Tumbling Loaded Ammo

[1shot]

Just a thought here. A vibratory tumbler moves the contents around in a fairly calm fashion. Not so much in a true rotary tumbler like the Thumbler tumbler. I would be worried of a primer strike in that machine, but that's just me.
Lloyd

 

[wbm]

I have read on a couple of sites where guys are tumbling loaded ammo to get rid of tarnish.

Darwin Award finalists!

 

[Hoser]

Mostly for handgun ammo, I use Hornady one shot even though I am using carbide dies. After I am done I toss the ammo in a vibratory tumbler for 10-15 minutes to be sure all the lube is gone.

For rifle ammo I wipe off most of the Imperial Die Wax and then tumble for 10-15 minutes to be sure all the lube is gone.

After the internet told me it was a bad idea and the powder would break down I got a little spooked. So I played with tumbling times and a chronograph. I finally got to the point where I tumbled a batch of 9mm loaded with Titegroup (lots of room in the case for the powder to move around, not a compressed charge) overnight and the chronoed velocity was exactly the same.

 

[Richard Coody]

I would do it if I needed to for.some reason

But.certainly not just.to have bright.shiney brass

 

[Fotheringill]

I wouldn't do it for the obviously reasons, but has anyone experienced an adverse effect on concentricity?

 

[skeeljc]

I have tumbled 22 LR to remove the lube (helps feeding from pistol mag in cold weather). I would not put it in a vibratory cleaner as it could dislodge the priming compound.

 

[Ackman]

Over the years this has come up several times on different forums. The same concerns always pop up and they always amaze me. I use a vibratory tumbler, Thumlers. All anyone need do is watch what's happening in there when the thing is loaded and going and see for themself. Polishing is done by the light media particles vibrating fast against those much heavier cases. The cases just float slowly in a roughly circular motion. No way a primer would ever be set off, takes a very hard and deliberate strike to accomplish that. And powder grains in the case jostling each other to the point of damage? Hardly. I don't run dirty brass through a die and always tumble first. But if loaded ammo for some reason needed cleaning, tumbling won't do it any harm at all.

 

[Ned Ludd]

Why would anyone want to tumble loaded ammunition? I don't care what the ammo looks like, only the targets at which I shoot it.

 

[Tod Hendricks]

A local acquaintance started a ammo reman business, mainly pistol and .223, every loaded round was tumbled in cement mixers prior to packaging, tens of thousands of rounds not one went off while tumbling.

Not saying I’d do it, just saying.

 

[Minshooter]

I had a vibrator cleaner on a timer, to give a 20 minute clean of loaded .223.
A little alcohol and clean media; removes lube and looks pretty.
My loading room was in a separate building.
One time the timer didn't shut off; it ran for Seven days. Pulled a couple rounds; looked about normal.
Chronographed with the same average velocity and slightly lower SD than the same load without tumbling. 4895 powder.
As mentioned, think about military ammo; traveling around the world in all sorts of vibrating transports.
If this was a problem, it would be well known by now.

 

[6.5grendel]

Why would anyone want to tumble loaded ammunition? I don't care what the ammo looks like, only the targets at which I shoot it.

Most people that do it are doing it to remove the lube from the cases. Much easier than wiping down each case if you are doing large quantities.

 

[brad6ppc]

A lot of good info here. Thanks guys for all the input.