Yes, absolutely doable. People just have to know, or they end up crushing the new primers going in.
But 115,000 rounds is too much for me to deprime. I am simply going to clean it up and sell it with the primers in it. I'm considering renting a cement mixer to polish them.
The brass is extremely dark, but not pitted with corrosion. I've found that a quick vinegar bath brightens them up, but I haven't found walnut shells too effective on taking off the rest. Does anyone have any suggestions for a better media? I've considered using fine sand in a cement mixer, but am worried that it will be too abrasive.
In any event, I would like to get them clean and packaged up in 1000 rd bags, so that I can start selling them for ~$50 per 1000.
I use a mix 1/2 walnut 1/2 corncob with some Brasso added.
You can get Brasso from pretty much any store.
I don’t worry about getting shiny brass just getting dirt off so I don’t leave my brass in very long, but leave them in awhile and they should shine unless really tarnished.
Baking soda, possibly. Others would know better than I. I blasted small parts with soda a while back and don’t recall it doing damage to soft metals, though I never tried brass.
You can make your own vibratory tumbler and avoid destroying brass using a cement mixer by cannibalizing an old electric compressor. I’ve done it for a different purpose.
Cannibalize the motor, which already has a concentric weight on the shaft, mount the motor with ‘refrigeration motor vibration isolators’ (available at any refrigeration supply house, or perhaps Grainger) to a heavy base, mount a platform to the motor, mount a suitable bowl to the platform and you’re golden (rather, ‘polished’).
There’s this, too
http://boyerfour.com/projects/tumbler/tumbler.htm
Actually, having read his site above, if I had 900lbs of brass I’d try the tire one.
Sand will embed in the brass thus ruining sizing dies. Others have suggested some excellent home brew medias here. You want whatever it is to not embed into the brass. Also be careful of solutions that can weaken the brass.