Tumbling Media ?

[KAC1911]

I have some sand blasting media in a Medium Grit (30-70) and labeled.

My question has anyone used this type in a vibrating tumbler or is this to abrasive for brass?

 

[jcwit]

Way to abrasive!

Theres a reason everyone uses corn cob and crushed walnut.

 

[KAC1911]

Thanks jcwit.

 

[rcmodel]

Not only that, but you don't want to get even one speck of it anywhere near your reloading dies or firearms chambers & barrels.

rc

 

[45lcshooter]

You will tear your dies an equipment up.

Crushed walnut shells from PetSmart is very easy to get.

 

[jcwit]

As is ground corn cob from DrillSpot, they ship it right to your door, FREE. don't even have to drive to get it.

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

 

[lightman]

I have another post about Drillspot. Ordered the corncob and it was on my front porch two days later. Standard shipping is free. Lightman

 

[KAC1911]

Thanks guys for pointing out what should have obvious to me. I've been purging some of my save documents and I thought I read somewhere about someone using that. I've had this tumbler and haven't used it yet so I thought it might be good to understand the process of doing so. Thanks again guys for keeping me straight and not ruining something.

 

[PhotoBiker]

Thanks for that Drillspot link. I've been meaning to find a local auto paint supply for just such a deal. I like the idea of ordering it and not having to really do much work here ;-)

And 40lbs, I will be passing some of this onto my grandchildren (and my kids are all still in school).

 

[Nalgi]

Never buy media again

I went to Stainless media and I will never go back. Cleaner faster and never needs replacing

 

[GLOOB]

I hate to say this, but my corncob isn't cleaner. But it's faster and easier, and it never needs to be replaced. I rinse it out, periodically, to remove the excess brass particles, dust, and NuFinish, and it only takes 45 min per batch to have clean, shiny, lightly waxed, and DRY brass. Dry brass that doesn't occasionally have pins clogging the flash holes and doesn't need inside neck lube to run through an expander die without galling.

 

[wtr100]

I got some course walnut hull from Harbor Freight store the other day - 20 or maybe 25 lb box, at the couner they said they had a 'box in back' that was scrunched and I could have that for $15.

It's a lot coarse than the reptile litter I was using. Cleans range brass really nice leaves matte finish more than a mirror.

It's more tactial that way

 

[Grassman]

Lizard litter from Petco works pretty good in my cheap tumbler.

 

[Flt Simulation]

I have been going back and forth between corncob and walnut shells.

Seems walnut shells cleans brass better, but corncob shines better.

Next, I might try a 50 / 50 mix of the two.

I guess if I was to get real anal about all this, I would use walnut shells first in order to get the brass real clean ... followed by corncob and a little Nu-Finish to shine it all up real nice.

 

[GLOOB]

Seems walnut shells cleans brass better, but corncob shines better.

Soapy water cleans good, too. I swish my brass in a bucket of soapy water before shining in the corncob. Very quick, you get the cleaning and the shining, and the media stays much cleaner.

 

[PhotoBiker]

Soapy water cleans good, too. I swish my brass in a bucket of soapy water before shining in the corncob. Very quick, you get the cleaning and the shining, and the media stays much cleaner.

+1 on this. I use a rubbermaid bin with holes in it to pre-clean my brass before tumbling.

Thanks for that Drillspot link. I've been meaning to find a local auto paint supply for just such a deal. I like the idea of ordering it and not having to really do much work here ;-)

And 40lbs, I will be passing some of this onto my grandchildren (and my kids are all still in school).

I ordered the 40lb bag shortly after reading this post and it arrived today. I have no idea how they can ship 40lbs of anything in 2 days and not charge an arm & leg for it. Now I have to head to Home Depot this evening to get a bucket to put all this in.

 

[RustyFN]

I went to Stainless media and I will never go back. Cleaner faster and never needs replacing

The stainless may get the cases cleaner in places it doesn't matter but there is no way it's faster.

 

[Fire_Moose]

Slightly off topic....

I just pulled a load of brass from my tumbler and looks pretty dull, clean just dull and sort of speckled.
This led me to a couple conclusions.

First, don't tumble 308 with 9mm.

And second, I either had too much brass in there or its finally time to change the media.

There were ~120 308 cases and maybe 100 9mm, in a Berry's 400 model tumbler. Is that too much brass? I noticed while it was going.g that the center was all brass and no media.

Thoughts?

Sent from my CZ85 Combat

 

[GLOOB]

Berry's model 400 tumbler:

Case Capacity

9mm: 1000, 45acp: 600, 223: 450, 30-06: 250

These numbers might be slightly optimistic, but I think you're well below the cap. As long as you have enough media in there. I add enough media to where it nearly overflows. Seems to work better for larger loads.

 

[jcwit]

Tumbler will work better when fuller. At least my Cabela's 'by Berry' does.

 

[Fire_Moose]

Ya, I seemed to be within capacity, going by those numbers. I bet I need more media

Sent from my CZ85 Combat

 

[PhotoBiker]

As is ground corn cob from DrillSpot, they ship it right to your door, FREE. don't even have to drive to get it.

http://www.drillspot.com/products/52...bs_blast_media

Uhm, wow! I tried out the media today (even though I have a bunch of the Lyman media left). No polish added and my brass looks brand new. This includes the field brass I threw in as well as some cases from the late '80s I uncovered in an ammo can I rediscovered.

 

[savanahsdad]

in "Sierra's Highpower Rifle Reloading" (DVD) G. David Tubb, said you don't realy want over shiny (slick) brass, this will ad to rear thrust on the bolt face , you want the brass to "Grip" the walls of your chamber. you want clean, dry, oil free ammo and chamber , that got me thinking , how to get more "Grip" , so I added 1 cup of "Black Magic" Blast Meda, to some walnut meda , and ran for 1/2 hr , the brass came out lookung like it was bead-blasted, , I then loaded 20 rounds of that and 20 round of supper shiny brass , and went to the range , the brass that had been ran through the blast meda grouped better and there was less black ring around the neck (gas leak) so now I use blast meda on all my ammo for my bolt guns , , for my lever, auto's and hand guns I use just red walnut shell meda,

Note: after running through the "BLACK MAGIC MEDA" all brass is washed and rinse with hot water before they ever see my bench.

 

[jcwit]

And again try adding a teaspoon or 1 1/2 teaspoons of liquid auto cleaner polish. This will not only help polish the cases but it will apply a coat of wax/polymer which will retard tarnish. Don't add to much, a teaspoon is plenty in my experience.

Many like to use Nu-Finish but most any cleaner wax/polish will work fine.