The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Tumblers. What is the gain, aside from aesthetic cases?

Misssissippi Dave · September 23, 2012, 04:04 AM

Getting rid of any carbon on the outside of the case is easier on the dies. This is more true for steel dies. Even carbide dies will last longer siziing clean brass. You can add stuff to the media to help it to clean faster or provide a higher shine if you care to do it. I find adding a little liquid car polish to the media will keep the brass from tarnishing over a much longer time compared to not using it.

Tumbling will clean out the worst of the junk inside the cases. It doesn't make the inside shin like it does for the outside. In my opinion it is plenty clean enough to reload them. It is easier to see any problems a case might have when it has been cleaned in a tumbler compared to dirty brass.

If I recall correctly, you are loading .357 and .44 . I suggest not tumbling both sizes at the same time. You don't want to have to try to unstick the cases. One will fit inside the other and the media will just pack in all the empty space. It can be a pain to pull them apart. I once tumbled 9 mm, .40 and .45 brass all together. It was not much fun pulling some of them apart. The 9 mm brass will fit inside the .40 and .45 cases and the .40 will fit inside the .45 cases. What a mess that was. There were even a few .32 pieces of brass in some 9 mm cases.

Remember to use very fine media so it won't get stuck in primer flash holes.

September 23, 2012, 04:04 AM	#2
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	Getting rid of any carbon on the outside of the case is easier on the dies. This is more true for steel dies. Even carbide dies will last longer siziing clean brass. You can add stuff to the media to help it to clean faster or provide a higher shine if you care to do it. I find adding a little liquid car polish to the media will keep the brass from tarnishing over a much longer time compared to not using it. Tumbling will clean out the worst of the junk inside the cases. It doesn't make the inside shin like it does for the outside. In my opinion it is plenty clean enough to reload them. It is easier to see any problems a case might have when it has been cleaned in a tumbler compared to dirty brass. If I recall correctly, you are loading .357 and .44 . I suggest not tumbling both sizes at the same time. You don't want to have to try to unstick the cases. One will fit inside the other and the media will just pack in all the empty space. It can be a pain to pull them apart. I once tumbled 9 mm, .40 and .45 brass all together. It was not much fun pulling some of them apart. The 9 mm brass will fit inside the .40 and .45 cases and the .40 will fit inside the .45 cases. What a mess that was. There were even a few .32 pieces of brass in some 9 mm cases. Remember to use very fine media so it won't get stuck in primer flash holes. Last edited by Misssissippi Dave; September 23, 2012 at 04:10 AM.