Stainless tumbler media and neck damage

[MQ1]

Sparky,

I wonder if you have more media and more bullets, or slow the speed...you reduce the peeling problems.

Damn, I like shiny stuff...I don't know if I'd stainless tumble as a general rule, but certainly to make old look new on occasion would be useful.

Thanks for sharing the make and model.

MQ1

 

[CZ550]

Ok for those of you not using SS. Are you cleaning the necks before annealing?

The only reason I use SS is to get necks nice and clean before annealing. I have annealed without cleaning and didn't care for it.

 

[sparky123321]

A lot less wear and tear on my dies now. The abrasive in the corn cob media I used to use scratch the heck out of my non-carbide dies.

Everyone needs to remember that the pins are meant to roll along side the case walls inside and out, including the primer pockets. If your cases are tumbling end over end or falling you're going to have case damage from the other cases.

 

[bigedp51]

So what is the cure for those of us with the high speed tumblers????

1. Get a slower motor.
2. Add more brass with each load.

And does the larger size of the drum effect both of these meaning are the cases falling further, or will slowing down the drum speed fix this.

 

[memilanuk]

Maybe I missed it in the above... but the amount of time spent tumbling can make a big difference. I have a Thumler Tumbler with the high speed motor, and I tumble my brass about 1-1.5hrs. It doesn't have to be 'shiny' on the inside - just clean. Longer runs do risk peening over the case mouth. First time I ran a batch overnight i.e. < 20hrs... oh dear lord, there wasn't much saving that batch

I run ~100 .308 Win cases in a batch, or about 200 .223 Rem, without any real problems. For .338LM though, I run only 50 due to the space required... and the much heavier cases riding up and then tumbling down can do some real damage to the case mouth if left too long.

Yes, I clean before annealing. Whole process is neater, and makes it easier to see the color change.

 

[racesnake]

I use the hi-speed Thumbler without the pins. Fill the drum 2/3 full of brass, cover with hot water, add a squirt of DW liquid, a pinch of Lemishine and tumble for 1/2hr. The brass comes out looking new on the outside and enough carbon is left in the necks to keep the ES low. I don't experience peened necks. Try it, you'll like it!

 

[BoydAllen]

Ah ha!

 

[racesnake]

Yes, Boyd. The reason I don't get peened necks is I put a greater volume of brass in the drum to limit the tumbling effect and run the machine just long enough to get the brass clean.

 

[BoydAllen]

Simple and direct...I love it.

 

[SixDasher]

I think two camps are replying to this topic, giving opposite stories.

If you're reloading no-turn brass (let alone pistol brass), then this is not the group I am looking to for experience. No disrespect intended.


I have turned necks and shoot for precision at long range. I know there are no problems with thick necks and wide factory chambers. However, looking around me I have three people that can not chamber their brass after using the stainless tumbler and need to seriously chamfer the in/outsides, or even trim the cases.

Filling up the tumbler with more media and cases (80% full) does not help, neither does only a handfull of media and cases. I've tried.

To get the inside and pockets clean, they have to be in there for at least an hour, but then they are all damaged by the cases (weighed down by media inside them) slamming against the necks.

I will definitly try slowing down the tumbler motor, as this might indeed prevent the cases tumbling over each other violently like they are right now.

 

[SixDasher]

??? Apparantly I have two accounts here, as my laptop logged in under this one.

 

[sparky123321]

The .284 brass I just cleaned is necked up and turned 6.5-284 Lapua brass. That brass has now been cleaned 3 or 4 times. My .223 brass is also turned, but very little is taken off.

I guess I should ask what type of brass you are using. Hornady brass and some others are extremely soft and more prone to damage. Still I have used SS pins on Winchester .284 brass with turned necks and had no problem. I no longer use any Hornady brass because of how soft it is. This forum and others have numerous posts about Hornady brass sticking in the chamber even with just "warm" loads.

 

[SixDasher]

All my brass has it: Lapua, Norma and Winchester.

Some are no-turn, some are turned. The no-turns have less problems as the chamber is just larger. My neck-turns are .001" clearance on each side: Any kind of nicks/burs/peening will mean it won't chamber.

 

[mikegaiz]

How do you dry the ss media after use?

 

[infantrytrophy]

How do you dry the ss media after use?

The EASY way, of course! ;D

Just "pour" the SS media into a strainer with a cloth filter to hold the pins. In a few hours any excess water will drip through and the pins will dry. Works like a drip coffee maker.

I use a Lyman Turbo Sifter as shown in the pictures, but any type of food strainer or colander will work - you could probably find one at a dollar store or Walmart. A piece of an old bed sheet or pillowcase will work as the filter. Pour off excess water before pouring the pins into the strainer/filter.

The nice thing about the whole process is that the pins are self-cleaning. All of the dirt/carbon/powder residue goes away with the dirty water.

Randy

 

[Leaddog]

How do you dry the ss media after use?

Why worry about drying your ss pins? My pins have been wet for over 2 years with no problems. I will dump them and give them a good rinse after 2 or 3 tumbling sessions and back into the tumbler they go. I use my tumbler 3 or 4 times a month in the shooting season and at least once a month over the winter.

 

[memilanuk]

Why worry about drying your ss pins? My pins have been wet for over 2 years with no problems.

Bingo...

 

[kelbro]

Try this to slow down the Thumbler motor:

http://www.harborfreight.com/router-speed-control-43060.html

Unless they are using an inductive motor. These are made for brush type motors and work well.