I'm looking for suggestions for tumbler media. I've been using the tuffnut and it sure seems to leave a lot of powdery mess. I also have some corncob. I've read to use the walnut hulls for the real dirty stuff and use the corncob for a finished polish. I'm listening.

I use ground walnut shells, they're really cheap if you buy in bulk (50lbs $15). If you want a higher shine (I don't really care as long as they're clean) you can add a little liquid auto paint buffing compound.

I buy large bags of corncob at either PetSmart or Petco (Kaytee brand Kay-Cob). I then add some metal polish (No. 7) or Flitz.

Ground walnut hulls by a mile. Corncob tends to pack into small caliber cases. I add one of the calcium calcite based household cheaners, Old Dutch and Dutch Maid being two of the brand names.

One of these years I am going to get around to trying brown rice. Cheap, readily avaiiable, too small to pack in case, and too big to stick in flash hole.

What name etc. is it sold under at Petsmart. I'm afraid if I ask for corn cob I'll be met with duh?

Ian: Just tell them you are looking for some corn cob bedding for small animals.

Ian,
It's called "Bed Of Cobbs" it comes in two sizes 1/4" and 1/8" you want the 1/8" size. i buy 40lbs. baqs here in the L.A. area of California for $14.00 from my local feed store but you can also get it at Pets Mart. HTH
Rick

Why "brown" rice? I've used plain old white rice before.

White processed rice (like Uncle Ben's) leaves a residue.

Walnut hulls are "quicker" than corn cob, but leave that gawdawful dust behind.

Clean corn cob with a little polishing agent is hard to beat. It also seems to absorb more grease and last longer than walnut. Can be "rejuvinated" a number of times with polishing compound.

Both walnut and corn cob will lodge in flash holes, so be prepared to punch out the pieces before priming.

I've even used raw wheat and milo. Both actually work pretty well.

I've always wondered about coarse, clean sand?

I would be a little careful with the sand. Plain sand when made into dust can cause some bad things in your lungs, ask anybody who does sand blasting. The tiny ceramic balls they use for "sand blasting" would probably serve you better.

Thanks for the sand health warning, Ed, but I grew up in West Texas during the drought of the '50s, so my lungs must be immune to sand damage, or else I'd already have succumbed.

Actually, I think that sand or even a ceramic product may be too dense to allow the brass to "migrate" through the medium. If all of the brass just sits on top of a vibrating sand pile, then it obviously won't work well.

I'll probably just stick to corn cobs. They do double duty in the outhouse.

No residues:

http://pub36.ezboard.com/fk98kpagefrm10.showMessage?topicID=9.topic Mauser forum

http://www.dcbshooting.com/En/eng.htm military 50 BMG fired cases ,after one year in a wooden box, cleaned with different products.

http://www.balistique-chasse.com/nature/nettoy3.html
Corroded cases: please wait a few seconds for animated pictures showing before cleaning , 1st cleaning 30 minutes, 2nd cleaning 30 minutes

http://www.balistique-chasse.com/nature/nettoy2.html inside cases

http://www.balistique-chasse.com/indexes/indexnature6.html

Ed Barrett; It is called silicosus(sp) and is the bane of miners. That is why water is used now when drilling.
DJM; Doesn't Barley contain a fair bit of natural oils? derF

For those of you that get your tumbling media, or anything else, from PetSmart, please check out the link. I try very hard not to support those who support the enemy. Sportsman's Alliance
I would also respectfully request that you join their E-mail alert list. It's free, they don't send out a lot of junk, and they WON'T share your email with anyone else! ,,,,,,,,,,,Bug.

REAL DIRTY?? I SOAK OVER NIGHT IN ORANGE KOOL-AID, WASH OFF WITH 'DAWN', RINSE, LET AIR DRY. HAD A PROBLEM CLEANING SOME BRASS I GOT FROM H&K,HAD A ON GOING SUPPLY FOR A COUPLE YEARS, REALLY DIRTY STUFF. REGULAR TUMBLER WOULD NOT PHASE IT. IT FINALLY HIT ON THIS IDEA, AND A COUPLE YEARS LATER FOUND A 1ST EDITION 'NRA' RELOADING MANUAL, AND THERE WAS A SECTION THAT TALKED ABOUT USING CITRIC ACID. WELL, THAT IS WHY THE KOOL-AID WORKS. I NOW GIVE 'EVERYTHING A BATH AS PART OF MY REGULAR OPERATION, AFTER I DEPRIME EVERYTHING. THEN TUMBLE IN RED ROUGE, GREEN COB AND FINISH WITH UNTREATED WALNUT. THE DUST GOES AWAY WHEN YOU RESIZE FOR THE MOST PART. HAVE DONE SEVERAL THOUSAND PIECES OF BRASS THE LAST 9 YEARS. NO PROBLEMS.

I haven't been at it with the tumblers very long and like most people am very adept at learning the hard way. My cases were finishing with a haze on them and the media was packing inside the case. I switched to walnut media from a pet shop, then cut way back on the liquid cleaner. This helped a lot. My next step is to try rice. I understand it's a step in the right direction. If the truth be known I found the best cleaner by far was Brasso and an electric drill. Some say the Brasso is harmful to the cases. I never found it so. It is a messy proposition though.
Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Well, brown rice is more nutritious than the over-processed white rice. That's probably what Turtle uses.

When I feel the need to have shiny brass, fresh corncob and Dillon brass polish make it come out like 24k gold.

Paul