223 brass and corn cob media

[Jal5]

I have around 300 cases that have media stuck inside. Any easy way to clean it out? Thx

[Budzilla 19]

Put them in a covered bucket, turn the bucket end for end, and then shake the heck out of them!!! Should loosen right up. Good luck !

[billyb]

using a vibratory tumbler? remove the media from the tumbler and tumble the brass by it's self. it will be noisy ! should shake the stuck media loose. Bill

[David2011]

If shaking doesn't work, make a tool to loosen and dig it out from some "music wire" available from hobby shops that cater to radio controlled aircraft and boats and maybe places like Michael's or Hobby Lobby. It's spring tempered so very stiff and strong for its diameter. Some 1/16" or 5/64" will be plenty strong. It also makes nice tools to punch media out of flash holes.

David

[freebullet]

Add an ounce or two of oms (odorless mineral spirits) it will rehydrate your media and you can just tumble them again like normal it should all come out. Makes it clean up fast too.

If it's stuck cause you used to large of media that's another issue.

[M-Tecs]

One cause is adding liquid polish to the media with the brass in it. I did it once. Didn't think to try mineral spirits. I had to dig it out. Now I add the liquid polish to the media and run it for 10 minutes for I add the brass.

[Jal5]

I think the cc was too big. It really. Lodged in the nevks. Dry media too.

[freebullet]

If your polish makes it clump just run it overnight. It will distribute and come out.
When I use cc I add an oz of polish, 1-2 oz oms, & 3-4 used dryer sheets then run for at least 2-3hr. Sometimes overnight. Cases come out new looking and the dryer sheets catch the black gunk extending your media life.

Hydration of the media with oms might help it come out even if the media is too big. Letting it run is much easier than picking out media.

[SSGOldfart]

I use a every day Q-tip,if it's wet you have to remove it before it dries. Pull the tip out a little on the Q-tip so the cotton catches on your media
Either way it's going to take some time,you might be better off buying more:shock:

[Garyshome]

Air Compressor

[coloraydo]

Jal5, are you are using a vibratory tumbler? If so, as you are removing the case from the tub (one at a time, slow, I know), hold the case open end down against the center bolt for a few seconds, obviously while it is running, and let the vibration work the media out. I have gotten into this habit, and it is surprising how effective it is.

Hope this helps.

[Jal5]

I will them again in the tumbler without media and see how it goes. Thx for all the suggestions.

[dudel]

Did you buy your media at the pet store or Walmart? If so, that media is much larger than the media normally used for polishing brass. I made that mistake once (and only once). Ended up having to use a pick to get the media out of .223 brass. PITA. Media designed for polishing brass, just pours right out.

[Jal5]

It was definitely bigger than normal size and i got it from a friend who ordered it in bulk online. Never again.

[Jal5]

After running in tumbler 4 hrs i still had to pick a lot out. Chalk it up to lesson learned. I may move on to wet tumbling. Brass cleaning i hate out of the whole reloading process

[petroid]

Ditch the corn cob. Get lizard litter from the pet store. It's ground walnut shells just like the premium tumbling media and much cheaper. Wont stick in your cases either like corn cob.

[Jal5]

Tried litter but the dust nearly killed me. I am super sensitive to it i guess

[David2011]

The original post didn't suggest that the media was huge. I made that mistake once with large CC from Wal-Mart. After I dug it out of the .223 cases I threw the rest away.

The corn cob media available at drillspot.com is available in sizes so small it will flow through the flash holes. The 20/40 size is very small and polishes beautifully. Unfortunately their shipping has gone from free to ridiculous - $47.90 shipping for 40 pounds. The media itself is $38.62. If you have a local blasting media supply company check with them.

David

[dudel]

After running in tumbler 4 hrs i still had to pick a lot out. Chalk it up to lesson learned. I may move on to wet tumbling. Brass cleaning i hate out of the whole reloading process


Take a look at the sticky on Citric Acid in the Cast Boolits section. A $3 bottle of Citric acid powder from Walmart, a container and some water is all you need. Made me a believer.

[Scoutdog99]

Tried litter but the dust nearly killed me. I am super sensitive to it i guess

Adding mineral spirits will help keep the dust down.

[waltherboy4040]

Tried litter but the dust nearly killed me. I am super sensitive to it i guess

Zilla lizard litter and dryer sheets works wonders.

[myg30]

After running in tumbler 4 hrs i still had to pick a lot out. Chalk it up to lesson learned. I may move on to wet tumbling. Brass cleaning i hate out of the whole reloading process

Maybe try a blender or coffee grinder to get size down of media.
Cleaning brass in tumbler should not be a hassle. 1-2 cap full Nufinish car polish, cap full or two of mineral spirits. Run tumbler empty for an hour or two till clumps are gone. Make sure there is no polish stuck on bottom or cone of tumbler. Used dryer sheet, cut in half helps collect dust powder and keeps media cleaner. Toss in brass, set timer 2-3 hrs. 4 if needed.
If tumbler has slotted top, cover bowl with plastic and put lid on, no dust. Set on floor, concrete keeps noise down.
Don't over fill tumbler with brass or media.
This works with corncob or walnut media of correct size. I sometimes deprime pistol brass but always rifle brass. Tap cases on table and inspect. Load, shoot enjoy.

Be safe, Mike

[RogerDat]

Tried litter but the dust nearly killed me. I am super sensitive to it i guess
Small amount of odorless mineral spirits, about 1 or 2 shot glasses worth, vibrate a few minutes to distribute, then add cap or two of polish, vibrate to distribute. Dump in brass and vibrate. No dust after that, may need to "freshen" the mineral spirits with a small splash every now and then. I add a drizzle of polish (drizzle is amount between dibby dab and splash) to each load or every other load of brass, sort of depending.

Not only did pre-wetting get rid of the dust but the stuff just worked better, you can see the difference between "before" & "after" wetting process. I don't recall the member that posted that recipe but it sure helped me out. Especially for range pickups. Walnut does a better job scrubbing off the heavier tarnish, less effective at gloss polishing than CC media by a small amount. Oh and that post had some good advice about density of cases, pointed out that the cases rub the media against the other cases so handful of brass in a bunch of media is very ineffective as compared to same handful of brass in half full bowl of media.

Way off in the weeds there for a bit - but lizard bedding prepped = no dust and it doesn't get caught in the cases.

[soldierbilly1]

Ditch the corn cob. Get lizard litter from the pet store. It's ground walnut shells just like the premium tumbling media and much cheaper. Wont stick in your cases either like corn cob.

+2 billboy

[brassrat]

My current batch is like new and maybe a yr. old. I used car polishing compound and empty tumbled for hours and than let dry, w lid off repeated like three times. I don't tumble with rifles cases, after sizing. The stuff looks and acts new.

[Jal5]

I ran them in tumbler again with no media. That loosened them up but i still had to Run a needle probe in each one.

[rbuck351]

Yeah, once you get them cleaned out, use Lizzard litter. It's really fine and will not stick in the case or the primer pocket or flash hole. I use automotive rubbing compound, about a tablespoon every two or three loads with about a half teaspoon of cerium oxide (rock polish). My vibrator tumbler has a lid which stops the dust and I set it on the floor on a piece of dense foam pad that quiets it some and keeps it from walking about. Black cases get a quick dunk in Birchwood-Casey liquid case cleaner, about 20 sec, then in the tumbler. If your tumbler has no lid, put a plastic bag over it held with a rubber band. No dust, no cases full of stuck media and the rubbing compound apparently has some wax in it as it helps keep the cases shiny.