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True confessions

When I started SS pin tumbling, I wired in a new outlet and put a twist timer above it. This way you have a timed socket and a regular socket that is always hot. At that time, I was tumbling for 2 hours and you could just set it & forget it. Now that I've learned a few things, I only tumble for 15-20 minutes so the timer isn't really needed but I still use it.
 
I traumatized my gardener a while back…

During one of our earlier panic/shortages, I spent a full morning wet tumbling a small horde of range brass. It was a 5gal bucket full of range brass that I planned to convert into 300BO. It was summer in Texas so I set out a large tarp on the back patio and spread out the cases to dry in the sun.

Unfortunately, I forgot that the lawn guy would be coming by. When I heard the lawn mower in the backyard my first thought was, “Crap… I hope he doesn’t get a bunch of grass clippings tossed in my brass.” I went outside to find him wide-eyed staring at the sizable pile of brass covering the patio. He was a good guy… he stopped coming around. I’ve been cutting my yard ever since.
 
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I traumatized my gardener a while back…

During one of our earlier panic/shortages, I spent a full morning wet tumbling a small horde of range brass. It was a 5gal bucket full of range brass that I planned to convert into 300BO. It was summer in Texas so I set out a large tarp on the back patio and spread out the cases to dry in the sun.

Unfortunately, I forgetting that the lawn guy would be coming by. When I heard the lawn mower in the backyard my first thought was, “Crap… I home he doesn’t get a bunch of grass clippings tossed in my brass.” I went out side to find him wide-eyed staring at the sizable pile of brass covering the patio. He was a good guy… he stopped coming around. I’ve been cutting my yard ever since.
He wasn’t a real Texan! A real Texan would have talked guns for a couple hours.
 
In all fairness there were more than 5k cases spread out on blue tarp. My impression was that he and family migrated north to escape the cartels. I’m sure as he rounded the back corner of the house an internal panic alarm sounded “Chingado !!!”
 
I would think that if you are using a vibrating tumbler with brass that has been de-primed that you will have a lot of cases with media stuck in the flash holes… and in my experience, a lot of dust inside and out side of the cases.
Sizing with a die that has it’s de-priming pin in it will get the stuck bits out of the flash holes but now you have debris on and in you press.
I am bumping & neck sizing then setting neck tension with a mandrel so I don’t use a de-priming pin in the die along with pulling the neck sizing ball through the neck.
With SS pin wet cleaning my primer pockets are clean, brass is factory fresh but now fire formed to my chamber. In the end, what ever works for you is what is best… {:~)
Pre-Screen your media with one of those Gold Panning Classifer Screens
Fits a 5 Gal Bucket
------------------------------
Since screening my Walnut, I have not had one, NOT ONE, kernel of media stuck in a flash hole
Including Small Primer
I don't even have to check anymore.
Try it,
Yes you will loose half of your media but so what? Buy a second bag
Screen it, and add to your collection of pre-screened
It lasts long enough.
My cases are never dusty when I take them out.
Perhaps because I use Walnut only?
Maybe other types of media has dust that is static sensitive
I havent used corn cob in years, so I forget if it leaves a dusty film.
 
Pre-Screen your media with one of those Gold Panning Classifer Screens
Fits a 5 Gal Bucket
------------------------------
Since screening my Walnut, I have not had one, NOT ONE, kernel of media stuck in a flash hole
Including Small Primer
I don't even have to check anymore.
Try it,
Yes you will loose half of your media but so what? Buy a second bag
Screen it, and add to your collection of pre-screened
It lasts long enough.
My cases are never dusty when I take them out.
Perhaps because I use Walnut only?
Maybe other types of media has dust that is static sensitive
I havent used corn cob in years, so I forget if it leaves a dusty film.
I had some that had a dose of reddish “polish” on it…. Came that way with the machine and it definitely left residue… Also my first lesson about media stuck in flash holes as of course I had de-primed all the cases…
The old vibration machine these days only get used for putting coating {hBN} on projectiles as I have been wet tumbling for years now.. Even less these days as I have moved away from coating bullets and shoot them “naked” now.
 
I had some that had a dose of reddish “polish” on it…. Came that way with the machine and it definitely left residue… Also my first lesson about media stuck in flash holes as of course I had de-primed all the cases…
The old vibration machine these days only get used for putting coating {hBN} on projectiles as I have been wet tumbling for years now.. Even less these days as I have moved away from coating bullets and shoot them “naked” now.
Cringe
Wayne
 
I have never forgotten brass in a tumbler, simply because, in my sixty-plus years of reloading, I have never tumbled a piece of brass. Now, when it comes to leaving things on and such, I do that all the time. Getting sidetracked is SOP. I just accept it. WH
 
I grabbed my coffee and sat at my reloading desk to think about the day’s plan. Then it struck me. I had put a batch of brass in my tumbler yesterday at 2 o’clock! Seems I AM getting forgetful! It is really clean, tho!
Went Yote hunting one night, With my Swift.. Only problem was ammo for my 223. Only didi it once. Tommy Mc
 

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