Brass Tumbling?
- Thread starter Nosler06
- Start date
The Brasso suggestion usually sparks controversy and mayhem in reloading forums, and leads to 1,200 post threads on the dangers of ammonia and brass.
For anyone scared of ammonia, it is volatile and will evaporate fairly quickly, especially when the Brasso is mixed with your media evenly, giving it lots of surface area. Brasso, NuFinish, and other thick polishes tend to clump your media together which will get stuck in your cases. Let it run for awhile uncovered until it's mixed in perfectly before adding your casings to prevent this and to remove most of the ammonia in the Brasso.
I use the "green stuff" - Fritz Tumbler/Media Additive. I used to use Brasso and NuFinsh, but after trying the Fritz I'll never go back.
For a media-case separator, all you need is a regular 5 gallon plastic container and a wire basket (trash can?) that I found at the dollar store for... one dollar. It's big enough to process 1000 pistol rounds and separate it out with a few shakes. The one I found has a mesh size just small enough to hold the 9mm. Dollar stores are great places to look for reloading supplies.
For anyone scared of ammonia, it is volatile and will evaporate fairly quickly, especially when the Brasso is mixed with your media evenly, giving it lots of surface area. Brasso, NuFinish, and other thick polishes tend to clump your media together which will get stuck in your cases. Let it run for awhile uncovered until it's mixed in perfectly before adding your casings to prevent this and to remove most of the ammonia in the Brasso.
I use the "green stuff" - Fritz Tumbler/Media Additive. I used to use Brasso and NuFinsh, but after trying the Fritz I'll never go back.
For a media-case separator, all you need is a regular 5 gallon plastic container and a wire basket (trash can?) that I found at the dollar store for... one dollar. It's big enough to process 1000 pistol rounds and separate it out with a few shakes. The one I found has a mesh size just small enough to hold the 9mm. Dollar stores are great places to look for reloading supplies.
pistol brass only: i deprime , tumble with corn cobb[smaller size than normally sold in gun stores] mr. clean[1 cap full],the used dryer sheet[i cut mine in 4 using 4pcs per batch] any media trapped in the flash hole is knocked out in the resizing stage, it's not great at cleaning pockets but after cycling 2000 cases each in 4 caliburs 7 times without a missfire it's good enough for me. rifle or long range handgun[over 100m] is a whole diff ball game.
Super_Chicken
CGN Regular
- Location
- Toronto, ON
I just got the 1200 and the green lyman media. I've noticed after cleaning about 200 .45 and 4-500 9mm cases that the media is much darker than the untouched media is the lower part of the gallon jug I got. How does one know when it's time to change media? My assumption would be you'd come back 4 hours later and the brass is still dirty/not shiny.
A couple cap's of Nufinish then turn it on and let it run for a minute to break up the clump's ans distribute it a bit, then toss in your brass.
I went to Stainless Steel media in a Thumbler's Tumbler and will never go back to a vibrater tumbler.
I went to Stainless Steel media in a Thumbler's Tumbler and will never go back to a vibrater tumbler.
Wow, 2000 cases, times 4 calibers = 8000 rounds, times 7 cycles = 56,000 reloaded rounds without a misfire!!
Good work!
I put strips of bounce sheets in with the brass every time i tumble and it keeps the dust particles from building up during the tumble process works great. Then wipe the brass shells with a cotton rag twisting motion then deprime brass looks like new again...
Rick
Rick
I have the RCBS tumbler which is about the same size as everyone elses.
I run the decapped cases through it with Zilla brand ground english walnut lizzard bedding which gets the cases 80% clean.
I then use the RCBS media separator which I highly recommend.
It has a lid which closes completely not allowing the media to fly all over the place.
I then repeat the process with corn cob media treated with Hornady One Shot non hazardous metal polish which does a great job. I then run the cases through the media separaor once again.
I have a Hornady LNL AP progressive press on the way so I won't need to inspect the flash holes anymore since the sizing and depriming die in station #1 will take care of that.
I run the decapped cases through it with Zilla brand ground english walnut lizzard bedding which gets the cases 80% clean.
I then use the RCBS media separator which I highly recommend.
It has a lid which closes completely not allowing the media to fly all over the place.
I then repeat the process with corn cob media treated with Hornady One Shot non hazardous metal polish which does a great job. I then run the cases through the media separaor once again.
I have a Hornady LNL AP progressive press on the way so I won't need to inspect the flash holes anymore since the sizing and depriming die in station #1 will take care of that.
How long does all that take?
This is 6 hr's in my Thumbler's Tumbler with Stainless Steel media.
Plus the time it takes to dry them.
I use the heating vents as well to do my 9mm brass, it works great. I put them in a wire basket and stir them up when the furnace cycles on. After a few cycles, they're dry.
Also, I tried Gunslinger's idea: http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527395&highlight=phosphoric+acid&page=2
which works quite well. Even range brass that's sat there for god knows how long turns out clean.
