tumbling loaded rifle bullets without damaging bullets

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tightgroup tiger

tightgroup tiger

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I'm still using my old rotary case tumbler that I built about 25 yrs ago and it works great for tumbling brass. I'll never wear it out.

I wanted to clean up some of my older prized rifle loads but was afraid of damaging the lead points on these premium bullets.

Today I ran across 20 old 243 loads that were really tarnished up and decided to run them through tumbler to clean them up as an experiment. These had to be 40years old so I figured I would'nt be out a lot if it ruined the tips on the bullets , so when I took them out after a couple hours the cases were clean but the lead spear points on the bullets were all flattened.

I figured this would happen due to the nature of a rotary tumbler beating the crap out of them.

Do the vibratory tumblers do this also, or are they easier on the soft tips?

Is it time for me to upgrade my tumbler and what would be a good choice in the vibrating type?
 
I believe vibratory tumblers would be easier on the tips because they move around VERY slowly, especially when they're full.

No guarantees though; I've never tumbled loaded lead points.
 
Same here.

I vibrate tumble V-Max and Ballistic-Tip all the time with no damage.

Can't remember if I have done it with SP or not, but probably have.

I think your problem is the drum tumbler dropping them from the top of the drum over & over & over & over.

rc
 
I have had no problems with Hornaday or Remington PSP bullets on loaded rounds when cleaning them in a vibratory tumbler. They are just the same as when I put them in, only the added sparkle.:) I have used both the smaller Dillon and Frankfort Arsenal ones with good results. Hollow points will get the cavity filled with crud so I don't do it with those.
 
I tumbled a bunch of pulled 174 FMJBT's to remove the tar from the bases.

Let them roll in my Thumler's Tumbler for a long time.

They never shot worth a darn.

I never did that again, I used chemicals to dissolve the tar on the next batches of pulled 174's.

My recommendation, don't polish anything. Tarnish is just cosmetic. If it really bothers you, pretend the bullets are shiny.
 
If it will destroy cases, it will also destroy the bullet jackets eventually.
Same stuff, just a slightly different alloy of it.

rc
 
Is that a question or a statement??

Regardless, yes, ammonia will weaken brass and eventually cause it to crack.

1. Aqueous ammoniacal solutions can stress crack all copper alloys under appropriate conditions. "Season-cracking" of brass was the second widely known occurrence of stress-corrosion cracking in early industrial times, being antedated only by caustic embrittlement of riveted steam boilers. Even 99.999% pure copper has been cracked in ammoniacal solutions, disproving the widely held belief that pure metals do not stress-crack.

2. There is no doubt that ammonia is the most potent stress-cracking agent for copper alloys.

Cartridge brass (C260) is especially prone to stress cracking

rc
 
The damaged points will make a difference on long shots ,but I doubt ya could tell the difference on the short range .


In the past I aquired a 7-30 Waters , formed my brass from 30-30 using some mangled 140gr bullets pulled from some 7mag loads that did`nt work .
I`m talkin grabbed with vise grips mangled !!!

Anyways loaded em up & at 50yds they shot 1 hole .60" for 25 shots & just over an inch 1.1" for the other 25:eek:

How I ever got talked out of that contender barrel I`ll never remember but have kiked &:banghead: since !!
 
The damaged points will make a difference on long shots
Click to expand...
Will it?

Every lead soft-point in most hard kicking bolt-actions magazine will have a flattened point after the first shot or two.
It matters not.

In actuality, the point is pretty unimportant in the grand scheme of accuracy things that matter.

A damaged bullet base would be a deal breaker.
A damaged point, not so much.

But regardless of that, I would not expect damage in a vibratory tumbler nearly to the extent you would get in a drum tumbler.

The other thing is how much media you use in it.

More media and less ammo will cushion the fall.
Less media and more ammo won't.

rc
 
A damaged bullet base would be a deal breaker.
A damaged point, not so much.


This is so true rc , over the yrs of learning casting boolits I`ve shot many with flaws to the noses or bands but good bases that shot as good as the selected "perfect" ones !!
 
I dont reccomend tumbling "loaded ammo" of ANY sort! Static electricity, not good! Be careful!

Damaged points wont hurt accuracy "much" at normal
Ranges. Such as 100-500 yards ish.

But past those approximate distances, misformed points will effect both BC and gyroscopic stability. (depending on the severity of the malformation).
Deformed bullets will vary from each other as well,adding to consistancy problems.

If the base of a bullet is damaged, everything suffers! The base is very critical for stability, and a uniform release from the bore. More severe Problems will occur at the base.
 
Dthunter said:
I dont reccomend tumbling "loaded ammo" of ANY sort! Static electricity, not good! Be careful!
Click to expand...

Then why do the manufacturers do it with all the ammo you buy at the store? I've also never heard of a primer going off from static electricity as well.




Brought to you by TapaTalk.
 
1. My tumbler is grounded by the electoral cord.

2. If it wasn't, media would stick to it, you, and everything else when you opened the lid.

3. It doesn't.

4. A loaded cartridge is a perfect Faraday Cage & conductor anyway.

5. Fogadaboutit!!

rc
 
I don't want to start a war here, as the advisability of tumbling loaded rounds has been debated as hotly as 5.56 vs. .223, etc. I see no problem tumbling fairly new factory ammo or recent reloads. Tumbling surplus ammo, though, can cause problems- if you have ever opened up a .303 and seen the cordite "sticks", for example, that can break down or seen extremely old surplus' cartridge powdery contents after a few seasons of hot/cold exposure and some shaking, it may give you pause. There have been a few reports of unusually extreme recoil or muzzle flash, and some signs of high pressure, in cases like these.

Again, just sayin'. Stay safe.
 
Rotary = bad for tumbling loaded ammo.

Vibratory = good.

If ever anyone could set off a round in a tumbler...it would be rifle bullets in a rotary tumbler.
 
If ever anyone could set off a round in a tumbler...it would be rifle bullets in a rotary tumbler.
Click to expand...

It just ain't gonna happen.
Maybe if you used a cement truck as the tumbler and added a ton of rock to the mix.

There's no way rounds tumbling around in a rotary are going to develop enough kinetic energy to fire a primer.
 
Thanks guys for all the input.

Walkalong, thanks for posting the thread where you and Snuffy did the testing.
I couldn't have asked for more feedback than that.

I will have to put a good vibratory tumbler on my Christmas list for this year.

I won't tumble anymore rifle shells in my rotory tumbler, a little to hard on the tips, even though a file or emery clothe would take care of these straight away.

I'm glad the setback on the pistol shells didn't materialize, and I also didn't know that factory ammo was also tumbled before sold.

and for those of us who like pretty ammo, like a work of the art it is, I do to.

Thanks again everyone.
 
Last edited:
Everybody is entitled to thier opinion about tumbling loaded ammo.
I know I never have done it since I saw static in the bowl.

And to be honest, tumbling/cleaning brass is for the most part, not required. Unless your brass is filthy. If I drop a case in mud or fine sand, I will clean it to prevent any possibility of an abrasive getting in the barrel.

I find I normally dont have the time to add this step to my reloading routine.
If I pick up a bunch of brass from a shooting range, if it isnt perfectly clean, I tumble
It. Cheap insurance so to speak.

Just remember this thread if anything does happen! I wont have to say "I TOLD YOU SO"!
I dont take chances when its pointless to do so.
Its seems so much more logical to tumble Your cases when they are empty. That way both the inside AND outside are cleaned. Thats not just cosmetic.

Take care fellow shooters, and straight shootin!
 
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