Wanted: Tumbling media that doesn't stick in the flash hole

dbuffington · January 3, 2007, 05:25 PM

Sigh. I'm a low-volume reloader, and a friend bought me a Lyman tumbler for Christmas. (Good friend

).

But the Lyman green media that came with the tumbler sticks in every single flash hole of every single cartridge.

Now, I'm only looking to get the cartridge clean for safe use in the dies and guns. I'm not going for maximum brightness or minimum cost.

Can anyone recommend a tumbling media that doesn't stick in the flash hole?

Thanks!
Dave

skipjack · January 3, 2007, 05:36 PM

Dave, I tumble before depriming. I haven't found any other way around plugging the flashhole with media. I tumble, resize, wipe case lube off with a rag damp with mineral spirits, reprime and reload the case.

Ausserordeutlich · January 3, 2007, 05:53 PM

While I've always found it difficult to force myself to enter into discourse with a man who sighs, I'd also opine that you won't have any problems with those flash holes if you'll decap after cleaning, like 99% of reloaders in the known universe.

Shoney · January 3, 2007, 06:31 PM

In 46 years of reloading, I have not cleaned, nor found the need to clean primer pockets, even with the dirtiest powders.

I agree with skipjack and Ausserordeutlich about depriming after tumbling!

**44 AMP** · January 3, 2007, 11:01 PM

Tumble before or after deprime/resize? I do both. I tumble my brass before sizing, and again after (to remove lube). It does clean the primer pickets some.

Yes, the media does plug up the flash hole. I just poke/clean it out with a small piece of wire, a blowgun dart (don't ask), sometimes a horseshoe nail. I do this as I inspect/sort brass. I don't use one of the fancy media separators, I use a plastic bucket and a plastic colander (for draining pasta), both bought in the grocery store, for about $3 (local).

Just dump the tumbler into the colander (which sits in the top of the pail), and shake a little. Media drops through, leaving the brass. Dump the media out of the cases as you pick them up, check headstamp, poke media out of primer pocket, and drop in appropriate box for later reloading. When finished, pour the bucket of media back into the tumbler. The whole thing is harder to describe than to do.

skipjack · January 3, 2007, 11:29 PM

"The whole thing is harder to describe than to do."

I get your drift...sounds about what I do, as well. I have been doing a fair amount of .223 lately, and was tumbling twice, as you do, 44amp. I just got tired of poking the flashhole, and decided to wipe with mineral spirits. Either way will work, of course.

With pistol brass, and carbide sizer dies, I can skip the lube part.
I have an old set of steel 44 mag dies...they really make me appreciate carbide!

Don H · January 3, 2007, 11:37 PM

Actually, you're tumbling cases not cartridges in this instance. Although a lot of people do tumble cartridges briefly to remove lube.

PsychoKnight · January 4, 2007, 01:23 AM

Un-cooked of course. Its the newest thing in tumbling. Cheap, less grinding into media dust, doesn't get stuck in flash holes, works great even without additive.

cdoc42 · January 5, 2007, 08:47 AM

I've tried white rice and I have to say I wasn't impressed. Of course, clean and shine are not synonymous.

TJ Freak · January 5, 2007, 01:32 PM

I'm researching before I am going to start buying for reloading. I purchased Richard Lee's book on reloading. I was surprised that he does nor recommend tumbling at all. He says the residue can build up in the case. He suggest that if you must clean the use steel wool or a scotch pad on the lathe used for chamfering. I think I will try it his way for starters.

TimRB · January 5, 2007, 04:54 PM

"I think I will try it his way for starters."

I predict that will last approximately twenty rounds, and then you'll be on the phone to Midway. Countless thousands of reloaders (me among them) don't seem to have residue problems (whatever that means).

Tim

swmike · January 5, 2007, 07:58 PM

Richard Lee's "Book" (Modern Reloading, 2nd Edition) deals primarily with reloading of rifle rounds. Try cleaning 2-3 Thousand Pistol rounds with steel wool in a lathe.

Just tumble cases before de-capping.

Joe D · January 5, 2007, 08:24 PM

The only reside I have is when my food dribbles down my chip into my lap.

rem33 · January 5, 2007, 08:35 PM

Decap, then clean with Dawn, 409, Simple Green, or a simular product with some Lemon concentrate in water, dry at 150 in the oven, and forget the media. Thats is what I have been doing.

essixx · January 5, 2007, 10:49 PM

Back when carbide pistol dies were too expensive for me to purchase compared to the price of steel dies, I just used a portable air tank with an air gun attached. I held about 10 cases upright in my hand and used the air gun to blow down into the cases. The air blew most of the tumbler media out of the primer pocket. Maybe 50 out of 500 needed the media to be picked out with a small screwdriver.

dogfood · January 6, 2007, 07:15 AM

Quote:

I purchased Richard Lee's book on reloading. I was surprised that he does nor recommend tumbling at all.

I guess I wouldn't recommend tumbling, either, if I was the only major reloading equipment manufacturer who didn't sell a tumbler.

I always decap first, then tumble ... and I have no data whatsoever that says this is better or worse (or even different) than tumbling first. I then dump everything into an old rotary sifter from Midway - and it does a pretty good job. I take a quick look at the flash holes, and it media is stuck (about 1 in 10 cases), I just punch it out with an old decapping rod (as someone said earlier, a wire or nail works just fine, too).

Yep, it's a little more tedious, but it only takes a few minutes to run through several hundred cases.

dogfood

TJ Freak · January 6, 2007, 03:21 PM

Ouch.

Didn't mean to sound too ignorant. I had heard that Lee was a good product for the price. I apologize for sounding off without first maybe looking into things more before I post.

TimRB · January 6, 2007, 08:08 PM

"I apologize for sounding off without first maybe looking into things more before I post."

Oh, gosh...please don't take our comments that way. What I (for one) meant to say, and probably should have said, is that internet reloading is just like everything else. Namely, for every product, you'll hear from a bunch of shooters who wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole and then just as many who have been happily using it for 30 years.

Try it any way you like. Just keep your eyes and ears open, because often there is an easier or better way.

Tim

dogfood · January 7, 2007, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Didn't mean to sound too ignorant. I had heard that Lee was a good product for the price. I apologize for sounding off without first maybe looking into things more before I post.

TJ:

Gee, I wasn't trying to come down hard on you ...

From my perspective, Richard Lee really helped change the reloading industry, because he brought along many inexpensive, and sometimes innovative, products. I started with a Lee set-up, and I continue to use Lee products (as well as those from just about every other manufacturer). And, yes, I have Lee's book.

However, Richard Lee is definitely opinionated (aren't we all?) and he has certain ideas about the right way to do just about everything when it comes to reloading. Sometimes I agree ... other times I don't ... but I certainly wouldn't say that I am always right.

Opinions are just that ... opinions, and sometimes they are based on significant experience and data, and sometimes not. And sometimes they are developed to match a specific product line or offering. The Lee's want to sell Lee equipment ... and the folks at Lyman want to sell Lyman equipment, etc. So I try to keep this in mind when evaluating info received directly from the manufacturers.

dogfood

dgc940 · January 10, 2007, 07:40 AM

RELOADERS CHOICE

A new innovative tumbling media made from plastic. It is reuseable. It can be used wet or dry. Use it with or without your favorite polish. RELOADERS CHOICE will not "bridge" or plug flash holes

Options: RELOADERS CHOICE, 7 1/2 pound (+$24.95)RELOADERS CHOICE, 5 pounds (+$17.95)

http://www.neconos.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=16&

dssajj · January 13, 2007, 08:04 AM

I tumble then decap-resize.

WSM MAGNUM · January 13, 2007, 09:42 AM

Quote:

I don't use one of the fancy media separators, I use a plastic bucket and a plastic colander (for draining pasta), both bought in the grocery store, for about $3 (local).

Just dump the tumbler into the colander (which sits in the top of the pail), and shake a little. Media drops through, leaving the brass. Dump the media out of the cases as you pick them up, check headstamp, poke media out of primer pocket, and drop in appropriate box for later reloading.

44 AMP, that`s the beauty of the Dillon media separator. You don`t have to pick up each case and dump the media out of every case if you don`t fill the separator packed. Just keep turning the handle until the media stop falling out. Worth the $60, every penny.

jsflagstad · January 15, 2007, 09:30 PM

Just pulled some 300 WSM brass out of the tumbler and Uncle Ben is stuck in about every flash hole.

Back to my 3 year old polishing compound saturated media I go.....

JSF

January 3, 2007, 05:25 PM	#1
dbuffington Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Posts: 157	Wanted: Tumbling media that doesn't stick in the flash hole Sigh. I'm a low-volume reloader, and a friend bought me a Lyman tumbler for Christmas. (Good friend ). But the Lyman green media that came with the tumbler sticks in every single flash hole of every single cartridge. Now, I'm only looking to get the cartridge clean for safe use in the dies and guns. I'm not going for maximum brightness or minimum cost. Can anyone recommend a tumbling media that doesn't stick in the flash hole? Thanks! Dave

January 3, 2007, 06:31 PM	#4
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	In 46 years of reloading, I have not cleaned, nor found the need to clean primer pockets, even with the dirtiest powders. I agree with skipjack and Ausserordeutlich about depriming after tumbling! __________________ I pledge allegiance to the Flag - - -, and to the Republic for which it stands….Our Forefathers were brilliant for giving us a Republic, not a democracy! Do you know the difference??? and WHY?http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissue...les.asp?id=111

January 3, 2007, 11:01 PM	#5
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,832	Either way Tumble before or after deprime/resize? I do both. I tumble my brass before sizing, and again after (to remove lube). It does clean the primer pickets some. Yes, the media does plug up the flash hole. I just poke/clean it out with a small piece of wire, a blowgun dart (don't ask), sometimes a horseshoe nail. I do this as I inspect/sort brass. I don't use one of the fancy media separators, I use a plastic bucket and a plastic colander (for draining pasta), both bought in the grocery store, for about $3 (local). Just dump the tumbler into the colander (which sits in the top of the pail), and shake a little. Media drops through, leaving the brass. Dump the media out of the cases as you pick them up, check headstamp, poke media out of primer pocket, and drop in appropriate box for later reloading. When finished, pour the bucket of media back into the tumbler. The whole thing is harder to describe than to do. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

January 4, 2007, 01:23 AM	#8
PsychoKnight Member Join Date: October 6, 2006 Posts: 29	Plain 'Ol White Rice Un-cooked of course. Its the newest thing in tumbling. Cheap, less grinding into media dust, doesn't get stuck in flash holes, works great even without additive.

January 5, 2007, 01:32 PM	#10
TJ Freak Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2005 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 143	Tumblers I'm researching before I am going to start buying for reloading. I purchased Richard Lee's book on reloading. I was surprised that he does nor recommend tumbling at all. He says the residue can build up in the case. He suggest that if you must clean the use steel wool or a scotch pad on the lathe used for chamfering. I think I will try it his way for starters.

January 3, 2007, 05:36 PM	#2
skipjack Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2002 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 140	Dave, I tumble before depriming. I haven't found any other way around plugging the flashhole with media. I tumble, resize, wipe case lube off with a rag damp with mineral spirits, reprime and reload the case.

January 3, 2007, 05:53 PM	#3
Ausserordeutlich Junior member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 996	While I've always found it difficult to force myself to enter into discourse with a man who sighs, I'd also opine that you won't have any problems with those flash holes if you'll decap after cleaning, like 99% of reloaders in the known universe.

January 3, 2007, 11:29 PM	#6
skipjack Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2002 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 140	"The whole thing is harder to describe than to do." I get your drift...sounds about what I do, as well. I have been doing a fair amount of .223 lately, and was tumbling twice, as you do, 44amp. I just got tired of poking the flashhole, and decided to wipe with mineral spirits. Either way will work, of course. With pistol brass, and carbide sizer dies, I can skip the lube part. I have an old set of steel 44 mag dies...they really make me appreciate carbide!

January 3, 2007, 11:37 PM	#7
Don H Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2000 Location: SLC,Utah Posts: 2,704	Actually, you're tumbling cases not cartridges in this instance. Although a lot of people do tumble cartridges briefly to remove lube.

January 5, 2007, 08:47 AM	#9
cdoc42 Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,687	I've tried white rice and I have to say I wasn't impressed. Of course, clean and shine are not synonymous.

January 5, 2007, 04:54 PM	#11
TimRB Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 1,049	"I think I will try it his way for starters." I predict that will last approximately twenty rounds, and then you'll be on the phone to Midway. Countless thousands of reloaders (me among them) don't seem to have residue problems (whatever that means). Tim

January 5, 2007, 07:58 PM	#12
swmike Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2005 Location: Marysville, WA Posts: 670	Richard Lee's "Book" (Modern Reloading, 2nd Edition) deals primarily with reloading of rifle rounds. Try cleaning 2-3 Thousand Pistol rounds with steel wool in a lathe. Just tumble cases before de-capping. __________________ My definition of Gun Control--- A steady grip and hitting your target. "In God we trust, all others are suspects." "If I shoot all the ammo I am carrying, either I won't need any more, or more won't be of any help". ____________________________________________

January 5, 2007, 08:24 PM	#13
Joe D Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 1999 Location: Alabama Posts: 455	The only reside I have is when my food dribbles down my chip into my lap. __________________ Miss? That can't be a miss. Looks like a perfect double to me.

January 5, 2007, 08:35 PM	#14
rem33 Junior member Join Date: March 31, 2006 Posts: 1,528	Decap, then clean with Dawn, 409, Simple Green, or a simular product with some Lemon concentrate in water, dry at 150 in the oven, and forget the media. Thats is what I have been doing.

January 5, 2007, 10:49 PM	#15
essixx Junior Member Join Date: February 11, 2006 Posts: 3	Back when carbide pistol dies were too expensive for me to purchase compared to the price of steel dies, I just used a portable air tank with an air gun attached. I held about 10 cases upright in my hand and used the air gun to blow down into the cases. The air blew most of the tumbler media out of the primer pocket. Maybe 50 out of 500 needed the media to be picked out with a small screwdriver.

January 6, 2007, 03:21 PM	#17
TJ Freak Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2005 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 143	Tumblers Ouch. Didn't mean to sound too ignorant. I had heard that Lee was a good product for the price. I apologize for sounding off without first maybe looking into things more before I post.

January 6, 2007, 08:08 PM	#18
TimRB Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 1,049	"I apologize for sounding off without first maybe looking into things more before I post." Oh, gosh...please don't take our comments that way. What I (for one) meant to say, and probably should have said, is that internet reloading is just like everything else. Namely, for every product, you'll hear from a bunch of shooters who wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole and then just as many who have been happily using it for 30 years. Try it any way you like. Just keep your eyes and ears open, because often there is an easier or better way. Tim

January 10, 2007, 07:40 AM	#20
dgc940 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Graham Texas Posts: 258	RELOADERS CHOICE A new innovative tumbling media made from plastic. It is reuseable. It can be used wet or dry. Use it with or without your favorite polish. RELOADERS CHOICE will not "bridge" or plug flash holes Options: RELOADERS CHOICE, 7 1/2 pound (+$24.95)RELOADERS CHOICE, 5 pounds (+$17.95) http://www.neconos.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=16& __________________ Some people say what they think! Some say what they know! Then there's those that think they know what they are saying!

January 13, 2007, 08:04 AM	#21
dssajj Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Northeast Kansas Posts: 68	I tumble then decap-resize.

January 15, 2007, 09:30 PM	#23
jsflagstad Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Up Nort Posts: 419	Tried the Rice, Not for me... Just pulled some 300 WSM brass out of the tumbler and Uncle Ben is stuck in about every flash hole. Back to my 3 year old polishing compound saturated media I go..... JSF Last edited by jsflagstad; January 15, 2007 at 09:31 PM. Reason: typo