Yes, banging together in a rotary tumbler puts dents in the case mouth. If surgically clean, jewelry grade brass is a paramount concern, then tumble away. However, if maximum accuracy and consistency is important then you really don’t want this….
Okay then, next time I’m bringing mine down and you better have a couple cold ones for me! It’s a long drive…[/ATTACH]
For drying I lay them out of a piece of stainless steel, in the Texas sun they are not only dry but too hot to hold in your bare hand in 2.5 beers.
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Yes, banging together in a rotary tumbler puts dents in the case mouth. If surgically clean, jewelry grade brass is a paramount concern, then tumble away. However, if maximum accuracy and consistency is important then you really don’t want this….
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Except incorrect on every level.
Maybe I'm too new, but wouldn't the sizer, mandrel, expander (whatever you choose) take care of that.....?
One reason I rarely talk to the resident "Range Rats" at the range (or bet on some stuff I see on forums). Way too many are "experts" on all things shooting and are too willing to educate me. I once made a comment on another shooter's brass. My first experience with reloaders was back in1970. I was watching two shooters at a police range producing 2" groups with their 1911s. I edged near and they noticed me watching and struck up a conversation. I had noticed their ammo was in 30 cal ammo cans, loose and most were brown, so I asked about it. I asked and they explained their brown ammo was reloads and performed better than any factory ammo they bought. I was embarrassed a bit by my ignorance, but they were kind and explained a bit about reloading. Next time I was shooting my 38 Special I thoughtMaybe but I’ll make a friendly wager…if they choose to comment on the appearance of ammo, more fellow shooters will favorably comment on these vs grungy ones:
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And the moral of the story is stay away from libraries.One reason I rarely talk to the resident "Range Rats" at the range (or bet on some stuff I see on forums). Way too many are "experts" on all things shooting and are too willing to educate me. I once made a comment on another shooter's brass. My first experience with reloaders was back in1970. I was watching two shooters at a police range producing 2" groups with their 1911s. I edged near and they noticed me watching and struck up a conversation. I had noticed their ammo was in 30 cal ammo cans, loose and most were brown, so I asked about it. I asked and they explained their brown ammo was reloads and performed better than any factory ammo they bought. I was embarrassed a bit by my ignorance, but they were kind and explained a bit about reloading. Next time I was shooting my 38 Special I thought
"I wonder if I could reuse these cases?". Next day I went to the library (this was waaaay pre web), read up on reloading, researched in some gun magazines and bought a Lee Loader, one pound of Bullseye, 100 CCI primers and some generic 158 gr LRN bullets (I already had a plastic mallet.). And so it began...
I was trying to be humorous of course but since you ask, here is one (or two)…”too clean and either needs a wax or lubricant as a separate step.”Just for my edification; name one error...
I have been playing with metals all my life and have machined/formed brass. When brass is too clean, bare metal, it will gall forming tools and in a reloader's case, sizing dies. It will not slide smoothly, metal to metal without some sort of lube, whether is be oil, wax, water, carbon or tarnish.I was trying to be humorous of course but since you ask, here is one (or two)…”too clean and either needs a wax or lubricant as a separate step.”
I wet tumble every time and the brass is NEVER too clean and NEVER needs wax or lube of any kind.
But again I was just joking around.
I’m not arguing, but am saying my results are very/completely different with both Lee and Redding dies.I have been playing with metals all my life and have machined/formed brass. When brass is too clean, bare metal it will gall forming tools and in a reloader's case, sizing dies. Will not slide smoothly, metal to metal without some sort of lube, whether is be oil, wax, water, carbon or tarnish.
The moral of my story is my Rule #1. I pay very little attention to any load data or many reloading "hints" I see on any forum, hear from any range rat, gun counter clerk, of gun shop guru. I get my load data and reloading info from published manuals and texts. Reloading since the '70s and have had one squib, no kabooms, no ruined guns, dies or any reloading tools. I have all my fingers and eyes are still good for a 76 year old reloader...
J.K.!
what do u guys think about ultrasonic cleaning?
I don’t have a set formula or ratio of dawn and lemishine, but it’s clear I’m using way too much of the latter.Dry tumbling, wet tumbling and ultrasonic cleaning all will clean brass. It depends on just how shiny you want your brass. All have advantages and disadvantages. All have a small learning curve. I use dry tumbling on brass that I have loaded and shot myself and wet tumbling for range brass or brass that I plan to give away or sell.
Dry tumbling;
I use ground corncob with a cap full of NuFinish polish and a cap full of mineral spirits. I used to use polish labeled by the loading companies and discovered that liquid car polish worked as well and was cheaper. I usually run my Dillon polishers 12 hours at a time.
Wet tumbling;
I use a 15 pound rated drum on a "Big Dawg" tumbler frame. It has a 1/3hp motor with a 1'2inch belt and will easily handle it even if its loaded more than 15 pounds. I use 5# of stainless pins, a 40 S&W case of LemiShine and a slightly overflowing cap full of ArmorAll Wash and Wax. I'll put 5 or more pounds of brass in it and nearly fill it up with water. I run it for 2 hours.
Wet tumbling will polish brass that dry tumbling will never get clean. I think its probably the Citric Acid. In the Summer time I dry them on a steel baking sheet out in the hot Sun. Other times of the year I stand them on end and let the heat and air conditioning in the house dry them. I think that Dawn will get them cleaner but the Wash and Wax leaves a protective coating where as the Dawn gets them so clean that they will tarnish.
Okay then, next time I’m bringing mine down and you better have a couple cold ones for me! It’s a long drive…
Almost there!Any dry vs wet threads is always good for at least 5 pages
Yes, but, then you have to remove the lube.
I guess you could forgo another round in the tumbler by using the dry vibratory process to do that, but then why not just do dry from the beginning, which is exactly what I do.
Question is, how many metric tons can you do before your paying customers start to complain about the toe-jam?these were cleaned with an oldView attachment 1131797 sock