Stainless steel media and cratered primers

[AZ_M&P]

I recently picked up a wet tumbler, and while it works great I'm having a hard time finding a way to dry the tumbling media before rust starts.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Also, check out the primers on this brass I collected the other day... looks like some hot loads yes?

 

[TjB101]

Recommend you deprime before tumbling. It will help to make those pockets clean as can be. Also, I keep the SS media in tumbler covered with a little water... should never rust.

 

[muddocktor]

I spread my SS pins out on a sheet pan and dry them in an oven; works well.

As for those primers in your pic, they look like they were shot out of a Beretta 92 style pistol. Mine leaves the same type of marks on the primer on even moderate loads.

 

[iouri]

Hmm, I've been using SS pins (purchased with thumler's tumbler) for over 5 years never had rust issue. Recently replaced it with FA only did few cycles and pins been sitting for about a month or so - again no rust.

 

[MrG5122]

The rust, if there is any, will tumble off quickly.

 

[socal s&w]

I haven't used my ss pin tumbler in at least 9 months, more like a year. Opened it up tonight to finally use it and there is zero rust inside.
Perhaps your pins aren't really ss?

 

[Racer X]

Stainless is not rustless. The official name for it is CRESS, corrosion RESISTANT stainless steel.

There are some super alloys, sometimes called BSM (bright shiny metal) that don't contain any iron at all.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Different problem: As I cleaned an accumulation of brass before moving, there were a number a 30-06, 303 Brit, 8mm x57, 7.62 x 57R brass that muddober wasps had laid eggs in. The long dead larva stained my pins a grey/purple color!

I rinse my pins after every use, but it took almost a dozen uses to get them bright and shiny again. Worse, the cases didn't get as clean until the pins were like new again.

If I had to do it again, I think I would! I can't see that making me throw away hundreds of good rifle brass! (9mm would probably just get trashed or recycled!)

I've been using wet pins for about 8.5 years. I use a Thumbler's Tumbler and by 10 years I'll need to replace the drum liner. (my original drive belt died this last August.)

Ivan

Ivan

 

[gwpercle]

I dry tumbled in treated walnut shells for several decades , then jumped on the wet tumbling with SS pins bandwagon...

I discovered I didn't really like the water mess in my reloading room and the extra hassle of getting all the cases 100% totally dry .

So I happily went back to dry media , treated walnut shell from Midway and now when they are polished I just take them out and go .
No water mess to add to the humidity in my shop...water just encourages things to rust...Louisiana already has enough humidity and rust...
I enjoy dry better .

Gary

 

[H Richard]

Those primers look just like the 686 (no dash) primers that caused a recall by S&W back in the 80's. Enlarged firing pin hole, allowing the primer to flow back into the hole.

 

[AZ_M&P]

Thanks everyone, lots of good information! I de-prime everything before wet tumbling, and since I just started I haven't had a chance for any of the pins to rust yet. But since SS WILL rust, I just wanted to head it off - and storing the pins in water makes great sense. I've tried all sorts of ways to dry the brass, but we have such hard water that even with Lemi-shine in the mix I still get a film on the brass. I'm not about to start buying distilled water, so I just dry the brass on a towel overnight than give it a quick tumble in the dry tumbler - comes out better than new! I know I don't need to do this, and I've been using dry-tumbled brass for years with dirty insides and primer pockets, but I really like getting them squeaky clean now.

 

[mikld]

Racer X hit on the right answer. Having been owned by a 30' sailboat kept in ocean water, I can agree with the "not really rustless" idea. Some of the better/higher quality SS fittings/rigging is "rustless", but some of the cheaper items will rust. Not as heavy rust as nekkin steel, but some (Chinese?) will get a brown fuzz to light rust/pitting.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

I keep my media in the tumbler w/ some water, which means no rusting.