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Old August 13, 2011, 10:33 PM   #1
gtullar
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Media Caught In Hollow Point Bullet

After reloading my brass it still has case lube on them so I tumble the rounds or a few minutes and it does a great job. However, when I load jacketed soft points (hollow-points) the hole fills with corn media.

Cleaning the media out with picks is very time consuming. Anyone see any harm in firing the rounds with the media still in the hollo-point?

Thanks for your thought in advance.
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Old August 13, 2011, 10:43 PM   #2
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tumble after you size, before you prime and you wont have lubey cases
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Old August 13, 2011, 10:56 PM   #3
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Media Caught In Hollow Point

I'm not a reloader, so when I read the OP I was wondering what News Agency he/she was from, Sorry its been a long day.
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Old August 13, 2011, 11:14 PM   #4
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It's best to tumble after sizing , before loading anyway , because some of the lubes will effect the powder ignition.
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Old August 14, 2011, 12:19 AM   #5
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It is never a good or wise idea to tumble loaded ammo. While you could get away with it for the next 100 years, it could be next week that a soft primer will get hit and set off an unsupported (no chamber) round and you'll be cleaning media off the walls for the next month not to mention changing your underwear.


Just a thought.
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Old August 14, 2011, 01:49 AM   #6
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Unless you're into serious shooting like benchrest or something of the sort- I can't see that it would make all that big of a difference. You happen to be the one in the unique position to determine whether a grain of media in the tip would effect accuracy or not. If you get a chance to run a side-by-side comparison, I'd sure like to see or hear about the result. As far as safety- other than tumbling live rounds- I don't see where there's any concern.
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Old August 14, 2011, 02:45 AM   #7
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I can't say for a fact because I've never tried it, but I'm guessing there is a good chance of the tumbling media that is stuck in the hollow point being dislodged inside the magazine by recoil and/or in the chamber when it's chambered in an autoloader. Either way, it doesn't sound very beneficial to the operation of a firearm.

Last edited by higgite; August 14, 2011 at 02:36 PM.
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Old August 14, 2011, 05:43 AM   #8
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bad ideas

I, too, learned not to clean my finished HP ammo that way.
Do not fire until the media is tediously removed.
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Old August 14, 2011, 08:21 AM   #9
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Time for some reloading basics:

Brass is tumbled NOT to make it look good but to remove burned powder residue on the outside of the case. That residue can damage the machined and polished surfaces of the sizing die which will then transfer that to all subsequent cases that are sized in the damaged die. So.....

1). Tumble the brass first before sizing or removing the primers. This last precaution is to avoid getting media stuck in the primer hole between the case body and the primer pocket. If any does get in there then the depriming pin of the sizing die removes it.

2). There is no need to use any polishing compound or liquids in the tumbler media. I have seen the liquid variety clump up with the media and stick inside the case and cause a bullet to only travel part of the way down the barrel. Fortunately I realized the problem before a follow up shot. The case body only needs to be clean not polished. Walnut shells do the best job of cleaning and corn cob does the best job of polishing. I think walnut shells do the job the cases need, i.e., get clean not polished.

3). The case lube I use, RCBS liquid on the RCBS pad, is water soluble and wipes off the finished round with a damp cloth. I then roll groups of ten on a towel to remove the water. This gives me a chance to inspect every round for a correctly seated primer, case splits, or other damage cause by the reloading process.

4). Tumbling loaded rounds is not only risky but may breakdown the powder kernels into dust and smaller ones and/or remove the deterrent coating on the kernels that controls the burning rate of the powder. There is also the possibility of a round going off inside the tumble as the primer of the cartridge is hit by anther round. This, I believe, is a reloading NO-NO. I know many of you out there do it but there is risk!

To review: Tumble, lube case, size/deprime, load, wipe off the case lube with a damp cloth, dry on a towel. Do not tumble loaded ammo.

This is of course my educated opinion based on experience and you may choose to do it any way you want but be aware there MAY BE consequences.

LDBennett

Last edited by LDBennett; August 14, 2011 at 03:35 PM.
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Old August 14, 2011, 11:01 AM   #10
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Ammo manufacturers tumbled loaded ammo all the time, one reason it looks so nice. Tests done by members on other forums I belong to, show that even after tumbling loaded ammo for a day, it chrono's the same as ammo not tumbled. Anyone that loads Hornady XTPs has probably found media stuck in the HPs right out of the factory boxes. If it bothers you, pick it out. Me, in the type of guns I shoot, wouldn't bother.
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Old August 14, 2011, 11:39 AM   #11
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I stopped using a tumbler and went with ultrasonic cleaning. It does very well and even makes the primer pocket and the inside of the bullet nice and shinny

I have never put a live round in a tumbler or an ultrasonic cleaner. That seems scary to me.
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Old August 14, 2011, 01:59 PM   #12
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The primary reason I tumble as the first step is so I can better examine the cases for defects. Pretty is nice but not really necessary.
I wouldn't tumble finished ammo because the lube will gunk up the media.
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Old August 14, 2011, 02:43 PM   #13
gtullar
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Thanks for all of your input, greatly appreciated.

Buck460 thanks for answering my question. I could size, deprime, tumble then reload but with a progressive press... what's the point! It's all about efficiency. I tumble finished rounds not to look good but so they do not stick in my Colt SAA when trying to extract from the cylinder after firing. The lube tends to hold the spent brass in the cylinder making it more difficult to remove.

I've been shooting the HP's with the media stuck in the hole and haven't noticed a problem with accuracy (just holes in paper) or function issue. Just curious if it would change the cup pressure (extra weight) or affect the firearm negatively?

Thanks again...
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Old August 14, 2011, 02:55 PM   #14
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Tumbling live ammo! Are you crazy?

I do it all the time, too.
Know the risks. Know the odds. Tumble without hesitation.
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Old August 14, 2011, 03:16 PM   #15
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If you tumble just to remove sizing lube, just take a towel and wipe it off. That works better than tumbling it off
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Old August 15, 2011, 10:04 AM   #16
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Thoughts:
1. Media will change the projectile weight; however, this may or may not be significant depending on the particular caliber being loaded and the pressure of the load.
2. Chambering a pistol round may cause media to be thrown out of the bullet into the barrel; now you have a barrel obstruction. When a firearm is stored with oil in the barrel, then the oil should be removed with clean patches prior to firing. If a thin coat of oil is considered to be an obstruction, I assume a chunk of corn cob or walnut hull would certainly qualify as an obstruction.
3. Revolver recoil could also loosen the media, leading to an obstruction in the cylinder.

Need I say more?
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Old August 15, 2011, 10:46 AM   #17
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Key question - Does the media remain in the hollow point?
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Old August 15, 2011, 11:00 AM   #18
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Quote:
LDBennett wrote: 4). Tumbling loaded rounds is not only risky but may breakdown the powder kernels into dust and smaller ones and/or remove the deterrent coating on the kernels that controls the burning rate of the powder.
Interesting point. Have you pulled a cartridge apart after tumbling to see if the powder kernels have actually been altered?
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Old August 15, 2011, 11:13 AM   #19
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Interested in a discussion of the tumbling powder breakdown or NOT.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...mbling+reloads
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Old August 15, 2011, 02:17 PM   #20
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Solution---keep a rag next to the press. Pull the round out of the press, inspect it, wipe it, and put it in the range case. Problem solved. Tumbling isn't necessary after loading, so why do it when 2 seconds with a shop towel will accomplish the same thing?

If that's too much, drape a towel on the bench and toss the finished loads onto it. when you have 15-20 on the towel, fold it over and give it a little rub-action. Done-deal. wash the towel or replace it once in a while and it doesn't become a secondary lube pad.
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Old August 15, 2011, 03:08 PM   #21
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Certain lubes (such as Imperial Sizing Wax) don't respond well to just "wiping" the cases with a rag or towel.

If you don't want to cause lube build up in the chamber, you have to use another method to remove the lube. I tumble. Sometimes; I can tumble after sizing; sometimes, I can't. Those cartridges get tumbled after loading.
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Old August 15, 2011, 04:03 PM   #22
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Gtullar,

If this is .45 Colt, and you tumble ahead of loading, modern carbide dies won't require any lube. It does make things run a little smoother, but isn't required. I can't bring myself to bother.

An alternative is to dilute some of the water-soluble Lee case lube in alcohol and apply it with a pump sprayer and let it dry. It is then a dry lube. It should actually make it rather easier to extract your cases, but try it to see.
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Old August 16, 2011, 09:11 AM   #23
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Get a can of compressed air and blow the media out. If it does not come out with a shot of air, it probably is not going to matter.

As for tumbling live rounds: Much ado about nothing. Have you ever seen how a loaded round moved when it is cleaned in a vibrating tumbler? The projectiles usually are facing down, primers up. If the primers and powder were that sensitive, our military would not be able to ship them. A four hour ride across the desert is far worse than a short ride in a vibratory tumbler. The only loaded round I do not tumble is black powder.

Members who did not have anything to gain either way reported the chronograph readings from tumbling live ammo. All rounds fired and nothing spectacular was recorded.

Bottom line: If you are uncomfortable tumbling live rounds, then wipe them
clean.

Quote:
2). There is no need to use any polishing compound or liquids in the tumbler media. I have seen the liquid variety clump up with the media and stick inside the case and cause a bullet to only travel part of the way down the barrel.
If this statement is true, then your case prep work is being done incorrectly and you need to go back and read the basics. Always make sure your brass is clean and EMPTY.
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Old August 16, 2011, 09:33 AM   #24
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Quote:
Certain lubes (such as Imperial Sizing Wax) don't respond well to just "wiping" the cases with a rag or towel.
True enough--and then a squirt-bottle of mineral spirits is your friend. Pile loads on the towel, squirt, wipe, and you're done. Again, I don't see the need to over-complicate. But to each his own.
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Old August 16, 2011, 12:06 PM   #25
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Quote:
Time for some reloading basics:

Brass is tumbled NOT to make it look good but to remove burned powder residue on the outside of the case. That residue can damage the machined and polished surfaces of the sizing die which will then transfer that to all subsequent cases that are sized in the damaged die. So.....
Bennet what you said there is true....except for the red part. For many years I wiped my spent brass with a clean cloth and that sufficed. I bought my tumbler for two reasons....to speed up the process and to make 'em shiny. It's okay if bling isn't your thing, but its also ok if bling is important to others...well isn't it? And ditto for adding polish to the media...I've never seen Dillon polish clump up....however that's the only kind I've tried...simply because that's what I found at my local gun store. I just pour a capful in my full Lyman 2500, over the media and brass and turn it on. I use 20/40 corncob I buy in bulk at Drillspot.com (the fine stuff) and never had a clump in the three years I've used it. Never had a plugged primer flash hole either let alone a bullet cavity. (the nice thing about 20/40 size)


Quote:
4). Tumbling loaded rounds is not only risky but may breakdown the powder kernels into dust and smaller ones and/or remove the deterrent coating on the kernels that controls the burning rate of the powder. There is also the possibility of a round going off inside the tumble as the primer of the cartridge is hit by anther round. This, I believe, is a reloading NO-NO. I know many of you out there do it but there is risk!
On that one I'm not sure I agree. Cartridge manufacturers tumble to touch up their products.

As for breaking down powder....that has been addressed by at least two studies I've read, one with powders examined under a microscope. The first one I read was less scientific but persuasive none the less. They tumbled live brass for 48 hours just for the study (15 min. is all you need to get the lube off)!! You can read it HERE.

The other study, with microscopic analysis of tumble kernels vs. untumbled, I haven't found yet. Will post when I find it. Or maybe someone will beat me to it. But I remember seeing the pictures. Microscopically there was no difference. FOUND IT!

Last edited by GWS; August 16, 2011 at 03:12 PM.
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