Tumbling media stuck in many flash holes

[ghh3rd]

The only tumbling media that I have used so far is crushed walnut shell. It's abundant and cheap at the pet store, as lizard litter. I've found that about 10% of my cases have a piece of shell wedged in the flash hole. Checking each case before reloading it adds another step to the process, and I recon that missing a piece surely wouldn't help accuracy.

Is there any tumbling media that doesn't necessitate having to look through each flash hole before reloading?

Thanks,

Granville

[twotoescharlie]

tumble before depriming

TTC

[R.M.]

tumble before depriming

TTC

That's what I do.

[dragonrider]

If you tumble before depriming then how can the media get into the flashole??? The deprime pin will push it out.

[Lefty SRH]

Yep, tumble brefore depriming. Your sizing die stays cleaner also.

[Ickisrulz]

This will solve all your problems:

http://www.drillspot.com/products/521055/econoline_526040g-40_40_lbs_blast_media

40 pounds for less than $27 shipped to your door. This is small stuff and will not stick in your primer holes. This media is used and recommended by many members here.

[jcwit]

Yup, what Ickisrulz says, been using it for years now.

[btroj]

I tumble before and after depriming. I use a small bit of wire to push the media from the flash holes. It doesn't take that long.
For any bottleneck rifle case I deburr the inside of the flash hole, tha seems to reduce how often the media gets stuck in there

His is one of those little annoyances that isn't as big a deal as many seem to make it out to be..

[jcwit]

It is an annoyances when one is tumbling 5 or 10,000 pcs of brass. And yes it does become time consuming.

[btroj]

Only time I use that many cases is for handgun, they get cleaned before depriving and that is all. I use carbide dies so no lube to remove.
Only time I loaded large numbers of rifle was when I was shooting NRA high power. Never seemed to be a big issue to do a few hundred cases at a time.
I really wonder how many of us tumble 5 to 10 thousand cases on a normal basis? And how often are they cases that need a flash hole cleared after tumbling?

Not saying it isn't an issue, just not a huge one. I don't think this takes near as much time as many other prep jobs. I just do it as I prime cases.

[mroliver77]

My lizard bedding is so fine it NEVER sticks in the flash hole. That is why I bought it. You might have to screen it to size.
J

[jcwit]

I really wonder how many of us tumble 5 to 10 thousand cases on a normal basis? And how often are they cases that need a flash hole cleared after tumbling?

True, but to those of us that do it is an annoyances.

[Bwana]

I tumble around 7000 a month. I sure do appreciate all those non-reloading shooters out there. Many shooting 380s now and a lot of 9mm of course.

[rintinglen]

+1 on the lizard bedding. Smaller size works well and doesn't plug flash holes

[dale2242]

I don`t load 1,000s a month like some. 5-6K a year.
I use walnut media. When I have to tumble after depriming, I place a piece of white paper in a well lighted area. I hold the cases, rims up, over the paper so that I can easily see any flash holes with media in them. I use a small pick to remove it.
My problem with the suggestion of depriming first is that I don`t want to put dirty cases in my sizing dies. Depriming with a universal decapping die first just adds another step to the process....dale

[midnight]

I am going to find out how good this 20/40 grit corncob media from Drillspot is. I just ordered 40lbs last night. Since I am retired and all my time is my own, I prefer to use a universal decapping die on all my cases. Then they go into the tumbler. No dirty cases go into my dies. Have been seriously thinking of getting the Smartreloader 747. That thing holds over 3½ gallons of media. I get tired of only being able to clean 20 50BMG cases at a time in the small Dillon. If I get that, I will need that 40lbs of media. I'll also try it in the Thumbler model B that I got at a pawn shop for $25.

Bob

[x101airborne]

If you tumble before depriming, you do run the chance of having a case with sticky media inside it. If you dont catch it, you will bend and break off the decapper rod and lodge the expander button inside the case. This is especially common on small cases like the 223, etc.

[captaint]

I've always polished/cleaned first, then size & deprime. I do this to keep the dies clean and scratch free. Of course the only thing is - then I have to clean those stinkin primer pockets. So, I've ordered some stainless steel pins for brass cleaning. I think I'll just pop the primers out first with a punch and roll on. While it's another step, it beats cleaning primer pockets !! I do already have a Thumblers though. Just haven't used it in years for cleaning brass. enjoy Mike

[ku4hx]

Tumble first then deprime using an single stage press prior to reloading in my Dillon. I hate dimpled primers caused by little bits of media caught between the primer and its seating ram. Both problems solved.

[Wayne Smith]

I deprime with a universal deprime die and then tumble. This keeps the lead out of the media and the dust. I then size, relying on the depriming pin of the sizer die to clear the stuck media. I have recently changed to the smaller lizard litter so we'll see if I have to keep doing this.

[gray wolf]

Yup, what Ickisrulz says,

[buyobuyo]

The only time I tumble after depriming is when I'm loading rifle to remove the lube. My rifle loading is a few hundred at a time, so picking/pushing out the media with a paper clip I bent for the purpose works fine for me.

If you are tumbling after sizing and loading on a progress machine or turret, just install an universal decapper in the first station. That will take care of any stuck media before priming.

[jcwit]

I deprime with a universal deprime die and then tumble. This keeps the lead out of the media and the dust.

How so? The inside of the case is coated with lead styphnate, which will transfer to the media.

No mater how you do it or what you use if one uses 20/40 grit corn cob from DrillSpot or Graingers the problem of Any media in the flash hole or primer pocket is non existent.

[contender1]

If checking and cleaning primer pockets is an annoyance to you, then you do need to change to a different type of media.
I like to handle my brass often during reloading. That way I get to inspect the cases often for bad ones. Plus, I like to deburr the inside of the flash holes in my rifle brass. It helps cut down on stuck media. Next, after I deprime my brass, I visually check each primer pocket, and use a stiff piece of wire, folded to where it has a handle to knock out media. If the primer pockets need further cleaning, OR uniforming, then I do that as well. Good clean, inspected, uniform brass helps in rifle accuracy. By doing the things I do to my brass, I get very good concentricty readings after my ammo is loaded. Yep, another step in my reloading is to check the bullet alignment in the case. My ammo appears to be quite accurate in that in my T/C Contender, 7X30 Waters, I get nickle sized 5 shot groups at 100 yds from a rest.
I like to eliminate all potential mechanical errors before the human factor screws up good groups.

[jcwit]

If checking and cleaning primer pockets is an annoyance to you, then you do need to change to a different type of media.
I like to handle my brass often during reloading. That way I get to inspect the cases often for bad ones. Plus, I like to deburr the inside of the flash holes in my rifle brass. It helps cut down on stuck media. Next, after I deprime my brass, I visually check each primer pocket, and use a stiff piece of wire, folded to where it has a handle to knock out media. If the primer pockets need further cleaning, OR uniforming, then I do that as well. Good clean, inspected, uniform brass helps in rifle accuracy. By doing the things I do to my brass, I get very good concentricty readings after my ammo is loaded. Yep, another step in my reloading is to check the bullet alignment in the case. My ammo appears to be quite accurate in that in my T/C Contender, 7X30 Waters, I get nickle sized 5 shot groups at 100 yds from a rest.
I like to eliminate all potential mechanical errors before the human factor screws up good groups.

I reload a few hundred handgun calibers for every rifle round I reload.
With that said for my rifle brass that I reload for bench shooting I'm reloading the same 5 cases over and over and doing so at the range with a reloading kit using dies similar to L.E. Wilson and a Sinclair Arbor Press. Primer pockets have long since been deburred, possible 60 reloading ago. Cases are wiped down, not polished and lightly brushed inside the neck so as the neck tension is the same every time. My accuracy appears to be quite accurate also, .223 five shot groups at 100 yards overall hole size, anything over .250 is I did something wrong, these groups are the perfiable one hole groups,some only a couple of thousands over caliber size.

These cases have yet to be tumbled in 70 some reloadings, however the shoulder has been bumped back and the cases have been trimed when needed.

Now again my handgun brass is an entirely different story.

[DLCTEX]

+1 on the Drillspot media and use Nufinish car polish, renewing the polish occasionally. The 20/40 size will not clog flash holes.

[44magLeo]

I gave up tumbling brass when it was proved to be the major reason reloaders get lead poisoning.
I use a mix of vinegar, dish soap and hot water. Cleans the brass just fine.
Leo

[jcwit]

I gave up tumbling brass when it was proved to be the major reason reloaders get lead poisoning.

When did this happen and using what equipment and under what conditions?

[44magLeo]

I was reading it a few years back and an older fellow was dianosed with lead poisoning. Talking with his doctors he told them about his reloading and they tested everything in his reloading room and around his shooting bench. The only place they found lead was in the area he tumbled cases.
They found that as he poured out the cases and media, there was a cloud of dust, he brearthed this dust and thats how he got the lead poisoning.
Leo

[jcwit]

HHHHmmmmm, don't have that problem. Nor do I have high lead numbers, I get tested twice a year and run in the 4 to 5 range.

You say the Dr.s actually came to his house and checked his reloading room and equipment? First off I sure wouldn't allow that with something that could easily bring in the feds and the haz met boys. Secound I sure would have noticed the dust and moved my tumbling equipment outside or made other arrangements, long before the problem got to my blood stream.

[Cap'n Morgan]

Seriously, folks, what effect could a single grain of tumbling media in the flash hole have on anything? Apart from the effect on a reloaders peace of mind, that is...[smilie=1:

[jcwit]

You are correct Cap'n, the primer just blows it out, but many are not convinced of that.