Case Tumbling
- Thread starter Murray Brook
- Start date
Man. If it's that jewlers rouge, it has to come off. That stuff is so abrasive. It actually out polished my SS media tumbler. One of the competetive shooters on M4carbine swore he ruined a barrel throat by leaving that stuff stuck in the neck/case walls. After seeing it in my brass, I quit using that stuff.
Murray Brook
Silver $$ Contributor
I cleaned out every case with a q-tip and made sure there is no media in the case although the inside necks still have reddish color to them. The media I used was Lyman Tufnut. Surely they wouldn't sell something that could harm you barrel.
I would think so. If I hadn't seen how agressively the stuff cleaned my brass, I wouldn't believe it myself. I'm not kidding when I say it out shined my SS media tumbler by a significant amount.
I quit using it, since I'd be inclined to wet tumble it all off. And that would defeat the purpose since I'd be double tumbling.
Murray Brook
Silver $$ Contributor
Now, More Than Ever...
"Those who would give up essential liberty
To purchase a little temporary safety
Deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin -
The reddish dust is most likely polishing compound from the media... One solution is to use UN-Treated media such as just plain corncob or walnut...
Of course, the best cleaning solution is to buy a Wet Tumbler such as Frankford Arsenal, Lyman or others make as you will then have cases that are clean inside and out including the primer pockets....
As a side note, if you are using an AMP Annealer, DO NOT use any wax or other polishing agent on the cases as it will smoke and contaminate the induction plates... This is experience talking!
I use two Tbs of burnishing compound (washes away when rinsing cases) from a lapidary supply, a dose (10ml) of BoreTec sonic cleaner {leaves an anti tarnish finish that does not fume off} and a dash of LemiShine... Hour and a half or two, cases come out looking brand new and ready to anneal.
A 24 hr pre-soak lessens the time needed in the tumbler as it will start to loosen the crud in the cases.\
Dash of LemiShine, 5ml BoreTec Sonic Cleaner, squirt of dish soap {ANY brand! the DAWN debate has been talked to death!} Boiling to just as hot as it comes out of the tap water to cover. I give an occasional stir over a couple of hours and let stand over night, drain and quick rinse, then into the tumbler with fresh hot water and additives.
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If you are going to wet tumble, get some Brass Juice. Does a great job with or without the pins.
I SS pin tumble (Dawn & LemShine) for short periods of time with good effect. How does Brass Juice improve the process?
It is the same type of stuff the ammunition plants use. I quit using pins. Cases come out brighter and they do not seem to retarnish as fast as when I was using the dawn and lemi.
Retired shooter
Gold $$ Contributor
I have never needed anything over a 30 min. tumble, SS pins, lemi shine, Dawn ( that's what the wife has) hot tap water, and a cold water rinse ( shaking the brass underwater removes the pilns easily) dried by solar power in an aluminum foil pan.
Cleans very well.
Also interested to hear what Brass Juice does.
Cleans very well.
Also interested to hear what Brass Juice does.
If you really want to remove the dust add a piece of old cloth towel to the tumbler. Ruge residue on the clean brass indicates too much compound was added. Cob and hull is dusty when new, you can also get rid of the dust with a 6"x 6" square of towel. A bit of liquid car polish or liquid wax-polish also works well and is cheap at the car parts store.
I used a wet lapidary drum tumbler for years, now use a Dillon Big Blue vibratory cleaner for my brass. Works better for compressed loads, also.
I used a wet lapidary drum tumbler for years, now use a Dillon Big Blue vibratory cleaner for my brass. Works better for compressed loads, also.
I used a Lyman tumbler and Lyman treated media for about 30 years. It did a great job cleaning the cases, bright and shiny.
However, it left a residue on the cases. At first, I ignored it then I started to notice that it was accumulating in the shell holder from residue trapped in the rim of the case. It was also accumulating inside the sizing die.
When the accumulation reached a certain point in the shell holder, the cases were slightly out of alignment. When I lubed the cases and sized them it created a "mud" like mixture in the die. It was an easy enough fix, sort of, I just wipe the cases after tumbling with a shop towel. That did as so-so job, so I had to resort to spraying the cases with mineral spirits and wiping them to remove all of it.
When my old tumbler finally died a several months ago, and after watching Erik Cortina's video, I decided to not purchase another tumbler. He doesn't clean cases! I figure a guy winning championships at 1,000 yards might know a more than me.
I always, even when I used the tumbler, cleaned the necks with 0000 steel wool to remove burned on carbon. I believe that is important to uniform sizing the neck. For several months now, I just clean the necks as always, and wipe the cases with a shop towel containing mineral spirits.
It was one of the best moves I ever made in my reloading process. I can manage my cases from different rifles better, there is now less time involved preparing cases, I streamlined my equipment, less expense but more importantly, my dies and shell holders remain free of residue and its undesirable effects.
However, it left a residue on the cases. At first, I ignored it then I started to notice that it was accumulating in the shell holder from residue trapped in the rim of the case. It was also accumulating inside the sizing die.
When the accumulation reached a certain point in the shell holder, the cases were slightly out of alignment. When I lubed the cases and sized them it created a "mud" like mixture in the die. It was an easy enough fix, sort of, I just wipe the cases after tumbling with a shop towel. That did as so-so job, so I had to resort to spraying the cases with mineral spirits and wiping them to remove all of it.
When my old tumbler finally died a several months ago, and after watching Erik Cortina's video, I decided to not purchase another tumbler. He doesn't clean cases! I figure a guy winning championships at 1,000 yards might know a more than me.
I always, even when I used the tumbler, cleaned the necks with 0000 steel wool to remove burned on carbon. I believe that is important to uniform sizing the neck. For several months now, I just clean the necks as always, and wipe the cases with a shop towel containing mineral spirits.
It was one of the best moves I ever made in my reloading process. I can manage my cases from different rifles better, there is now less time involved preparing cases, I streamlined my equipment, less expense but more importantly, my dies and shell holders remain free of residue and its undesirable effects.
divingin
Gold $$ Contributor
I got a box of Lyman media from someone; it was so loaded up with jewelers rouge that just hefting it in your hand left red powder all over.
Untreated media can be obtained from hardware stores (Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, etc) - look at grit blasting media. Corn cob and walnut shell in a variety of grit sizes.
If you want faster action and/or more highly polished cases, add a teaspoon or two of liquid automotive cutting polish (actually doesn't have to be a cutting type) to the media and run the tumbler empty until the clumps disappear. That will last for several loads, at which time simply repeat the addition. All the shine without the red.
(Note: Do not add the polish to media with cases in it unless you really like digging stuff out of the inside of the cases. Don't ask how I know. Also, don't get clever and throw the packed cases in your wet tumbler with pins to clean them out, unless you like wet tumbling with crushed walnut shell mixed in with your pins.)
Untreated media can be obtained from hardware stores (Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, etc) - look at grit blasting media. Corn cob and walnut shell in a variety of grit sizes.
If you want faster action and/or more highly polished cases, add a teaspoon or two of liquid automotive cutting polish (actually doesn't have to be a cutting type) to the media and run the tumbler empty until the clumps disappear. That will last for several loads, at which time simply repeat the addition. All the shine without the red.
(Note: Do not add the polish to media with cases in it unless you really like digging stuff out of the inside of the cases. Don't ask how I know. Also, don't get clever and throw the packed cases in your wet tumbler with pins to clean them out, unless you like wet tumbling with crushed walnut shell mixed in with your pins.)
Do you toss the dirty Brass Juice or reuse it?
Murray Brook
Silver $$ Contributor
Sent an email off to Lyman on the subject to see what they had to say this was their response
"The residue will not cause any harm, what you heard is untrue."
"The residue will not cause any harm, what you heard is untrue."
I used two different types of media. I think they were both Lyman products. One was green and one was red. I got so tired of dealing with all the dusty residue that I gave the stuff away and tossed my vibratory machine. I much prefer the SS tumbler when used in moderation. Excessive use can peen necks.
It has been suggested that replacing the SS pins and water with rice is the perfect tumbling media whether you use a vibrating or tumbling machine. I've gotta give that a try.
I’ve used rice to clean coated bullets. Quite successfully. However I guess depending on where you live rodents like it too.
Bought a lot of coated bullets which I don’t shoot but when cleaned the rice went in the garbage.
I re-use it several times.
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