Rice as tumbling media - never again

[CMV]

I wanted to try rice since I've read it can be used as a tumbling media. It worked and gave the brass a nice finish - maybe a little less better at removing stains/marks than very fine walnut shell, but a bit more glossy and more "slippery" feeling.

But I had to then get stuck grains of rice out of 1/3 - 1/2 of the flash holes. Due to the shape, I couldn't just poke most out by hand. I ended up just running them thru the FL size die again so the decapping pin could either push the rice out or "crack it". It cracked more than it pushed out and it was hard enough that the decapping pin slid up in it's collar twice.

Maybe for large primer pockets it would be ok or for finished rounds, but I would strongly recommend against using rice for tumbling media. Walnut cleans better and doesn't leave anything in the flash holes. I haven't tried corn cob yet - I've read that it leaves a glossier finish but can also clog flash holes. Assuming when it does its easier to clear out.

 

[jcwit]

One more time

http://www.drillspot.com/products/521055/econoline_526040g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

Shipped right to your door free shipping, comes out to approx $ .80 per lb.

Add a teaspoon of liquid auto polish to a tumbler full, many here like Nu-Finish but most any brand will do, mayhap you have an open bottle in the garage. When adding the polish let it dry before tumbling the cases.

Its small enough so as there will not be any clogged in the primer pockets, flash holes or any other problem.

Also you only have to wait 3 days for deliverly, can't beat it.

 

[JohnM]

seems like it didn't work too well the last time it was brought up here.

 

[buck460XVR]

Since the need to clean brass is really about not harming your resizing die with dirt/grit, I tumble my brass before resizing and depriming. Thus I have no problems with rice or any other media getting stuck in the flash holes or primer pockets.

 

[beatledog7]

I've never actually tried this, but couldn't one remove a piece of stuck tumbling media by loading the case into a kinetic bullet puller and giving it a whack? I'm guessing it would work as long as the stuck piece is heavy enough for inertia to overcome friction.

 

[jcwit]

As light as a grain of rice is I seriously doubt it would be very efficient.

I also suspect it would be pretty time consuming.

 

[CMV]

I have the big box of very fine walnut shell from HF & use a little Meguiar's gold class . Just wanted to try something else to see what the results were. I remember reading about rice working, just didn't remember seeing anything bad about it.

I might try that corncob in the link. How does it compare to walnut shell? Does it clean as well & leave the same/better finish? If it's about the same, I'll stick to the walnut since it seems like what i have onhand will last a good while longer.

 

[jcwit]

Some folks claim that walnut is for cleaning and corn cob is for polishing.

From my experience I find corn cob to clean and shine/polish my cases just fine. Maybe my cases aren't that dirty or mayhap I don't expect to much.

Who Knows!

 

[Steve in PA]

I never, ever deprime then tumble. The media will NOT clean out the primer pocket and you end up with more headaches than you should have.

 

[oneounceload]

I mixed 75% walnut with 25% corn cob - added some red jeweler's rouge - works great, nice and shiny

 

[jcwit]

I never, ever deprime then tumble. The media will NOT clean out the primer pocket and you end up with more headaches than you should have.

I always deprime then clean/polish. I never, ever experience any problems with my cases.

I may experience headaches but they are far from being related to reloading.

Please tell me what problems I should be on the lookout for. I've been reloading for over 40 years and now I need what to be aware of.

I also resize before polishing when prepping non bottlenecked handgun ammo as all my handgun dies are carbide. Ya I realize some claim this will wear out the dies, but it hasn't happened yet and I'm 68 so I'm not going to stay awake nights worring about it. I should add that up to 2 years ago I reloaded up to 15,000 rounds during the summer months.

 

[Striker Fired]

I use the pins and try to deprime(not resize)first so the pins can clean the pockets,they also don't get caught in the flasholes so that is a non- issue.That also means I have to dry,which isn't as fun.

 

[dickttx]

The rice is real dark and gooy when you cook it, with all that stuff from the cases. Must be dirty rice.

 

[gpjoe]

Please tell me what problems I should be on the lookout for. I've been reloading for over 40 years and now I need what to be aware of.

Well the OP seemed pretty PO'd because he had to remove rice from the flash holes of his brass. Steve in PA posted exactly what I thought: Don't deprime before tumbling. Pretty much solves the "headache" for the OP. Nobody's asking you to change your method.

 

[4895]

Even though I use carbide handgun dies, I still lube all of my cases before resizing. With this in mind, I can only imagine the headache one would have with rice grains stuck in most of the primer pockets. With my handgun and rifle brass, I always tumble after resizing to remove the lubricant before priming, etc. On occasion I have a piece of corn cob media stuck, but I keep a box of toothpicks near the bench for this problem. Thanks for the warning about rice. It may work for initial cleaning, but once the primers are out, sounds like a headache waiting to happen.

P.S. Next week, lets try hot water wet tumble cleaning with rice!