish in my media when cleaning the brass. With sporadic trips to the range some of the reloaded ammo has been lying around for 6-12 months. Some of the rounds both that have had polish used and just walnut/corncob media have begun to tarnish and on rare occasion rust. Is there anything I can do in my brass preparation to prevent the tarnish and especially rust? Or is this simply from the bass itself not being great and no extra step will prevent the process. Thanks for the help.

**gghbi** · February 23rd, 2017, 04:38 PM

Where and how are you storing it? If you keep it in closed air tight containers such as ammo cans, or even plastic bags, it should not tarnish/rust. Sound like your storage area has a moisture and/or temperature control issue. Unheated garages or sheds are terrible places, and many basements are not much better.

I am sure others on this site can add more wisdom, but that is my initial two cents worth.

Metal or good plastic ammo cans with a desiccant pack in them should allow almost indefinite storage if temperature extremes are avoided.

**Hawk** · February 23rd, 2017, 04:40 PM

I have spent brass that's been sitting in plastic tubs for 5+ years without any affects to the brass.

BTW, brass can't "rust". It will "corrode" if exposed to chemicals (like salts).

**knight0334** · February 23rd, 2017, 09:59 PM

Good luck eliminating all oxygen from your environment...

The only way to completely protect reactive metals is to either coat them or eliminate what causes them to corrode. ...oxygen, certain salts, etc, etc. Very few metals are completely stable, most react with something, and that reaction often results in corrosion.

With your used media, well part of the polishing process removes some of the metal. That metal ends up on the media, so that metal will corrode.

**cephas** · February 24th, 2017, 08:42 PM

Citric acid bath is touted as helping prevent corrosion on brass. I do an initial wash with it when prepping brass.
"Also, citric acid passivates the brass, which means that after washing in the hot solution, the brass is actually made more corrosion-resistant. If you store brass for long periods, that's great news."
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-brass-cleaner