"Honey, does this tumbler make my brass look fat?"

[deadshot2]

One reason I like shiny brass is that when I shoot outside it is easier to find the brass if it reflects more light. It doesn't look like dirt.

I have not tried the stainless steel pins yet. I was wondering if they are hard on the plastic tub of the tumblers, and also since the steel is so much harder than the brass do they have a shot-peen effect on brass?

I've been using my SS pins in an RCBS Sidewinder. The inside of the tub is just as shiny as when I bought it 30 years ago. As for "shot peening", the pins weigh less than .5 gr and don't have enough mass to do much more than scrub the case. Shot peening is done at high velocities. The pins merely slide over the cases in the "bath". My cases come out looking shinier than when tumbled in straight walnut and almost as shiny as when tumbled in ground corncob.

 

[Kevatc]

I don't know about you but I like to start with totally clean brass. No leftover carbon inside or crud outside. Funny thing about "like new" brass, you don't have to mess with primer pocket cleaning or brushing out the necks. Don't have to wonder if there is enough carbon buildup inside to affect the performance of your load.

The benefits of SS pin media are far more than just clean.

Don't have to replace the pins as they never get dirty.

They'll outlast many bags of "ground up Iowa Toilet Paper" or lizard litter.

No dust around your vibrating tumbler.

No cross contamination of lead as it's a dust free process.

The process cleans the brass completely and it's easy to see any developing flaws as you can inspect the inside of the cases as well as outside.
The clean interior allows one to see inside and the "case separation ring" is very visible if it's starting to form.

For it's time, corncob polishing in vibrators was the "state of the art". Now the state of the art cleaning process is either ultrasonic or stainless pin tumbling. Unlike the ultrasonic method, SS Pins give a bit of a polish effect. It's just a matter of choice.

Well, consider me educated! Thanks. BTW, ultrasonic is nice but I haven't seen it as an adequate substitution for vibratory cleaning only. I am doing both. It adds an extra step or three (rinsing and drying) but ultrasonic alone ain't all it's cracked up to be especially with rifle cases ... IMHO.

 

[best defense]

We have an ultrasonic cleaner at work. They don't really have the proper solutions for cleaning brass, but I tried it on some 223 brass anyway. It does get most of the crap out of the primer pockets. Maybe if they had the correct solution, it would work better, but since it is a real big container, it holds a couple of gallons of liquid, I don't think I want to pay what it would cost to fill it up with the right stuff. just to toss it all when I was done.

 

[deadshot2]

We have an ultrasonic cleaner at work. They don't really have the proper solutions for cleaning brass, but I tried it on some 223 brass anyway. It does get most of the crap out of the primer pockets. Maybe if they had the correct solution, it would work better, but since it is a real big container, it holds a couple of gallons of liquid, I don't think I want to pay what it would cost to fill it up with the right stuff. just to toss it all when I was done.

I looked at some huge industrial Ultrasonic cleaners at a Las Vegas trade show several years ago. Units large enough to clean a large engine block. The manufacturer said that the best fluid for cleaning the crud off was a simple detergent like Dawn. It's the wetting agent and the microscopic cavitation bubbles formed by the sound waves are what does the work. The detergent also keeps the crud in suspension so it doesn't form a thick layer in the tank to deaden the action of the transducers. If you want something to brighten the brass you can either do it as a separate operation when cleaned using Iosso or one of the home brew solutions using citric acid, vinegar or whatever.

 

[best defense]

Thank you.