Strange Problem with Walnut Media

Wow
Never seen anything like that. What does the case look like before sizing?
My guess same as Walkalong.

My guess is too much flitz.
Dust is adhering to the case, which when lubed and resized causes a film to be created on the inside of the die.
This dries between batches, and when you go to resize again, is flaking off like we see.
I am not a detective, nor did I stay at the Holiday Inn last night.

Just a guess, the lube may be combining with residual media dust on the case to form the hard flakes I see on the picture. Two things you might try, Throw your cases on a towel after they come out of the tumbler and scrub them around to get the dust off and make sure the necks and shoulders don't get too much of the spray which might cause them to dent regardless of dust in the mix.

Afy, you beat me to it.

instead of using flitz, try using a capfull of mineral sprits/ paint thinner, helps keep the dust down and helps shine up the cases, save the flitz for corn cob (and try using less)

Way to much polish.

You could get rid of a lot of the media dust (before you use it) if you drop it from one container to another out in the wind. And cut back on the Fritz.

Also-

Try adding USED drier sheets cut into 1" squares to your media. That will suck up a lot of the dust/powder residue.

Aah...I hope those rings at the base of that case aren't what I think they are....

+ 1 On the drier sheets, thats "walnut dust". Make sure to throughly clean your dies.

Aah...I hope those rings at the base of that case aren't what I think they are....

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+1
I think they are.

Fish around down inside your cases with an L-bent paper-clip and feel for a stretch ring.

If you can feel a ring, your cases are toast!
Time to retire them!

rc

Aah...I hope those rings at the base of that case aren't what I think they are....

Click to expand...

I'd have to second that.

LGB

It might be deceiving but those flakes of walnut look awful big. How big is the walnut you are using?

Make a sharp paper clip feeler tool.

Those rings are indeed worrisome. It appears that the bottom ring/knurling is just Lake City Match brass identification, but the rings above it are what's causing the experienced handloaders here some trepidation, myself included.

If they are what we think they are, you are asking for trouble, and soon.

In the old days I used Rislone as an oil additive, there promise, if this stuff does not help your engine we will guarantee it will not hurt your engine, when I tumble I use media and nothing, when I want to show off, I use a polisher I made, when I try to catch up on cleaning cases that have been neglected I use vinegar, just vinegar for a maximum of 15 minutes, I do clean those cases with vinegar again.

http://www.barsproducts.com/100QR.htm

F. Guffey

If that is just a buildup of Flitz, then I would thin half of your batch of walnut with new walnut and just use a few capfuls of mineral spirits or paint thinner instead of adding more Flitz as the media is overloaded with it already. As the polish disapates from use add more of the Flitz impregnated walnut to the mix and continue with the mineral spirits till things normalize. Putting used dryer sheets in while tumbling the cases will help to collect the dust out of the media too.

best way to clean cases ???? Put your brass in old sock and put it the washing machine with a load of clothes pref the wifes ? they come out like new. if i need them urgent like i dry them in the oven when shes out i just tell her its a mans thing if she catchs me

I'm deffently not one to raise the alarm about lead. Don't believe me check my old posts.

With that said, cleaning your brass in the washing machine with your familys cloths is far from being a good idea. You end up contaminating everything else in the wash.

I'd check articals with lead test kit, but its you and yours.

I think you missed the first part of the reply???????? I said best way to clean cases. ie. make them nice and bright. not try to poison the good lady indoors??????? Wash them out in soapy water FIRST.

The ring is not caused by case stretch. This is just a mark caused by the one-shot lube. It's basically where the case was run up into the die and the spot where the die stopped. It also doesn't help that the flash hit the case and overexposed it a bit.

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does the same thing with my .308 brass all the time and I use the RCBS lube pad. Doesn't bother me, but I guess you could polish it out.

I've read and reread your post and it says to put it in anold sock and put in washing machine. Hey guy, the word is contamination in your washer, and other clothes if washed with old sock with brass or later without.

Not a good idea but do what you want, its you and your wifes bod.

I've used flitz with corn cob for many years. It works great. +1 on the used dryer sheets, but I use them full sized, no need to cut them up.

The OP said that was walnut media. Was that BARE media, or as I suspect, that stuff made by Lyman that's charged with red rouge? Well that's my guess. It looks like what I would expect from that red rouge charged Lyman media.

Also, any federal cases I find join the other rejects in my salvage brass bucket. Unless they have a LC headstamp on them. Federal headstamped cases have a weak case head web, they stretch the primer pocket loos on the first firing. Then loaded at normal pressures, they won't hold a primer tight on the third loading.

is your walnut treated with jewelers rouge by any chance , if so it`s combining with the flitz & creating the thin layer of red compounds.

GP100man