What media for tumbling loaded ammo?

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JayCarver

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Hello, I picked up a Lyman 1200 tumbler just for the purpose of tumbling loaded rounds to remove the lube. I also have a stainless steel pin setup for cleaning dirty brass so this will just be for one purpose. What would you use for this purpose.

Thanks in advance for the responses.
 
JayCarver said:
Hello, I picked up a Lyman 1200 tumbler just for the purpose of tumbling loaded rounds to remove the lube. I also have a stainless steel pin setup for cleaning dirty brass so this will just be for one purpose. What would you use for this purpose.

Thanks in advance for the responses.
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Not a good idea to tumble live rounds. Resize your cases first, then tumble to remove lube, then do your primer/powder/bullet.
 
If it's just a light spray lube, tumbling isn't needed to clean your rounds and would be overkill IMO. I use a big old beach towel. Just dump your ammo in the middle, gather up the corners of the towel, and rub the entire affair in a circular motion on a carpeted floor (for friction). It takes about 2 minutes, and I can do around 600 to 1,000 9mm rounds at a time this way.

If you have your heart set on tumbling them for some reason, use a heavier smaller media like finer walnut such as lizard bedding. Otherwise if you use a light coarse media like large corncob your rounds will just sink to the bottom and wont circulate well. With the bullets attached they're a lot heavier than just the casings alone, especially certain calibers.
 
tiriaq said:
Please explain why.....
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I know this wasn't addressed to me, but I can explain why it's sometimes not a great idea:

Either it's not needed and there are more efficient ways of removing lube from finished rounds or...

Sometimes the folks who want to tumble finished rounds do so because the lube they want removed is tumble bullet lube - like sticky gummy LLA camel snot. From my experience, your media will last for approximately one use if you use it for this purpose with cast lead, especially if you add some sort of solvent like paint thinner to speed up the process. And if you tumble dry you've created a lot of toxic lead in inhalable dust form that you should definitely use a respirator outside with while separating media from rounds.
 
On occasion I'll tumble some live rounds if they're mucky. I use crushed walnut shells and let them go for 15 minutes or I'll spray them down with some G96 and wipe them with a cloth.
 
A theoretical concern would be tumbling could lead to a breakdown of the powder granules into smaller fragments which could (negatively) affect the burn rate.
I don't know if anyone has ever done a controlled test to determine the validity....
(Maybe...if by the grace of God....and a certain sequence of 6 numbers are chosen...I will be in a position to do just that!)
 
Walnut or Corncob will remove the sizing lube from your cases just fine. As mentioned above it might be a little messy tumbling lead bullets.

Tumbling for a normal length of time should have no adverse affect on any component of a jacketed bullet/cartridge.
 
Skyhawk has listed some reasons why tumbling some loaded ammunition is not a good idea.
As far as the powder disintegration thing is concerned, tests have been done, and it just doesn't seem to be an issue.
Of course, anyone doing any handloading is on his own, and makes his own decisions.
 
hk33ka1 said:
Walnut or Corncob will remove the sizing lube from your cases just fine. As mentioned above it might be a little messy tumbling lead bullets.

Tumbling for a normal length of time should have no adverse affect on any component of a jacketed bullet/cartridge.
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Thanks, I was thinking corncob.
 
15 min in walnut plus drier sheet, i find the course works better than the fine , for me , but i've used fine with good results . i've delubed this way for all my pistol carts ,for 1,000's , & never had a prob .
 
I've tumbled thousands of loaded rounds. It makes NO difference. Generally speaking there isn't much room in most cases for the powders to be moving around. Ball and flake powders are going to crumble into what exactly?
 
Skyhawk said:
I know this wasn't addressed to me, but I can explain why it's sometimes not a great idea:

Either it's not needed and there are more efficient ways of removing lube from finished rounds or...

Sometimes the folks who want to tumble finished rounds do so because the lube they want removed is tumble bullet lube - like sticky gummy LLA camel snot. From my experience, your media will last for approximately one use if you use it for this purpose with cast lead, especially if you add some sort of solvent like paint thinner to speed up the process. And if you tumble dry you've created a lot of toxic lead in inhalable dust form that you should definitely use a respirator outside with while separating media from rounds.
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To be accurate Lee Liquid Alox is best known as "mule snot" :D

Another alleged reason against tumbling live rounds would be that the powder inside the cartridges either crumbles to dust during tumbling and/or loses the graphite coating thus increasing the burning speed.
Some say it happens, some swear it doesn't.
 
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