Tumble Loaded Ammo ?

I won't do it. Not sure why you would unless you never clean your reloading equipment. Use clean components before you reload.

Hummbird said:

This seems crazy to me but i might be wrong, i would like your guys thoughts on this one. I read that a guy that reloads rifle and handgun Ammo then Tumbles them after they are loaded . Is'nt that very dangerous ? Im sure you guys know the answer to this one , Thanks a bunch

Click to expand...

I tumble every round I reload in walnut media. Never had an issue after tumbling thousands and thousands of rounds. I do it to remove residual case lube and with polish in the media it gives the rounds a nice shine. This may not be important to some but I like it. Don't have to tumble very long to accomplish this either.
SCD

One more time...
No offense Hummbird, but this topic is pretty controversial. Instead of explaining my side I'll just offer this link; https://www.google.com/search?q=tum...me..69i57j0.6820j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 I don't because I have no need to, my components are clean before assembly...

Hummbird, it is not dangerous. The other cartridges do not hit the primer of adjacent cartridges with enough force to ignite them. Even there were a defective primer that went off anyway, a primer going off will not ignite the primer on adjacent cartridges.

As others have said, there is little reason to do it if you are assembling rounds from polished components. But, assembled rounds that have been in storage for lengthy periods may be severely tarnished and polishing them can aide in inspecting them to determine whether they are still servicable or need to be broken down. This was the situation I faced in 2014 with rounds that had set for 20+ years. I polished over 1,000 rounds in batches of 30 rounds for roughly 8 hours per batch over the course of a couple of months. No ignitions, no explosions, no failures. After the tumbling, it was easy to see the corrosion that was not confined to the surface of the case and mark those rounds for break-down.

I tumble Loaded Rounds all the time without problem. The choice is yours

I tumble my loaded rounds to remove any residue and give them a nice shine. I have read that Ammunition manufactures do the same as a final step before they box their ammo for shipment.

Here's a thread that addresses if powder is noticeably affected:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...h-results-from-tumbling-loaded-rounds.498890/

I will not condemn either side, only state my personal beliefs that it could be unsafe. I sometimes wonder if the tumbling could cause the powder to "grind" the granules smaller and change burn rate. Also, some primers are more impact sensitive than others. Either way, I just choose not to tumble loaded rounds.
I have read some writers experiences with loaded rounds riding in a car trunk for long periods of time (in boxes) and having pressure signs when fired.
Either way, it is a personal choice. If it works for you, good.

I don't routinely tumble loaded rounds because I usually have no need to, but I have tumbled thousands of them with no problem when loading on a progressive left residue case lube that I wanted polished off.

Commercial ammo manufacturers tumble their loaded ammo before packaging for shipment. There are no problems associated with tumbling loaded ammo.

Old, old, old topic. Safe to do, but you'll get every answer and opinion on it if you ask, which you did.

Didn't know that Commercial Ammo Manufacturers tumble after loading, haven't tried it, my brass is usually pretty clean before I load it, but it might be a Lead cleaning solution. I'll have to give it a try.

Thanks
DG

Papa G wrote:
I sometimes wonder if the tumbling could cause the powder to "grind" the granules smaller and change burn rate.

Click to expand...

That is not a phenomenon which has been observed empirically.

See also the thread that Ruger 15151 linked to.

dgod said:

Didn't know that Commercial Ammo Manufacturers tumble after loading, haven't tried it, my brass is usually pretty clean before I load it, but it might be a Lead cleaning solution. I'll have to give it a try.

Thanks
DG

Click to expand...

I don't tumble my loaded ammo only because I see no need. Like you my brass is clean when I load. Commercial loaders have to produce really clean ammo for sales so that is one of their steps.

I have however tumbled several batches of surplus ammo over the years that were nasty. Most come out clean enough to shoot with no real case erosion.

I do not "tumble" (vibratory case cleaner) my hand-/re-ammunition but I have tumbled thousands of rounds of filthy milsurp ammo prior to firing it without issue.

If presented with a situation where I felt such cleaning of some of my hand-/re-ammunition were warranted, I would have no qualms about doing it.

Some folks in forums like these have gotten themselves a bit twitchy over the possibility of primer detonation and/or propellant kernel breakdown/shape-change and/or graphite coating removal and/or fill-in-a-fear-about-which-I-have-not-yet-read and opt to not tumble any loaded ammo. <shrug> To each his/her own.

Just remembered; I have tumbled some GI 30-06 ammo (LC 53) that had a bit of corrosion on the OD. Can't remember how long they were in my rotary, but my Garand couldn't tell the difference if any...

Hummbird said:

This seems crazy to me but i might be wrong, i would like your guys thoughts on this one. I read that a guy that reloads rifle and handgun Ammo then Tumbles them after they are loaded . Is'nt that very dangerous ? Im sure you guys know the answer to this one , Thanks a bunch

Click to expand...

Unfortunately there is no answer but we can start with:
The main reason to avoid tumbling loaded ammo is that tumblingcan break down the powder kernels inside the case and/or alter the burn-rate retarding coatings on the outside of the kernels. This can alter the powder's burning properties, with dangerous consequences. You can read all about it here Why You Should NOT Tumble Loaded Ammunition. However, should you not care for that response or any others along those lines there is no shortage of threads on the subject in these forums and a dozen other gun forums both pro and con tumbling loaded ammunition.

This thread.

This thread.

There is likely a dozen other threads in this and other forums. The main argument becomes:

The Theory
This is one of those “truths” that’s been repeated over time to the point that it’s considered gospel and at first glance sounds reasonable—classic BullShooters territory. The theory is that the vibration of the case tumbler will break down the construction of the “kernels” of powder, causing different burn rates. The deterrent coating on the powder will also “rub off,” causing the powder to burn more quickly which will raise pressures. A quick Internet search will produce plenty of examples of this “truth."

Click to expand...

The argument against the above:

The Flawed Reasoning
Loaded ammo travels around the country on trucks, powder spends weeks bouncing and rocking across oceans in barrels coming from places like Australia, and belts of linked ammo spend hours shaking violently across the sky in military helicopters, all of which would create similar vibratory forces as a case tumbler.

Click to expand...

The argument also extends into the fact that the people making the powder recommend against it because of their attorneys telling them to, so draw your own conclusions. The guys making the Tumblers also recommend against tumbling loaded ammunition. Personally I have no plans to jump into this arguable discussion so I will suggest you read up on the subject, check out results here on The High Road where members have conducted their own testing and draw your own conclusions.

Ron
.

I tumble loaded rounds which have lube residue on them - you run a greater risk of bolt failure from increased bolt thrust if you don't clean them than from any possible tumbling event. That possible tumbling event, if it were to occur (hasn't in 40+years for me, and I have never seen a factual report of one), would screw up one round, and maybe the tumbler; bolt failure would ruin your day, maybe your eye, and maybe your life. And I just don't feel like cleaning hundreds of loaded rounds by hand anymore

Ron is spot on with his comment:

...so I will suggest you read up on the subject, check out results here on The High Road where members have conducted their own testing and draw your own conclusions.

You pays your money, and you takes your chances.

I have for decades, no problems.

I wouldn't do it but no-one seems to differentiate between tumbling and vibrating. I built a tumbler that uses a wide thin biscuit tin with crushed walnut. The inside has baffles that lift before dropping. (a fall of about six inches). I would imagine that if the container had a wider diameter and a longer fall there might be a chance of one going off. Just thinking out loud here. I certainly wouldn't worry with a vibrator.

While I don't routinely tumble loaded ammo, it is, IMHO, not dangerous.
Now whacking loaded ammo with a hammer - that's dangerous

The guys of THR have done a great job at debunking that myth. Personally, I don't tumble my rounds after loading because I don't need to. If I do come across some ammo which looks like it could do with a polish, then I cannot see any reason why I wouldn't tumble them for a few hours to shine them up.