Tumbling coated bullets

[Nwcid]

I have a bit over 500 rounds of primed .308 brass that has been sitting in a plastic MTM box for many years and so the brass is starting to look a bit rough. I know that does not affect performance, but it would be nice to have it look a little better. Typically I would just vibratory tumble the loaded ammo before packaging it up.

I am going to be loading 168gr Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertips that have a polycarbonate tip and Lubalox coating and I am worried about tumbling taking the coating off. Does anyone know if this will damage the coating? Is there another good option besides de-priming, tumbling and reassembling?

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[Richo877]

Take what you want out of it, but here's some opinions on tumbling primed brass. I haven't had issues with the ones I've loaded so far. I had no intention nor desire to decap and reprime all of it either. I don't have experience with the bullet coatings, so I can't offer suggestions there.

 

[Nwcid]

Take what you want out of it, but here's some opinions on tumbling primed brass. I haven't had issues with the ones I've loaded so far. I had no intention nor desire to decap and reprime all of it either. I don't have experience with the bullet coatings, so I can't offer suggestions there.

I had not considered tumbling the primed brass. I had concerns over the flash holes as well, however I long ago moved to walnut media and cannot recall any getting stuck in the primer holes like corn does. With that said, the hole is usually open so stuff cannot get plugged up in there. I hit the internet and after reading several posts there are people that do it frequently with zero problems, people who are worried about, "what might happen", and I saw a report of 1 squib that came from corn media stuck in the flash hole.

I am thinking I might do a test with a couple of primed brass and a couple of loaded bullets to see if it has any effect on either and decide from there.

What did you end up doing in your case and did it work out?

 

[Croat]

OCD is rather prevalent in gun sports where form continues to trump function. "I know that does not affect performance..."

As for using walnut, not a fan. Switched to, and now much prefer, Southern Shine media. Excellent stuff, perpetually recyclable, easy to work with.

 

[Richo877]

I had not considered tumbling the primed brass. I had concerns over the flash holes as well, however I long ago moved to walnut media and cannot recall any getting stuck in the primer holes like corn does. With that said, the hole is usually open so stuff cannot get plugged up in there. I hit the internet and after reading several posts there are people that do it frequently with zero problems, people who are worried about, "what might happen", and I saw a report of 1 squib that came from corn media stuck in the flash hole.

I am thinking I might do a test with a couple of primed brass and a couple of loaded bullets to see if it has any effect on either and decide from there.

What did you end up doing in your case and did it work out?

Out of 26lbs of old primed 5.56 brass I dry tumbled 100 cases with corn in a vibratory cleaner. I gave each one a solid 'tap' on the bench after taking out of the media. They all fired with zero failures. The rest I've still been working, but I've just been loading it all as-is and giving it an hour in the tumbler after it's done. Call it lazy, but I just kinda stopped caring about the looks after going through and hand checking and reprocessing 26lbs. My dies have been fine.
*I should note that tumbling my loaded rounds, I don't have to worry about damaging the coating since they're just jacketed bullets. I tumbled some 7mm rem mag loaded with coated "x" bullets. Those don't seem like there's been any damage to the coating, but I haven't shot any of those yet and I don't know much about the coating itself, but it seems durable.

 

[Nwcid]

OCD is rather prevalent in gun sports where form continues to trump function. "I know that does not affect performance..."

I guess it depends. For the brass, I feel like it will last longer and at some far distant future it will prevent possible corrosion and weakening.

On the flip side, you should see some of my guns that get used frequently, I was called a, "gun slob" once.

As for using walnut, not a fan. Switched to, and now much prefer, Southern Shine media. Excellent stuff, perpetually recyclable, easy to work with.

I mainly wet tumble now. I will look into that, but I recently bought 20lbs of new walnut so it will be a while before I get more.

 

[Nwcid]

The results of the test after 1 hour shows the is some minor visible "damage"/reduction to the coating and I will not be tumbling ammo with those bullets in them.

I also put in 10 pieces of primed brass. All look much better and no issues with the primers, I will just make sure to do a good visual on each case to make sure there are not issues with the flash hole.

 

[Certaindeaf]

The results of the test after 1 hour shows the is some minor visible "damage"/reduction to the coating and I will not be tumbling ammo with those bullets in them.

I also put in 10 pieces of primed brass. All look much better and no issues with the primers, I will just make sure to do a good visual on each case to make sure there are not issues with the flash hole.

Another thought is to de-prime the brass, clean and then load. Many here would re-use the primers but it seems to me what with your middle name being anal and all you should just fork over $20 for 500 brand new primers and then load up them fancy whatsits.

 

[edzz]

Another thought is to de-prime the brass, clean and then load. Many here would re-use the primers but it seems to me what with your middle name being anal and all you should just fork over $20 for 500 brand new primers and then load up them fancy whatsits.

Where are you getting primers for $40. a brick???

 

[Certaindeaf]

Where are you getting primers for $40. a brick???

My primers were $18/K. The $20 is arbitrary and used to point out that this thread of worry is all about a very nominal sum that is encapsulated in the cost of 500 primers.

 

[Richo877]

My primers were $18/K. The $20 is arbitrary and used to point out that this thread of worry is all about a very nominal sum that is encapsulated in the cost of 500 primers.

Also, where are you finding primers for $18/k? You must have bought them in the 80's. I haven't seen any around for less than $60 for cheap imports.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Also, where are you finding primers for $18/k? You must have bought them in the 80's. I haven't seen any around for less than $60 for cheap imports.

Like I said, it's arbitrary so you don't have to worry your little head about it.

 

[Richo877]

Like I said, it's arbitrary so you don't have to worry your little head about it.

It's only arbitrary if you've already got the primers and you don't care about what they cost years ago. I personally wouldn't throw away 500 good primers just to clean the brass. I'm way too cheap to go buy 500 more for no reason. I'm also too cheap to load with silver tips.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It's only arbitrary if you've already got the primers and you don't care about what they cost years ago. I personally wouldn't throw away 500 good primers just to clean the brass. I'm way too cheap to go buy 500 more for no reason. I'm also too cheap to load with silver tips.

Yea, whatever.

 

[gmerkt]

We've had this discussion here before re. tumbling primed brass. I don't see a downside to it. You can inspect and tap out any grits you see down in the primer hole. Or you can assume that in the pico second ignition period, the primer flash burns the media grain out of the way and causes no problem.

I know (at least) Winchester used to tumble finished ammo to schmollack it up a bit before packaging. But I don't know how long it was subjected to tumbling. Some reloading books opine against the practice, on the basis that excess tumbling might break down the coatings on powders. Which I've wondered about. Considering Hodgdon imports powder from Australia, which rides along thousands of miles in barrels on container ships, even packed tight it's hard to think there isn't a bit of abrasion taking place. Or finished ammo that is shipped from Europe to the US, et al.

Many here would re-use the primers

A practice which can have its own problems. Sometimes reused primers don't fit well second time around, depending upon how tight the primer pocket was in the case first primed. I hate loose primers. I won't say I haven't reused them. But when I've done it, I've kept the universal decapping die handy in my press to knock out and discard any that felt loose when I've tried to seat them. This is another thing the reloading books tell us not to do.

 

[gmerkt]

A practice which can have its own problems. Sometimes reused primers don't fit well second time around, depending upon how tight the primer pocket was in the case first primed. I hate loose primers. I won't say I haven't reused them. But when I've done it, I've kept the universal decapping die handy in my press to knock out and discard any that felt loose when I've tried to seat them. This is another thing the reloading books tell us not to do.

There is kind of a Hillbilly art to this. After years of reloading, you may come to know which brand or origin cases have tight, loose or middling primer pocket fit. Wear and expansion from multiple firings notwithstanding. But one way to reuse decapped, live primers that fit loose is to save them for certain brands of European cases made for Boxer primers. Some of those can fit tight. Or USGI brass with pockets that were originally crimped. Just don't decrimp them, that gives a nice tight primer fit.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I had not considered tumbling the primed brass. I had concerns over the flash holes as well, however I long ago moved to walnut media and cannot recall any getting stuck in the primer holes like corn does. With that said, the hole is usually open so stuff cannot get plugged up in there. I hit the internet and after reading several posts there are people that do it frequently with zero problems, people who are worried about, "what might happen", and I saw a report of 1 squib that came from corn media stuck in the flash hole.

I am thinking I might do a test with a couple of primed brass and a couple of loaded bullets to see if it has any effect on either and decide from there.

What did you end up doing in your case and did it work out?

Just my observations over the years.
The loaded rounds will not get cleaned as it stay in the bottom of the vibratory tumbler due to it's weight and the media cycling over it. Unlike empty brass which is lighter and will cycle and get the full effect of cleaning.

 

[Nwcid]

Just my observations over the years.
The loaded rounds will not get cleaned as it stay in the bottom of the vibratory tumbler due to it's weight and the media cycling over it. Unlike empty brass which is lighter and will cycle and get the full effect of cleaning.

Yes, loaded ammo does not vibratory tumble as well as empty cases, but I have done a few thousand rounds and been happy with the results. If I was not using coated bullets I would post tumble.

 

[Nwcid]

I'm also too cheap to load with silver tips.

Typically I am also but I am almost out of a batch I loaded for my target rifle about 20 years ago and they are hard to come by. They came available recently so I picked up 500 more which should last a long while.

My primarily reloaded round I shoot is 55gr Nosler ballistic tips from my AR. I am still loading at a cost of about $0.20/rd with the supplies I have on hand.

 

[Ben B.]

I tumble finished rounds in walnut media to remove case lube. It works to remove the lube. Sometimes it chips off a little Hitek coating from a few bullets. I shrug and shoot them.