Last week when I dumped 38 brass out of the tumbler, (Midway) I found 2 loaded rounds. It had been tumbled at least 6 hours and maybe more. I took it to the range today and it performed no different than any other rounds. It was a 158gr swc over 4.5 of 231.

There is no problem to tumbling loaded ammo. Depending on what lube you have on the bullets it's the easiest way to get the lube off. I've been doing it for 30 years and haven't had a problem yet.

Some people suggest that the powder when tumbled may change its nature (extruded rods to powder) and thus its burn speed. It has occasionally to me with no adverse effects but I do not do it on purpose. Even a slight chance of exploding cases is not worth the risk. IMHO

100% of the commercial ammo has been tumbled live.

>100% of the commercial ammo has been tumbled live.

Yes, that's true. However, it has NOT been tumbled for six hours after being loaded .

I often tumble loaded ammo (with a bit of mineral spirits added) in old media for about 15 minutes to clean the bullet lube off the cases. Then, after JUST fifteen minutes I immediately remove the cartridges from the media (don't want the fumes to possibly damage the primers).

Dale53

Sgt Preston here. I have also been surprised to find a couple of (3)live rounds in my tumbler from time to time and also did't have a problem either. However, I DO believe in SAFETY FIRST & simply choose NOT to tumble live rounds. Barbara (and my CONDO neighbors) would NOT be happy if something went "BOOM". Just one old Jarhead's opinion. Sgt Preston USMC LLA

All the reloading sources I've seen like Sierra do not recommend tumbling ammo. What a manufacturer does, doesn't relate to what someone in their shop does. Don

If a commercial ammunition maker tumbles their loaded ammo, it is in rotary-type tumblers and not vibratory tumblers. In vibratory tumblers, live ammunition settles down at the bottom and gets the most direct vibration since it is not suspended in the media.

Rotary tumblers are much gentler on primer compounds and powder granules.

quote:

Originally posted by DonD:
All the reloading sources I've seen like Sierra do not recommend tumbling ammo. What a manufacturer does, doesn't relate to what someone in their shop does. Don

Do not forget that most (if not all) gun manufacturers recommend against shooting handloads.

As with the tumbling, it is about their lawyers avoiding unfounded lawsuits.

quote:

Originally posted by m1gunner:

quote:

Originally posted by DonD:
All the reloading sources I've seen like Sierra do not recommend tumbling ammo. What a manufacturer does, doesn't relate to what someone in their shop does. Don

Do not forget that most (if not all) gun manufacturers recommend against shooting handloads.

As with the tumbling, it is about their lawyers avoiding unfounded lawsuits.

Very good point indeed. Its cyoa disclosures.

Going forward, and as I've commented before in another one of these very same threads...

The local (individual) commercial reloader in this area says that he one; lubes the cases on everything he loads and two; everything he loads goes into the tumbler.

Seems to me one our members tested this a few years ago and found no changes to velocities. He also disassembled tumbled rounds and could not see any changes to the powder. As I recall, he tried several loads and a variety of tumbling times. He used a vibratory cleaner.

I searched but did not come up with the thread.

I don't tumble reloaded ammo...on the general principle that it won't to the round much good, imo.

There have been enough cases of ammo that has been mislaid/forgotten for a season or two under the seat or wherever of pickups and atvs, where truly remarkable things have happened when they have been used. Rare, but it is enough to make a person wonder.

Some think that the powder grains, jostling in the cases, abrade each other, rubbing coatings off, and/or breaking the grains down into finer particles, which change the burning rate.

It's like the detonation that is supposed to occur from reducing loads of stick powders below some undiscovered minimum. Nobody knows why it happens, but there have been enough experiences to avoid what is thought to cause it.

It's always best to err on the side of safety.

I occasionally tumble loaded ammo. It will not hurt anything to tumble for fifteen minutes. I would NOT suggest to tumble all day (I believe that could lead to "unintended consequences"). It is all a matter of just using common sense.

Fifteen minutes cleans the loaded ammo but I FAITHFULLY shut off after fifteen minutes.

If your ammo is not greasy (using Lars Red Carnauba bullet lube, I have cleaner ammo than when I used NRA formula alox/beeswax). I no longer NEED to tumble.

Dale53