First Tumbler - dry media questions

[AK Gun Man 88]

I'm just getting started in reloading and I don't have a tumbler yet. I really want to go with stainless media tumbling. Seems to work really well and cleans the inside and outside and the primer pocket. I realize I am going to have to dry the brass and others have said there is a reduced quantity of brass completed compared to dry tumbling. Also there is no dust from stainless tumbling (I got a one year old running around)

Now yesterday (can't remember what website) I read (could be internet myth) that the only reason there is "dangerous" (lead and other things?) dust with dry media is because people tumble with the primer still in.

I am curious how well the following would clean and how much, if any (if the above is true), "dangerous" dust would be present with dry media. 50/50 mix of walnut (40/60 Extra fine) and corn cob (40/60 extra fine).

Will this get the brass shiny?
Will this mix clean the primer pocket (if I decap before tumbling)?
How much dust will be present?

 

[rcmodel]

No, it won't clean the primer pockets.

Once the primer pocket and inside of the case packs full of media, there is very little if any vibration going on there to clean anything.

If you are worried about dust?
Use a vacuum sweeper to suck it up as you pour the media & brass out of the tumbler.
And wash your hands before sucking your thumb, smoking, or eating.

Personally, I think the danger is over rated.

I played with lead toy solders when I was little.
I helped my did cast fishing sinkers by the hundreds.
I started reloading and casting bullets 50 years ago.
Now, 68 years later, I got a lot of things wrong with me, but lead poisoning isn't one of them.

My two kids grew up helping me reload and count & pack lead bullets.
And they are now both successful adults raising my 3 grandkids.
None of them have webbed feet or brain disorders either.

rc

 

[jcwit]

Right what rc said, only thing I's add is you're going awful fine, I'd stick to 20/40 grit, still fine enough to not even clog flash holes.

Hey rc, we're the same age.

 

[JohnM]

Another 1943 edition here.
I started helping my Dad melt and cast lead fishing sinkers when I was about 8 I guess.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

I'm just getting started in reloading and I don't have a tumbler yet. I really want to go with stainless media tumbling. Seems to work really well and cleans the inside and outside and the primer pocket. I realize I am going to have to dry the brass and others have said there is a reduced quantity of brass completed compared to dry tumbling. Also there is no dust from stainless tumbling (I got a one year old running around)

Even if you go with the stainless media you will probably want a regular tumbler with corn/Nu Finish for removing resizing lube (of course there would be nothing left in the primer pockets to worry about). As far as quantity, how many pieces of brass do you plan to clean? With the stainless media I have cleaned over 100 pieces of 7 mm and 160 Swiss GP-11 in two separate loads. My Dillon tumbler only holds about 60 pieces of 7 mm and it takes just as long to clean the brass and this doesn't include the inside or primer pockets.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

the thumler's model B will do well with dry media as well

 

[kingmt]

Never tried it but have read not to mix cob & walnut.

 

[ranger335v]

Tumbling is quite simple but some people seem to want it to be complex. Thing is, the providers sell us both cob and nut because both work and there isn't enough difference between them to make a difference. Some guys love nut because it seems 'faster', others want cob because it makes cases glitter a tiny bit more, some mix them just to make sure they get it right I suppose. ??

Lead "dust" in fired cases, and therefore tumbling media, is greatly over hyped. There is precious little lead in a primer, little of it is left after firing and what ends up as media dust is virtually nil. It's ONLY the recent existance of super-sensitive electonic test instruments that allows it to be detected in such tiny amounts. NO ONE has ever been diagnosed with lead poisoning from tumbling; if that had happened it would be shouted from every TV "news" Chicken Little weinie and antigun/liberal politican who could get in front of a camera! I suspect most of the dust that frightens so many reloaders is the dried residue of execessive brass polish rather than lead.

Adding an ounce or two of mineral spirits to the media a few minutes before adding cases will rejuvinate most polishes and help keep dusting down too.

 

[john16443]

Never tried it but have read not to mix cob & walnut.

I'd be interested in knowing where this came from. I use a 50/50 mix exclusively, have both SmartReloader tumblers (2 calibers) connected to a lamp timer and let 'em rip for 4 hours. Toss in some NuFinish every couple times and the outsides are pristine.

 

[AK Gun Man 88]

Thanks for everyone's responses. After researching today, for several hours, I think im going to steer away from stainless right now, because what it would cost me for shipping of the stainless tumbler and media, I could spend that alone on vibratory tumbler and a lot of media.

 

[GT1]

If you want to knock some of the possible toxic dust down just pre-wash your brass.
2 gallon bucket with a gallon of hot water, tsp of dawn, tsp of lemi shine, add 100-200 cases(don't decap) stir a couple times in an hour with your hand(wear a latex/nitride glove) or a plastic spoon, rinse well(shake out excess water from cases in a tied up towel) and let dry overnight. Then you can tumble if you want it to look pretty. Pistol brass will load fine after just that wash(There are a whole lot of reloaders that do the wash and never tumble at all.), make really sure it is dry in that case.

I live in a small apt and have no garage or outdoor place, I use this process and while I have a vibratory tumbler and a big bag of media I haven't used it much yet. I am going to ramp up my reloading soon, so maybe I'll be using it more if it can save a lot of time.

 

[4895]

I just bought 2 of Berry's MFG tumblers from E.A.Brown for $50 each. My Frankford Arsenal tumbler gave up the ghost after 3 years of use and was always kinda noisy. I am very pleased with the BERRY'S tumbler and recommend them to anybody that will listen. Check them out if you want, shipping is cheap as well.

http://www.eabco.com/Berry's_Brass_Tumblers.html

nice kit
http://www.eabco.com/store/products...ler_Corncob_Polish_Rotary_Sifter-2057-58.html

 

[kingmt]

John

I have read it on here a few times. Not that it will take out the whole city just nut cleans well cob polishes well but mixed does nether well.

Like I stated tho I'm repeating what I've read. All I use is nut & polish if I use anything.

 

[W.E.G.]

A vibratory tumbler and crushed walnut shell has served me well for decades.

I always tumble before de-capping.
The primer-punch in the sizing die clears the flash hole of any foreign substance.

This notion of scrubbing primer pockets is WAY OVERBLOWN.

Years ago, I got a little tool for scrubbing primer pockets after the case was resized.
I used it diligently for a fair while, or at least until I had blisters on my fingers from it.

Then I got annoyed with it and its been buried somewhere in the junk cave since Ronald Reagan was President.

I've seen no difference in the performance of my handloads in the meantime.

I do check each primed case for "high primers."
I haven't found one yet that had anything to do with that residual little flaky stuff that you find in primer pockets after the primer is knocked out.

I have had a couple "duds" in the past year.
One was a factory-loaded Wolf-brand 9mm.
The other was a factory-loaded Black Hills "blue box" .223.

My handloads are batting 1.000 for reliability as far back as I can remember.

If you want to get rid of a good bit of the dust in your tumbler, you can run it outdoors, and with the lid off, for a few minutes between loads of brass.

 

[Blue68f100]

Now some of the tumbler have vented tops. So if your concern about dust get on with a lid that seals.

An alternative to the ss media is to use hot citric acid, 1tbs/qt, 150+F. Neutralize (baking soda), rinse and dry. This mild acid when hot will clean up the brass inside and out in 10 min or less. You will need to de-prime prior to using wet cleaning solutions. If you want a shinny polish finish tumble with 20/40 grit corncob. Buy actual blast media and not the stuff used for pets and you will have a whole lot less dust. Besides whats not usable for blast media becomes pet's supplies. A 40# bag of 20/40 from Drillspot runs about $24 and will last for many many years.

 

[john16443]

Drillspot prices just went up, now over $33 to ship you that 40 pound bag. Still a steal for product that will last a very long time before you need to buy again.

 

[Hondo 60]

john16443 - don't know where you were lookin, but it's $32.90 - Free 3 Business Day Shipping - for 40lb bag of 20/40 grit media.

 

[john16443]

I rounded up.

 

[Bud0505]

I'm using walnut blast media that I bought at Harbor Freight. Twenty five pounds for $26.75. Picked it up at the local store.

 

[partyboy424]

I ordered the 40 pound bag from Drillspot on 2/12 at 6pm at night, got home today (2/14) and it was on the door stop!

 

[mdi]

Tumbling is quite simple but some people seem to want it to be complex. Thing is, the providers sell us both cob and nut because both work and there isn't enough difference between them to make a difference. Some guys love nut because it seems 'faster', others want cob because it makes cases glitter a tiny bit more, some mix them just to make sure they get it right I suppose. ??

Lead "dust" in fired cases, and therefore tumbling media, is greatly over hyped. There is precious little lead in a primer, little of it is left after firing and what ends up as media dust is virtually nil. It's ONLY the recent existance of super-sensitive electonic test instruments that allows it to be detected in such tiny amounts. NO ONE has ever been diagnosed with lead poisoning from tumbling; if that had happened it would be shouted from every TV "news" Chicken Little weinie and antigun/liberal politican who could get in front of a camera! I suspect most of the dust that frightens so many reloaders is the dried residue of execessive brass polish rather than lead.

Adding an ounce or two of mineral spirits to the media a few minutes before adding cases will rejuvinate most polishes and help keep dusting down too.

Thanks ranger! Too many folks jump on the "Chicken Little bandwagon" when it comes to reloading safety, kinda overkill. I sincerely doubt that anyone will ever have any toxic effects from dry tumbling brass unless they did it every day for a year and held their face directly over the tumbler and breathed the dust. I was a Safety rep where I worked and had a bit of training in Hazmat handling and transportation. Actually, reloading/bullet casting has very few health hazards associated with it (unless common sense isn't used like sucking on freshly cast bullets while smoking and eating a Tuna fish sandwich...)

 

[Hondo 60]

I tumble my stuff outside in the garage.
That way there's no lead dust in the house.

rcmodel doesn't think much about the so-called dangers of lead, but each of us is VERY different from the next person.

Just had my lead level checked & it's down to 20 from a high of 29 in Aug 2011 (my dr wants it at 10 or less).
What did I change??
I stopped using lead bullets.
I now use only plated or jacketed.
I don't think the reloading process had anything to do with the change in lead level.
I think it was the shooting of lead & breathing in the lead smoke/dust.

I'm just as certain that there are some people that could eat raw lead & not have an elevated level.

We're all that different in whether we're prone to absorbing heavy metals or not.

 

[ranger335v]

"We're all that different in whether we're prone to absorbing heavy metals or not. "

Well, I understand that a lot of people spend much of their lives carrying lead bullets in places where the docs won't remove them. But that's a whole different way of absorbing heavy metals!