I'm too lazy. But thank you. If I can't tumble them clean I will just stick with SMK.
Dan
Dan
Anyone polishing bullets (projectiles)?
- Thread starter Danattherock
- Start date
smoooth
Gold $$ Contributor
You can ABSOLUTELY tumble them, I have done many thousands in various types of media, but mostly treated corn cob. I have hundreds of pounds of treated corn cob media (down from tons) and built my own vibratory tumbler. Works great, bullets will be nice and shiny.
Too lazy? Tumbling is more work than dumping bullets in a bucket, pour a cleaner on them, soak, dump, done.
I would call Nosler to find out the real story behind these bullets, they don't let much slip past them.
Are these SECONDS by chance, the price sounds low for first rate production - especially at Cabela's?
Too lazy? Tumbling is more work than dumping bullets in a bucket, pour a cleaner on them, soak, dump, done.
I would call Nosler to find out the real story behind these bullets, they don't let much slip past them.
Are these SECONDS by chance, the price sounds low for first rate production - especially at Cabela's?
I got 250 from Cabelas for $55 sale price. I was just quoting the price per thousand. Actually found them as low as $165/1000 online. SMK moly are running $142/500 at Powder Valley. Trying to save some money, shoot more, or both.
They were not seconds. Hearing you guys makes me think this could be a bad batch. I've never shot any Noslers so I don't know. As for the wet cleaning, I am not keen on the drying part. Tumbling in corn cob is said to get media stuck in hp. But I'm sure that wouldn't effect anything. But that's what got me contemplating other types of media. Ceramic or wood sounds like a possible option.
Again, thanks for the input. I want to like this bullet. This greasy film covered mother...
They were not seconds. Hearing you guys makes me think this could be a bad batch. I've never shot any Noslers so I don't know. As for the wet cleaning, I am not keen on the drying part. Tumbling in corn cob is said to get media stuck in hp. But I'm sure that wouldn't effect anything. But that's what got me contemplating other types of media. Ceramic or wood sounds like a possible option.
Again, thanks for the input. I want to like this bullet. This greasy film covered mother...
How about tumbling in sawdust? Ive never tried it, but if all your doing is removing a surface film, might do the trick. And not load up the tips. Just a thought. And I'm with you on tumbling vs. wet cleaning. I prefer to just put a batch in the vibratory, turn it on, and walk away for awhile. I usually do case prep or something while the tumbler runs.
Brians356
Gold $$ Contributor
Danattherock said:
I have bought more Nosler bullets than I care to admit. And I still have a two-lifetime supply I will never go through, in various calibers. I've never seen a hint of coating, film, or anything on Nosler bullets - just shiny, clean copper jackets. If there were many tales such as yours on the various forums, they would very quickly have a big public relations problem.
Must have been a bad batch. Nothing "shiny and clean" about this box.
Already shot most these, sending back not an option. Just got back from range. Too early to tell, but SMK is producing tighter groups. Shot a 0.490" with SMK and all Nosler groups were sub MOA but barely. But I just used SMK load for Nosler, need to bracket some 01.-0.2 gr loads for the Noslers.
Dieselmudde, good idea. Thanks. I'm curious about a bunch of small wood blocks in a tumbler. Coarse saw dust might do well. I'm just thinking something of some substance to keep weight of bullets off bottom of tumbler.
A media with enough bulk to suspend the bullets for lack of better term. Walking around Lowes should trigger something. In the morning perhaps. Something like hamster bedding or cedar mulch perhaps. Lemishine for good measure. Hmm
Dan
Already shot most these, sending back not an option. Just got back from range. Too early to tell, but SMK is producing tighter groups. Shot a 0.490" with SMK and all Nosler groups were sub MOA but barely. But I just used SMK load for Nosler, need to bracket some 01.-0.2 gr loads for the Noslers.
Dieselmudde, good idea. Thanks. I'm curious about a bunch of small wood blocks in a tumbler. Coarse saw dust might do well. I'm just thinking something of some substance to keep weight of bullets off bottom of tumbler.
A media with enough bulk to suspend the bullets for lack of better term. Walking around Lowes should trigger something. In the morning perhaps. Something like hamster bedding or cedar mulch perhaps. Lemishine for good measure. Hmm
Dan
jsn
Gold $$ Contributor
A guy in town with an ammo mfg. license used to prep almost all of his ammo with the NECO moly method. He would tumble the bullets in a vibratory tumbler with small corn cob media (14-20) to remove the film/wax on the bullets before washing them in a TSP solution. Then he did the NECO moly after drying.
If the only problem with using corn cob is a few bullets getting some stuck in the hollow point, I wouldn't worry about it personally.
As far as the greasy substance you have on your bullets, I would probably wash this off with Dawn and hot water, and see how they look before I did anything else. Assuming you didn't want to contact Nosler and have them replaced.
If the only problem with using corn cob is a few bullets getting some stuck in the hollow point, I wouldn't worry about it personally.
As far as the greasy substance you have on your bullets, I would probably wash this off with Dawn and hot water, and see how they look before I did anything else. Assuming you didn't want to contact Nosler and have them replaced.
Might hit up the local pet store. They will have various types of shavings for bedding. It will be totally trial and error though. Obviously if sawdust or shavings made good tumbling media, thats what we would be using instead of corncob, or walnut shell. Pet store might also have a more coarse ground corncob.
RCBS vibratory tumbler with walnut polished bullets up nicely. After two hours, they look comparable to naked SMK. Not berger shiny, but that's not a fair comparison. Hah.
Only issue, the bullets just sat on bottom of tumbler, of course. The walnut media isn't nearly dense enough to suspend them. I'm wanting to try some bird seed, or something else, ceramic tumbling media perhaps. But with weight of bullets may be pointless.
I only had about 60 Noslers to clean, but would like to clean 500 or so at a time. If I come across anything that works, will post. Thanks for the thought provoking ideas here. It may be easier to just start moly coating these Noslers. Not sure.
Dan
Only issue, the bullets just sat on bottom of tumbler, of course. The walnut media isn't nearly dense enough to suspend them. I'm wanting to try some bird seed, or something else, ceramic tumbling media perhaps. But with weight of bullets may be pointless.
I only had about 60 Noslers to clean, but would like to clean 500 or so at a time. If I come across anything that works, will post. Thanks for the thought provoking ideas here. It may be easier to just start moly coating these Noslers. Not sure.
Dan
I tried some of the white sand from Menards, i use it for sandblasting, seemed like it would work well, but i was using FMJ and only ran about 30-35 seconds. To see if the projectiles would suspend.
Bringing this old thread up. as an update. Ive recently cleaned 2000 pull down projectiles, 1000 SS109, and 1000 124 grn Hydra Shok hollow points. The sand works flawlessly. The projectiles aren't bright and shiny, but they are absolutely clean, with no residue whatsoever. No loading of media in the hollow point whatsoever. Was using about 4 ponds of sand, and a Solo cup full of projectiles at a time. in a Harbor Freight vibratory tumbler.
STM with Dawn and Lemishine.
Perfect every time.
Perfect every time.
But theres no drying involved with this and the sand is 6 bucks for 50 pounds. just tumble an hour, pour through a sieve, colander, strainer, screen, what have you. and bag for storage. Did all 2000 with one batch of sand and it has plenty of life left. if kept dry that one bag of sand will last forever.
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