WET TUMBLING - VERY IMPRESSIVE

[Vortec MAX]

I use 2.5 hours for everything... 9mm, 45 ACP, 38 Special, 45 Colt, 308 Win, or 5.56mm. I deprime using a universal decapping die (Lyman is my favorite) before throwing them in so that the primer pockets get cleaned too. I fill the barrel to within 1.25" of the top with hot water (but cold probably works too), then I add 3 Tablespoons of non-concentrated Dawn dish soap and 1/4 Teaspoon of Lemi-Shine. If you put the soap in first, it will suds up when you add the water.

You only want to put in about two pounds of brass with five pounds of pins for optimal results. I have pushed that to 2.5 or even 3 pounds with no ill effects, but I usually run for 3 hours if I do. Two pounds is about (200) 45 ACP cases or (100) 308 Win cases (actually the 308s will be over 2 pounds). I buy these white baskets in a three pack at Wal-Mart and just use them as a measuring cup for brass. If it fits in the basket, it goes in. The baskets are approximately 6" x 4" x 2.5" high. They are also good for sorting brass.

Then I place a Sifting Pan that is small enough to catch the pins into the sink and pour the whole barrel into it. I then rinse the brass with the hose sprayer and then fill the sink partway up with water. I then pick them out two at a time, turning them upside down under water as I remove them, and place them in another pan. I inspect the flash holes as I pull them out because sometimes a pair of pins will get lodged in the hole. Turning them upside down under water makes the pins fall out easily. Out of water, the water tension can make the pins "stick" inside the cases. After pulling them all out, I put the pan into the clothes dryer on the shoe rack (accessory) and run it on high for about 10 to 15 minutes. The brass comes out looking like new.

To make it really pop, and prevent tarnishing, you can run it in a vibratory tumbler with untreated corn cob for an hour. I drizzle a teaspoon of a half-and-half mix of Nu Finish car wax and no-odor mineral spirits on the corn cob first. They come out super shiny and slick so they go through the dies easily.

One other tip: Don't put different sizes of brass in at the same time. For example, 45 ACP is OK to run with 45 Colt, but not OK to run with 9mm. You will spend some time separating the different size cases otherwise, and they don't get as clean if they are stuck together.

And that's how I do it.

Mike

 

[03Fatboy]

I don't really like reloading, but it's necessary. I don't use the tumbler, just me, don't care for the dust or mess. I use a wet tumbler and SST pins, it works for me, I run the brass for 30-45 minutes per session. I don't waste my time de-priming brass prior to cleaning either and I only reload for pistol.

 

[oldman10mm]

I know 11 hours was too much/long,but I wasn't about to get up in the middle of the night to shut it off. My next batch is going in for the 3-4 hour run.

 

[Deadctr]

Lizard litter from pet store or Walmart is walnut shell. Much cheaper than the stuff sold by the tumbler folks. Dillion's rapid polish works well, as does car polish.

+1, pet store nutshells, and a squirt of nu finish car wax. No drying required.

 

[Deadctr]

Great info! I thought I had it all figured out because I've been buying corn cob pet bedding from WalMart for years. I'd like to give walnut a try, though.

I picked up some of that corn cob pet bedding when i started reloading. Word to the wise; corn cob pet bedding used to tumble 223......fills the 223 shell with corn cobs. That was a long night. Dumped the corn cob stuff in the garden.

 

[venomballistics]

Reloading is like painting the house. Some guys really enjoy it and some guys do it only because it has to be done. I reload only to shoot - can't say I love it. Therefore the simpler and easier the process the better it is for me.

My real joy now-days is in Smithing and precision shooting, be it Bullseye or Combat. Reloading to me is strictly a necessity. Not that I turn out sub par ammo, but as long as it works reliably, looks respectable and is accurate, it is OK by me. Still ....... when I saw this Brass wet tumbled I was jealous......

I live in both camps depending on whats being loaded.
the developments and experiments .. still love this part.
short runs of special collection stuff .. love it.
but the standard "shoot it till ya puke" ball .... the love lies in seeing that rain from a progressive.

 

[bbqncigars]

I deprime with my AP and a Lee universal deprimer. All I have to do is feed brass into the shell plate and pull the lever. After tumbling in some hot water w/Lemishine and some liquid car wash/wax, they go into the Frankford media separator. It's a ball that has axles which ride on top of a filled bucket of water. So far, the back-and-forth through the water has released all the pins. The brass is then dumped onto a bath towel and massaged. Then dumped into a dehydrator for a bit. Lube, load, and a brief tumble in walnut + mineral spirits (lube removal) and they're good.

 

[cmichini]

I know 11 hours was too much/long,but I wasn't about to get up in the middle of the night to shut it off. My next batch is going in for the 3-4 hour run.

I run my wet tumbling in my Harbor Frieight dual drum tumbler for about 1+1/2 hours and they come out looking just like new.

I separate using a cheap colander from Walmart, and lay on a towel to dry. I don't need my brass immediately after tumbling (if you do - you need more brass ), so an overnight drying on the towel works for me.

 

[Moonman]

I've been WET TUMBLING WITH SS PINS for over 3 years now, earlier this year I switched from using Dawn to using ARMOUR-ALL WASH & WAX along with a touch of LEMI-SHINE liquid RINSE (dish-washing soap area at WalMart).