Tumbling Brass w/ Stainless Steel?

[Rich219]

I have been out of metallic reloading for a year or two now (it's been a while) since 99.999% of the shooting I do is with my 12ga. It seems like tumbling with stainless steel media is the in thing now? Am I wrong?

Can anyone tell me what I need to do it?

Will it work with my vibratory tumbler?

Wouldn't the stainless steel damage the brass since brass is softer than the stainless?

How effective is stainless media vs. walnut shells?

How long does the stainless media last?

[Lackey]

I'm wet tumbling now with SS pins. It's pretty darned amazing. However it IS work. You have to drain it and then rinse it, otherwise they'll have a green tarnish.

It wont work with a vibratory tumbler. At least it didn't with mine, the brass floated to the top and it just made alot of noise.

The pins are so small that they just rub the tarnish and shmutz off the case, including the inside and the primer pockets.

I still tumble my stuff in walnut and nufinish after they're done and dry to get any residual tarnish off and to put the small coating of wax on them so they don't tarnish with handling.

[Rich219]

How long does the SS media last?

[LatheRunner]

I use a home made rotary tumbler. Works like a charm. I use ss pins, dish liquid and a little lemishine. Cases come out looking like brand new ones. It is a little more work . You can get the pins from STM. look in the upper right hand corner of the forum.

LatheRunner

[GRUMPA]

How long does the SS media last?

I've been using this method with the stainless media now for about a year. I sell a huge amount of altered brass here on the site and have done well over 120k with the same unit pins and all. I still have the original 5lbs of pins I started out with (I weighed them last month) but I do have a 2lb reserve bag for that just in case situation.

If I can do that many in a year and still have the same weight chances are good your kids will inherit what you started with.

[Rich219]

What size container would I need to do 1000 .223/5.56 at once?

I think I will start working on making my own rotary tumbler some time next week.

[rasto]

It depends on many factors.
The way I went was buying a 25l barrel with wide aperture.
http://www.plastic.co.nz/productimages/pd/barrels-drums/4052_1.jpg
DO not to forget to buy appropriate amount of media because 1000/223 are about 6kg so thing about that.

[MtGun44]

Can't imagine why one would want to do this. $25 of corncob with $3 worth of Nu Finish
will last for years, makes the brass look better than new, cleans up in about
2 hrs max and prevents tarnish for years.

Still a free country (but Obama is working on it) so have fun, but I sure can't see any
reason to change.

Bill

[rasto]

It is called progress therefore we are not throwing rocks but shooting from super modern plasma guns nowadays ;-)

[Moonie]

The pins will last a very long time, more likely you will lose them down the drain 1 or 2 at a time until you need more.

[cheese1566]

I have tried the stainless pin media using a Thumlers B and a Lortone.
I love the results but hate the process of seperating, rinsing, and drying. I tried several ways to seperate the media and settled on a RCBS rotary seperator.

I have found however that corn cob and Nufinish gives me just as suitable results. Especially since when my brass is dry after sst cleaning, I drop them in my tumbler anyways for some Nufinish tarnish prevention. Which I am now glad I bought the rotary seperator!

For me, I'll clean my small amount of rifle brass in it since it does well with primer pockets and I can do it to remove case lube after sizing. Otherwise, all my pistol brass goes in the corn cob.

I will add however that sst pins will clean up tarnished old jacketed bullets!

To each his own.

[W.R.Buchanan]

both have their place.

Bill,,, I can tell you that brass cleaned with SS pins looks new inside and out!

Brass cleaned with cobs or walnut shells only does the outside of the case, pins do the inside and the primer pockets.

They do this simply by agitating the spooge already loosened by the soap and lemishine. I once found I could clean cases by soaking them in Lemishine and then using a Q-tip to agitate that already loosened spooge. This took way too much time. The pins do it much faster.

There is also a certain amount of 'burnishing" going on with the pins. This also happens to a lesser degree with cobbs however it is the cases impacting each other that do it with cobs. The pins are metal and have more of an effect than the lighter corn cobb media.

All that said: I only use the pins on batches of range rifle brass that I pick up that are super filthy. After they come out it is easy to see which ones are good and which ones are scrap.

Then I size and deprime and deal with swaging primer pockets and then tumble in Walnut shells and Dillon Case polish.

The results yeild factory like results.

This is just one more technique towards loading better ammo, and better ammo makes us better shooters.

Randy

[Mohavedog]

What size container would I need to do 1000 .223/5.56 at once?

I think I will start working on making my own rotary tumbler some time next week.

Sounds like you are interested in doing a larger (commercial) volume than most of us hobby reloaders. I think the model B tumbler sold by Thumler is 15 lb capacity (They make a larger one of 40 lb but way more expensive, like around $700). I believe they recommend just north of 200 .223 brass per load for the 15# using 5# of ss pins and one gal of water. So to do 1000 .223 you would need a tumbler 5X larger in volume. Sounds like making a custom setup would be the cheapest way for you to accomplish your goal.

[GRUMPA]

If it were me and I wanted to do that many I would look for one of those little cement mixers.

[nicholst55]

Prolonged tumbling with stainless steel pins (like overnight) will cause some damage to the case mouth - it will roll a lip into the case mouth, but it can be removed with a chamfer tool.

[bbqncigars]

If you want a max capacity extra heavy duty wet tumbler, google biggdawgtumbler. It looks like one mega-built unit. I wish I'd thought of that design.

[Lizard333]

Prolonged tumbling with stainless steel pins (like overnight) will cause some damage to the case mouth - it will roll a lip into the case mouth, but it can be removed with a chamfer tool.

I haven't had this happen to me yet. I have accidentally left my tumbler going over night with no I'll effects. What type of brass?

It has a an initial cost more than corn cob, but is worth it's weight in gold. I will never go back to corn or walnut. Just not the same.

Btw, I know of a guy that uses a small concrete mixer with the five pounds of pins and gets excellent results. He does quite a bit more brass, than the two pounds recommended and he still gets great results.

[cajun shooter]

To Lackey and others with problems. I have used the SS pins for about 18 months now and if you are getting cases that are tarnished then you are doing it wrong.
I also will tell Mt Gunn 44 that no tumbler with a vibratory action and walnut media will even come close to producing clean, shiney brass LIKE THE SSPINS!! It is clean inside the primer pockets( no using any pocket cleaning tool again) The inside is just as bright as the outside which can't be claimed by vibratory cleaners.
I have been in this sport of shooting, casting and cleaning brass for several years starting in 1968.
I worked as a Firearms instructor and Range officer for over 1200 men and tumbled over 100,000 cases a year. I have tried all the ways included the chemical style of cleaning, none of them touch the results as that produced by the correct tumbler and mix with the pins.
I have purchased brass from Starline since they became known to me in the early 80's and the brass is not as shiney as mine after cleaning, even when brand new.
If you use a high speed Thumblers tumbler model B with at least 5 pounds of the pins from STI along with just enough water to cover the contents about 1/2 inch. You then add either DAWN W/OXY or PalmoliveW/OXY. Just one good squirt will do. Then add about 1 teaspoon of Lemi-shine level not heaping. Close it up and let it clean for anywhere from 2-3 hours depending on the condition of the brass. I go 3 because of the Black Powder Residue.
When you take the lid off you will find a very thick foam if you added the correct amount of soap.
I pour mine off into a fine SS mesh colander from Walley World. You may have some pins fall through but don't panic as you may pick them up later. Let it drain for about 5 minutes and then take to a sink with spray hose. Spray the contents with water until all the run off is clear and not murkey. You will see brass that will blind you with it's brightness. It's a hard to believe sparkle. If you have only used media cleaning in the past you will not believe what you are seeing.
After the rinising start picking your brass out by turning each one upside down to empty any pins inside.
Lay the brass on a thick towel and dry with a hair dryer or place outside in the sun.
If you have had any pins come through the colander or on the ground or sink, just use that large magnet you purchased at the Harbour Frieght near you. Set inside your container until next time.
You will never use any other method, unless you are like some and still use a dial phone.
Later David

[kitsap]

What size container would I need to do 1000 .223/5.56 at once?

I think I will start working on making my own rotary tumbler some time next week.

Some good information and ideas here...........

http://biggdawgtumblers.com/5601.html

[Gliden07]

How do you pick up SS pins with a magnet? I thought SS was not magnetic?

[GRUMPA]

How do you pick up SS pins with a magnet? I thought SS was not magnetic?


Your right on 1 account, 300 series stainless steel is non-magnetic. These pins are not that type of stainless steel, and they are magnetic. The neat thing about them is they don't seem to rust either. I've tried to make mine get rusty and after having them sit in water for over a week I gave up on that idea.:coffeecom

[hunter64]

Just search under my handle and you will find everything you need to know.

[Rich219]

Any ideas where to buy new motors for the DIY tumblers? Two of the guys I shoot with want me to build them the tumblers too.

[Moonman]

Grainger's or just go online to search for whatever motor you desire.

[mold maker]

Discarded washing machines, dryers, and some dish washers are just a few sources for free motors. They're all constant duty and well built. You aren't trying to pull a train so fractional HP motors are all you need.
Be sure to include an in-line fuse, of proper size, no matter what motor you use.

[Mike_60]

This is why I use SS pins.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/oktec60/Sale%20Items/015.jpg

[traderpats]

I've been using the SS method for well over a year now. The way I've found to best separate the brass / pins is as follows:

Rinse the tumbled brass a couple of times while still in the drum. Just pour out the old water and replace / agitate for a few seconds. After a few rinses it'll be crystal clear.

Place slotted colander over a big (5 gal) bucket. Pour brass / pins in colander.

While running a low flow of water over the brass / pins agitate them vigorously. The better the agitation the better. I place it all under a hose spigot.

Pins will fall through the slots in the colander. Just pour off the water and dry. This is way, way, way better than separating individually by hand. Actually takes around 5 min. total.

Will remove anywhere from 99% + of the pins. Easiest way I've found. NI think a rotary type unit should also work well but never tried it. Anyways my .02¢....

[Lizard333]

I use a Dillon case separator. The kind that you load the brass in an and rotate the drum. I then put the brass in a plastic shoe box, free of all the pins, and rinse once in clean hot tap water. I then shake the brass in a strainer to get the majority of the water out of the cases. I put the brass on a towel and roll them around to get the outside of the case dry to prevent spots. Into a 200 degree one that get shut off hen I put the brass in and the brass is dry and ready to reload again. Take five minutes.

[DukeInFlorida]

I'm successfully cleaning .22lr brass with stainless steel pins in my own home made rotary tumbler:
http://youtu.be/5u4mSA6BbRc

I found that the Dillon media separator was the only brand on the market with the slots small enough to hold onto the .22 LR brass, while allowing the pins to fall through. I fill the catch bin with water, and that seems to pull the pins out of the small brass easily.

I use the .22 lr brass to swage into bullet jackets for .224 bullets, and the insides of the brass is critical to real success. The rotary tumbler with stainless steel pins is the only way I have found to get them clean.

The SS pins sold by our sponsor is made from 400 series alloy stainless steel, which is rustproof, but attracted to a magnet. My batch of pins was rusting after some storage. The company sent me a new batch.

Losing pins can be a pain, and a strong magnet kept nearby will help pick up the little things.

[Ringer]

Has anyone tried the media sold on ebay as XL. .025X 1.00in?
Seems like that would work well with straight walled cases without losing track of the small media.
Ringer

[biggdawg]

Has anyone tried the media sold on ebay as XL. .025X 1.00in?
Seems like that would work well with straight walled cases without losing track of the small media.
Ringer

I think those would be way too long but that is just my opinion. Pellets sells an xxl pin that is .5 in long x .062 diameter. i have tried them and didn't like them.

i am now using a pin they may start selling it is .047x.255 and i love them i get zero pins stuck in the flash holes now over their standard pin .041x.255

[Catshooter]

Another nice surprise is I have now twice tumbled two different calibers together and not had one case get stuck onto another. Just did 7.62x39 with 38-55 today, worked great.


Cat

[gunoil]

rcbs seperator and this is a good start below, watching this youtube.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3_FpiTzVYP8
http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/9D73A53C-9E60-40F3-BFD7-FDAD17B23951-4980-000005E6199317B3.jpg

http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/24F85300-6DCC-4E20-980E-753D9902B892-2354-0000012C3B3E5B78.mp4
Pins wash in ten mins.. Pins also peen brass and bring it back to life.
http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/091ED240-91B2-46B4-9EC7-EC503C893749-112-0000000651DBDFE0.mp4

Big clean 45 brass. I decap first.
http://i1113.photobucket.com/albums/k511/putt2012/B10CA69B-A10C-48B2-B024-22ED87E83B31-239-000004CD27F36429.mp4

[plus1hdcp]

I'm successfully cleaning .22lr brass with stainless steel pins in my own home made rotary tumbler:
http://youtu.be/5u4mSA6BbRc

I found that the Dillon media separator was the only brand on the market with the slots small enough to hold onto the .22 LR brass, while allowing the pins to fall through. I fill the catch bin with water, and that seems to pull the pins out of the small brass easily.

I use the .22 lr brass to swage into bullet jackets for .224 bullets, and the insides of the brass is critical to real success. The rotary tumbler with stainless steel pins is the only way I have found to get them clean.

The SS pins sold by our sponsor is made from 400 series alloy stainless steel, which is rustproof, but attracted to a magnet. My batch of pins was rusting after some storage. The company sent me a new batch.

Losing pins can be a pain, and a strong magnet kept nearby will help pick up the little things.

Duke - do you use the Dillon CM-500 or the CM-2000?

[SandSquid]

Prolonged tumbling with stainless steel pins (like overnight) will cause some damage to the case mouth - it will roll a lip into the case mouth, but it can be removed with a chamfer tool.

I have accidentally left a batch of (100) .44 Magnum running for a week, and found no ill effect.
I specifically checked the mouth and primer pockets with a mic and a dial-caliper.



I think those would be way too long but that is just my opinion. Pellets sells an xxl pin that is .5 in long x .062 diameter. i have tried them and didn't like them.

I have had an issue with two pins getting wedged into the flash-hole on brass that I have not reamed out the flash hole, and they are a real bugger to get out. Most of the time I just throw it aside for a later date when I'm watching a movie or something.

About 1 hour ago I orderd 5# of the XL pins because about 3 hours ago I (literally) destoyed my Decapping and Sizing die because I missed seeing two pins wedged in a flash hole.


i am now using a pin they may start selling it is .047x.255

Please let us/me know if/when they start selling them!