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Tumbling media question

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  • unicom

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    May 19, 2016
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    I’m using walnut shell media and not very happy with the inside of the brass. I run the tumbler for about 2hrs roughly. Do I need to run it longer? Use different media like sand? Not sure what I’m not doing right. And occasionally a piece of the media will get stuck in the flash hole and need to be pushed out.


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    rotor

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    Nov 1, 2015
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    I use corncob media. You want beautiful, wet tumble with stainless steel. To be honest, I don't care what the inside of my brass looks like. Yes, get the media out of the flash hole. I check all of my primer flash hole with one of those Lyman primer tools anyway.
     

    noylj

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    Jun 18, 2011
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    arizona
    20/40 corn
    20/40 does not pack in primer pocket and corn produces almost none of the fine dust that nut hulls produce.
    30 minutes produces all the clean you need.
    In fact, simply wiping the case exterior with a rag is all the cleaning you need.
    Ignore case interior or primer pocket, unless shooting real black powder. Neither effects performance.
    Sorry, but you are worrying about a non-issue.
     

    Reinz

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    Sep 5, 2014
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    I have, but probably used the wrong type.

    I tried two different types; some kind of black abrasive sand stuff that turned my brass black. Then another abrasive that was sand like and tan colored. It cleaned the brass, but left it with a dull finish.

    I just went back to corncob media. If I feel like doing more work to get shiny brass, I will wet tumble with pins.
     

    Lonesome Dove

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    Sep 25, 2018
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    I need new media and can’t figure out what to get. I have that crappy red died walnut and hate it. I had the green and was ok but never hd enough so I just mixed them. Lately I added a box of 100 1/4” washers in the mix and it made a big difference as in time related and it also helps keep the red build up off the tumbler walls. I may spring for the stainless pins.
     

    baboon

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    Out here by the lake!
    Stainless Steel pins with a little dish soap & Lemon Shine & water is amazing on cleaning brass. When you use it for the first time & dump out the water and see it's black, then see your brass your hooked. A vibrator never cleaned the inside of brass as far as I can remember.
     

    avvidclif

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    Aug 30, 2017
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    Van Zandt County
    Harbor Freight has walnut hulls, 25 lbs for $25. 2 different sizes. The large is what sticks in primer holes.

    2 hours is not long enough for walnut hulls, I run mine overnight. About 1/2 cup Chrome polish and 1/2 cup 90% alcohol (used as a thinner) will treat 25 lbs. Helps with dust too. I use a cement mixer to mix it up and then add the brass.
     

    EZ-E

    King Turd of Shit Mountain
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    May 4, 2017
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    Middle of no where
    I like wet tumbling personally. I tried dry media when i first started reloading...didn't care for it much.
    You can get 5lbs of SS pins & a Harbor Freight double tumbler for under $100. It works pretty good for $60.
     

    Deavis

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    Oct 20, 2011
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    I’m using walnut shell media and not very happy with the inside of the brass. I run the tumbler for about 2hrs roughly. Do I need to run it longer? Use different media like sand? Not sure what I’m not doing right. And occasionally a piece of the media will get stuck in the flash hole and need to be pushed out.


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    1) you will never clean the inside of the case well qithin a reasonable amount of time with a vibratory unit and media alone, the action precludes it. Cob is better than walnut for dust and does a fine job.
    2) a single piece of cob or walnut in the flashole will not affect ignition. Promise, I tested almost 100 of them after painstakingly finding and loading them. No statistical difference, NONE. Primers are strong, that little piece stands no chance.
    3) clean inside, outside, and primer pocket means a wet rotary tumbler with pins, no substitute
    4) the cleanliness of your fired brass (assuming you arent a moron with mud caked, corroded brass) means nothing for functionality, it is purely for your pleasure and nothing else
    5) your cleaning solution determines the majority of internal cleanliness in wet applications. You dont need pins and can get 70% of the internal clean and 100% of the external blingy brass look that will not help you shoot better and make the brass sticky as all get out in your dies. Compound is king.
    6) pins burnish along their cylinder and "clean" on the ends, remember that. There is a reason there are different media shapes, pins need time to "clean" pockets because only their cut ends can do that. They need a compound to enable and assist in that work, burnishing is not a cutting action. The right size is important for small diameter calibers
    7) Pins suck and they follow your brass unless you really, really work to get them out. 100% of people who have given me brass to load that they cleaned with pins had pins in the brass somewhere. You think a piece of cob is bad, how about a 308 with a perfect ring of pins in the bottom or a bridged 380 case mouth? 100% to date.

    Try wet cleaning and see what you think or just spend your time loading and shooting more. People tend to be more impressed when you shoot single hole groups at a respectable distance than how shiny your brass is going into your gun. Could be me, I'll admit it, but your brass is probably fine and your time is better spent elsewhere improving your shooting.
     

    Lonesome Dove

    A man of vision but with no mission.
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    Sep 25, 2018
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    Cut n Shoot, Texas
    They certainly don’t have to be shiny sparkly gleaming but it’s easier to detect cracks in the necks or the presents of case head separation with clean brass versus dull dark brass. There is no best solution for everyone. Hell I didn't even clean or tumble brass the first 7-8 years of reloading.
     

    gll

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    Jan 22, 2016
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    Videos links don’t work


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    Those aren't videos, just links to the products on Amazon. They work for me, but if they don't for you, just search for the products there, or at other appropriate retailers... Walmart, Ebay, Petsmart, etc.
     

    deemus

    my mama says I'm special
    Lifetime Member
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    Feb 1, 2010
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    DFW
    Petsmart has a 20 lb bag of walnut media for around $15. Mine has lasted over 10 years. I put Flitz in my media as I add it to the tumbler.
     
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