What SS Media?

[Lapua40X]

For those of you who use SS media for brass cleaning, which form of media do you prefer and how much of the stuff do you buy to adequately fill the tumbler?

http://www.brownells.com/reloading/case-cleaning/tumbling-media-additives/stainless-steel-media-5-lbs--sku749012602-42858-79161.aspx?mc_id=12000&ch=csh&gdftrk=gdfV21820_a_7c187_a_7c7313_a_7c749012602_d_749012602_d_20585

http://bestbyte.net/merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ACMIPL0471&Category_Code=ACMI&Store_Code=BB

http://www.jewelrytools.com/eurotool/additional-polishing-tools/Stainless-Steel-Shot-2-pounds.html?gclid=CPW61pTHhLgCFQ6a4AodniAAyw

 

[dickn52]

5lb pins workd for me. Just recheck the primer holes when done.

 

[thefitter]

Buy the cheapest.

 

[bigedp51]

Go ahead and buy the cheapest................yeah right. :

These pins come in different diameters and depending on how they are cut the tips can end up with knife edge ends. So pick the correct diameter and length so they wont get wedged in the primer pocket or flash hole.

The cheap Chinese pins below have too small a diameter and the ends were chewed off by beavers. You will also find pins that are too short and become wedged in the primer pocket.



Below is the "normal" size pin with well cut ends. (not done by non-union beavers)



Below is the jewelry mix pin with smooth tapered ends.



If you look at the jewelry mix link posted above you will see several different shapes and the pins have smooth tapered ends. The jewelry mix is normally used in vibrating tumblers to polish silver jewelry to a high polish and NOT damage the silver. My wife forces me to stop reloading and help her make this jewelry because I can see better than see can, sob hic sniffle NOOOOOO! :'(

 

[jlow]

How much media to use depends on what you are going to use it for? The standard amount for “regular use” such as pistol and plinking rifle brass is 5 lbs. However, for precision rifle, I would suggest using 10 lbs and small lots of brass per cleaning.

I think this was originally found by “Bradley Walker”. The larger volume of pins and smaller brass number reduce brass to brass collision and combined with the short clean time (1 hour) appears to avoid neck preening which was my only objection to using SS media for cleaning precision rifle brass.

 

[brian427cobra]

I use SS media for blasting ammo, pistol and AR15, my precision rifle brass is either cleaned by hand with a Krazy Klothe or in a vib tumbler with walnut media and NuFinish car polish, necks brushed out, my targets and chronograph prove to me that that SS cleaned brass has bigger groups and larger spreads between shots, both of which are bad, I did check my brass with a Rockwell Hardness tester, even though the lips of SS media cleaned brass is peened, the change in hardness is nil. So with blasting ammo I use all 5lbs of SS media, fill the Thumlers Tumbler Model B High Speed until its about 3/4 full of brass, then add a squirt of Dawn liquid soap from my wife's kitchen, and a 9mm case of Lemmishine, then. I add HOT water until its about 7/8 full, it only takes about a 1.5 hours to completely clean in/out the brass, separating the SS media is easy with a media separator, and a single rinse in HOT water, in the summer I dry my brass in the TEXAS sun, winter time my wife's oven at 200 does a great job, either way the brass is super clean, but tarnishes a little which is no biggie, my Glock and AR15 can't tell the difference between shiny and slightly tarnished, I think the amout of Lemmishine could fix that, but I really don't care.

 

[amlevin]

I dry my brass in the TEXAS sun, winter time my wife's oven at 200 does a great job

I just shake my brass in a towel and then anneal it. That dries it out real quick 8)

Annealing the clean brass is easier too. The color changes are more clear and no crud burned into the brass.

 

[Duster_360]

I have a RCBS Sidewinder Rotary Case tumbler like shown here -

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/102969/rcbs-sidewinder-rotary-case-tumbler-110-volt?cm_vc=OBv1102325


Has anyone used this tumbler with the SS media? Thanks

 

[thefitter]

Go ahead and buy the cheapest................yeah right. :

These pins come in different diameters and depending on how they are cut the tips can end up with knife edge ends. So pick the correct diameter and length so they wont get wedged in the primer pocket or flash hole.

The cheap Chinese pins below have too small a diameter and the ends were chewed off by beavers. You will also find pins that are too short and become wedged in the primer pocket.



Below is the "normal" size pin with well cut ends. (not done by non-union beavers)



Below is the jewelry mix pin with smooth tapered ends.



If you look at the jewelry mix link posted above you will see several different shapes and the pins have smooth tapered ends. The jewelry mix is normally used in vibrating tumblers to polish silver jewelry to a high polish and NOT damage the silver. My wife forces me to stop reloading and help her make this jewelry because I can see better than see can, sob hic sniffle NOOOOOO! :'(

Pay attention to the OP.

The cheapest was the second choice in the OP. It also gave him the specs on the pins.

:

 

[cotntop]

I bought from STM and had no problems.

 

[BaconFat]

... my targets and chronograph prove to me that that SS cleaned brass has bigger groups and larger spreads between shots ...

Why? Is it because of the carbon left in the necks after cleaning or is it something else?

 

[amlevin]

I have a RCBS Sidewinder Rotary Case tumbler like shown here -

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/102969/rcbs-sidewinder-rotary-case-tumbler-110-volt?cm_vc=OBv1102325


Has anyone used this tumbler with the SS media? Thanks

I use a sidewinder I bought way back in the early 80's (when they were more affordable) and use it regularly with SS Medial.

I just cut the amount of water in half as well as detergent and Lemi-shine. Works great. I can fill the unit with around 150 pieces of .308 brass and 200 or so .223 cases. First time through with nasty range pickup brass is about 3 hours and from then on an hour is enough.

 

[bigedp51]

Pay attention to the OP.

The cheapest was the second choice in the OP. It also gave him the specs on the pins.

:

A computer store that sells stainless steel tumbling media? yeah right!
(Best Byte Computers, Inc.)

What don't you understand about cheap Chinese pins chewed on by beavers. :

 

[CarolinaBrass]

This is what I use and I tumble a ton of brass. Its big enough it doesnt get stuck in primer pockets. Several guys sell them including the following.. Oh and use at least a pound more media than you put in brass otherwise it increases the time significantly.

Talk to Bruce he is a great guy and makes tumblers and also sells the same media, tell him John Bowman sent you if you want a reference:

http://biggdawgtumblers.net/14701/index.html


http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/products/media/stainless-tumbling-media.html

 

[Duster_360]

I use a sidewinder I bought way back in the early 80's (when they were more affordable) and use it regularly with SS Medial.

I just cut the amount of water in half as well as detergent and Lemi-shine. Works great. I can fill the unit with around 150 pieces of .308 brass and 200 or so .223 cases. First time through with nasty range pickup brass is about 3 hours and from then on an hour is enough.

Thanks much for the advice......