Which stainless tumbling media?

[DngBat7]

Wondering which stainless tumbling media?
.5 pins I’m assuming??? Are they all the same? I found a 5pound bag for 29.99 on eBay. Not from China thank God. Is that a good price?

 

[ToddKS]

I strongly recommend the Southern Shine chip media. It cleans faster and will not get stuck in cases or flash holes.

 

[jepp2]

I use the media from STM (Stainless Tumbling Media) which are 0.047" x 0.255". Not sure I have seen any 0.5 pins. I had to cull a few pins that caught in the neck of 25-06 cartridges (makes sense if they were just a bit long), never had any catch in flash holes, even the small Lapua.

I strongly recommend the Southern Shine chip media. It cleans faster and will not get stuck in cases or flash holes.

I would like to give the chips a try, as folks seem to like them, like ToddKS says. However, I have enough trouble with pins finding their way to places they should not be, on the counter, floors, etc. And I'm somewhat apprehensive about dealing with smaller chips, even if they clean better. And at this point, not sure I want the added expense of buying new, when what I have works. If I was starting out new, not sure what I would go with?

 

[tharger]

is there a size on the chips. use a colander kind of thing for separation of pins and brass.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

is there a size on the chips. use a colander kind of thing for separation of pins and brass.

I don't care what you use to sperate them from the brass.... those things find their way all over every where.
I agree with not waning to use something smaller than the pins I already use.

 

[jpx2rk]

What size/caliber cases are the SS pins getting stuck in??

I have a FA wet tumbler and use their pins, but only load for 204R, 223 & 22/250.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

I have on occasion had then stick in 308 case mouths. But very very seldom

 

[Bill K]

Check out the small SS pins sold by Sleeping Giant Brass. They do a really good job and they do not stick inside the case's. Plus they are some of the most reasonably priced one's on the market.

 

[Texas10]

What size/caliber cases are the SS pins getting stuck in??

I have a FA wet tumbler and use their pins, but only load for 204R, 223 & 22/250.

Using the SS pins nearly drove me insane when cleaning 6.5 CM brass. They'd stick sideways in the neck, sometime 3 or 4 at at time. Stopping to clear out the jammed pins was the taking a toll in time and frustration. So I switched to Sleeping Giant SS chips and never looked back. What a time saver!

https://www.sleepinggiantbrass.com/_catalog_grid/components

Now I tumble 45 min to an hour and dump, rinse, repeat. I am using RCBS concentrate and no longer have the issue of brass coming out copper/rose colored from surface zinc loss like I did with Lemi Shine. I mix up a couple gallons and keep in jugs. Just pour and turn it on.

 

[longshotbml]

I ... no longer have the issue of brass coming out copper/rose colored from surface zinc loss like I did with Lemi Shine.

You are using way too much Lemi Shine. All you need is 1 tsp. MAX for the whole drum.

 

[memilanuk]

Using the SS pins nearly drove me insane when cleaning 6.5 CM brass. They'd stick sideways in the neck, sometime 3 or 4 at at time.

This was a solved problem 7-8 years ago or more. Shorter pins (0.210" long) work in anything 0.224 cal on up, and physically *can't* bridge the neck like you described.

Dunno who you got those pins from, but if it was a reloading supplier they should have known better.

 

[Texas10]

Yup, well.....it depends upon your local water supply if using tap water like I am. I eventually found 1/4 tsp to be good enough, but then my drum only holds a bit over a quart.

The RCBS formula has some snake oil to keep the brass shiny longer. It seems to work as advertised

 

[BDman]

The STM pins seem to be, on average, .263 in length and perfectly stick in 6.5 case necks - about 10 out of 50 but I just push them through with a wooden dowel and keep rolling. They don't stick in .308 necks or any flash holes so I'll continue to use them.

A friend of mine has tried the chips but they seem much harder to account for and I wouldn't want any of that going down the barrel. But, with good discipline, that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[memilanuk]

If they are sticking in the necks enough that you have to push them out, I'd be concerned about residual scratches/gouges on the insides of necks.

 

[BDman]

Yes, me too. But they don't seem tight enough to do it and I've never seen any deep scratches. Accuracy was never affected either. As I've continued with the process, I began collecting the pins that stuck. After culling about 200 of them, this has just about stopped. I'm going to touch all of those to a grinding wheel and add them back at some point.

 

[oley55]

This was a solved problem 7-8 years ago or more. Shorter pins (0.210" long) work in anything 0.224 cal on up, and physically *can't* bridge the neck like you described.

Dunno who you got those pins from, but if it was a reloading supplier they should have known better.

Prezactly what he said. I've never had a pin get stuck in the neck of .224" cases. Accordingly, I never had a stuck pin in any other rifle or pistol case.