pins in brass

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haffordite2

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Guys
I have a question that would seem to have an obvious answer but will ask it anyway. I am a recent convert to wet tumbling with stainless pin media.Normally after wet tumbing, I throw brass in vibratory tumbler to polish them (for purely cosmetic reasons). I blow out media stuck in primer pockets with compressed air. On several occasions, I have found pins in my loading block. Finally my question- how can you be sure all pins are removed from cases? I visually inspect cases but obviously have missed some. As a supplemental question-should one be concerned if a pin or two made into a charged case?
Thanks.
 
Several people I've talked to use a very powerful magnet to pull any pins out. This will only work if the pins are made from 400-series stainless as 300-series stainless is not magnetic.
 
haffordite2 said:
Normally after wet tumbing, I throw brass in vibratory tumbler to polish them (for purely cosmetic reasons). I blow out media stuck in primer pockets with compressed air. On several occasions, I have found pins in my loading block. Finally my question- how can you be sure all pins are removed from cases? I visually inspect cases but obviously have missed some. As a supplemental question-should one be concerned if a pin or two made into a charged case?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

1. Why would you put your brass in a vibratory tumbler after you have tumbled in stainless steel? The brass will not be any cleaner or brighter than when it is tumbled in stainless steel or you are doing something wrong.

2. I have found about maybe 10 times in the last 100 batches of brass where media has stuck in the primer pockets sideways and I quickly discarded the offending pins. If you are getting a lot of stuck pins then the pins are the wrong size or a poor quality control from the manufacturer.

3. You buy a rotary media separator from Cabell’s for 35 bucks ( http://www.cabelas.ca/product/1413/cabelas-rotary-media-separator ) and you pour the brass from the rotary tumbler into it. Fill the separator up until the bucket that it sits in is full and the brass inside the separator is submerged. You rotate the handle 10 times clockwise slowly and then 10 times CCW, then pour out the dirty water and fill the bucket again with hot water till it over flows and repeat the 10 times CW and 10 times CCW. Drain the water and all the pins will be in the bottom of the bucket and your brass will be in the basket.

I have done at least 30,000 pieces of brass in the last 3 years that I have been tumbling with stainless steel. I inspect every case before it goes into my loading block or progressive press for cracks or head separation etc. never found a pin.
 
I'd like to know the answer to why tumbling after ss cleaning as well, seems a waste of time and I rarely have stuck pins as I thouroughly tumble the cases in a separateor with water..
 
When I tumble I leave some water in the drum and just dig the brass out with my hands. I place them neck down in my shell holders to dry overnight and I get a look at the primer pockets. I pop any pins out with a dental pick and if there are any pins inside the cases, they just slide out.
 
haffordite2

I wet tumble with stainless steel media and I'm 65 with chronologically gifted eyesight. And under a strong light I eyeball both ends of the case and then use a tight fitting brush inside the case.
If you rinse/tumble your cases in a media separator partially submerged in water the vast majority of the pins will fall out except for the few jammed or wedged in the case.

The key to wet tumbling is 100% inspection of the cases and this is always a good idea to inspect each case for any defect.
 
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