polishing load rounds

14 August 2013, 22:14

McKay

Seen a few posts on this in the past. Many say it will be fine and many say no way. I don't have an opinion. The Logic on why not to do it as some think that the vibration can break down the powder adding suface area and therefore making it burn faster w/higher pressures. I don't know what to think about it.

14 August 2013, 22:49

Reloader270

Tumbling loaded rounds is a no-go area. Rather use Nevr-dull.

14 August 2013, 22:58

butchloc

been doing it for years, don't worry the sky isn't falling

15 August 2013, 01:09

dpcd

You say you have primed brass and then ask about loaded rounds. Either way, no problem. People say not to do it; better not get out of bed at all, ever again, either. Wait, your house might fall into a sink hole; it happens. In Florida.

15 August 2013, 01:19

Ackley Improved User

I've been polishing loaded rounded for years - no problems.

15 August 2013, 04:21

SR4759

Reasonable advice until some bone head forgets and leaves it running in the garage for a week.

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
You say you have primed brass and then ask about loaded rounds. Either way, no problem. People say not to do it; better not get out of bed at all, ever again, either. Wait, your house might fall into a sink hole; it happens. In Florida.

15 August 2013, 07:28

wasbeeman

This question pops up every so often. And the chicken littles start squaking but let's look at it with a little common sense. How much movement and vibrations has the powder been subjected to via plane, train, cargo ship, and trucks before it ever gets in your hands? I'd say quite a bit more than a go in your tumbler.
Secondly, the major ammo manufacturers tumble their loaded rounds at the factory. In modified cement mixers. I don't do it as a routine thing as my reloading routine doesn't end up with finished rounds that need tumbling but I wouldn't have a problem doing it. Numerous posters have posted their hands on experiences and I've yet to read one that had a problem.
And while we're on the subject of chicken littles, we might as well take a look at vacuuming live primers out of the shag carpeting Again that usually brings shrieks of horror and dismay from the CL's. I've been doing it for about as long as man has walked erect without any problems. I've read a couple of post from folks that have actually had the primers pop whilst going through the beater bar. The effect was exciting but no damage done.

15 August 2013, 08:23

SR4759

Common sense?
What is that to a newbie? Got a definition?

quote:
Originally posted by wasbeeman:
This question pops up every so often. And the chicken littles start squaking but let's look at it with a little common sense. How much movement and vibrations has the powder been subjected to via plane, train, cargo ship, and trucks before it ever gets in your hands? I'd say quite a bit more than a go in your tumbler.
Secondly, the major ammo manufacturers tumble their loaded rounds at the factory. In modified cement mixers. I don't do it as a routine thing as my reloading routine doesn't end up with finished rounds that need tumbling but I wouldn't have a problem doing it. Numerous posters have posted their hands on experiences and I've yet to read one that had a problem.
And while we're on the subject of chicken littles, we might as well take a look at vacuuming live primers out of the shag carpeting Again that usually brings shrieks of horror and dismay from the CL's. I've been doing it for about as long as man has walked erect without any problems. I've read a couple of post from folks that have actually had the primers pop whilst going through the beater bar. The effect was exciting but no damage done.

15 August 2013, 09:42

craigster

If the cases are primed and not loaded, the fine dust from the tumbling media will/could get into the flash hole and then into the primer itself, ending up between the anvil and the priming compound. Whether or not that would affect primer performance, who knows? Try it and let us know.

Or load/fire the tarnished stuff and eliminate all the mental masturbation.

15 August 2013, 20:11

Blacktailer

quote:
Originally posted by craigster:
If the cases are primed and not loaded, the fine dust from the tumbling media will/could get into the flash hole and then into the primer itself, ending up between the anvil and the priming compound. Whether or not that would affect primer performance, who knows? Try it and let us know.

Or load/fire the tarnished stuff and eliminate all the mental masturbation.

+1 Only problem I could see in tumbling primed cases is that the primers might be affected. They certainly won't go off in a vibratory tumbler.
But then you have the question of what to do with nice shiny cases with questionable primers.
If the intended use of the finished rounds is hunting I would certainly try 50 or so of them first before I trusted them in the field and would not use them under any circumstances if they were DG rounds.

15 August 2013, 20:28

wasbeeman

I wouldn't tumble primed cases because of the possibility of the flash hole getting jammed up with media. I was under the impression that he intended to finish constructing the rounds before tumbling.
y'all remember, shiny rounds don't earn any extra points at the match nor do they kill stuff deader.

16 August 2013, 01:20

Minkman

Be careful with casual users misunderstanding the vacuum part. A guy down the road set his living room on fire vacuuming up spilled powder. Wife was pissed until she got to shopping for the new furniture and electronics. Just saying...

16 August 2013, 03:34

Blacktailer

quote:
y'all remember, shiny rounds don't earn any extra points at the match nor do they kill stuff deader.

16 August 2013, 04:29

ted thorn

quote:
Originally posted by Blacktailer:
quote:
y'all remember, shiny rounds don't earn any extra points at the match nor do they kill stuff deader.

A dirty house still has a roof to keep the rain off your head so why pick up the mess off the floor?

17 August 2013, 03:13

larrys

Like has been said before...loaded rounds, no problem...primed cases, don't do it because of the media falling in the flash holes.

17 August 2013, 08:16

wasbeeman

quote:
Originally posted by Minkman:
Be careful with casual users misunderstanding the vacuum part. A guy down the road set his living room on fire vacuuming up spilled powder. Wife was pissed until she got to shopping for the new furniture and electronics. Just saying...

Damn Skippy,How much powder was he vacuuming up? With my rock and a rusty nail method of reloading, I get a certain amount of casual powder spillage. It gets vacuumed up too.

23 August 2013, 13:50

Dan H

If you are worried about it, chuck them into a trim base (like one of the lee ones) on your drill and polish the outsides with a cloth and some polish. Won't jam or hurt anything and will make them pretty.....

Still the only way I'll do loaded rounds.

But it is one at a time.....

Cheers,

Dan

23 September 2013, 08:40

Todd Williams

I've tumbled loaded rounds from time to time for the last 30 years. Never had a single problem.

24 September 2013, 05:37

deltam

I talked to one of the reloading machine manufacturers once and their opinion was it is OK to tumble "LOADED" brass in a vibratory tumbler with corn cob and about a tsp of isopropyl alcohol vibrated a few minutes before adding the rounds. It does make brass look shinny but dulls lead bullets.

30 September 2013, 00:03

Suwannee Tim

The concern about tumbling loaded rounds is milling the powder grains and changing (increasing) their burn rate. In my previous occupation we routinely milled ceramic particles to reduce particle size and increase area. When you tumble loaded rounds there is not a question as to whether the powder can be affected, the question is how long it takes. A lot of informed opinion is a few minutes is OK, a few being five or so. Tumbling long enough to clean up tarnished cases is going to take longer than taht so I would say no, don't risk it. BTW, powders are tumbled during manufacture to graphite the surface of the grains.