How much brass do you tumble at a time?

[Boxhead]

I can't remember the last time I tumbled brass. I just wipe them down with a rag right after shooting and reload.

 

[evan price]

Five gallon bucket heaped full of brass and three buckets of walnut.

 

[TfflHndn]

"I am going to buy a cheaper one to polish my loaded ammo though so suggestions welcome. "


NOT a good idea to use a tumbler to polish loaded ammo. Tumbling can break down the grains of powder, or take flash or burn suppressant chemicals off, leading to significant changes in burn rate and a possible KB. Strongly recommend you don't do it. Polish your brass before loading it, or by hand after, not by tumbling.

 

[mljdeckard]

If you onl;y do it for a brief time, like 15 minutes, it won't hurt anything. Lots of guys tumble finished ammo.

 

[Fire_Moose]

Factory rounds are tumbled before packaging.

Sent from my CZ85 Combat

 

[david_r]

NOT a good idea to use a tumbler to polish loaded ammo. Tumbling can break down the grains of powder, or take flash or burn suppressant chemicals off, leading to significant changes in burn rate and a possible KB. Strongly recommend you don't do it. Polish your brass before loading it, or by hand after, not by tumbling.

FUD. Nothing but FUD.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

NOT a good idea to use a tumbler to polish loaded ammo.

This subject gets brought up every month or so and it's just not true.
A couple of the guys here on the board ran extensive tests tumbling for insane amounts of time with no noticeable difference.

How do you think the big companies like Remington, Winchester and Federal clean their loaded rounds? They tumble them.

 

[TfflHndn]

You all can do what you want. Lots of people smoke til they're 100 and claim it never hurt them. Some get lung cancer. Given the down side of taking the risk of tumbling loaded rounds, and the fact that at least two of my manuals say it shouldn't be done, I'll pass on doing it myself. Rather be safe than sorry.