Is it safe to tumble loaded rounds?

[Bendrx]

Would this work?

Ultrasonic Cleaner

I think if a fine media was used it would work, not certain though.

I got it's big brother from HF. It works, it does what is should, but it's not worth the mess to me. If you go that route, make sure you have enough towels and a fan to help dry of the brass. (I would NOT use this for loaded ammo due to possible leaks in the sealant) Also I used the generic aditive, Midway sells some that is for brass specificly. EDIT: Also on my model it has a heater and time built in, the timer only goes to 400 seconds, so you have to keep restarting it. Per the manual you shouldn't run it constant either. I just use heat the first 2 times and then a few more without heat. I've since bought a Lymans tumbler that I'll be using soon. I'm new, so other will have much more experience and insight than me on this.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Link? I am not saying your wrong but for something that could involves ammo. I'd want to be sure. This is one I'd call a powder or ammo manufacturer on.

I got it from ar15.com and unfortunately nonmembers only can search for 30 days. I posted a link to it there from here when it was posted at the time. The link now is:
Live ammo, in tumbler for over 200 hours with microscopic images.**OP UPDATE**fired rounds - AR15.COM

but it probably will not work if you (not Gamez, the generic you) are reading this several weeks to months after I post this.

I hope it gets tacked there because it's a great example of collecting empirical data.

This was not the first time I've seen this sort of information, but it was the first time I could link to it.

 

[Bendrx]

This was not the first time I've seen this sort of information, but it was the first time I could link to it.

Great link, ty. +1.

 

[wilbur352]

the vibrating cleaner works good, but i you have hollow points, they tend to capture some debris

 

[Racerdj]

I have the Dillon and use the corn media. If I need to do it, I leave the room and leave it in the basement unoccupied 20 minutes max.

 

[G-Niner]

I seem to recall one of our members running a test about a year ago where he would tumble some loaded rounds for a while then shoot and chronograph a few of them and then tumble them some more. I think he was up to several hours of tumbling time with no change in velocity. I've tried to find the thread but no luck. Don't remember who it was, but it was a very interesting
experiment.

 

[AverageMidwest]

Don't do it.....one pointy end against one primer end and you're making your manners with St. Peter.........

 

[shibumiseeker]

Don't do it.....one pointy end against one primer end and you're making your manners with St. Peter.........

It'll probably level the whole block too.

 

[CarmelHP]

i would think that tumbling or vibrating loaded ammo would not only be unsafe but would also break down the propellant. try a little bear hair or steelwool and just clean them by hand.

In tumbling, there have been stories of tumblers fragmenting when a loaded case goes off sending shards of drum all over. For both tumbling and vibrations, there is some concern of breaking down the grains of powder. There has been stories concerning tumbled ammo and ammo carried loose in glove compartments, for example, that got tossed and tumbled around a lot, detonating when fired because of the large surface area of the pulverized powder. Are these all anecdotal? Sure, but common enough to seem plausible.

 

[zspeed130]

For what it's worth I tumbled about 2k rounds of dirty Pakastani .308 a couple years ago. Mainly because it was so dirty it would turn my hands black. I used dry rice in my vibrating tumbler, worked great!

Z

 

[linkpimp]

I’m Sorry I didn’t read everything.. But here’s my two cents

Tumble no…
Vibrate yes… I do this at the end for 7 minuets.. But that’s just me..

 

[Redemption]

I just shot up over 200 rounds of .223 I loaded with 25 grains of WC844 pulldown, allowed to vibratory clean for 36 hours. I tumbled it this long to prove to my brother who has drank a little kool-aide when I wasn't looking, that, yes it is ok. Chrono results were statistically insignificant.

Oh, ...and I didn't blow up or disintegrate either.