Tumbling/Polishing Ammunition (Post Loading)

[tightgroup tiger]

I tumble mine in a rotary tumbler after loading. My tumbler can is round so there is no banging around while tumbling. 15 minutes in there to get the lube and finger prints off. I only hear the loading rounds for the first few revolutions then all I hear is the media so I know they aren't hitting each other.
Don't think the lube hurts any thing, especially after reading Slamfire's threads on reducing case head separation in rifle loads where he literally greases his rifle ammo. Nothing to be gained by leaving it on pistol ammo.

15 minutes in a rotary tumbler with loaded ammo seems to have the same effect as an hour with empty cases. They shine up quick, must be the extra weight of the bullets that makes the difference.

 

[GBExpat]

For those who may not know ...

... if you have just finished-up loading a batch of cartridges with lead bullets and decide to toss them in your VCC to remove the excess thick-sticky bullet lube that is covering the bullets ... well, you will only do that once.

If you do it on a 2nd occasion, seek counseling.


=====

In the interest of full disclosure, yes, yes I did that once.

What a MESS!

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[EDIT] Anyone remember Nutty Buddy ice cream cones? That is what my lead-bullet cartridges looked like coming out of the crushed corn cob media.

 

[EricBu]

For those who may not know ...

... if you have just finished-up loading a batch of cartridges with lead bullets and decide to toss them in your VCC to remove the excess thick-sticky bullet lube that is covering the bullets ... well, you will only do that once.

If you do it on a 2nd occasion, seek counseling.


=====

In the interest of full disclosure, yes, yes I did that once.

What a MESS!

Don't add polish or nu finish. Do add 1/4 teaspoon of 99% isopropyl alcohol. I prefer untreated wallnut over corncob, it tends to come out of hollowpoints much much easier. I use my own lanolin based case lube, other types may not produce the same result.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Don't add polish or nu finish. Do add 1/4 teaspoon of 99% isopropyl alcohol. I prefer untreated wallnut over corncob, it tends to come out of hollowpoints much much easier. I use my own lanolin based case lube, other types may not produce the same result.

Lanolin-based makes for a softer shooting round, eh?

I’m learning so much new.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Up until around 1999-2000, I didn't tumble anything. I tossed all my empties in a 1gal paint can with a cup of acetone and gave it a few shakes, then dumped them in an old pillow case to effervesce. Just as quick swipe with an oily rag and they were ready for processing - resize/decap, etc.etc... Five minutes start to finish. Only problem being, acetone's not really that good for you, it's not as cheap as it used to be, and my wife complained about the stink. Dry tumbler runs cheaper and no stink.

 

[Walkalong]

Since I size on the press, then tumble to remove lube, then hand prime, then load, I rarely have need to clean up loaded ammo.

 

[EricBu]

Lanolin-based makes for a softer shooting round, eh?

I’m learning so much new.

Don't know about that, doesn't seem relevant what kind of case lube you use...but making your own case lube mixing lanolin and alcohol is a lot cheaper, and you can control the amount of lanolin. Same ingredients as dillon case lube. I mix it 1:20 lanolin/99% alcohol for pistol/straightwall, and 1:10 for rifle. And lanolin cleans up easier, little dab of alcohol in the tumbler, and it's all gone. Lot of other brands, especially the heavier thicker stuff, will wreck your media in short order, and leave globs of junk sticking to the side of the tumbler, which eventually starts transfering to your brass.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Don't know about that, doesn't seem relevant what kind of case lube you use...but making your own case lube mixing lanolin and alcohol is a lot cheaper, and you can control the amount of lanolin. Same ingredients as dillon case lube. I mix it 1:20 lanolin/99% alcohol for pistol/straightwall, and 1:10 for rifle. And lanolin cleans up easier, little dab of alcohol in the tumbler, and it's all gone. Lot of other brands, especially the heavier thicker stuff, will wreck your media in short order, and leave globs of junk sticking to the side of the tumbler, which eventually starts transfering to your brass.

I did the Lanolin 99% alcohol mix and it works great. I just give it a tiny wipe with alcohol after I’m dine and it’s very clean, no grease residue.

btw, it’s all available at Amazon, no need to shop around

 

[EricBu]

I did the Lanolin 99% alcohol mix and it works great. I just give it a tiny wipe with alcohol after I’m dine and it’s very clean, no grease residue.

btw, it’s all available at Amazon, no need to shop around

LOL, son....I'm the one who gave you the amazon links to it! BTW, I need somebody to come over and give 5,000 rounds of 38 SPL a "tiny wipe with alcholol". I pay tree fiddy an hour.

 

[Mark_Mark]

LOL, son....I'm the one who gave you the amazon links to it! BTW, I need somebody to come over and give 5,000 rounds of 38 SPL a "tiny wipe with alcholol". I pay tree fiddy an hour.

lets do it! I can knock that out in 1 hour

using the towel rolling technique, 100 cases at a time

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

lets do it! I can knock that out in 1 hour

using the towel rolling technique, 100 cases at a time

Okay, obviously you never studied economics.

You're being paid by the hour, not the piece (hourly-wage vs. piece-work).
Why would you employ the fastest method possible?

 

[CQB45ACP]

Up until around 1999-2000, I didn't tumble anything. I tossed all my empties in a 1gal paint can with a cup of acetone and gave it a few shakes, then dumped them in an old pillow case to effervesce. Just as quick swipe with an oily rag and they were ready for processing - resize/decap, etc.etc... Five minutes start to finish. Only problem being, acetone's not really that good for you, it's not as cheap as it used to be, and my wife complained about the stink. Dry tumbler runs cheaper and no stink.

There’s another good reason not to do things that smell bad. Many, many moons ago we used acetone to “erase” out-of-date microfiche crypto inventory. While sitting in a tiny vault you breath this stuff and get a ripping headache. Just another memory of why I get annoyed when people criticize lazy government workers.

 

[EricBu]

Okay, obviously you never studied economics.

You're being paid by the hour, not the piece (hourly-wage vs. piece-work).
Why would you employ the fastest method possible?

You may not be privy to the contract penalty clause. Which states that all 5,000 rounds must be completed within 1 hour. After one hour, any remaining incomplete round = .01 cents subtracted from the final payment.

 

[cfullgraf]

Me thinks we have conflicting use of terminology.

Some are saying “tumbling” and seem to mean it...tumbling end over end in a rock tumbler-type gizmo. Type of media unknown. Dry I presume and hope.

Others say “tumbling” and mean using a vibratory tumbler which isn’t really the same type of action. Type of media not specified but presumably walnut or corncob so the rounds are kind of “floating around” in the dry media.

I have a wet tumbler, a dry vibratory tumbler, and a wet vibratory tumbler. I’ve never tumbled loaded ammo but if I did it’d only be...well, never mind, I’m not going to do it.

It is not conflicting terminology as much as old terminology used for new technology.

When I got I got into reloading around 1980, reasonably priced vibratory cleaners were not a available. Rock tumblers were available and could be had for price that many reloaders felt were reasonable.

As the 1980’s progressed, desk top vibrating “tumblers” began hitting the market at a price point less than the rock tumblers. Reloaders used the same basic media that they were using in their rotary tumblers. But the term “tumbling” stuck regardless of the mechanical process used.

Add in today, wet tumbling. At least reloaders distingush between the wet and dry processes as each uses different media and cleaning solutions.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Okay, obviously you never studied economics.

You're being paid by the hour, not the piece (hourly-wage vs. piece-work).
Why would you employ the fastest method possible?

hummm! good call! @EricBu I quite! Your going to have to dry tumbler your .38 special.

 

[Bcwitt]

I have never dabbled with it myself, however a multitude of persons more experienced then me emphatically warn against doing so. I do not think i need to do that experiment.

 

[jmorris]

I do it to knock off lube. Also ensures the primer pocket is snug enough to hold a primer.

Not long, 15min in corncob will do it.


Is it harmful? My chronographs can’t tell any difference. FWIW manufacturers also do it.

 

[cfullgraf]

WOW! so how did you guys communicate with other reloaders? Reloading club? Letters? magazine?

Man, I feel we are in the Golden age of reloading. The only thing that would impress other loaders would be a guy buying (2) $15,000 press! lol

What EricBu said but to add...

I learned from various books and reloading manuals. Virtually all the loading manuals that were printed back then had detail information on how to reload. Finding mentor was also a help. Most of the "gun rags" had good reloading articles.

Tumblers and progressive presses were expensive, relatively speaking, until Dillon really started to saturate the market with good equipment in the 1980's.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

lazy government workers.

Hey! Hey! I resemble that remark.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I’m going to tumble some ammo tonight! 15 minutes and a small wipe of alcohol

 

[CQB45ACP]

Hey! Hey! I resemble that remark.

I meant that as a defense of government workers of which I, my wife, and other family members were formerly. Meant the opposite of offending.

 

[LoadingPirate]

I accidently left 300 rounds of 9mm in a tumbler for 8 hours. Against my better judgement I decided to shoot some of it. I shot it thru my 226, accuracy was ok but it was definitely higher pressure that the original load. Primers were just starting to show. Powder burn rate has changed. Was not as hot as the NATO load. I don't tumble anymore after it comes off the 650, I just clean the brass better beforehand. Original load was 5.5 shilouette with a 124 grain Extreme.
Very mild.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I wet tumbled ~200 45acp cases today in my Frankford-lite (don’t know the real name but it’s the small one).

I use stainless pins and Frankford’s premixed pellets which in my experience is better than the homegrown dawn+lemishine combo or others. Nice clean bright and shiny which lasts quite a while.

 

[Sudden Thunder]

Hey! Hey! I resemble that remark.

i also used to resemble that remark - at least until I retired last fall!