I read a post last night on Accurate Shooter where a guy is using a tumbler made for SS media but isn't using the SS pins, only the water and soap. He claimed it works just as good with the exception it doesn't clean the inside quite as well. He claims the brass tumbling cleans just as good and no pins to mess with. You still have to dry the brass the same. What do the mass's have to say about this? Anyone tried this method?
Stainless Tumbling??????
- Thread starter pyscodog
- Start date
DiRTY DOG
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: pyscodogI don't have a wet tumbler. I still use dry media. I was just curious. I'm sure wet tumbling does a good job, I just don't like the mess. It's the same amount of mess, or less, just wet insted of dusty.
Wet tumbling without stainless media cleans better than dry tumbling. Adding stainless media does clean inside the brass & primer pockets like new plus it polishes the outsides to a jewelry like finish as good or better than new.
I like shiny brass and I just transitioned from dry to wet. I told myself next time I wear out a tumbler or need new media I'm gonna transition. Finally did.
The "mess" is easily contained, just watch a few videos. A rotary tumbler with a clamshell media enclosure eliminates any stray pins and speeds up the process.
Wet tumbling is definately better.
Wet tumbling without stainless media cleans better than dry tumbling. Adding stainless media does clean inside the brass & primer pockets like new plus it polishes the outsides to a jewelry like finish as good or better than new.
I like shiny brass and I just transitioned from dry to wet. I told myself next time I wear out a tumbler or need new media I'm gonna transition. Finally did.
The "mess" is easily contained, just watch a few videos. A rotary tumbler with a clamshell media enclosure eliminates any stray pins and speeds up the process.
Wet tumbling is definately better.
The guy that wrote the article said that cleaning the inside of the case wasn't that important???
I just don't care for the soap. lemon shine, then separating the pins and dirty water then having to dry them. I use metal polish in my media and it keeps the dust down. When it starts getting to dusty, I change my media. I use a fine media and it doesn't clog the primer hole and dumps real easy back into the tumbler even with small cases. I get nice shiny cases as well.
I just don't care for the soap. lemon shine, then separating the pins and dirty water then having to dry them. I use metal polish in my media and it keeps the dust down. When it starts getting to dusty, I change my media. I use a fine media and it doesn't clog the primer hole and dumps real easy back into the tumbler even with small cases. I get nice shiny cases as well.
spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
I decap first. Don't run the pins/chips. Hot water, jungle Jake cleaner with a oz or 2 of real lemon juice and a splash of vinegar(run for 1.5-2 hrs).Rinse in hot water and dry. Going to try brass juice sometime. Size without expander. Then mandrel expand necks for correct fit. Trim if needed. Never have to worry about a pin left in brass and bouncing down a custom barrel.
I've been using the Frankfort wet tumbler with water, cleaning soap and metal pins. I've used the same tumbler with corn cob with a little brass polish after my RCBS dry tumbler finally died and it seems to work just as well with corn cob as the RCBS. The brass polish with corn cob will make the outside of my brass look more shiny and new than the wet tumbling with pins. The pins/water/soap will clean the primer pockets and inside of the case so much better than dry tumbling. The small metal pins are not any more of a hassle to deal with than corn cob for me. Dealing with wet brass does take a little extra time but it doesn't bother me. I occasionally get both corn cob and metal pins left inside the case. I just inspect each case before priming to make sure corn cob or a metal pin is not left in a case.
I have done a number of tests and have never been able to show that super clean brass results in more reliable or consistent ammunition. In reality, having the brass clean inside and out just makes me feel good about my finished product. If you are looking for more reliable or consistent ammunition, the extra cleaning effort is a waste of time.
I have done a number of tests and have never been able to show that super clean brass results in more reliable or consistent ammunition. In reality, having the brass clean inside and out just makes me feel good about my finished product. If you are looking for more reliable or consistent ammunition, the extra cleaning effort is a waste of time.
Plant.One
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: pyscodogThe guy that wrote the article said that cleaning the inside of the case wasn't that important???
I just don't care for the soap. lemon shine, then separating the pins and dirty water then having to dry them. I use metal polish in my media and it keeps the dust down. When it starts getting to dusty, I change my media. I use a fine media and it doesn't clog the primer hole and dumps real easy back into the tumbler even with small cases. I get nice shiny cases as well.
one big thing that wet tumbling offers that dry tumbling never can - containing 100% of the lead dust.
dry tumblers - even with polish and/or dryer sheets - still produce dust thats harmful to us if we breath it in. not only during tumbling itself, but also during the separation stage when we're probably closest to it.
with wet tumbling - 100% of that lead dust byproduct is held in emulsification in the cleaning solution. your respiratory system is protected - barring you start snorting the liquid anyway lol
if the article being referenced is what i recall reading about - its about a loss of consistency of neck tension due to over cleaning the neck area of the inside of the case. the carbon removed from the necks partly acts as lube for seating and the bullet releasing from the neck when fired. removing it puts you back to similar situation of using never fired NIB brass.
it can be mostly overcome by proper annealing, and also by lubing case necks (ergo, if you dont need to apply lube you're actually saving yourself time/$) ... but its only really going to come into play in situations where extreme consistency (lets say long range match shooting, or possibly ELR hunting) is needed. those circumstances were fractional MOA gains are truly critical.
many/most reloaders will probably never see a significant difference in accuracy because of it.
lets be honest - barring the circumstances that you hang out with a bunch of folks who shoot matches every other weekend for fun - the number of folks who are ever gonna take a shot past 200 yds are pretty small
the number of folks who can truly repeat sub moa - no less sub ½ MOA - consistently at distances beyond even 200 or 300 yds (or even 100 yds!) are relatively few and far between even amongst the folks who do stretch their firearms out to/past the 200 yd mark at all..
so unless you really need to squeeze another fraction of a fraction of an inch out of your groups, its probably not something to worry about.
I just don't care for the soap. lemon shine, then separating the pins and dirty water then having to dry them. I use metal polish in my media and it keeps the dust down. When it starts getting to dusty, I change my media. I use a fine media and it doesn't clog the primer hole and dumps real easy back into the tumbler even with small cases. I get nice shiny cases as well.
one big thing that wet tumbling offers that dry tumbling never can - containing 100% of the lead dust.
dry tumblers - even with polish and/or dryer sheets - still produce dust thats harmful to us if we breath it in. not only during tumbling itself, but also during the separation stage when we're probably closest to it.
with wet tumbling - 100% of that lead dust byproduct is held in emulsification in the cleaning solution. your respiratory system is protected - barring you start snorting the liquid anyway lol
if the article being referenced is what i recall reading about - its about a loss of consistency of neck tension due to over cleaning the neck area of the inside of the case. the carbon removed from the necks partly acts as lube for seating and the bullet releasing from the neck when fired. removing it puts you back to similar situation of using never fired NIB brass.
it can be mostly overcome by proper annealing, and also by lubing case necks (ergo, if you dont need to apply lube you're actually saving yourself time/$) ... but its only really going to come into play in situations where extreme consistency (lets say long range match shooting, or possibly ELR hunting) is needed. those circumstances were fractional MOA gains are truly critical.
many/most reloaders will probably never see a significant difference in accuracy because of it.
lets be honest - barring the circumstances that you hang out with a bunch of folks who shoot matches every other weekend for fun - the number of folks who are ever gonna take a shot past 200 yds are pretty small
the number of folks who can truly repeat sub moa - no less sub ½ MOA - consistently at distances beyond even 200 or 300 yds (or even 100 yds!) are relatively few and far between even amongst the folks who do stretch their firearms out to/past the 200 yd mark at all..
so unless you really need to squeeze another fraction of a fraction of an inch out of your groups, its probably not something to worry about.
spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
I have a couple barrels that shoot less than 1/4" 3 shot groups, no flyers, with new brass no neck lube. Consistent powder charge, proper accurate seating depth, shooting techniques. Worry about those first.
Sgt_Mike
New member
Originally Posted By: pyscodogI read a post last night on Accurate Shooter where a guy is using a tumbler made for SS media but isn't using the SS pins, only the water and soap. He claimed it works just as good with the exception it doesn't clean the inside quite as well. He claims the brass tumbling cleans just as good and no pins to mess with. You still have to dry the brass the same. What do the mass's have to say about this? Anyone tried this method?
huh i didnt think of that ..... will have to try it in order to form a opinion. thank you
huh i didnt think of that ..... will have to try it in order to form a opinion. thank you
Last edited:
DannoBoone
Active member
Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOGAdding stainless media does clean inside the brass & primer pockets like new plus it polishes the outsides to a jewelry like finish as good or better than new.
The "mess" is easily contained, just watch a few videos. A rotary tumbler with a clamshell media enclosure eliminates any stray pins and speeds up the process.
Wet tumbling is definitely better.
We apparently have similar setups. I am very satisfied as well.
My only problem is that not all primer pockets come out
totally clean, especially small primer pockets....mostly, but
not completely.
Another advantage to have internal of cases clean, is that it
is very easy to see if powder has been charged in all of them.
The "mess" is easily contained, just watch a few videos. A rotary tumbler with a clamshell media enclosure eliminates any stray pins and speeds up the process.
Wet tumbling is definitely better.
We apparently have similar setups. I am very satisfied as well.
My only problem is that not all primer pockets come out
totally clean, especially small primer pockets....mostly, but
not completely.
Another advantage to have internal of cases clean, is that it
is very easy to see if powder has been charged in all of them.
Plant.One
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: DannoBooneOriginally Posted By: DiRTY DOGAdding stainless media does clean inside the brass & primer pockets like new plus it polishes the outsides to a jewelry like finish as good or better than new.
The "mess" is easily contained, just watch a few videos. A rotary tumbler with a clamshell media enclosure eliminates any stray pins and speeds up the process.
Wet tumbling is definitely better.
We apparently have similar setups. I am very satisfied as well.
My only problem is that not all primer pockets come out
totally clean, especially small primer pockets....mostly, but
not completely.
Another advantage to have internal of cases clean, is that it
is very easy to see if powder has been charged in all of them.
i'll take mostly clean pockets every time thru the cleaner vs not cleaned at all pockets that i have to manage individually.
i'll take that option EVERY [beeep] time - and have for multiple years now. I was a relatively early adopter of the wet tumbling and i'm not sorry one single bit about it.
The "mess" is easily contained, just watch a few videos. A rotary tumbler with a clamshell media enclosure eliminates any stray pins and speeds up the process.
Wet tumbling is definitely better.
We apparently have similar setups. I am very satisfied as well.
My only problem is that not all primer pockets come out
totally clean, especially small primer pockets....mostly, but
not completely.
Another advantage to have internal of cases clean, is that it
is very easy to see if powder has been charged in all of them.
i'll take mostly clean pockets every time thru the cleaner vs not cleaned at all pockets that i have to manage individually.
i'll take that option EVERY [beeep] time - and have for multiple years now. I was a relatively early adopter of the wet tumbling and i'm not sorry one single bit about it.
I have both. My dry tumbler just the other day let the threaded rod loose so I can’t use the lid no more. I’ll proably just start using my wet tumbler more now. I think the wet tumbler does an excellent job, it’s just a little more of a pain dealing with the wet brass. Also I use Redding dry neck lube with the applicator kit before seating the bullets. I have had loads have issues because of case welding.