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Thread: Tumbling Buckshot?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Tumbling Buckshot?

    Vibratory tumbler. With walnut media or without?
    (I don't don't have any stainless media)

    I thought it might work better with no media, but also thought it might put unnecessary wear on my tumbler container.

  2. #2
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    I use a rotary tumbler with t pinch of powdered graphite.

    I wouldn't use media

    I built an insert fo my rotary tumbler that accepts peanut jars

    dump in the buckshot add a little graphite and let it go until the buckshot is all round and shinny

  3. #3
    Boolit Master hickfu's Avatar
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    I really need a buckshot mold or 4!!!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    I bought a harbor freight rotary that I use. 6 hours with 4 or 5 steel 5/16 nuts does the trick for me
    "My main ambition in life is to be on the devil's most wanted list."
    Leonard Ravenhill

  5. #5
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    I use the refillable pencil sticks. Takes about 2 to coat a couple pounds

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I made a rotary tumbler with maytag washer motor, pillow(?) bearings, and 3/4" shafts similar to a rock tumbler. 6" PVC pipe turns around 50rpm. I lined the pipe with duct tape to give the buck a grip. I usually load 25lbs of buck but can handle 50lbs. After 5 hrs the buck cast with COWW alloy has a mirror finish. Just the buck rolling against each other. Takes the nub off from casting too. It makes no difference to grouping on target. Takes a couple thousandths off the diameter so fits some wads better when loaded.

  7. #7
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    rancher1913's Avatar
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    not sure if a vibratory will work, I always use my regular tumbler.
    if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead

  8. #8
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    I use the harbor freight single drum rotary tumbler. I did super glue two small flat pieces of wood inside the drum to increase the agitation, takes about 2 hours to remove sprue

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    I use my vibratory tumbler. Remove the media, add 5-10 lbs. of water-dropped #1 buckshot and let it run overnight. In the morning it's all round and shiny, same diameter as it was the night before.
    "We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"

    unknown

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    I might have made mine too hard. I mixed 2 lbs of wheel weights with 1/2 lb of 63/37 solder and water quenched them.

    After running them overnight in a Dillon vibratory tumbler with no media, the sprues look just like they did when they came out of the mold.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    I too use the Harbor Freight rotary rock tumbler. It's under powered but if you just load a couple pounds it will get the job done. Gp

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Texas Gun's Avatar
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    I Use a harbor freight cement mixer with the paddles taken out of the barrel

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Texas Gun's Avatar
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    I use locksmiths graphite the little squeeze bottles works great I pick it up at garage sales fairly cheap and you can go to tractor supply and pick up cans of powdered graphite to fairly cheap they have some spray on graphite I buy for my molds as well lot cheaper than buying the Frankford arsenal spray on

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leslie Sapp View Post
    I might have made mine too hard. I mixed 2 lbs of wheel weights with 1/2 lb of 63/37 solder and water quenched them.

    After running them overnight in a Dillon vibratory tumbler with no media, the sprues look just like they did when they came out of the mold.
    Wow! That alloy is somewhere around 30% Tin!
    "We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"

    unknown

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    The alloy calculator said 13% tin with a Brinell of 14.6 aircooled.
    What do you suppose it is water dropped?

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by Leslie Sapp View Post
    The alloy calculator said 13% tin with a Brinell of 14.6 aircooled.
    What do you suppose it is water dropped?
    It's difficult to say, but I can say they are plenty hard for the job. The variables are the temperature they were when quenched, and how cold the water was. The hotter the balls, and the colder the water, the harder they will be. Anytime I've tested, it's been ballpark 25 to 30 BHN.

    As for the tumbler, a vibratory tumbler probably wont do anything what you want. I use a rock tumbler, and as stated it can only do a couple pounds at a time. The rolling action is what smooths over the sprue, vibrating wont do anything. I've even heard some guys put them loose in a big container, put it in the back of their car, and drive with it for a while. Whether or not you actually need to smooth the sprue is another matter. A mold that you have to separate shot with a cutters, it might help. If you are casting with a 2 or 6 cavity Lee mold, then they come out perfect anyway.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    Wow...silly me!! When I 1st read 'tumbling buckshot', I thought some one was having problems with their buckshot tumbling in the air when shot. As in s bullet tumbling. I think its bedtime. Nighty night.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    Use my RCBS Sidewinder with a pinch of graphite. Smooths 'em right out. Have plans to be elsewhere during tumbling as it's LOUD./beagle
    diplomacy is being able to say, "nice doggie" until you find a big rock.....

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by megasupermagnum View Post
    It's difficult to say, but I can say they are plenty hard for the job. The variables are the temperature they were when quenched, and how cold the water was. The hotter the balls, and the colder the water, the harder they will be. Anytime I've tested, it's been ballpark 25 to 30 BHN.

    As for the tumbler, a vibratory tumbler probably wont do anything what you want. I use a rock tumbler, and as stated it can only do a couple pounds at a time. The rolling action is what smooths over the sprue, vibrating wont do anything. I've even heard some guys put them loose in a big container, put it in the back of their car, and drive with it for a while. Whether or not you actually need to smooth the sprue is another matter. A mold that you have to separate shot with a cutters, it might help. If you are casting with a 2 or 6 cavity Lee mold, then they come out perfect anyway.
    MSM, not to pick an argument, but......I cast my buck shot from Lino/pure 50-50 then water drop. I use a vibratory tumbler, no media, just drop 5-10 lbs. of shot in and go to bed. As Beagle said, t's pretty loud! In the morning the sprues are gone, shot is nice and round. You might not need to tumble that length of time, but it's too loud to be around, best to be elsewhere.
    "We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"

    unknown

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    An interesting thread! I'm not a "shotgunner" but sure enjoy reading the posts here - you fellows are a breed of your own and "innovative" and it's really interesting to read the things you do.

    I'm getting ready to play with a 1842 .69 caliber musket to try some "buck and ball" loads out of it. I'm going to have to use a 2 cavity round ball mold to cast up my buckshot - don't need a huge quantity of them. The mold leaves a pronounced sprue so I was planning on tumbling them to try and iron out the sprue. Lot's of good ideas here and will use my Frankford Arsenal tumbler to do it. I like the idea of shimming the inside and using a plastic peanut jar - ought to work fine and also the idea of using a pencil lead to provide graphite - saves having to go out and find some powdered graphite. Great ideas and love seeing what you guys do!

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