Tumbling rounds

[gun44]

I've tumbled live rounds for years, with all kinds of loads, bullets, and powder, and never had any problems. Only thing you got to watch for is tumbling hollow points, as the media will clog up the hollow points, and you have to clean it out. Just finished tumbling a hundred rounds of .44 mag last night.

[rottieman33]

My opinion is tumbling loaded brass is like playing in traffic sooner or later some thing bad will happen.

[snuffy]

i don't understand why you would want to tumble your rounds after they are loaded? why not just tumble your brass until they are clean BEFORE loading them??

just seems silly to me, but i don't claim to be all knowing either.

How do you handle your ammo AFTER you load it? Handled with your bare hands, leave some of your skin oil on the brass/bullet. Given tiem that area you touched will corode. Sometimes only in a days time. you can see finger prints on those otherwise shiny cases.

I tumble after loading for one reason; To take the sizing lube off the brass. Then only when progressive loading on my dillon 650. Then I handle the brass with a white glove on my hand, to keep skin oils off the cases. The ammo looks good for a very long time.

My opinion is tumbling loaded brass is like playing in traffic sooner or later some thing bad will happen.

Then, if it makes you uncomfortable, don't do it. Nobody is trying to talk anybody into something they're not comfortable doing. Some of us have a reason and want to know if it's safe. I think it is, my tests have confirmed it, so I choose to do it.

[medalguy]

Well, I know for a FACT that tumbling ammo can cause it to fire! I heard it from the brother of the bartender who served a drink to my sister's maid who told it to her daughter who went to school with my granddaughter, and I believe everything she tells me!

Seriously, has ANYONE ever had a FIRSTHAND experience with a round detonating in a tumbler? We collectively reload millions of rounds of ammo a year, probably billions, and I have NEVER, EVER heard of anyone that personally had a round detonate in a tumbler. Ever!

Of course the ammo manufacturers tumble ammo after loading. Most of us have done it for years, and if the test done over on THR doesn't convince you that it's safe, nothing will. I've tumbled my ammo for short periods after loading for nearly 40 years, many, many thousands of rounds, and always been safely done. I guess I'll continue.

[Headgear]

Again, why not retumble the brass for 15 minutes after they have been resized to get the lube off? I tumble, lube, resize and them tumble for another 10 to 15 minutes before charging and putting the lids on. The finished product is just as clean. The only drawback is, you have to clear the flash holes of media that gets stuck, but it doesn't take that long.

[brickeyee]

Again, why not retumble the brass for 15 minutes after they have been resized to get the lube off?

Sort of hard to do with a progressive press.

[Headgear]

Oops! You're right brickeyee, that would be a bit tricky.

[rattletrap1970]

This subject has been discussed to death on every forum I'm on. I wish we could just put a sticky that stays at the top that reads "NO.. TUMBLING LOADED AMMO IS OK."

Sorry... I need more coffee.