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Old March 30, 2001, 07:10 PM   #1
Karl Hillquist
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Do any of you guy's reload and do not tumble your brass? or is that a bad idea?
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Old March 30, 2001, 07:33 PM   #2
Nukem
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We clean the brass so it can be inspected for defects first, then to keep the funk out of your sizing die and chamber, second.
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Old March 30, 2001, 07:50 PM   #3
Mike Irwin
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I've NEVER tumbled my brass.

I wash it occasionally in a hot water/dish detergent solution, rinse, and dry, but I don't tumble.
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Old March 30, 2001, 07:52 PM   #4
labgrade
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You can sure get away without tumbling, but it's a good idea to at least wipe your brass off prior to resizing, etc. = what Nukem said.

Used to do just like Mike but tumbling is easier for me. If nothing else, while the brass is tumbling, you're off doing something else.

One side benny of wiping each piece by hand is you end up with a good grip.
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Old March 30, 2001, 08:22 PM   #5
ArmySon
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Spending $40-50 on a tumbler is definitely worth the investment. The time saved alone is beyond words. However, when your brass comes out shiny and looking new, the investment of the tumbler is easily justified.

More then anything, my time is more valuable then $40-50.


*note, I'm not saying my time is more valuable then somebody that does not use a tumbler. It's just my personal opinion and preference.
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Old March 31, 2001, 06:48 AM   #6
poperszky
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Maybe it depends on what you are shooting (rifle vs. Pistol)? I never knew what a tumbler was as a kid reloading 30-06 rounds with my dad. I tried just washing and drying the brass when I first got into pistol reloading, but found when I was shooting 1,000 plus rounds of 9mm a month that it just wasn't effiecient. Also my press (Dillon SDB) works much better and the rounds are more consistent with clean polished brass. I usually go through marathon tumbling sessions where I will try and tumble 5-6,000 rounds and store them in sealed plastic buckets. Works well for me, and now there is always clean brass when I get time to adjourn to the hobby room.

Terry
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Old March 31, 2001, 09:14 AM   #7
tonyz
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I Would Have to Agree With ArmySon

#1= The time saved is worth the $40-60.
#2= Dirty brass can play Hell with die's.
#3= I take pride in my work, and I like MY finished product clean and shiny, Before I go out and get it all dirty again.
#4 What are the effects of dirty brass on the chamber of your weapon?

Best Tony
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Old March 31, 2001, 11:17 AM   #8
Mike Irwin
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I think a distinction needs to be made between DIRTY brass and TARNISHED/SOOTY brass.

Tarnished brass can be every bit as clean as highly polished tumbled brass.

And highly polished tumbled brass can be, if not done correctly, contaminated with polishing compound, which can cause even more problems with dies than range dirt.

I've toyed with the idea of getting a tumbler, but (and I know I'm going to take some heat here) I really look at it more as something that the manufacturers have told us we just can't live without.

Of all the reloading paraphanelia (sp?) that's out there, I really consider a tumbler to be at the bottom of the list for NECESSITY items. In fact, I really view it as a luxury item.

Home tumblers didn't really come into vogue until the late 1960s early 1970s.

What did people do before that?

They shot brass that they had washed, or they simply reloaded the brass without cleaning.

I figure one of these days I'll break down and buy a tumbler, but I suspect that I'll be using it just as much, if not more, for polishing non-firearms related items, such as brass screws.

For those of you who like clean, highly polished brass, more power to you. But in my opinion, in the grand scheme of things, it's just not that important to me.
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Old March 31, 2001, 01:09 PM   #9
Southla1
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I figure one of these days I'll break down and buy a tumbler, but I suspect that I'll be using it just as much, if not more, for polishing non-firearms related items, such as brass screws.................. The wife thought I was losing it when I volunteered to clean her filigreed silver bracelet (damn thing was so fine some of it looked like lace) and her silver and crystal rosary (she needs that to pray for me ). Thought I was being a saint. I took it to the loading shop and put it in the tumbler with corncob and polish. Took about 45 mins., but I kept it for 4 days making her think I was working on it then gave it back sparkling like new. Payment was good too
OK OK to a tumbler. I loaded for 30 years without one. I finally got one and I like it. I like the looks of the finished product. Do I need one to reload? In one word NO. Just make sure your brass has no dirt on it.
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Old March 31, 2001, 01:48 PM   #10
WalterGAII
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Penicillin didn't come into vogue until the 1940's. What did people do before then? Smokeless powder didn't come into vogue until the early 20th century. What did people do before then? What they did about reloading before tumblers was go through some tedious process for cleaning their brass, or just wore out their dies and guns quicker than we, the Enlightened Ones, do now.
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