Tumbling additive to preserve shine?

[geargnasher]

I've always advised against it out of "better safe than sorry" ignorance, but I've recently started tumbling loaded pistol ammo to save time on cleanup. I locate the tumbler 100 feet away from my house behind an oak tree just because I'm paranoid, but not problems yet. On advice here I'm using Lizard bedding for the after-treatment (Thanks to all who have given this money-saving tip) and I was wondering if anyone has a "pet" (no pun intended) additive that will preserve the shine of the brass and boolit during long-term storage.

I have heard Nu-finish wax recommended for shine, but thought I would pose the question to long-term protection specifically.

Thanks in advance,

Gear

[mpmarty]

Gear, the trouble with tumbling loaded ammo isn't the danger of detonation while tumbling but rather the degradation of the powder granules. All that shaking around causes the individual granules to chafe against each other removing the deterrent coating and in some cases actually breaking down the grains into smaller pieces. This can create a very dangerous high pressure on firing the cartridge.

As to keeping the shine on the brass a bit of jewlers rouge works fine. The automotive polish you mentioned as I recall has a bit of ammonia and that is a no no for brass as it destroys the brass strength and flexibility leading to splits and case head separations.

[jcwit]

First the ammo mfg,s. tumble loaded ammo before its packaged. Ammo and primers are shipped all over the world and jossled, bumped, banged around, ect., ect., before getting to its destination with no problems. If problems were as prevalent as you seem to think the lawers would have put an end to reloading and ammo years ago.

With all this being said.

Tumple your loaded rounds using just about ANY auto polish/wax that is a cleaner wax. Nu-finish works, Turtle wax, Kit wax, Maguiers NX 2 thay all work and will add a coating to prevent tarnish. DO NOT use anything containing ammonia.

One more thought Muzzleloader caps are even packed loose in tins and shipped allover with no problem. Relax guy, there are so many more dangerous things going on in your world tumbling loaded cartridger is so far down the list you'll have to dig a hole to find it listed.

[jcwit]

As to keeping the shine on the brass a bit of jewlers rouge works fine. The automotive polish you mentioned as I recall has a bit of ammonia and that is a no no for brass as it destroys the brass strength and flexibility leading to splits and case head separations.

NOT HARDLY!!! I could just see my neighbor waxing his Corvette with wax containing ammonia. When was the last time you took a good whiff of auto polish?

[jcwit]

Gear, the trouble with tumbling loaded ammo isn't the danger of detonation while tumbling but rather the degradation of the powder granules. All that shaking around causes the individual granules to chafe against each other removing the deterrent coating and in some cases actually breaking down the grains into smaller pieces. This can create a very dangerous high pressure on firing the cartridge

Wonder just how our military shipps ammo all over the world without degrading the powder with all the jossling it gets during shipping. Ever have the box of shells that sat under the seat of the P/U for 3 years and shot just fine? How about the ones that hung out in the trunk for 6 years by the jack with no problems?

[geargnasher]

The tests done by many forum members here on the subject of powder-coating degradation during post-loading vibratory tumbling put any fears I had to rest long ago. My only fear is static electicity from the media or something going on with a bad or improperly seated primer being dinged just right and causing an explosion. I know it wouldn't exactly be a bomb in a flimsy plastic tumbler, but doing it far away from the house just makes me feel better.

I don't think Nu-finish polish has any ammonia in it. Some automotive cleaners probably do, but I'm talking about just getting fingerprints/excess lube off of already polished cases and clean boolits. Also the walnut seems to take care of that green haze of polishing residue left by the treated cob media I use for heavy cleaning.

Anyone else do this? I'm trying to stockpile some proven loads and last time I did this a couple of years ago I had some really bad corrosion on my cases and white fuzz on the boolits even though I boxed them wearing latex gloves and stored them in boxes inside sealed ammo cans (no dessicant, though).

Gear

[Recluse]

I've tumbled loaded ammo for almost 30 years with no ill or adverse effects. I (primarily) use a Thumlers Tumbler AR12 and use the Kaytee ground walnut with about a half cap of NuFinish auto wax and about a half-cap of odorless mineral spirits.

In fairness, I tumble my empty brass for around 12 hours, sometimes longer. I have the tumbler set on a timer out in my shop. Get everything ready, turn it on and forget about it. Timer turns it off for me. I have one of those OLD Lyman sifting pans that fits perfectly over a 5-gallon popcorn tin.

When the tumbling is done, I pour everything out in that sifting pan, shake all the loose media into the popcorn tin, then pour the shiny brass into a cardboard base that holds the Cokes I buy at Sam's Club. The walnut in the popcorn tin pours easily into one of my Rubbermaid shoe boxes where I keep the media.

Occasionally I'll toss a shop paper towel (those heavy-duty ones that comes in a box) into the tumbler to help trap some of the dust/dirt.

When I tumble just finished reloaded ammo (maybe getting the case lube off or wanting to shine the ammo up real well for long-term storage), I use clean walnut media and throw three or four torn up shop paper towels in the tumbler--this helps with the polishing action.

Longest I've ever tumbled loaded ammo was around two to three hours, max. But a rotary tumbler is a lot less "violent" than a vibratory tumbler.

:coffee:

[ETG]

Hummmmmm, I wonder why they use rotary tumblers to turn jagged rocks into smooth rounded ones. Never seen a UPS truck or cargo plane tumbling down the road or the runway - but to each his own.

[Bad Water Bill]

ETG I have used vid tumblers for everything from emeralds to? for over 25 years and use the same tumblers for brass polishing. A friend has polished tons in a rotary tumbler and if you mix the stones when we are finished you can not tell which stone was tumbled or vibrated. The real difference is the amount of time it takes. Vibrators are always faster.

Hope this helps.

[montana_charlie]

Say it this way, ETG.
You guys who think transporting ammunition is no different than tumbling it...

Put a handful of tarnished cases in a jar of walnut shell. Carry that in your trunk for three years...and see how shiny the brass gets.

CM

[geargnasher]

Not trying to stir up the old tumbling loaded ammo arguments, we can all make our own decisions about whether we do or not and why, I was just asking about adding waxes or something to the media for keeping corrosion down in storage, maybe save me from potentially ruining a bunch of walnut bedding or finding out in a year that whatever additive I used to try to coat the ammo didn't work.

Anybody know what the factories use? Factory brass stays shiny and clean for years under the same storage conditions that ruin carefully handloaded and corncob polished brass.

Gear

[jcwit]

You guys who think transporting ammunition is no different than tumbling it...


For that matter I haven't heard of any semi-trailers blowing up transporting ammo, or any ammo factories blowing up tumpling ammo prior to packaging.

[jcwit]

[QUOTE][Anybody know what the factories use? Factory brass stays shiny and clean for years under the same storage conditions that ruin carefully handloaded and corncob polished brass.

/QUOTE]

No I do not know what the factories use, and I doubt very much they would tell you. But then again, one more time Auto polish/wax as I stated in my previout post puts a finish of polish/wax on the loaded case and will keep it from tarnishing. Just how do I know this? I've done it and yes it does work. If you want to believe it OK, if you wish to question it, so be it.

Does the Auto polish contain anything that would detrimental to the brass, again not hardly, if its OK to use on clear coat of expensive cars it will work on brass cases. It contains no acids, bases, or salts for that matter.

[ETG]

Say it this way, ETG.
You guys who think transporting ammunition is no different than tumbling it...

Put a handful of tarnished cases in a jar of walnut shell. Carry that in your trunk for three years...and see how shiny the brass gets.

CM

Don't think I would want to pay for the electricity to tumble a handful of tranished cases for 3 years to compare.

[geargnasher]

Tumple your loaded rounds using just about ANY auto polish/wax that is a cleaner wax. Nu-finish works, Turtle wax, Kit wax, Maguiers NX 2 thay all work and will add a coating to prevent tarnish. DO NOT use anything containing ammonia.



Thanks for the input, those are the kind of products I was thinking about but you never know what other kinds of products people here have tried and I'm trying to think outside the box. 11,000 heads are better than one. Somebody might say "Mop'n'Glo" or their wife's hair tonic or Shinola and back it up with 30 years experience storing it in a swamp. One never knows......

Gear

[Siggy226]

I tumbled with Lyman green corn cob (no additive required). New to this but after 2k of 9mm brass, cob turned dark green. I added 2 cap fulls of nu-finish and brass tumbled cleaner than ever. The media is now almost black. I'll keep using it until it's useless.

First 2k, I did in garage, but now I'm doing it outdoors.

[waksupi]

You can dip bullets in soapy water, and let dry, to keep them shiny. I don't know why the same wouldn't work for brass.

[geargnasher]

You can dip bullets in soapy water, and let dry, to keep them shiny. I don't know why the same wouldn't work for brass.

Hadn't thought of that one for just boolits. Thanks Ric!

Gear

[Daddyfixit]

You can dip bullets in soapy water, and let dry, to keep them shiny. I don't know why the same wouldn't work for brass.

That sounds like a good idea. dish soap? how much? could one drop it straight from the mould? So much to learn...so little time. I use the walnut shell first then corn cob (pet store bedding) with polish, seems to keep the brass looking good.

[jcwit]

Dipping anything in soapy water deposits a film of a fatty/waxy substance on the object, whatever it might be. Remember soaping windows when being a kid?

Tumbling in an auto polish/wax attends the same end in that it deposits a film of wax/polish on the object. One can probably use just about any polish/wax. Use paint thinner and disolve some paraffine wax in it and add it to your tumbling media, I would make a bet that it would stop tarnish and keep your whatever bright.

Want to think outside the box? Try some shaved bullet lube. Use floor wax. Spray them with pledge and alow to dry. Use anything that leaves a coating and dries completely so as not to pick up dirt. The big secret, sealing the object from air and moisture which causes tarnish and oxidation.

Spray them carefully with clear lacquer.

[bigboredad]

hey gearnasher
I've been using nu finish and turtle wax and it seem to help keep the static electricity down and the shine is great

[anachronism]

Dillon Rapid Polish seems to keep brass bright forever...

[blackthorn]

OK--- lets say we find a coating that keeps our brass from corosion (brite and shiny) in storage. When we are ready to shoot it do we clean the coating off before we use it up? In threads disscussing sizing waxes it is usually recomended to clean off the sizing wax prior to using the ammunition due to the danger of negating the ability of the chamber to grip the case, allowing it to slam back against the breach face with excessive force. Would not a coating on the cases do the same thing?

[blaster]

I get a handful of loaded cartridges in a rag, give them a blast with spray silicone and work them around. I've yet to have any corrosion. It also takes the tumble lube off of the noses. Now that I think about it though maybe the tumble lube is waxing the cases and keeping them shiny and the silicone isn't doing anything.

[jcwit]

Excellent, forgot all about silicone!