Oops! Tumbled A Live Round

Tony C · January 31, 2009, 10:53 PM

I picked up brass after my USPSA match last weekend and threw it all in a bin. I tumbled that brass today and while sorting the clean brass found that I had tumbled a live round. I must have picked it up and not paid attention to the fact it was not fired.

I cannot see any damage or anything wrong with the round, but for those of you with experience (I am still VERY new at this) is there a reason I should not fire this cartridge?

Thanks,
Tony C.
Willamette Valley, Oregon

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God” Job 19:25-26 NASU

snuffy · January 31, 2009, 10:59 PM

Quote:

is there a reason I should not fire this cartridge?

NO! Tumbling does not harm loaded ammo.

**Mal H** · January 31, 2009, 11:02 PM

Right. Reloaders have done it for years without reporting any harmful effects from the tumbling.

Sevens · January 31, 2009, 11:25 PM

Ammo manufacturers do it also.

Some folks have run extensive tests with tumbling loaded rounds. Some guys have put them in a vibratory cleaner and run it for TWO WEEKS and then broke the ammo down to see if the powder flakes were altered.

They weren't. It's safe. The subject pops up often and there's always going to be a few people who flip out a bit and warn against anything of the sort, but there's no evidence anywhere that it's dangerous in any way.

Some folks do it all the time on purpose with their loaded ammo to make it shine.

F. Guffey · January 31, 2009, 11:34 PM

Tony C, I would not fire it if I did not load it.

F. Guffey

btefft · January 31, 2009, 11:40 PM

I have no fear of tumbling my reloads.

Hack

10 Spot Terminator · January 31, 2009, 11:40 PM

I'm with F.Guffy on this one. If it wasnt one of your rounds and you dont know the history let her be. If it was one of your own tried and true loads then all you have done is make it more pretty .

Chief-7700 · January 31, 2009, 11:56 PM

Don't tumble hollow points or lead rounds. FMJ yes.
Chief

joeg26er · February 1, 2009, 12:13 AM

besides for cosmetic reasons - why do it?

teeroux · February 1, 2009, 12:30 AM

My brother had a gun show in his neck of the woods so i asked him to pick me up some .223 and i would pay him back.

Well he calls back and tells me the stuff this guy has and i tell him get 200rds of the 68gr xtp hollowpoints. Well when i see him he gave me the ammo and apparently the fella that makes it tumbles finished rounds to shine them up and to my disgust there was media stuck inside all of the hollow points!!:barf:

He didn't know and it was still cheap production so i shot it all away just fine not expecting great performance.

Sport45 · February 1, 2009, 03:56 AM

Quote:

I'm with F.Guffy on this one. If it wasnt one of your rounds and you dont know the history let her be. If it was one of your own tried and true loads then all you have done is make it more pretty .

I agree as well. If this is a range pick-up it could be loaded with just about anything. Some people with bad reloads just toss them out instead of properly disposing or recycling them. I don't fire any loaded round I find at the range. I take them home to pull and reuse the brass and bullet.

hoytinak · February 1, 2009, 08:34 AM

After reloading I tumble my finished live rounds all the time...makes them look pretty.

kyle663 · February 1, 2009, 10:30 AM

why not tumble lead reloads?

hoytinak · February 1, 2009, 10:54 AM

I don't see a problem with tumbling lead either, all it does is make the lead a darker color.

jmorris · February 1, 2009, 11:06 AM

tumble OK. Shooting unknown ammo, not OK.

**Mal H** · February 1, 2009, 11:22 AM

I missed the part about possibly picking up the loaded round at the range. So I also agree with F. Guffey, you shouldn't attempt to fire that one unless you are absolutely certain it is a commercial round. Was the primer struck? What was the caliber?

mearly · February 1, 2009, 12:08 PM

of the reason it was on the ground just isn't worth firing in my humble opinion... yeah, it might have been just a "normal cleared round" but it might have had some other problem and had to be cleared.... not to mention (as posted earlier) it it is not a commercial round who knows how hot it is ...... for a value of +- 50 cents it just isn't worth the potential trouble.....

January 31, 2009, 10:53 PM	#1
Tony C Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2007 Location: Oregon Posts: 293	Oops! Tumbled A Live Round I picked up brass after my USPSA match last weekend and threw it all in a bin. I tumbled that brass today and while sorting the clean brass found that I had tumbled a live round. I must have picked it up and not paid attention to the fact it was not fired. I cannot see any damage or anything wrong with the round, but for those of you with experience (I am still VERY new at this) is there a reason I should not fire this cartridge? Thanks, Tony C. Willamette Valley, Oregon “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God” Job 19:25-26 NASU

January 31, 2009, 11:25 PM	#4
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Ammo manufacturers do it also. Some folks have run extensive tests with tumbling loaded rounds. Some guys have put them in a vibratory cleaner and run it for TWO WEEKS and then broke the ammo down to see if the powder flakes were altered. They weren't. It's safe. The subject pops up often and there's always going to be a few people who flip out a bit and warn against anything of the sort, but there's no evidence anywhere that it's dangerous in any way. Some folks do it all the time on purpose with their loaded ammo to make it shine. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

January 31, 2009, 11:40 PM	#6
btefft Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2008 Posts: 181	I have no fear of tumbling my reloads. Hack Last edited by btefft; February 1, 2009 at 01:11 AM.

January 31, 2009, 11:56 PM	#8
Chief-7700 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Location: Carmel Valley, CA Posts: 112	Don't tumble hollow points or lead rounds. FMJ yes. Chief __________________ COLT M-1911 DOB 1918 and more a XL-650 to feed them

February 1, 2009, 12:13 AM	#9
joeg26er Member Join Date: November 18, 2007 Posts: 42	why do it at all? besides for cosmetic reasons - why do it?

January 31, 2009, 11:02 PM	#3
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	Right. Reloaders have done it for years without reporting any harmful effects from the tumbling.

January 31, 2009, 11:34 PM	#5
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	Tony C, I would not fire it if I did not load it. F. Guffey

January 31, 2009, 11:40 PM	#7
10 Spot Terminator Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2008 Location: Central Oregon Posts: 348	I'm with F.Guffy on this one. If it wasnt one of your rounds and you dont know the history let her be. If it was one of your own tried and true loads then all you have done is make it more pretty .

February 1, 2009, 12:30 AM	#10
teeroux Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2006 Posts: 1,512	My brother had a gun show in his neck of the woods so i asked him to pick me up some .223 and i would pay him back. Well he calls back and tells me the stuff this guy has and i tell him get 200rds of the 68gr xtp hollowpoints. Well when i see him he gave me the ammo and apparently the fella that makes it tumbles finished rounds to shine them up and to my disgust there was media stuck inside all of the hollow points!!:barf: He didn't know and it was still cheap production so i shot it all away just fine not expecting great performance.

February 1, 2009, 08:34 AM	#12
hoytinak Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 5,721	After reloading I tumble my finished live rounds all the time...makes them look pretty.

February 1, 2009, 10:30 AM	#13
kyle663 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: IL Posts: 311	lead reloads why not tumble lead reloads? __________________ NRA member 22LR,17hmr, 9mm, 9mm makarov, 38 S&W, 38/357, 41mag, 44mag, 45ACP, 7.62x39, 7.62x54, 222rem

February 1, 2009, 10:54 AM	#14
hoytinak Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 5,721	I don't see a problem with tumbling lead either, all it does is make the lead a darker color.

February 1, 2009, 11:06 AM	#15
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	tumble OK. Shooting unknown ammo, not OK.

February 1, 2009, 11:22 AM	#16
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	I missed the part about possibly picking up the loaded round at the range. So I also agree with F. Guffey, you shouldn't attempt to fire that one unless you are absolutely certain it is a commercial round. Was the primer struck? What was the caliber?

February 1, 2009, 12:08 PM	#17
mearly Junior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 11	a round with no understanding of the reason it was on the ground just isn't worth firing in my humble opinion... yeah, it might have been just a "normal cleared round" but it might have had some other problem and had to be cleared.... not to mention (as posted earlier) it it is not a commercial round who knows how hot it is ...... for a value of +- 50 cents it just isn't worth the potential trouble.....