Ground Walnut at PetCo

[dbach]

I read where ground walnut is available in pet stores. Its used for lizzard bedding. So I went to look for myself.

Sure enough, lizzard bedding from Petco is ground walnut shell (read the label). I bought a 20 Qt bag (13 lbs) for $14.06, including local sales tax. This puts the cost around $1.08 per pound.

I see ground walnut at the gun stores at $13.79 per 4.5 lb bag. This puts its cost at $3.06 per lb. Shipping (if needed) would add to the cost significantly.

I'm not a penny pincher, but I do appreciate value. I think I'll give it a try.

I hear that walnut cleans better than corn and that corn shines better than walnut. Has anyone ever tried a 50/50 mix?

[Brisk44]

I've talked to some guys that have tried the 50/50 mix and they say it works great. I haven't had the chance to try it yet. But I will.

[RustyFN]

I hear that walnut cleans better than corn and that corn shines better than walnut. Has anyone ever tried a 50/50 mix?

Yes. I used to use just the walnut. Walnut doesn't clean better just faster. I bought a 40 pound bag of 14/20 corn cob from Grainger for $21. If you are going to use corn cob don't buy the pet store cob, buy 14/20 blasting media. After I got the cob I mixed it 50/50 with the walnut. It still takes the same amount of time to clean the cases but they come out shinier. I would also recommend using a case polish. I use 1/2 cap full of Nu Finish car polish every batch I tumble.

[312shooter]

Best deal on walnut maybe at harbor freight tools - $25 for 25lbs, grab the flyer from rifleman magazine and use the 10% off coupon for any one item and you've got ultra low cost media at .90 cents a pound

[rcairflr]

I haven't seen or tried the walnut media at Harbor Freight but I read on another forum that it was bigger than the Zilla brand a Petco.

Below is a picture of the RCBS walnut media (red) and the Zilla brand from Petco, they are identical in size and the only difference is the color.

To help clean and shine up my brass in walnut media, I add a little New Finish car wax and some mineral spirits. My brass comes out looking as good as new.

[312shooter]

The Harbor Freight media comes in two grades, I use the smallest which does not plug primer holes at all.

[gdmoody]

I have never used any kind of polish when I tumble. A friend gave me 4 or 5 bottles of Dillon brass polish so I might try that. One question, does anyone know if it us used with "new" media or can you add it to old media? I usually use my media until it almost disintegrates, then I get one more tumbling out of it!!

[jdon72]

Moody,
It works well in both media...polish just makes it shine faster.

J

[gdmoody]

Originally Posted by jdon72

Moody,
It works well in both media...polish just makes it shine faster.

J

Thank you, I was going to try some, but wasn't sure!!

[RustyFN]

I also found that from using Nu Finish that the brass doesn't tarnish after it's been handled during the loading process. It will stay shiny in ammo boxes for a very long time.

[howlnmad]

gdmoody,

When you add polish, let the tumbler run about 15 minutes before adding brass. This will help keep it from clumping up.

[jdon72]

Rusty....+1

Howlnmad is correct, but i just put a cap full in and shake to get the corn on top and put the brass on top. Now i have a tumbler, not vibratory type. Mine spins like a rock polisher. I also lube my brass and tumble after the fisinished bullet. The lube acts like a polish as well.

Good luck

J

[gdmoody]

Thanks, mine is a Lyman vibratory type tumbler. I will let it vibrate for 15 or 20 minutes before I do add the brass.

[Hanover67]

I use the Petco ground walnut and it works great. I also put a capful of Nu-Finish car cleaner and a piece of dryer anti-static cloth in, which absorbs a lot of the dust. I cut the sheets in quarters and use one quarter for each tumbler run, then throw it away.

[RandyP]

50/50 corncob and lizard litter, a scant capful of liquid car polish every now and then, cut up used dryer sheets for each tumbler run. discard after each run. I run my tumbler thru a cheapie lamp timer - set it and forget it.

[howlnmad]

I wish I knew why gdmoody had that crud build-up. Maybe it was worn out dirty media. I always have pieces of dryer sheets or paper shop towels or cotton cleaning patches that I cut from old shirts. Never had a problem with nu-finish and cob.

[gdmoody]

It was very very old worn out media. I got rid of the old media and opened up a new container of Lyman Green. In the past couple of days I have tumbled .308, .380. and .38 spec brass. I didn't remember that new media will clean brass in 4 hours or less where the old stuff took 12 to 24 hours .

[bobpayne44]

Originally Posted by dbach

I read where ground walnut is available in pet stores. Its used for lizzard bedding. So I went to look for myself.

Sure enough, lizzard bedding from Petco is ground walnut shell (read the label). I bought a 20 Qt bag (13 lbs) for $14.06, including local sales tax. This puts the cost around $1.08 per pound.

I see ground walnut at the gun stores at $13.79 per 4.5 lb bag. This puts its cost at $3.06 per lb. Shipping (if needed) would add to the cost significantly.

I'm not a penny pincher, but I do appreciate value. I think I'll give it a try.

I hear that walnut cleans better than corn and that corn shines better than walnut. Has anyone ever tried a 50/50 mix?

petco is where i got mine and i have probably cleaned 2500 .223, 5000 .40 and around 3000 9mm and still using the same container of media, i put a couple pieces of dryer sheets in every other load or too to get rid of the dust. as well as add a couple capfuls of nufinish every 3rd or fourth load.

[RustyFN]

Originally Posted by gdmoody

It was very very old worn out media. I got rid of the old media and opened up a new container of Lyman Green. In the past couple of days I have tumbled .308, .380. and .38 spec brass. I didn't remember that new media will clean brass in 4 hours or less where the old stuff took 12 to 24 hours .

Mine come out clean and very shiny in 1.5 to 2 hours.

[gdmoody]

Originally Posted by RustyFN

Mine come out clean and very shiny in 1.5 to 2 hours.

I am so used to it taking 12 to 24 that I don"t remember to check it at 2 hours. It probably is clean at 1.5 to 2.

[gun-nut]

Originally Posted by gdmoody

It was very very old worn out media. I got rid of the old media and opened up a new container of Lyman Green. In the past couple of days I have tumbled .308, .380. and .38 spec brass. I didn't remember that new media will clean brass in 4 hours or less where the old stuff took 12 to 24 hours .

I tried that green and i did not think it cleans as well as the Rough (RED stuff) That Rough is good but it does leave the brass a dull look. how ever it does only take an hour and last forever. 3 years and if i had to guess over 200,000 casses and still going. I do however send it through a polish cycle in just corn cob with brasso (no lid this lets out the ammona so it will not make the brass brittle) for an 1/2 hour and presto it shines.

[springerbuster]

I buy my walnut and corncob media from an industrial supply store that sells media for sandblasting in the construction industry. 50# bag for about $15. Sorry I don't remember exactly what I paid but it was considerably cheaper than harbor freight.

[Little Rooster]

Originally Posted by Brisk44

I've talked to some guys that have tried the 50/50 mix and they say it works great. I haven't had the chance to try it yet. But I will.

I have recently switched to this, I have also began using red rouge compound and mineral spirits to treat the media. I am getting my brass clean in much less time. Even the black powder cartridges, come out cleaner.

Sorry Springbuster didn't mean to step on your post.

The corn cob media I bought at Southern States and I am sure any farm type co-op has in stock. The walnut media may also be picked up at a sandblasting supply place much cheaper than the gunshops. I am a tight a$$