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jonk
10-29-2013, 10:01 AM
I hadn't jumped on the SS bandwagon as I saw no need; but as I'm getting more and more into BPC shooting, and as hand washing each case was becoming a pain, I decided to; small scale, 6 lb Harbor Freight rock tumbler, given that I never have more than 100 .45 colt casings in any one sitting.

That said, I didn't have any dirty bp cases on hand when I got the set up, so figured I'd try it with some decapped .30 carbine cases that were all sooty. I didn't have lemi shine, but did have plenty of citric acid powder on hand from my ultrasonic (which it appears does the same job). That plus a squirt of dish soap, some water, the cases, and a cup or so of pins per barrel.

Good news: After 3 hours, as promised, squeaky clean brass, inside and out.

Bad news: About 80% of the cases had pins jammed sideways in them, requiring tweezers to remove. Apparently the pins are just a tad over 30 caliber in length, just right to jam up in the case.

Since then I got the chance to tumble some 45/70 brass that had been fired with black powder. In the larger case, the pins fell right out without issue.

All in all: well worth it for black powder cases, but for .30 stuff, I won't use them again- it's a lot faster to poke the walnut hull out of a flash hole than to pick a wedged SS pin out of a case neck.

runfiverun
10-29-2013, 05:01 PM
I believe they make a couple of different diameter and length pin sizes.

Shiloh
10-29-2013, 05:46 PM
Try a Jewelry supply house. Heres one that is consumer friendly.
http://www.riogrande.com/Search/steel-shot

Shiloh