Can you tumble bullets?

A

AlexF

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Location
Eastern Canada
While doing my spring cleaning, I found 300 Sierra Match King lost during a moving. They've lost their shine and I'm considering tumbling them to get them shinny again.
Can I tumble bullets or this a crazy idea?
I might try nonetheless to test the accuracy of tumbled vs non-tumbled bullets!
I'm betting on the shinny bullets!

Alex
 
The manufacturers tumble them to clean/polish them.
Doubt that it will affect accuracy in any way.
 
Have never tried it myself, thought the media would have a hard time lifting the bullet off the bottom of the tumbler
Do you guys use a heavier media to tumble bullets than cases? What type?
What about using Brasso and a cloth?
 
I use treated corn cob media and surprisingly the bullets do move around fairly well. The heaviest bullet I've tried this with is a 170 grain though, so heavier bullets may end up sinking to the bottom.
 
hitch.bd said:
if you tumble them as opposed to viberate them you don't need to worry about them staying at the bottom
Click to expand...

If a vibrating tumbler can tumble 200+ grain cases I don't think bullets will be an issue.

I have tumbled bullets in the past with no ill effects, as a matter of fact I shot one of my best ever groups with tumbled bullets that still had bits of media in some of the hollow points. These were 107gr Sierra MK's.
 
CyaN1de said:
If a vibrating tumbler can tumble 200+ grain cases I don't think bullets will be an issue.

I have tumbled bullets in the past with no ill effects, as a matter of fact I shot one of my best ever groups with tumbled bullets that still had bits of media in some of the hollow points. These were 107gr Sierra MK's.
Click to expand...

Don't tell the BR guys that...they'll be stuffing their hollow points with whatever they get their hands on, then Sinclair will make a special corn cob media that costs $500/lb....

Tumbling is how most people coat their bullets (moly, hBn, Danzac etc...) if they don't buy them already coated so I can't see any ill effects.
 
You can tumble a whole loaded cartridge. Somehow a loaded 9mm got in with my brass when tumbling, for about 3hrs. Very clean and shiny. Not going to make a practice out of it, though.
 
Longshot said:
I've tumbled thousands of live blemished .308 rounds with zero problems.
Click to expand...


I was in Prince George about 6 weeks ago and there was a guy selling all his firearms at E&I, he told Andre that he tumbled some 45-70 live ammo and went to shoot and it took off part of his hand. From what Andre told me was after tumbling the ammo for a number of hours the powder worked itself down to what he described as FFFF powder and drastically changed the pressure of the cartridge.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom