I have a question for the wise old reloaders

[Deacon_Man]

What do you think of adding BB's or steel shot to my walnut hull in my tumbler. I read here the other day a guy used steel pins that did a good job of cleaning his brass. This just got me to thinking. It seems to me that something like steel shot would do an even better job without removing any brass from the case walls. Tell me what you think about this idea.

Always looking for a better way.......

[steve4102]

The stainless pins are used in a rotary tumbler along with water. Never heard of using them in a vibrating tumbler.

[elkslayer4x5]

Originally Posted by steve4102

The stainless pins are used in a rotary tumbler along with water. Never heard of using them in a vibrating tumbler.

Those stainless pins are spendy as well, and if you don't already have a rotary tumbler.....real spendy! Here's a thought though.. got some old brass on its last reload? Give your idea a try, and let us know how it worked out, you could be on to something.

[howlnmad]

It's worth a try but I'm thinking that the shot will just settle to the bottom and stay there.

[soundguy]

i use rice, treated corn cob media, and fine corn comb media, plus a lil brasso.. makes some beautifull brass.. especially after a quick US cleaning too.

[aa1911]

yeah, I think you would have to use a rotary tumbler to get any results but I like the idea; may be an effective (cheap) alternative to the SS pin system that's out there now. Shot that is bigger than the flashole but smaller than the primer pocket would be ideal I think, say #6 or something close? maybe #4's? or maybe even mixing sizes?

[X Ring]

Don’t know how wise but, I’m sure old enough.
Anything heavy will just settle to the bottom of a vibratory tumbler.
Been there done that.

[steve4102]

Originally Posted by soundguy

i use rice, treated corn cob media, and fine corn comb media, plus a lil brasso.. makes some beautifull brass.. especially after a quick US cleaning too.

Brasso contains Ammonia and is harmful to brass. Do not add Brasso or an other additive that contains Ammonia.

[woolleyworm]

Originally Posted by steve4102

Brasso contains Ammonia and is harmful to brass. Do not add Brasso or an other additive that contains Ammonia.

Ditto that, I have seen the effects and it Does make it brittle. I know there are folks that swear it doesn't, and I am not trying to argue a point. I just don't chose to ignore metalurgists and first hand experiences.

I will say that if , IF you allow the tumbler to run with the lid open for 20-30 min, then the majority of the ammonia will evaporate. (leaving you with about the same formula without ammonia in the first place)

[soundguy]

seems odd that a brass polish would be designed to damage brass?

[312shooter]

The effects of stainless pins in a rotary tumbler are only favorable because they are suspended in water. I would be hesistant to try anything harder than brass dry, the results should be obvious. Aside from corn or walnut and the few safe additives out there, I wouldnt recommend anything else in the vibratory tumblers.

[steve4102]

Originally Posted by soundguy

seems odd that a brass polish would be designed to damage brass?

Doesn't really "Damage" it so the affects can be seen, it leaches out the Zinc causing it to be brittle. Not a problem for your Fire Pole or other brass objects in the home, but a big problem when your brass needs to withstand 50-65,000 PSI.

[soundguy]

hmm.. might make me substitute in some rubbing compound next time and see what that does. with the amonia out of the brasso.. I imagine it's not much mor ethan fine rubbing compound and perhaps a bit of paste wax?

[Deacon_Man]

Have any of you tried adding Comet cleanser? I know it is abrasive powder. Would that not shine up the brass if say it were added to the walnut hull media?

[woolleyworm]

My addage is this, there are specific products designed for specific purposes. With all the choices readily available, why try to re-invent the wheel. Roosters, Lyman, Dillon and other media additives designed just for cartridge brass are just a click away and not expensive.

[soundguy]

and if nobody ever tried anything new, we'd still be chasing down mammoth with sharp sticks and waiting for lightening to strike a tree to get some fire.

Originally Posted by woolleyworm

My addage is this, there are specific products designed for specific purposes. With all the choices readily available, why try to re-invent the wheel. Roosters, Lyman, Dillon and other media additives designed just for cartridge brass are just a click away and not expensive.

[woolleyworm]

Originally Posted by soundguy

and if nobody ever tried anything new, we'd still be chasing down mammoth with sharp sticks and waiting for lightening to strike a tree to get some fire.

I agree that new advances in technology are only made by venturing where no one has gone before. That's also how alot of folks have ended up 6' under. Now I'm not trying to say that you're gonna die if you start experimenting with brass cleaning products, but I'm not a chemist and I don't know how products are going to react with the brass or if any residue is left, how that is going to act with the gunpowder or if it gets on my dies. Granted if it only ruins some brass, then no biggie.

[steve4102]

Originally Posted by soundguy

and if nobody ever tried anything new, we'd still be chasing down mammoth with sharp sticks and waiting for lightening to strike a tree to get some fire.

Do you have any metallurgical testing equipment? You know, equipment that would be able to tell you if your "anything new" was harmful to the brass case. If not, then your experiments may just net you fatigued and failed brass before it's time. Resulting in something as simple as a split neck or two or as catastrophic as a complete case failure handing you a face full of ugly.

You do what you want and experiment all you want. Hope your nice pretty brass treats you well. Me, I'll stick with brass polish designed for ammo brass.

Good luck.

[soundguy]

a piece of space junk might hit my house too. I still sleep pretty good.

adding some rice or an abrasize to some polishing mix is way down on the list of things I worry about.. which by the way.. the top few are the economy and our leadership..

I know a couple old guys that do plenty of mational match relaoding that have some pretty odd ways to do things. I don't do everything they mention as they have decades upon decades more experience than I do.. and that counts for alot.. even simple observation. one of those old guys sets at the range and reloads right there. many times i have seen him use MMO as a lube when he forgot or ran out of regualr case lube.

he's also the one i got the comment about using brass polish or similar, / buffing compound on t he brass. does that prove anything.. not really.

I also US clean all my brass after vibro cleaning.. so 'residue' is not something i'm concerned about.

I carefully inspect all brass and am not a max charge relaoder anyway. questionable brass is crushed with a pair of pliers and tossed into the recycle box.

still no metalurgical equipment, and i'm not a mechanical engineer or a chemical engineer ( am an enginerr.. just not that field ).

I wonder what the firt guy thought when he roasted a coffee bean, ground it up and then poured hot water over it?

plenty of things keep me up at night.. plenty of things don't. guess that's all i'm saying.

I Do however keep good records and keep brass batches segregated and bagged as to gun, and loads, and number of cycles they have been loaded.

when i get a bag that starts experiencing evidence of iminent or actual defects or failures.. I retire that brass BATCH.

risk is a part of life. mitigating it is more of a path than a destination.. everyones at a different location on that path.

i'm probably more at risk stopping to get a soda at a jiffy store at midnight when i get off work in some parts of town... who knows.

might have a heart attack tomorrow or get into a car accident.. ( or my gun might explode on me from some bad brass? )

I try not to dwell too much on all the 45.73 million things that might kill me every day, and instead try to keep my eyes peeled, head up, ears open.. make a living.. have some fun.. and avoid most of the sharp sticks pointed at me. pray every now and then.. etc.

about all you can really do.

when my time comes.. not much I can do about it.. untill then... not much i can do about it..

Besides... i've got a pretty good long term retirement policy that doesn't include this particular plane of existance.. this is mor elike the waiting room.. hopefully..

If I'm wrong about any of that above.. Y'all all got permission to tell me so later.

[woolleyworm]

Originally Posted by soundguy

a piece of space junk might hit my house too. I still sleep pretty good.

a............................
...... make a living.. have some fun.. and avoid most of the sharp sticks pointed at me. pray every now and then.. etc.

about all you can really do.

when my time comes.. not much I can do about it.. untill then... not much i can do about it..

Besides... i've got a pretty good long term retirement policy that doesn't include this particular plane of existance.. this is mor elike the waiting room.. hopefully..

If I'm wrong about any of that above.. Y'all all got permission to tell me so later.

Soundguy for President 2012 ? Got my vote Sir !!

[76Highboy]

Then again soundguy, maybe you will try something new and come out with a product development that will net you millions. Isn't that how products get invented? Isn't that what keeps the wheel turning? Isn't that why we live in America. Maybe while Steve is at home being safe reloading his same old brass for the umpteen dozenth time, maybe you will be sitting on the beach somewhere sipping margaritas while one of your employees is cleaning your new Gary Reeder custom built revolver. I am not disrespecting Steve, I am just saying go for it. Oh by the way, if you do make it big can I be the guy on the beach cleaning your guns?

[steve4102]

adding some rice or an abrasize to some polishing mix is way down on the list of things I worry about

Good point, but if you feel the need for an "Abrasive" why not avoid all the soaps and perfumes and go with a true Media abrasive.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/135...d-package-of-5

I personally have no need for brass that smells Comet Clean.

[soundguy]

powdered polishing compound.

sounds like 3m glass/PC polish, without the lil mit of water they put in it.

that's what I'm gonna try next.

[LDBennett]

If you need clean brass then use walnut shell media. It cleans the brass and leaves the surface dull but clean.

If you want shiny brass then use corn cob media with brass case polish like Dillon sells.

If you want both do the walnut shells media followed by the corn cob media.

When the cases are sized, the sizing die burnishes the brass surface adding more shine even to the walnut shell media processed brass.

But I clean brass to save my sizing dies from scratches from debris stuck to the just fired cases, not to make a shining example of my ammo making skills. Beauty is in the results and good clean ammo that shoots well is better than ultra-shinny flashy look cartridges that have been compromised by a cleaning agent or process that weakens them. 60,000 psi is excessive and I sure don't want it to escape into my face from compromised brass cases.

Reloading is about making good shooting ammo, not shinny object for others to view. Just clean is good enough for me as I'm a shooter not a poser. So I use walnut shell media and that's all. You can do whatever you want but don't count on me visiting you in the hospital or at the grave site. BE SAFE!

LDBennett

[soundguy]

hmm? where'd my post go concerning amonia, brasso and the msds?

had a nice page long post typed out and researched.. had the amonia percentages by weight to which i calculated out grams of amonia in the mix.. and the flash points?

all gone? WTF?


sure don't have the time to go get all that data and re-type it again?