What are merits of different grain size tumbling media?

[Czechbikr]

I started out washing brass with primers in in Dawn and RealLemon, then tried adding phosphoric acid.  Don't do that.  I was getting some separation of the alloy indicated with shiny silver spots on the cases.  I still used them, but quit the acid.   

Bought a FA vibrator kit with corn cob included.  Noisy, dusty and takes hours to finish.  It included the salad spinner to separate the brass and media.  Media can stick in the primer pockets and I also tumbled some finished 38 Special rounds that were loaded with semi jacketed HP...had media stuck in the HP.  Now you can add NuFinish, a capful to a load of polish to the new media and tumble it in for 10-15 minutes.  Also taking a used dryer sheet, cut in strips and added to the media while tumbling to catch dust and carbon.  Media lasts longer, dust is reduced.  After the corn cob was gone I bought walnut lizard media at WalMart.  Like BangBang said, the walnot cuts and cleans better and faster, leaves a matte finish instead of a polish.

Then I bought a dual drum rock tumbler at HF after the vibrator blew out a bearing.  Started using SS pins with Dawn and LemiShine (or any other citrus based dishwasher booster).  Great results, quieter operation and shorter time in process.  I dry them in a flat colander type tray that I hope lasts forever since I can't find them anywhere else.  Some folks use food dehydrators bought at garage sales for a few bucks.  I keep looking but people always was 30.00 +/- and that close to full price.  I raise my flat vented tray up on the bench, have a small clamp fan and brooder (clamp) light with a 100w bulb pointed at them and they dry spotless in maybe an hour...insode and out, primer pockets and all.  My brass looks like new Starline when I am done. 

Two keys to getting spotless and shiny brass that won't tarnish.   I now have a FA Platinum wet drum tumbler that is pretty much bulletproof, holds maybe 20# of brass, water, Dawn ...I am finding the LemiShine is not so important.  What is important is a cap or less of a liquid car polish like ArmorAll...I look for whats on sale.  The current bottle is Blue Coral.  The detergent boosts the cleaning of the Dawn and the wax coats the cases so they will not tarnish...also gives a sheeting effect to shed the water.  They run up in the dies better also.

I use the salad spinner to separate the brass and SS pins, spinning and rinsing in cool water.  Then I dump the load from the spinner to the flat colander that has a towel in it.  Flipping and wiping the brass gets 95% of the water gone, then the colander gets set up under the fan and light. 

I've given and traded brass away and people RAVE about my finished product.  It doesn't take much extra time and I like the look.

The walnut is now reserved for polishing the lube off of rifle cases and I use a pretty slick way to lube them for re-sizing also. 

 https://www.harborfreight.com/dual-drum-rotary-rock-tumbler-67632.html

https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Separator-Polishing-Reloading/dp/B00HTN4R6O/ref=pd_lpo_200_t_0/142-5380941-3914128?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00HTN4R6O&pd_rd_r=cf159c7f-5ab7-4f03-b552-166c724fee83&pd_rd_w=mHfsP&pd_rd_wg=Mu2vW&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=3R9YR6Y30M4N5A061H7W&psc=1&refRID=3R9YR6Y30M4N5A061H7W

whew...these have gone up in price since I got mine

Here's my salad spinner...goes in a five gallon bucket.  There are fancier ones, this works.

https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Quick-N-EZ-Separator-Reloading/dp/B004J4B2IW/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=brass+separator&qid=1595159784&sr=8-9

These would probably work for drying

https://www.amazon.com/Collapsible-Colanders-Space-Saving-Vegetables-Multi-Color/dp/B07XTGSF63/ref=sr_1_24?dchild=1&keywords=flat+colander&qid=1595159872&sr=8-24

[mrcabinet]

I tumble with half corn and half walnut, with some polishing powder I got off ebay. I found that just using one or the other wasn't enough to get the results I wanted. Both the corn and walnut I get from one of the giant pet supply stores. I don't de-prime first, and typically run it about 3 hours. I have the tumbler plugged in to a light timer so it will run during the day when everyone is away. Brass comes out clean and shiny - more than adequate for my needs.

I used to use a colander over a bucket to separate brass from the media, but now use a rotary separator {outside!}. I then lay the brass out on a rag, give them a spritz of One Shot and store in plastic containers with tight lids. My brass does not tarnish doing it this way.

[Dan_69GTX]

I always tumble with the primers in and then store the cleaned brass. I notice some folks decap and then tumble. Why?

To get the primer pockets clean.  This helps with consistent ignition of the powder. This is more important on long range rifle than on pistol.

Do you have any comments regarding the OP's question?

[Clint007]

I’ve usEd the armor all Wash and wax, also. It does help reduce the tarnishing. I have not noticed it Being that useful as a lubricant for the cases especially after stainless steel Pin tumbling. I noted the NuFinish was better, but too much of that leaves dried globs inside cases. And it’s an extra step to dry tumble after wet tumbling.

Not too finicky about shiny brass, I can live with the tarnish.  I wet tumble to avoid the primer dust issue with dry tumbling. And, since I’m automated, I’ve noticed very clean brass is easier to QA just before loading.  I like the clean cases with wet tumbling, and I’ve got both a large and small Dillon separator basket. With the tub filled with water that covers the bottom 1-2 inches of the basket, with slow steady rotation, pretty much all pins come out. When I roll the cases In the towel (I always think of Jesus cleaning his bowling ball in the Big Lebowski) Then lay them out to dry, the shop magnet gets the rest of the pins.

Love to find a solution I can rinse my SS pin cleaned brass  in and then dry, that acts as an effective lubricant for sizing and to reduce powder funnel stick.   If it reduces tarnish that’s a nice bonus but not a requirement.

The wrinkle is, most Cheap safe Case lubricant type substances I’ve experimented with haven’t worked well used as a ‘bulk’ solution. Guess that’s the point....they are not water soluble. I’m not going to do chemistry backflips To make this work. i do this in my temp controlled garage for personal use (40-60k 9mm per year) and can live with running outside in the 115 degree heat to spray some one shot into a plastic bin then put the cover on and shake-shake-spin-spin.  Enough gets in inside the case mouths to prevent the stick


I did just order a new powder funnel (still waiting for it) the Alpha Dropper, that supposedly has a coating That reduces that sticking problem....I’ll let you all know if that works as advertised.  But I’d still need a lube for resizing.

[Wobbly]

I did just order a new powder funnel (still waiting for it) the Alpha Dropper, that supposedly has a coating That reduces that sticking problem....I’ll let you all know if that works as advertised.  But I’d still need a lube for resizing.

After a suitable text period, we'll need a review and photos of that device, please.

 

[George16]

I did just order a new powder funnel (still waiting for it) the Alpha Dropper, that supposedly has a coating That reduces that sticking problem....I’ll let you all know if that works as advertised.  But I’d still need a lube for resizing.

Go to the Brian Enos forum. There’s a whole thread about it. I had been using the MBF on my 650 and new to me RL1100 without any problems. I wet tumble and dry tumble. I used Dillon case lube diluted with Heet) so I don’t have any sticking problems.  I then tumble the loaded rounds about 5 minutes to remove the residual case lube.

[Clint007]

We’re a bit off topic now, but to conclude....the Enos forum is where I found out about it in the first place.

I’ve put about 1k round through it now on the Mark7. This powder funnel does reduce the stick.  But....to be specific, it’s a different shape and it’s not really a true traditional  expander/flare tip.  it’s more of a taper and I’m sure this has something to do with the reduction in the sticking. It does still stick a little bit which is evident on my press when I have the digital clutch set very very low. As it sticks and releases on the upstroke it will set off the digital clutch, but it’s far far less than the MBF powder funnel and it has eliminated that issue that was bugging me.

I have several surplus stations on this press and I have a lee expander Plug right before powder drop, so I can cheat. Just like the expander plug on the swage station on a 1050, this is doing some of the expanding before the powder funnel. Mostly, for me,  the powder funnel is adding a little bell for the bullet drop.  I could custom order one of these I would ask for a dedicated flaring funnel end, without expansion. I have that, actually, with several NOE plugs I could put into my Lee universal expander die.but I’m up and running now and need to make a bunch of ammo so it’ll have to wait!
There are so many variables. Everyone’s set up is slightly different. Someone using .356 or .357 coated Bullets who needs more flare to avoid shaving the coating And who needs this funnel to truly Fully expand after resizing  will have a different experience than me.  How deep do you expand? Do you use a U die or not? How big are your bullets? How long do you seat? Mixed brass or sorted? 

Next time I break down my press for cleaning and maintenance I’ll Try do a quick video of the comparison between the MBF and the Alpha Dropper demonstrating the stick-and-release differences on unlubed super clean brass that has NOT been expanded prior to that...just resized. I have not done that myself but my bet is that the difference in the sticking will not be as dramatic as some of the posts on the Enos forum have suggested.

But in summary it’s worth it for me, and it does reduce the sticking, probably from a combo of the shape difference and the coating (not that I can judge the relative contribution).

C

[George16]

I just got my 1100 last week and done setting it up. I have an extra toolhead for processing the brass using an FW decapper and FW Swage foot die. I also sort my brass by headstamp to reduce any variation on the OAL. I like using S&B brass especially for my major loads.

Processing toolhead:
Station 1 - FW Arms decapper
Station 2 - FW Arms Swage foot die

I also use the processing toolhead for processing .223

On my loading toolhead, I have it setup like this:
Station 1 - U-die
Station 2 - Dillon hold down die
Station 3 - priming station
Station 4 - MBF funnel
Station 5 - MBF
Station 6 - Redding Competition die
Station 7 - Dillon taper crimp die

I’m using Precision Delta 124 Gr JHP for competition. For practice, I’m loading RMR 124 Gr plated RN. I called MK7 last month if the S1050 auto drive will work on the RL1100 and the lady said it will but they don’t have any in stock.

Back to our regular programming  ;.