To Clean, To Tumble or to Let it Go???

[etrain16]

You should - I feel cleaning is essential, and borrowing mine would let you know if dry-tumbling is right for you.

All achieve essentially the same thing, clean brass - It's just the post-process that differs.

That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. My research to date indicates that clean brass is critical when loading for accuracy, consistency and with rifles. Seems like folks are a bit looser when it comes to pistol reloads for plinking. But that said, I like the idea of clean brass. I won't be processing thousands of rounds at a time, so taking a few extra hours to clean it doesn't bother me. I'll PM you.

Another question for folks that do use tumblers - do you have a favorite brand/model? Prices seem to be all over the place. The Frankford Arsenal tumbler is fairly inexpensive and has good capacity. The reviews are very good for this one. And for someone that will be doing low volume loading for the foreseeable future, I don't want to spend more than is necessary.

Any favorites out there?

And, some of you have already answered this, but what is your preferred media or media mix? I'm leaning toward the crushed/ground walnut media as there seems to be a consistent like for it. Some like corn cob. Some add car polish, citric acid, dish soap, even dryer sheets. Just curious what you all prefer.

 

[blackadder]

I run a Lyman 1200 pro with crushed walnut and Nu-shine car wax. The Lyman had the best reviews for the price range(edit: no complaints with the performance), and the media recipe seemed like it was on every forum I searched. I have been throwing chunks of paper towel in, but I am going to try drier sheets because the paper towels aren't doing as much as I would like.

 

[Benchrest]

I've got the Hornady. Hundreds of hours on it, it just works...

 

[Benchrest]

I'll add (others may have already chimed in): If you go the vibratory route, and process a lot of brass, you may want to invest in a media separator.

40pcs of rifle brass? Tumble, and pick em' out individually, shaking the media out as you go.

500pcs 9mm? Nope. I've got a plastic Folgers can that I drilled holes in the bottom corner. Dump the brass in and shake it over the tumbler. The process covers the brass in dust so I dump them on an old towel, fold it over, and 'roll' them. Time consuming and dusty, but it works.

A fully enclosed model like this would make the process much faster and eliminate the dust.




On my short list

 

[SinisterSouthpaw]

Shiny brass makes your rounds more accurate??????!!!!! but only if polished in Voodoo brand polish, right?



BTW, clean means CLEAN, there is no snot on the brass to slow chambering --even in full auto loads--ever looked at belted up ammo destined for use in a SAW? there is no polish--and that's not because we don't want reflections pinpointing the gunner's position---it's a waste of time and effort that can go towards more important military activities, like cleaning the head with a toothbrush...........................or spit shining your boots, or a lot of things

 

[HotRod61]

I have a Hornady tumbler. It works well as long as I don't over load it. It has cracks around the outside of the bowl going vertical. The duct tape is working well. Six years old. Walnut media.
I like the dryer sheets, because it keeps the static electricity down and help with the shine as well.
As far as the media separator. I have a square detergent buckets I got free from the wife. I went to Wally World and picked up a 2.00 plastic strainer. Drilled bigger holes in it so the media drops out faster. The strainer fits on upside down top of the tumbler with the bucket upside down. then I flip the tumbler over now the bucket and strainer are straight and the tumbler is upside down. I remove the tumbler and start flipping the brass the media falls in bucket. I save the cost of the media separator and than buy other components from Misterarman.

HotRod

 

[HotRod61]

Shiny brass makes your rounds more accurate??????!!!!! but only if polished in Voodoo brand polish, right?

Right.

You have some of that polish too?

 

[deadeye]

That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. My research to date indicates that clean brass is critical when loading for accuracy, consistency and with rifles. Seems like folks are a bit looser when it comes to pistol reloads for plinking. But that said, I like the idea of clean brass. I won't be processing thousands of rounds at a time, so taking a few extra hours to clean it doesn't bother me. I'll PM you.

Another question for folks that do use tumblers - do you have a favorite brand/model? Prices seem to be all over the place. The Frankford Arsenal tumbler is fairly inexpensive and has good capacity. The reviews are very good for this one. And for someone that will be doing low volume loading for the foreseeable future, I don't want to spend more than is necessary.

Any favorites out there?

And, some of you have already answered this, but what is your preferred media or media mix? I'm leaning toward the crushed/ground walnut media as there seems to be a consistent like for it. Some like corn cob. Some add car polish, citric acid, dish soap, even dryer sheets. Just curious what you all prefer.

I use stainless pins with dish soap/lemon shine in an old Lortone 12# capacity tumbler that I put heavier bearings and bigger motor on. I deprime and size first and can do a coffee can full at a time. The tumbler only makes motor noise so it is no problem running in the reloading room in the house. This one in the classifieds is similar but has two 6# drums instead of a single 12# but for $50 it's a steal...... https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/lortone-tumbler-fd-66-dual-6lb-barrels.202774/

 

[Benchrest]

Shiny brass makes your rounds more accurate??????!!!!! but only if polished in Voodoo brand polish, right?

Unlikely, but it does keep the crap out of my dies & chamber.

To each his own I guess.

 

[Tirving]

I have the stainless steel set-up from STM. Tumbler, stainless steel pins, media separator. I like their stuff although I will probably get the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Tumbler. It has a pretty good capacity and some good features that'll speed things up a bit.

For those worried about getting a divorce after using the oven to dry brass. Get a food dehydrator. I picked up a nice one with adjustable heat setting for $50. After I wet tumble with stainless steel media, separate pins and cases in a media separator, and dump onto a towel, I throw them in the dehydrator and they're bone dry in 1 hr.

 

[Tirving]

By-the-way. Cabelas has the frankford arsenal platinum on sale for $150, I think. I don't know why I didn't buy it today. I think I was so shocked to find that they had 5k CCI 300 primers that I couldn't focus on anything else
It seems like every time I go, they're out of small and large pistol primers.

 

[Member 5605]

Harbor freight rock tumbler.

1lb stainless media in each drum. Full 3/4 with brass, then fill 7/8 with water. Tablespoon of carnauba wax based car soap, a 1/4 or so teaspoon of LemiShine and tumble for 4 hours. Rinse in COLD water (or wax washes off), let dry and tumble more.

I use the strainer from an old salad spinner to separate my media from brass. I went to WinCo and bought some plastic bowls- the big ones just for rinsing my brass off. Remember heavy metals don't belong in the kitchen bowls.

I size before cleaning with exception to really DIRTY RANGE BRASS.

Deadeye and I have the same method, because it works. And I remember when he was all about corn cob and walnut media.

Total cost this way: $50 tumbler, $16 media, $3 soap and $3 LemiShine.

 

[Benchrest]

Harbor freight rock tumbler.

1lb stainless media in each drum. Full 3/4 with brass, then fill 7/8 with water. Tablespoon of carnauba wax based car soap, a 1/4 or so teaspoon of LemiShine and tumble for 4 hours. Rinse in COLD water (or wax washes off), let dry and tumble more.

Might have to give that a try, though it seems having to dry the brass adds another step / cost of a dehydrator.

 

[Member 5605]

@Benchrest if you are impatient. I do my cleaning in the evening and leave the brass over night to dry before putting them in the tubs for later reloading. I don't clean and reload the same day. Clean 1000 over a week or so then load the next week.

It's a hobby not a job.

 

[misterarman]

Might have to give that a try, though it seems having to dry the brass adds another step / cost of a dehydrator.

SPACE, the final frontier. I am out of it. I just don't have room for anything more of any size. As far as the time of waiting for brass to dry not that big of factor. Rarely do I reload the brass I just shot next. I have batches in all different stages. Sometimes so bad it makes my head spin keeping track of where I'm at. Your brain, use it or lose it.
As far as the expense of it? Reloaders are cheap. We are so cheap I'm guessing it cost more for us to shoot because of all our equipment. But what is the cost of custom ammo? Plus if you don't enjoy it, don't do it.
Get into reloading to save money. Stay in it because it's an enjoyable, satisfying hobby for a lifetime.

 

[misterarman]

Harbor freight rock tumbler.

1lb stainless media in each drum. Full 3/4 with brass, then fill 7/8 with water. Tablespoon of carnauba wax based car soap, a 1/4 or so teaspoon of LemiShine and tumble for 4 hours. Rinse in COLD water (or wax washes off), let dry and tumble more.

I use the strainer from an old salad spinner to separate my media from brass. I went to WinCo and bought some plastic bowls- the big ones just for rinsing my brass off. Remember heavy metals don't belong in the kitchen bowls.

I size before cleaning with exception to really DIRTY RANGE BRASS.

Deadeye and I have the same method, because it works. And I remember when he was all about corn cob and walnut media.

Total cost this way: $50 tumbler, $16 media, $3 soap and $3 LemiShine.

Where do you dump the heavy metal water?
This sure does seem to be the way to clean brass. But then the question becomes how clean do you need to get your brass? Not if you need to clean it at all?

 

[misterarman]

As mentioned

That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. My research to date indicates that clean brass is critical when loading for accuracy, consistency and with rifles. Seems like folks are a bit looser when it comes to pistol reloads for plinking. But that said, I like the idea of clean brass. I won't be processing thousands of rounds at a time, so taking a few extra hours to clean it doesn't bother me. I'll PM you.

Another question for folks that do use tumblers - do you have a favorite brand/model? Prices seem to be all over the place. The Frankford Arsenal tumbler is fairly inexpensive and has good capacity. The reviews are very good for this one. And for someone that will be doing low volume loading for the foreseeable future, I don't want to spend more than is necessary.

Any favorites out there?

And, some of you have already answered this, but what is your preferred media or media mix? I'm leaning toward the crushed/ground walnut media as there seems to be a consistent like for it. Some like corn cob. Some add car polish, citric acid, dish soap, even dryer sheets. Just curious what you all prefer.

As mentioned before. I like the Dillon Cv2001. Harbor Freight I think makes the most inexpensive one. I have a combination of who knows what media accumulated over the years and I have no real preference. Cap of Dillon media polish and a used dryer sheet.
I truly believe the used dryer sheet is more important than anything. It collects all the dust and nasty crap coming off your which keeps your media clean which allows it to keep working.

 

[misterarman]

I'll add (others may have already chimed in): If you go the vibratory route, and process a lot of brass, you may want to invest in a media separator.

40pcs of rifle brass? Tumble, and pick em' out individually, shaking the media out as you go.

500pcs 9mm? Nope. I've got a plastic Folgers can that I drilled holes in the bottom corner. Dump the brass in and shake it over the tumbler. The process covers the brass in dust so I dump them on an old towel, fold it over, and 'roll' them. Time consuming and dusty, but it works.

A fully enclosed model like this would make the process much faster and eliminate the dust.


View attachment 254021

On my short list

A little polish and a used dryer sheet sure cut down on the dust that I'm sure no one wants to be breathing.

 

[Benchrest]

@Benchrest if you are impatient. I do my cleaning in the evening and leave the brass over night to dry before putting them in the tubs for later reloading. I don't clean and reload the same day. Clean 1000 over a week or so then load the next week.

It's a hobby not a job.

Really? I would think any one of my posts would illustrate my love of this hobby, and the silly amount of time I put into it

I meant to suggest that, for me, dry tumbling works, and doesn't require the extra step / time of drying the brass.

Doesn't mean I won't give pin / wet tumbling a try

 

[Benchrest]

A little polish and a used dryer sheet sure cut down on the dust that I'm sure no one wants to be breathing.

I've read that tip many times and have yet to try it!

Next round of brass!