Miguel's Reloading Journey: tumbling

[miguel]

Hot dog -- I finally had the time to load up my new Berry's tumbler and run a few hundred cases of 9 mm though it tonight!

The tumbler came about a week ago, but it's been one thing after another and I haven't had the chance to put it to use. Conveniently, tonight's rain canceled Miguel Jr's sports practice, so with a few extra hours on our hands and Mrs. Miguel at the movies with her gal pals, I set up in the garage for the inaugural run.

While I don't plan on letting my kids be involved in the majority of the reloading process due to potential exposure to nasty stuff, since it was a new tumbler and new media, I let Miguel Jr and Mini Miguel remove the lid, put in some media, dump in the brass and flip the "on" switch. They were very interested in the process and the fact that, with a few more steps after tumbling, we'd be "home brewing" our own ammo. (according to the recipes in my reloading manuals of course...)

The brass I had wasn't especially nasty or dirt-encrusted, but it was moderately tarnished, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I bought the Berry's tumbler kit from Kempf's and it came with some corn cob media, with polish already mixed in. (https://kempfgunshop.com//index.php...facturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=41)

After an hour, I checked up on it and thought, "Hey, it's kinda looking shiny looking...not bad." but I thought it might be the fact it was getting dark and I had to turn the lights on in the garage. After two hours, I thought, "WOW! That looks damn shiny, lights or not." Several of the cases had corn still in the flash hole, but I'm assuming that will punch out when I deprime? The inside of the cases were not as shiny as the outsides, but they looked good to me. After sifting through the cases, maybe 350 give or take, I loaded them into a new one gallon ziplock bag. It was about half full.

Things I will do differently next time include:

• Finding a new brand of gloves. The saran-wrap type ones I had (they were free) tore on a couple of the finger tips when I was swishing the final media out of the cases.
• Wear a mask when sifting the brass. It wasn't horribly dusty, but for a couple of bucks, I would have preferred to have my mouth/nose covered.
• Run the brass another hour. Just to see if it will polish the inside of the cases a little better.

Overall, I'm pleased with the tumbler and results on my first run.

 

[Broom_jm]

Cleaning the inside of cases is not indicated. The brass will be perfectly suitable for reloading and chambering in your gun, even with a layer of carbon inside.

How could you tell there was media in the primer vent, if the primer was still in? You have better eyes than I do, but then again, I have never looked. As you said, removing the primer will most assuredly remove any pesky flakes of media.

Get an enclosed RCBS Rotary Case Media Separator for separating media and cases. Add half of a used dryer sheet to the tumbler to trap dust. Don't open the tumbler for ~5 minutes after it stops, pour contents into separator, rotate to get the media out, leave closed for a few more minutes to allow dust to settle.

Gloves? Really? In 25 years of tumbling cases, even before buying a separator, I never once wore gloves. Don't eat finger food while reloading. Wash your hands like mom told ya.

If you're not casting your own bullets, why all this worry about lead exposure? I don't know where that's coming from, but up until the last few years, I never heard one person worry about lead exposure (inhalation or tactile). The only thing anyone ever said was to wash your hands well after reloading...but that's just common sense, right?

 

[miguel]

I actually do have good eyes.

When I looked inside the cases to see how clean they were inside, I noticed a couple had a bit of media in there. Maybe I could tap it out but I didn't want to check all 300+ at that point in the night. Tried to get a pic but the phone was loaded.

Wasn't sure how fanatic to be RE: handling things post-tumbling. Dude on YouTube said he always wears gloves when doing his reloading so I thought what the heck...had 'em laying around. Guess I would be OK as long as I don't toss an apple in and go bobbing for it.

p.s. And dang it, we were out of dryer sheets!

 

[jedi]

OP, I use some of these where I do any reloading [sorting, tumbling, de-priming, priming, powder drop, etc..]

They work great in keeping you clean & dry (if you get the ones with the baby powder instead of them). I still wash my hands afterwards but it make the whole handling the brass/ammo much easier.

As for tumbling I have it setup in the garage or outside with an extension cord. Dump the stuff in (.45 or .30 carbine), go back inside and let it run for 1 hour and then turn it off. That way no mess inside my place. Do the media sorting outside as well.

My mentor said that so long as the dirt/grass is off the cases you are g2g. No need to make them shinny. You want shinny then go via the wet route with a wet tumbler and stainless steel media. That will get you super bright shinny.

So long as it's free of dirt/grass that helps your dies stay clean. Since I'm catching all my brass now due to my brass catchers my brass is a lot less dirt/grass dirty. For the .30 carbine I have to trim at times so when doing that I tend take a green pot sponge and give it a spin on the brass and it comes out real shinny.

Also once you are done with the corn cob you got with your kit don't go back and buy more at the LGS or big box store. Hit the pet store. They sell corn cob or walnut shells in the lizard section as bedding. It's the same stuff but cheaper!

 

[rvb]

I don't bother with gloves/mask, but I do try to do the media separation outside, esp since there are kid's toys in the garage, too. That dust contains a lot of fine lead/glass particles and breathing it in when you agitate it into the air can't be good.

I don't let my kids play w/ the brass after it's been tumbled, either. If they want to play w/ a piece, I wash it w/ soap/water first. Once they get older I won't worry about lead AS much, but I try to keep it away from them as much as possible now that they are little.....

[When my first kid was born, and we had just brought him home from 3-mo in the NICU (preemie), I came home from work to find my mother-in-law had taken my empty dirty brass and tumbling media bins and used them in the kitchen to store bottles/nipples/etc. She needed a bin, went rooting in the basement, and found them. Make sure everyone in your immediate family knows gun stuff stays away from kid stuff, esp when little! And esp nasty lead dust from tumbling media!]

-rvb

 

[miguel]

OP, I use some of these where I do any reloading [sorting, tumbling, de-priming, priming, powder drop, etc..]

They work great in keeping you clean & dry (if you get the ones with the baby powder instead of them). I still wash my hands afterwards but it make the whole handling the brass/ammo much easier.

As for tumbling I have it setup in the garage or outside with an extension cord. Dump the stuff in (.45 or .30 carbine), go back inside and let it run for 1 hour and then turn it off. That way no mess inside my place. Do the media sorting outside as well.

Also once you are done with the corn cob you got with your kit don't go back and buy more at the LGS or big box store. Hit the pet store. They sell corn cob or walnut shells in the lizard section as bedding. It's the same stuff but cheaper!

Ah, didn't know they have corn cob there, too. I was gonna get one of those massive ass bags from Grainer just to freak Mrs. Miguel out.

I'm trying to keep the tumbling/sifting in the garage, too. Maybe I'll end up giving the spiders lead poisoning! LOL

I don't bother with gloves/mask, but I do try to do the media separation outside, esp since there are kid's toys in the garage, too. That dust contains a lot of fine lead/glass particles and breathing it in when you agitate it into the air can't be good.

I don't let my kids play w/ the brass after it's been tumbled, either. If they want to play w/ a piece, I wash it w/ soap/water first. Once they get older I won't worry about lead AS much, but I try to keep it away from them as much as possible now that they are little.....

[When my first kid was born, and we had just brought him home from 3-mo in the NICU (preemie), I came home from work to find my mother-in-law had taken my empty dirty brass and tumbling media bins and used them in the kitchen to store bottles/nipples/etc. She needed a bin, went rooting in the basement, and found them. Make sure everyone in your immediate family knows gun stuff stays away from kid stuff, esp when little! And esp nasty lead dust from tumbling media!]

-rvb

Yeah, the paper towel I wiped my bowl (tumbler bowl, that is...) with was pretty dark/dusty. Gonna have to get some dryer sheets for Mrs. Miguel, then snap them up after they are used up!

I bought a bucket at Menards to sift the media back into and have labeled it "RELOADING BUCKET XXX" and told everyone not to use it to water plants, shoot baskets, etc. Lid for it, which I paid an extra $1 for SUCKS however, it won't secure. So much for "savin' big money" at Menards. Maybe I'll have to switch over to a Firehouse Subs pickle bucket, despite the stink.

Thanks for the help, fellas!