Using stainless steel pin tumbling
- Thread starter 356tsw
- Start date
I assume you mean the Frankford Arsenal Platium series tumbler--if so I am using 5 pounds--and that works very nicely. Only thing to watch for if cleaning 30 caliber cases (maybe others also) occasionally a pin will lodge itself in the neck and require extraction before dumping powder--
Very happy with the results it produces.
Very happy with the results it produces.
7stubby
Some days it doesn't pay to even get out of bed.
When I used the Frankford tumbler I used 10 pounds of pins, as I only tumbled 100 pieces of BR brass at a time. Reduced the amount of brass to brass contact and didnt mess up the necks as much. Larger amounts of brass I used less pins.
But I have since quit using the stainless pin method to clean my brass as it was a lot of hassle to clean just 100 pieces. Went back to walnut media in a vibratory tumbler.
YMMV
But I have since quit using the stainless pin method to clean my brass as it was a lot of hassle to clean just 100 pieces. Went back to walnut media in a vibratory tumbler.
YMMV
More pins leads to quicker cleaning and less neck peening.
I kind of like a 2.5:1 ratio of pins to brass by weight. I run two pounds of brass and 5# of pins in my tumbler.
As for pins getting stuck in necks or primer pockets, I only had that happen in the first couple of loads and just discarded the pins that got stuck. They have to be just the right length to stick and it doesn't take long to cull those that do.
One can cut hassles if they just pour the whole mess into a container lined with an old T-Shirt or similar piece of cloth. Gather the edges and lift out of the solution, pour out dirty solution, and then fill container with fresh water. Immerse and remove brass/pin mix several times, discarding old and adding fresh with every "dip". Three cycles do fine for my brass.
I then just separate brass from the pins using an RCBS rotary media separator.
I'll take the brass that's clean inside, outside, and clean primer pockets too, any day over any dry media dusty mess that doesn't clean the inside of the case.
I kind of like a 2.5:1 ratio of pins to brass by weight. I run two pounds of brass and 5# of pins in my tumbler.
As for pins getting stuck in necks or primer pockets, I only had that happen in the first couple of loads and just discarded the pins that got stuck. They have to be just the right length to stick and it doesn't take long to cull those that do.
One can cut hassles if they just pour the whole mess into a container lined with an old T-Shirt or similar piece of cloth. Gather the edges and lift out of the solution, pour out dirty solution, and then fill container with fresh water. Immerse and remove brass/pin mix several times, discarding old and adding fresh with every "dip". Three cycles do fine for my brass.
I then just separate brass from the pins using an RCBS rotary media separator.
I'll take the brass that's clean inside, outside, and clean primer pockets too, any day over any dry media dusty mess that doesn't clean the inside of the case.
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