Tumbling media - spent primers??

[Skulptor]

I was just knocking out a couple hundred rounds and when I went to dump my spent primers, I had what could be a crazy thought.
Could a person save up a BUNCH of spent primers and use them as tumbling media?? My guess is there is probably a good reason or two for not doing it but, I won't know unless I ask. Plus, I can't imagine someone else hasn't thought of it, asked or tried it before, and knows. But I was thinking they may be a little too big but by being brass and stainless steel (I think) they might do a decent job on the outside of the case at least.
Just thinkin........

 

[Rule3]

Spent primers are dirty and full of lead and other nasty chemicals, recycle them with old brass or throw them in the trash.

 

[sexybeast]

Don't fool with spent primers. I use a mask and wear gloves when messing with dirty media or primers. Some have written that you are more likley to get lead exposure from spent primers than lead bullets.
I'm about as cheap as they come but I would rather get something inexpensive than mess with them.

 

[BYJO4]

Spent primers are only good for trash or sell them for scrap. I also wear gloves with dealing with spent primers.

 

[leefan]

Sexybeast, are you using a simple fabric mask, or a respirator?

 

[chris in va]

It's just dust so a decent charcoal mask is fine.

 

[sexybeast]

Just a dust mask. Its for just the stuff floating around.

 

[Schwing]

Spent primers are full of lead stearate. It is slightly water soluble which means that, unlike most of the lead you deal with while shooting, it CAN be absorbed through the skin. Breathing lead stearate dust is the biggest danger so using it as tumbling media would not be a good idea. For that matter, spent casings will leave it in your tumbling media making it not that advisable to breath either.

A regular dust mask will not provide any protection from lead stearate dust. The particles are too small. A lead/asbestos filter is required if you really want to not breath it in. These are only about $15. I have also moved all of my tumbling operations outside so it isn't that big of a deal as long as I don't put my face in it.

A lot of folks (even here on THR), roll their eyes at stuff like this but, after dealing with lead poisoning myself, I don't take any chances. It was a miserable few weeks. It seems that many folks can almost chew lead and eat it for breakfast without any issues. Then there are people like me who seem to absorb every molecule I come into contact with.

Here is the old thread back when I was complaining about my high lead levels.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=727173

 

[Skulptor]

This is good info....on several levels. Thanx guys.
Every day is a school day.

 

[au_prospector]

Besides the already stated facts of primers being toxic. Just imagine how many primers one would have to accumulate to use as tumbling media. I would think tens of thousands to run a normal sized tumbler.

 

[Walkalong]

I carefully dump all my spent primers in a SS can with a lid that seals well. Eventually they will get sold for scrap. You can chew on a lead bullet and not risk much, but you don't want to inhale or digest spent primer residue.

 

[sexybeast]

A regular dust mask will not provide any protection from lead stearate dust. The particles are too small. A lead/asbestos filter is required if you really want to not breath it in. These are only about $15. I have also moved all of my tumbling operations outside so it isn't that big of a deal as long as I don't put my face in it.

Excellent and good to know. I have an organic mask I can use. I guess I'll change my media more often too. Get rid of the build up of lead and chemicals in it.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

I was told when in a pouch they make a nice bag to rest ones rifle bag.

 

[Walkalong]

Buy some heavy sand for that.

 

[hartcreek]

I use my spent primers for loading 12gage shotgun loads. I use them for shooting at varmits and tree branches to remove snow. The primers tumble so I do not have to worry as much about over shooting when I have to remove snow and tree branches so the powerline does not go down.

 

[Swampman]

Even discounting the health issues, a vibratory tumbler full of primers would be HEAVY!
My guess is that the increased weight would cause the machine to wear out a lot faster.

 

[Skulptor]

All good info!!
I know it would take a little while to get that many but I don't need them tomorrow. I am a big proponent of recycling and the best order in which to do it is - reuse, reduce, recycle. That is pretty much why I thought of doing this....albeit a bad idea.
I don't think weight would be an issue as they are thin and hollow. Plus, I think the stainless steel media that people use would weight more - but that is just an assumption. I have never used it.
At least now I will be taking more care in handling them for disposal and will DISPOSE of them correctly but, I guess I will always wonder, if cleaned properly, would they work very well.
Thanx guys...