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I have a bunch of Lake City range brass that I am trying to clean. I am using a Dillon tumbler. It is taking forever to get it looking new and shinny. I am using the red Lymann media. Does anyone have a better media or faster way of cleaning. Thanks | ||
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use corn cob media and lyman turbo brite brass polish.put the tumbler in a back room and forget about it for a few hours. ****************************************************************** SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM *********** | |||
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I use crushed nut shell with Lyman turbo polish. Works Well in my turbo tumbler by rcbs. I can clean brass in a few hours or if I run it all night it looks almost new. When I tried corn cob is made them look rough and not a shine or polish, but just a dull yellow and clean shell. If you use corn cob anything under .30 cal will be hard to clean the inside. I hear rice works well too. If you look at the photos from the "Got a reloading pic to share?" its top of the reloading thread. Best of luck to you! Let us know how you do! Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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The media.....that doesn't matter you can use many kinds, corn cob, walnut, rice, whatever. The key to fast shiney brass is use plenty of polish. ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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I tried the lyman stuff and didn't like it. I like corn cob or walnut with polish also. Flitz works really good but if you keep adding batch after batch it kind of gets gummy. Bottom line is you proabably already have your brass plenty clean to load. You don't have to get it looking like a chrome bumper to make it loadable. I GUARANTEE your gun won't know the diff and neither will your dies. | |||
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I agree Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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I tried corncob once, I spent hours getting it out of 100 30-06 cases. I have 5or6 boxes of midway walnut media on the shelf in my garage. I also use the midway polish with it. Real dirty brass runs overnight, and mabe all next day. Lyle "I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. I would remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue." Barry M Goldwater. | |||
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Has anyone tried the liquid stuff? It sounds like more work then its worth to me. Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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I use the 5 min. liquid called Ioso I think...anyway I use it on realy dirty brass as a pre clean then I tumble. The liquid works ok but doesn't leave a shine. ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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When I sent in my Turbo Tumbler to rcbs to get some work done they sent back a bottle of the stuff and on it clams to clean the stuff to a wicked shine....and to solve all the powder in the cases. Then to bake in the oven to dry.... Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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I use walnut hulls, plain. Nekked. But then I let them vibrate for 12-24hours. (Works with my schedule of things) I have a spare bag or two, but the next time I purchase, I understand that "lizzard litter" at the pet store is a cheap source of walnut hulls. I to don't care as much about "shine" as I do about clean and dry. | |||
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I use corncob and cabelas polish, prob not the greatest but gets the job done. And as for the media in the flashhole, i usually dont resize and decap until after the tumbling. I have left deprimed brass in the tumbler for about 12 hours once (oops) and it didnt remove a speck of carbon from the pocket. If you want it clean get a brush. Auburn University BS '09, DVM '17 | |||
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in talking with someone it popped in to my head...Ya there is alot of space in there. But has anyone ever tryed sand? like beach sand? I have a feeling it would erode the cases wicked fast, would it not? Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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A wash in Lymans Case Cleaner ,dry and a couple of hours in the tumbler works fine for my brass. The prewash really speeds up the tumbling process. | |||
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I use lizard litter from petco. its 1/3 the price of walnut shell media from the reloading suppliers. (no gun tax!) To that I add some liquid car polishing compound that I water down with distilled water. I will let my tumbler run for 6 hours on a timer in the shed. If I forget it, it may come back on again and run for another six. I like using the timer so it doesn't run continuously and overheat the motor. It comes out great and costs peanuts to clean. It keeps the dies from getting dirty and scratched also. I always deprime after tumbling so I don't have to deal with media getting stuck in the primer pockets. Which will actually bend a decapper pin if it gets in there good. | |||
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I use mainly walnut media. But after about 3000 pieces I need to add some polish. It is usually good for another 3000 pieces before adding more polish. | |||
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I will have to keep that in mind. No one has commented on the sand idea....I know its retarded and all but I was wondering what others thought. Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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Go and look in the Archives for similar postings I and several other long time reloaders have covered this from A-Z . Shells and Cob are old school , they work but other stuff works FAR BETTER . | |||
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[QUOTE"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." Albert Einstein [/QUOTE] So damn true Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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sand is very heavy and may not vibrate well. it may be small enough to get in to the primer pocket and bend your decapping pin. I think the lighter media flows better in the vibratory cleaners. The weight of the sand may put undue stress on the machine and components also. If you want to use sand an actual tumbler might be what you are looking for. | |||
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I'll make this short ; DON'T EVER USE SAND !. If any of you have ever sand blasted anything or had it done you know what happens . Yes I know that's under pressure , to an extent so are your cases . Under the sand while it scores the crap out of the brass and enlarges primer pockets . The Key to case cleaning is POLISHING THEM not grinding them down !. There are synthetic materials which replace normally used tumbler media . When combined with polishes they work slick . If you want something Cheap add BAKING SODA too your media ; it's an excellent cleaner as is BORAX . If your cases are so filthy you should clean them prior to tumbling any way . If you don't know how contact me or post and you'll get answers !. | |||
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Thanks guys! I use the RCBS Turbo Tumbler. Love the thing but every now and again the barrel stops wanting to rotate. I dont know why. After last night I hope I dont have to send it back in again! If I do oh that would piss me off! Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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I use 5 pounds of stainless steel pins in my Thumlers Tumbler along with two quarts of near boiling water and 2 ounces of liquid dish detergent. Put in 250 unprimed pieces of 7.62 brass and run for 24 hours. Drain over a screen to save the pins and rinse in hot water and dry either by air or low temp in the oven if you are in a hurry. The cases come out clean all over. Outside, inside, primer pockets and extractor groove. It shines like new brass. The brass is burnished and the pins never wear out. NRA LIFE MEMBER You can trust the government. Look how well they took care of the American Indian... | |||
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lizard litter from a pet store is the low-cost walnut hull media. Use it and Flitz A shot not taken is always a miss | |||
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Go here click and learn !. http://www.mikro1.com/supplies/vibra_finish.asp Pre washing really dirty brass before tumbling is the smart quick and effective way to do the job . I use an ultra sonic cleaner with solution bath for really absolutely FILTHY Range scrounge or some really old military brass that's been setting around for years in my buckets . After which I anneal that older brass before prepping cases . Ceramics and Tetrahedron synthetics with or without walnut shells will polish like NEW BRASS . Adding a polishing compound such as 3M white swirl remover will enhance as well as preserve the brass . Lubing cases with BoeShield T9 leaves a ultra fine wax preservative which in NO WAY affects chambering . It also prevents brass from tarnishing so cleaning is super simple after doing the above process . Now you know the secret !.  | |||
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I put on the wall recepticle so that I could set the time that it runs. Depending on the condition of the brass, I run it from 2 to 8 hrs. I have it set up in the shop and I found that I would forget about it until a day or two later, and it was really clean. So the timer takes up where my memory leaves off. | |||
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Same here...If it REALLY nasty I have shaken in a little barkeepers and tumbled a couple of hours then dumped it and put back in straight lizard litter and rattled around for a day. ______________________ Smedley  ______________________ From Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.' B.H.Obullshitter ------------------------------------ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery" Winston Churchill ------------------------------------ "..it does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." Samuel Adams ------------------------------------ Facts are immaterial to liberals. Twisted perceptions however are invaluable. ------------------------------------ We Americans were tired of being thought of as dumb, by the rest of the world. So we went to the polls in November 2008 and removed all doubt.....let's not do it again in 2012 please. | |||
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I use ceramic media in a thumlers tumbler. Add brass and some dishwashing machine powder and it cleans them like new, inside and out, in just a few hours. | |||
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How do you dry your brass? I hear you should bake them Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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I guess I am old fashioned. I normally tumble in walnut for 2 hours and I find that the usual "spots" that can't be removed in 2 hours of walnut normally can't be removed in 4-5 hours of walnut.....BUT thank God for a 0000 fine steel wool !!!! A few little rubs always gets rid of the few "spots" on brass that you could tumble hours and hours to get rid of. Just my 2 cents worth Barstooler | |||
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Same here. They look brand new. If I need the brass right away, I use my Dillon vibratory. If not, I use the Thumblers and when done, spread the brass on a towel and let them air dry for a few days. RC Repeal the Hughes Amendment. | |||
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What is the best tumbler out there? I know everyone has a opinion. I have the RCBS Turbo Sidewinder. But it seems to be temp sensitive. (sits and buzzes and no rotation. Grinds away, on my 2nd drum!) So I was thinking I know everyone has a different opinion, but I thought I saw one at some point that dose the same thing but is belt driven? Disabled Vet(non-combat) - US Army NRA LIFE MEMBER Hunter, trapper, machinest, gamer, angler, and all around do it your selfer. Build my own CNC router from scratch. I installed the hight wrong. My hight moves but the rails blocks 3/4 of the hight..... | |||
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One of Us |
When my Dillon died a couple of months ago I got the big Lyman that has a plug in the bottom to let the media out into a container! Love it should have bought one years ago. I use plain corn cob as the media that is used in some media has abrasives which are not good going down the barrel when loaded and then fired. I used to boil the "red residue" off but now just let the tumbler run a little longer.. | |||
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What size - and shape - of ceramic media do you use? Recently, I tried an experiment of putting 223 cases in a rotary tumbler with some steel shot about 5/32" in diamter, plus water and detergent. While it did look like the process would get the outsides of the cases fairly clean, given long enough, I found that there was also a serious down-side. Many of the cases ended up full of shot, well and truly jammed in, and it was the very devil of a job to get it out. I had to pick at the shot with a skewer, and shake and thump the cases for ages to free some of the pellets jammed near the shoulders, so that the remainder could be shaken out. Do ceramic balls also show this tendency? Or would using smaller diameter stuff than I tried get around the problem? Any advice appreciated. | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading Best Tumbling Media and method
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