Tumbled my first brass, some media stuck to the inside of the cases

[sloughfoot]

I have read every single post in this thread. The only question I have seen by the OP is should I tumble longer? My answer is that tumbling is not needed at all. But if you do it and crumbs remain inside, either clean them out, or don't, it doesn't matter.

 

[ckcollins2003]

My question is how the OP applied the polish. Did he apply the polish to the media while the brass was in the tumbler? Or did he apply the polish, let the tumbler run a bit to mix the polish around in the media until the clumps are gone, and then add the brass in?

The correct answer would be the latter. Add your polish to the media, let it tumble until all clumps are gone. This means the media is no longer "wet" aka sticky.

If you did it the other way, you'll know for next time. This time you'll just have to either throw the brass away or simply take a brush to the inside of the cases. A bore brush works pretty good to remove some of the crud from the inside of the cases. And if it's not the polish, then you've got tar or something gummy in there and you may want to check your barrel.

The only gummy crap I've seen inside of a case was on some old .308 rounds that I pulled. It was all around the neck where the bullet was seated and was actually stuck to the bottom of the bullet. Some Hoppe's and a little elbow grease did the trick to get it off.

 

[IndyGlockMan]

I dry tumbled for a while and had some media sticking to the insides of a few cases like that.
Not sure what was causing it but I didn't like it.

I just finished building a wet tumbler that uses the .047 stainless steel pins and WOW are they clean!
Clean and shiny inside and out, and clean primer pockets... and it only takes 2 hours vs. 6+

 

[Dolton916]

I bought this 252TUM For my shop, we recondition industrial contactor tips, about 50lbs a day and use this to clean before reconditioning and to polish after prior to packaging. It has run 7-8 hours a day usually loaded with 20#s of copper plus media(we use 10#s of 0.04mm stainless cut wire for shot peening, as we have it around). It was originally purchased as a stopgap machine but works so well we never replaced it. Hope my employees dont find out it cleans brass like nothing else my production would be cut in half!
Covington Rock Tumbler Tumbling Grit

 

[bthomas]

I had the exact same problem with my .40 brass. It was packed in below where the bullet seats. I had to dig it out, my separator wouldnt touch it. I did have a few odd ball silver casings that didnt have any media in them. I am using corn cob media. I just tumbled some .308 brass and didnt have any problem.

 

[BIGnTall83]

I have read every single post in this thread. The only question I have seen by the OP is should I tumble longer? My answer is that tumbling is not needed at all. But if you do it and crumbs remain inside, either clean them out, or don't, it doesn't matter.

I am just beginning to get into reloading (just purchased press and collecting other items needed), Is tumbling the brass really not necessary?

 

[jcwit]

Its not really needed, for years we never polished our cases. It does look prettier tho when polished.

 

[BIGnTall83]

Its not really needed, for years we never polished our cases. It does look prettier tho when polished.

Does it put extra wear on the sizing dies when you dont clean the brass first?

 

[jcwit]

Does it put extra wear on the sizing dies when you dont clean the brass first?

If carbide dies not in your lifetime. Clean the cases of course. Polish, not so much needed.

Frankly I polish my cases after depriming and resizing, that's hand gun cases using carbide dies. Very doubtful you'll ever wear/scratch carbide dies, they're just a step down from diamond.


The table below incorporates additional substances that may fall between levels:

Hardness	Substance or mineral
0.2–0.3	caesium, rubidium
0.5–0.6	lithium, sodium, potassium
1	talc
1.5	gallium, strontium, indium, tin, barium, thallium, lead, graphite
2	hexagonal boron nitride,[SUP][10][/SUP] calcium, selenium, cadmium, sulfur, tellurium, bismuth
2.5–3	magnesium, gold, silver, aluminium, zinc, lanthanum, cerium, Jet (lignite)
3	calcite, copper, arsenic, antimony, thorium, dentin
4	fluorite, iron, nickel
4–4.5	platinum, steel
5	apatite (tooth enamel), cobalt, zirconium, palladium, obsidian (volcanic glass)
5.5	beryllium, molybdenum, hafnium
6	orthoclase, titanium, manganese, germanium, niobium, rhodium, uranium
6–7	glass, fused quartz, iron pyrite, silicon, ruthenium, iridium, tantalum, opal, peridot
7	osmium, quartz, rhenium, vanadium
7.5–8	emerald, hardened steel, tungsten, spinel
8	topaz, cubic zirconia
8.5	chrysoberyl, chromium, silicon nitride, tantalum carbide
9–9.5	corundum, silicon carbide (carborundum), tungsten carbide, titanium carbide
9.5–10	boron, boron nitride, rhenium diboride, stishovite, titanium diboride
10	diamond, carbonado
>10	nanocrystalline diamond (hyperdiamond, ultrahard fullerite)

 

[BIGnTall83]

Noob here, how would one go about cleaning a case if not to tumble?

If carbide dies not in your lifetime. Clean the cases of course. Polish, not so much needed.

Frankly I polish my cases after depriming and resizing, that's hand gun cases using carbide dies. Very doubtful you'll ever wear/scratch carbide dies, they're just a step down from diamond.




The table below incorporates additional substances that may fall between levels:

Hardness	Substance or mineral
0.2–0.3	caesium, rubidium
0.5–0.6	lithium, sodium, potassium
1	talc
1.5	gallium, strontium, indium, tin, barium, thallium, lead, graphite
2	hexagonal boron nitride,[SUP][10][/SUP] calcium, selenium, cadmium, sulfur, tellurium, bismuth
2.5–3	magnesium, gold, silver, aluminium, zinc, lanthanum, cerium, Jet (lignite)
3	calcite, copper, arsenic, antimony, thorium, dentin
4	fluorite, iron, nickel
4–4.5	platinum, steel
5	apatite (tooth enamel), cobalt, zirconium, palladium, obsidian (volcanic glass)
5.5	beryllium, molybdenum, hafnium
6	orthoclase, titanium, manganese, germanium, niobium, rhodium, uranium
6–7	glass, fused quartz, iron pyrite, silicon, ruthenium, iridium, tantalum, opal, peridot
7	osmium, quartz, rhenium, vanadium
7.5–8	emerald, hardened steel, tungsten, spinel
8	topaz, cubic zirconia
8.5	chrysoberyl, chromium, silicon nitride, tantalum carbide
9–9.5	corundum, silicon carbide (carborundum), tungsten carbide, titanium carbide
9.5–10	boron, boron nitride, rhenium diboride, stishovite, titanium diboride
10	diamond, carbonado
>10	nanocrystalline diamond (hyperdiamond, ultrahard fullerite)

 

[BIGnTall83]

double post

 

[jcwit]

Noob here, how would one go about cleaning a case if not to tumble?

Wash in soap & water, you are removing any sand, mud, real dirt, and possibly some of the carbon from the inside of the case. Gets the case clean, just not polished.