The Original CZ Forum
GENERAL => Ammunition, questions, and handloading techniques => Topic started by: M1A4ME on February 05, 2019, 04:19:32 PM
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Shot that XM177 looking 9MM carbine again Sunday afternoon.
Came home, sorted the brass, dropped the 9MM and .223 brass we found in the vibratory cleaner with crushed walnut shells for 3 hrs on the timer and headed into the house.
Came out Monday morning, sorted through the brass and put all the still blackened looking 9MM brass back in the vibratory cleaner and set the timer for 4 hours. Then went in the house for the nigt.
Came out this morning, sorted through the brass again, picked out a few that looked decent and put the rest back in the vibratory cleaner again, for 4 hrs.
Came back this afternoon and still have mostly black stained brass for about 1/4 to 1/3 of the brass on the case mouth end.
Anyone have a method for getting that powder stain/burn mark off without having to run the vibratory cleaner more than 11 hrs?
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I run mine in the vibratory cleaner for 1 hour with walnut shells, then reload them the way they are, some are blackened some are shiny brass. they both shoot the same. We shoot about 17,000 - 20,000 a year no need to worry about having shiny brass.
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It doesn't have to be "perfect", I just didn't want a buildup to start building up, or give corrosion a place to start.
I try to run the brass through a "run" with the crushed walnut shells and some car wax every so often to put something on the case to protect it a little bit longer. I'm not sure if wax over the powder burn will have the same effect as wax on clean brass.
Then again, maybe it won't matter if I shoot it up fast enough and reload it again.
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I use a brass cleaner in my vibratory cleaner with corn cob media.
Works well for me.
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I've used dawn dishwashing liquid. Let them soak awhile then into the tumbler.
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I'll have to give those ideas a try. That blowback action really tosses some dirty/burned looking brass out.
But it is fun to shoot.
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Regarding 9mm or even the filthy, suppressed 300BLK rounds
First, using walnut always seems like a wasted step to me because 1) it doesn't polish, and 2) it's dusty. Could be that your media itself is too old and dirty.
Using fresh Hornady corn cob media by itself should be sufficient after a few hours, but if you add Flitz media additive or even the Hornady brand polish, you won't believe the results.
A lot of guys tout how great the wet tumblers are...and they are fantastic. But corn cob with the polish is JUST as good without the wet cleanup.
Water and dish soap not required.
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Corncob in the 9mm cases might be alright. I've got a bunch left over from an attempt to use it on .223 and .308 cases several years ago. Got tired of the work required to dig it out of some of the cases in every batch that seemed to suck it in and then pack it tight.
Never got around to trying it with the straight walled pistol cases.
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What size corn cob do you have?
I've used the 20/40 with pretty good success in bottle necked rifle cases. You do have to take them out right away and shake them pretty good, but it seems to work OK.
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Don't know the particle/chunk size. I do know I transferred it to some big old pretzel jugs to keep anything from chewing through the bag in the shed.
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For Brass that's EXTREMELY dirty, I've resorted to doing a wet clean before tumbling.
Procedure goes as following:
1) Place Brass in Bucket, and fill with Apple Cider Vinegar.
2) Agitate Bucket for 7 minutes max time.
3) Strain Brass from Apple Cider Vinegar and dump Brass in Bucket of Cold Water
4) Agitate Brass in the Cold Water for about 3 Minutes or so
5) Strain Brass from Cold Water and dump Brass into Bucket of Hot Water with Dawn Dish Soap in it
6) Agitate Brass in the Dish Soap Water for about 5 minutes or so
7) Strain Brass from the Dish Soap Water and dump Brass into Bucket of Cold Water
8 ) Agitate Brass in the Cold Water for about 3 minutes or so
9) Strain Brass from the Cold Water and allow to dry before tumbling.
10) Tumble Polish Brass for about an hour or as needed
Note: De-priming Brass before Wet Clean will allow Primer Pockets to also come clean
Also, an Ultra-Sonic Cleaner works very well for the Vinegar and Soap steps, but is not necessary.
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The dust from ground walnut and corn cob media made such a mess in my basement reloading room I switched to a Frankford arsenal wet tumbler a few years ago. I load up the barrel with about 20 lb. of fired brass and wet tumble for 1 1/2 hours then dump and rinse before going to my Dillon media separator 1/2 full of hot water for a few spins to separate the steel pins. My last step is to dry the clean cases in a large 12 tray food dehydrator for about an hour. I have found that the steel pins aren't needed for most pistol brass. The only downside to the wet tumbler is the brass is so clean a light case lube is needed.
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So I guess I'll add my 2 cents worth! I have used 2/3 Green Lyman Treated Corn Cob & 1/3 of the Red Treated Walnut and its killer! It works great, lasts a long time and very little if any dust until its whipped/worn out! Got this ideal from a buddy that probably loads 50K 9mm/45acp a year! I have been using it for several years now with great results, yea the Lyman brand costs a little more but for me, its the buy once/cry once situation, the stuff works that good I feel & if you buy the BIG box's of it they are pretty fair priced. When the media gets a little wore out I'll start throwing dryer sheets in with it and that helps. I understand the whole Wet super shiny tumbling thing but waaay too much messing around for me,, I'm all about fewer steps, not more,,LOL ! Give it a try I think you will be pleasantly surprised on how well this works.
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The dust from ground walnut and corn cob media made such a mess in my basement reloading room I switched to a Frankford arsenal wet tumbler a few years ago.
I'd highly advise against doing any tumbling or separating of media inside the house. Due to the heavy metals in the dust, that's really NOT a very good idea.
;)
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I use a Hf rock tumbler and stainless steel pin media with dawn dish soap and a little citric acid . The brass comes out like new after couple hours
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Detergent and a bucket is all you need to get the brass clean. I drop mine into a small bucket with hot water and
let is soak for a few hours (or overnight, if I forget), rinse with hot water and I'm done. If I want to shine 'em up
a bit more, 15 seconds in a vinegar/salt mixture and another rinse is all it takes. I can't think of a reason to buy
a tumbler.
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The reason to buy a tumbler with corn cob media and brass polish is because all you have to do is dump the brass in and walk away for a while. When you come back you run it through your separator for about 20 seconds, and you're completely finished with brass that looks brand new.
No dealing with water, no dealing with waiting on something to dry, you just pour it for one bucket into the other a couple of times and use a separator. The one downside is that you have to purchase the equipment, but it's really a one-time purchase and corn cob media and polish don't really cost significantly more than soap
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Well, got my PVC tumbler/tube/can finished up a couple days ago.
Can't take credit for it, I think it was someone here that sent me a link, or posted it in another thread, about a PVC pipe project he'd put together.
bought a two ft. section, cut it into two about 9.5' long pieces with a shorter piece left over.
Got a cap and gorilla glued it inside (might have to redo that, but it held through the first run) and a test cap for the load/unload end.
Filled it about half full of the dirty 9Mm brass and some dirty .223 brass this morning. Added water, a tablespoon of lemi-shine and set the timer for 3 hrs. Cold this morning. The slick PVC pipe was slipping on the rubber shaft cover on the driven shaft of the Harbor Freight rock tumbler. Put 5 rubber bands around the PVC tube. Helped a little. Tilted the tumbler base up a little bit to shift the weight heavier on the driven shaft and it was good to go.
Came back about 4 hrs. later and opened it up. Beautiful 9MM and .223 brass that was wet and needed to be separated from the SS pins. Got that done, put the pins in the drying jug (clear pretzel container with holes drilled in the bottom and holes drilled in the lid and set it in the sun. Segregated the brass and put the .223 brass in one vibratory cleaner and the 9MM brass in the other (to dry it out and shine if up a bit).
I need to buy some vinegar and see if soaking it in the vinegar or vinegar and Dawn for a little bit will remove the smoke stains without having to use the pins and then separate everything afterwards.
Reason for the PVC tube = one of the two Harbor Freight containers had started turning the brass black (I guess the inside has deteriorated some.)
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I need to buy some vinegar and see if soaking it in the vinegar or vinegar and Dawn for a little bit will remove the smoke stains without having to use the pins and then separate everything afterwards.
Nix on the Vinegar AND Dawn idea, as the Vinegar WILL neutralize the Dawn. IF you go the Vinegar route be sure to use Apple Cider Vinegar, as it seems to be more effective, and 7 minutes of exposure should be all that's needed. Note that my previously posted process has both inside and outside of the cases coming clean.
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Thanks. I just figured the Dawn might help with some of the cleaning/dissolving of the crud stuck to the case walls.
I've got to get some dog food today on the way back from the gym (big boy is eating a lot, he's still growing and it's winter time) so I need to make a store list or I'll forget to grab a gallon of the ACV.
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I load too many to tumble. I clean a bucket of range brass at a time, 1000s. First I deprime on a dedicated press. Then I dump it all in a larger 5 gal bucket with some dish soap and water. Aggregate, let sit a half hour, aggregate and rinse well. I let it drain in a big spaghetti strainer. This gets the loose stuff off. Next I get two gal of citrus degreaser from Home Depot. Back in the bucket with this full strength. Aggregate occasionally and let it in there for a few hours. Drain and rinse as before. I reclaim the cleaner for next use. Citric acid in the degreaser is an excellent brass cleaner and all but the oldest dirtiest brass comes out very clean even inside with no harm like vinegar can do. I dry in foil trays, winter over my pellet stove, summer in the sun.
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I've got something (bad) going on. Not sure, yet, exactly what it is.
Took the brass out of the new tumbler tube and it looked real good. Separated it, got the SS pins out of it, shook most of the water off of it and dropped the 9MM in one vibratory cleaner and the .223 in the other one (crushed walnut shell media). I set the timer for a couple hours and turned them on and walked out of the garage. Been drying brass like this for a two or three years.
Came back the next morning, dumped the brass/media into the separator and then pulled the brass out. The brass, not all of it but a substantial part of both calibers, has black/dark gray stains on it. Those were not visible when I took the brass out of the wet/SS tumbler.
I set the vibratory cleaners for another 4 hrs. and dropped the brass back in.
Not sure, at this point, whether the media isn't drying out due to the cold temperatures and the moist media contact with the brass is tarnishing them over night or, the media is so dirty it's somehow staining the brass.
I've got to do all this again and dump one vibratory cleaner and put new media in it and see if the one with new media gives me shiny brass with no tarnish. I need to insure the old material in the other unit is dry first, so I have DRY dirty media and DRY clean media for the test.
I still need to look at the brass after the 4 hr. extra polishing to see if it finally came clean (dumped it yesterday, didn't really sort through it.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5y_dsP3dsM
Here's how Jerry Miculek cleans brass...
I think I'm going to buy a cement mixer.
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Well, I set the vibratory cleaners outside in the sun and ran them about 4 hrs. to circulate/dry the media (as much as it would in that time).
I was running the same batches of 9MM and .223 brass in the SS pins/water/lemishine rock tumbler again. That brass came out as shiny as new brass.
I put the 9MM brass in the cleanest (still looks like the new stuff in the bag) and the .223 brass in the darker (dirty) looking crushed walnut shell media and set the timer for 3 hrs.
I'll look at in the morning and see if clean/dirty makes any difference.
I the dirty media brass is nasty again I'll dump the media. If both are nasty I'll still dump the dirty stuff and try to dry out the cleaner looking stuff with a heat gun and repeat this stuff for the third time.
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Maybe the issue is letting sit overnight in the damp media.
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Hopefully I'll have some different results later this morning when I go check. I left the brass in the cleaners all night but I don't know if the media truly dried yesterday (then again, the brass wasn't dry when I put it in them last night and hit the buttons on the timer.
Could be, in the summer, the media dries out pretty quickly due to the temps, but stays damp much longer in the winter. We'll see.
If it looks bad this morning I may have to just wait till summer months to do the really nasty brass - or come up with a brass drying method for winter months.
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I have about 85% of the material to build one of these. Just need the remaining 15%....... and some free time.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/How_i_built_my_own_rotary_tumbler/42-344986/
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Watching the JM video it occurred to me that I rinsed the brass/tumbler drum out several times before pulling the brass out.
I hadn't been doing that the last couple of times when I had the gray/black tarnish show up later. And, as we know, the water in the drum is very dark gray/black at the end of a run. I may have really loaded up the walnut media with crud in the previous 3 or 4 runs.
So many variables (I know some of you guys love it) that it would take some time to run several trials to see (absolutely for sure) what is going on. I'll be happy if the brass is nice and shiny this morning. Might as well head out and see.
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I have about 85% of the material to build one of these. Just need the remaining 15%....... and some free time.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/How_i_built_my_own_rotary_tumbler/42-344986/
? For those of you not gifted with metal cutting tools, let me point out that a similar frame made of 2x4's will work just as well... maybe even better. The trick for a long lasting wooden frame is to assemble it with 3" long deck screws, and not nails.
? By standing the 2x4 on edge and presenting the broad face, opens up another area of cost saving. In place of buying bearings pre-mounted in metal frames, as the guy on AR15.Com did, you can bore 1-1/8" holes in the wood and use "flanged bearings" such as THESE ON EBAY (https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-OF-4-FLANGED-BEARINGS-1-3-8-OD-x-1-2-ID-CARTS-SHELVES-OTHER-PROJECTS/140739813717?hash=item20c4bf2155:g:GNUAAOSwq7JT~MBb:rk:10:pf:0). That will save you half the cost of the bearings.
Those bearings have 1/2" ID and can be used with 1/2" shafts. 1/2" should be easy to find V-belt pulleys (sheaves) for.
By placing the flange of the bearing on the inside, the wooden frame would capture and locate both shafts. I've shown the short shaft (with bearings) removed from the wooden frame to help better explain.
Would then look like this...
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6lxDXuBcITy1JUTn_wE_yiXL9qCtdbEnOkgphDkKLB31gDl_fXRwAe7geDpqTJHuMFXa6Q92Rcokz05GqQadljGe2SZ3TeXuWRrDXNMRH_gN6AGQAAMwS5c22zzaZeM_gtJsfSK2WCAgssC-6OUkFKoLpNsOaJqpPey5_c1HqhKwP4AUVwQ7Uq_0F9Q7fTQZP2ueIPTwVg843NM348rojk0hwQK5xxNcW6-2no6ve3DunMOPrTjYRLTqtk1ELLwk7W57YUckbrSla-k8FvseyEmBJrB-DgcvnyUTVUYM8rzC9x8OZQnZGeblQ77OVGaMGrF93JvKsRJpBNZmMNgt2nO9VVAoET62swAwbffwX_3v2oeNMGJ_EydzBD3ok0BcXemcraSr59vp-EGAhA4daQR1GKDK6MadqBuw4yAjI53Gzp8pJivoIkYtzCyswibIhtGj2TrvY6qCumfNAdXbb3ca35d8YdHxS6dNmwHis1EMMZ3QfHLpA4fiKcKXB1DgPy9rdMne1IyHUogim0gahJrDmbQn3Hpf_rPClsHQ8V1exdwzK8U-YAyh1gQUL-4m7pSfZXVe8JKYuKRi6Fg4D8-UW_XJ6r5SjmCfBzjMhbM4D3mU5xjwzDvUE0an8B6Xw7hWhaf8GKUoV45LOWu1yXd8pp0MYho=w832-h645-no)
;)
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I have about 85% of the material to build one of these. Just need the remaining 15%....... and some free time.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/How_i_built_my_own_rotary_tumbler/42-344986/
Thanks for posting that link. A guy I shoot with built something similar, I've been contemplating it, just too lazy to lay it out myself. (read that as too many other fires burning).
Now if I can get past the contemplating part.
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? For those of you not gifted with metal cutting tools, let me point out that a similar frame made of 2x4's will work just as well... maybe even better. The trick for a long lasting wooden frame is to assemble it with 3" long deck screws, and not nails.
? By standing the 2x4 on edge and presenting the broad face, opens up another area of cost saving. In place of buying bearings pre-mounted in metal frames, as the guy on AR15.Com did, you can bore 1-1/8" holes in the wood and use "flanged bearings" such as THESE ON EBAY (https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-OF-4-FLANGED-BEARINGS-1-3-8-OD-x-1-2-ID-CARTS-SHELVES-OTHER-PROJECTS/140739813717?hash=item20c4bf2155:g:GNUAAOSwq7JT~MBb:rk:10:pf:0). That will save you half the cost of the bearings.
Those bearings have 1/2" ID and can be used with 1/2" shafts. 1/2" should be easy to find V-belt pulleys (sheaves) for.
;)
Thanks for the link to the flanged gearings.
However, Ummm, I don't think my welder will work on the wood.
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Well, the 9MM brass was put into the clean looking walnut shell media and this morning it was really pretty. Used that for the 9MM because there was 150/200 pieces vs. about 40 pieces of dirty/stained .223 brass.
Pull the .223 brass out of the dirty/dark media and it looked better than the last two runs (flushing water or drying out the media prior to the run?? I don't know, maybe a combination of both) but still had some light gray staining on it.
I dumped the really dirty media and put new stuff (crushed walnut shells) into that vibratory cleaner and dropped the couple of boxes of .223 brass into the same cleaner the 9Mm brass came out of, then set the timer for 4 hrs.
Even if I can't say for sure what was causing the problem I know how to keep from repeating it.
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I added a graphic to my last post on page 2.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6lxDXuBcITy1JUTn_wE_yiXL9qCtdbEnOkgphDkKLB31gDl_fXRwAe7geDpqTJHuMFXa6Q92Rcokz05GqQadljGe2SZ3TeXuWRrDXNMRH_gN6AGQAAMwS5c22zzaZeM_gtJsfSK2WCAgssC-6OUkFKoLpNsOaJqpPey5_c1HqhKwP4AUVwQ7Uq_0F9Q7fTQZP2ueIPTwVg843NM348rojk0hwQK5xxNcW6-2no6ve3DunMOPrTjYRLTqtk1ELLwk7W57YUckbrSla-k8FvseyEmBJrB-DgcvnyUTVUYM8rzC9x8OZQnZGeblQ77OVGaMGrF93JvKsRJpBNZmMNgt2nO9VVAoET62swAwbffwX_3v2oeNMGJ_EydzBD3ok0BcXemcraSr59vp-EGAhA4daQR1GKDK6MadqBuw4yAjI53Gzp8pJivoIkYtzCyswibIhtGj2TrvY6qCumfNAdXbb3ca35d8YdHxS6dNmwHis1EMMZ3QfHLpA4fiKcKXB1DgPy9rdMne1IyHUogim0gahJrDmbQn3Hpf_rPClsHQ8V1exdwzK8U-YAyh1gQUL-4m7pSfZXVe8JKYuKRi6Fg4D8-UW_XJ6r5SjmCfBzjMhbM4D3mU5xjwzDvUE0an8B6Xw7hWhaf8GKUoV45LOWu1yXd8pp0MYho=w832-h645-no)
I'd go simple, and use LocTite thread locker to locate and hold the bearings onto the shafts. Or if you were really good at cutting your heat shrink (which you need to get traction between the shafts and container), then the heat shrink could locate the bearings.
There is no axial thrust created by rotating the container, so locating the shafts in the bearings does not require set screws or a lot of other expensive hardware like bearing collars and such.
KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid !!
Just my 2 cents.
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New one...
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Fry6KKggj-VPb1jp64bwwyH9_pNg3CEW_quh7V0IbH-9PkAESG1nEYbjzS03u8sQXihKmlouvKBCmRgITEpJyxi3u9f4LfVsjgxKjfia1A-30cyDizBHEKp_JmQo1Odizc9BGSTXhpa67lKxz_mdNH2DNnILYWSuC9azCXEOnDjlxUYEXa7uz1rLMUi0exUYwdTNJuY7-BAHhMcOg-W_eZSdeanqJxcE8LdaRlQdfzq-YrZGfVFJeQVUAgGeMbtiFfG8VDzLwTQTCOAnYVdUnurLn3bVxe38Qda-JYqKbqWsbnEqVF0zl95_OnwdMvmS7beOKDU-NzkwgpX-MO4SO_zIl79isg3RgmObBu5f5I3FgpWof0KVPyLpkVFQbsI_qXuD4p1_p08T6uBBWouNBmSDHPiA-MeVfFdr5rbDxpJ7wPjNasBxEn1jpo-2XPPRfGM8aidV_IN8aYWto76mzMuYghzWoOGhRJ0O4r_WTRzgxErvAwMzi1wJdmlt2MKnp8vZpUaD6OhZVnn_hgnDAfxQLzHVBtEELSFzGv-QW1PlAokJCKIToFp3RisbyxRdHDfuFdpb4CJZwYUd1dhYcagArvSqjXdZJmpsLmkinRF0ge5AnTDMspfeuOrWZMoRvZqN10tsNzsZi3ARvRWGKgyE16pbxeQ=w1201-h671-no)
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I have about 85% of the material to build one of these. Just need the remaining 15%....... and some free time.
? For those of you not gifted with metal cutting tools, let me point out that a similar frame made of 2x4's will work just as well... maybe even better.
Since I prefer self centering & grease-able pillow block bearings, I'm going down the more robust road.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/UCP201-8-Pillow-Block-Bearing-1-2-Bore-2-Bolt-Solid-Base-4PCS-/222263606513?hash=item33bff17cf1
I already own non-gifted metal working tools and equipment (which I utilize for a much larger hobby of mine), it should be an enjoyable welded project ..... when I can find the time.
Sorry for the slight hijack M1A
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Hey, I don't have hijack issues. I'm as guilty as the next guy.
And, you guys have got me thinking about building a bigger tumbler. My new tube (PVC one I just finished) has more internal space than the two small HF versions that came with my tumbler. It may be fine. With the smaller units I was sometimes running 2 two container batches a day for a couple/three days when I ran across a particularly nasty batch of brass (had that happen last summer with some GI 7.62X51 brass and can only speculate why it looked okay when I separated it by headstamp and then a couple months later some of it was turning greenish/black).
Sometimes a BIG unit might be handy.
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Yes, there's no problem building a larger tumbler frame for a bigger container. The real problem is finding a larger container with parallel sides.
I guess a really smart guy could figure out the taper in a standard 5 gal bucket and make some wheels for the small end so that the bucket would run straight on the rollers.
Hmmmm.
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The one in that arfcom thread looked like larger diameter PVC pipe with a transition/neckdown piece glued (screwed??) to one end and a big cap on the other. It's got a sort of water jug shape to it.
I only wet clean the really nasty stuff. Usually, when I come back from the range, I sort the brass and toss it in the vibratory cleaners that evening. Waited one time, after a hot/humid/nasty trip and a few days later the brass was turning green from the sweat/salts, etc. Did a lot of wet/ss pin cleaning after that debacle.
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Yes, there's no problem building a larger tumbler frame for a bigger container. The real problem is finding a larger container with parallel sides.
I guess a really smart guy could figure out the taper in a standard 5 gal bucket and make some wheels for the small end so that the bucket would run straight on the rollers.
Hmmmm.
Do we know anyone with math skilllz? ;D
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So I guess I'll add my 2 cents worth! I have used 2/3 Green Lyman Treated Corn Cob & 1/3 of the Red Treated Walnut and its killer! It works great, lasts a long time and very little if any dust until its whipped/worn out! Got this ideal from a buddy that probably loads 50K 9mm/45acp a year! I have been using it for several years now with great results, yea the Lyman brand costs a little more but for me, its the buy once/cry once situation, the stuff works that good I feel & if you buy the BIG box's of it they are pretty fair priced. When the media gets a little wore out I'll start throwing dryer sheets in with it and that helps. I understand the whole Wet super shiny tumbling thing but waaay too much messing around for me,, I'm all about fewer steps, not more,,LOL ! Give it a try I think you will be pleasantly surprised on how well this works.
I apologize but I can't help myself! :o I never realized that such a simple thing as cleaning some brass could turn into such a project of unprecedented size! Yes tons of good info and lots of ways to go about cleaning brass, but man oh man guys, it looks like its taking 3 days to clean some brass,,LOL Not really but this is turning into a bigger project than in ever should be. I understand some guys/gals want need it to look like new every time and that's fine if that's what ya want, BUT it can be a one/two step ordeal really. Anyways, I'll shut up and mind my own business but I did "quote" and repost my thoughts on the whole ordeal. If it didn't work fantastic and faaaast I would keep to myself. Hope I didn't step on any toes. :)
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I process thousands of rounds each month and just use Lyman green treated corn cob media. I have spoken to the people at Dillon before about wet tumbling pistol brass and they do not recommend it unless you lube the brass prior to running it through the press like with rifle cases. Per Dillon it causes the complaint of "my brass sticks on my powder die". The treated corn cob media with polishing compound coats the brass acting like a case lube allowing easier operation through the press. Brass does not need to "look like new" and be nice and shiny for good reloading results. We are reloading ammo not making jewelry.
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I use a brass cleaner in my vibratory cleaner with corn cob media.
Works well for me.
Me too. Lyman liquid case polish. Add a couple of capfuls to the untreated corn cob. Run it a few minutes then add brass. Really filthy brass usually gets 4 hours on the timer. Comes out literally better than new. Retreat the media maybe every 10th time I use it. I use the same corn cob media a couple years, cleaning a couple hundred rounds a week.
The OCD in me has added one more step. I have a second vibratory cleaner containing clean un treated media. Cases come out of the 1st unit shiny but perhaps a little hazy or greasy. They then go into the second unit for 15 minutes. That does a beautiful job of buffing away the haze and absorbing any excess polish. Basically wax on/wax off.
When the treated media finally becomes too broken down and filthy, I discard it. I take the media from unit 2, add polish and it becomes my stage 1 media. New media goes in unit 2 and I'm good for another couple years.
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I lube all cases I'm reloading, even those going through carbide dies.
I own some expensive European bolt action rifles and want my cases to be as clean as possible, my semi-auto stuff not so much. But hey, as long as I have the equipment might as well do all of it. Pretty simple really, some soap & water wash...fresh water rinse.. dry (like doing dishes). Really doesn't take much more time than doing media tumbling and without the dust.
I myself can't find anything wrong with bright shiny jewelry looking brass plus it gives me the pleasure of building something else useful in my shop.
ymmv
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I only do a small fraction of the brass I reload. Thru the water/ss pin/lemi shine/rock tumbler cleaning. All of it goes through the vibratory cleaner prior to be resized and the rifle brass goes again after resizing to remove the traces of resizing lubricant (been doing it that way for years but if I determine that's part of my problem this time I might stop doing that.)
The brass that goes through the water/ss pins/lemi shine/rock tumbler is a combination of range pickup brass that is badly discolored/slight corrosion either all over or just in areas that the vibratory cleaners will not remove. I sometimes run brass 4 to 8 hours and then give up and put the really dirty pieces that won't come clean in the heavy duty cleaner.
This time there was some 9MM brass from the AR15 carbine that is blow back operated. Right at half the brass case is black and the crushed walnut shell media/vibratory cleaner won't take it off even after 8 hours. That stuff has got to build up over time if not removed.
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Brass fired in a auto gun with a fluted chamber or fired in a 9mm carbine with a blow back system is the worst nasty burned brass to clean. The only way I've found to clean it is to wet tumble with stainless steel pins the tumbler I use will clean 22 pounds per load. Some people deprime their brass before cleaning I don't. I clean and rinse then dry in the sun or a large food dehydrator it takes about 3 hours total per load.
I've got about 60 pounds of 9mm brass to clean next week and I'm going to try a new cleaning concentrate from DVC Armory it's said to only take 10 min. I'll let you know if it works.