For the past month I've been researching a replacement for my Ultrasonic cleaner, which, while cleaning the brass pretty good, leaves the primer pockets in need of attention, just the same as the walnut media. So reading a few posts here, and on Snipershide I kept seeing mention of stainless tumbling media, so I decided to give it a try.
My Stainless Tumbling Media and Thumblers Tumbler arrived in the mail the other day. I couldn't wait to give it a real test, so I gave it one that has failed my old Lyman vibratory with walnut shell, and my latest experimentation with the ultrasonic numerous times. For this test I decapped 100 30-30 cases that have been fired 8-10 times in silhouette matches, and were due for annealing. I annealed the dirty fired cases, essentially baking on the powder residue on the case necks. Note the hard caked on gunk in the primer pockets. Both previous systems always had a real hard time removing this. Here is the before picture:
I put the stainless media in the tumbling pot, dropped the brass in and added water and 1 tablespoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid and 1/4 teaspoon of Lemishine. The directions say to add 1-2 tablespoons, and if you don't see foam in the end you didn't add enough (1 tablespoon was more than enough - there was a ton of foam in the end). I buttoned up the drum and put it on the tumbler for 3 hours. At the end of 3 hours I brought the drum to the sink and opened it up - I was greeted with a pile of grey foam oozing out onto the counter - next time a half tablespoon of Dawn. A quick rinse of the drum contents revealed the cleanest brass I've ever been able to obtain. Every single one of the primer pockets was in pristine condition and the brass shiny and super clean. The media is supposed to actually improve with use as the stainless pins get burnished. I cant imagine it getting better than this! I read reports that this system is much quieter than a vibratory, which I don't believe is true. The sound level is about the same, but it has a much lower frequency, so it cannot be heard behind a closed door. I simply love this system - I have drunk the coolaid so many raved about and I am now a card carrying cult member...
So last night I tumbled 100 -06 cases that I've been shooting out of my Garand. I think all of them started their life as the old Greek ammo, and I've reloaded them several times since. When I poured the water out of the tumbler it looked like I was pouring used motor oil it was so black! The brass however looks just like the 30-30 in the picture above.
Oh, and I used 1 teaspoon of Dawn this time and it was perfect. I think the 1-2 Tbs in the Tips section of the media website may be a typo...