Harbor Freight Walnut Media: NO Clogged Primer Holes! Clogging Manners?

[ViragoSEPA]

Just a FWIW.... I tumble my resized rifle cases to remove the lubrication. Using my older style corn cob media I found primer holes clogged in over 50% of the cases. Now that's no big thing when doing 50 cases or so, but I do hundreds, so it's no fun. Then I found a tip on another board; Harbor Freight Walnut Shells - Fine -24 Grit..... no more clogs!

BTW, interesting posting on that same thread. A long time benchrest shooter did a test using cases with and without tumbling media clogged primer holes; same load; no noticeable difference in velocity or group size!!! Wow, I didn't expect that result! Still, why chance it, so I'm glad to find something that eliminated the problem!

Thanks!

[XDROB]

Thanks for sharing. Clogged primer holes is one of the reasons I switched to wet tumbling with stainless pins. The other was I wanted super shiny brass w/clean primer holes. Even though I also was told by a military sharp shooter that they don't need to be shiny clean. I do it because I like it. Time to go to HF. [emoji2]

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[JSnover]

I decided to leave the primers in years ago, they keep everything out of the primer pockets. I started using HF walnut a little while ago, maybe I'll run a batch without primers...

[upr45]

I still use corn cob media, however I have been adding an additional step. I use a drill bit to free any clogged flash hole, simply push in & out by hand and holes are clear. It adds a step in the brass inspection phase. No chance of reaming the hole since the bit is hand held instead of being mounted/spinning. I don't remenber the size of the bit.

[Baltimoreed]

I leave the primers in when I tumble. Hole gets punched clear when I resize/deprime. Why handle your brass any more than you have to? Besides I honestly don’t think that a small speck of corncob media is blocking anything given that a primer only squib round will blow a bullet out of a crimped case and halfway down a barrel.

[DougGuy]

I leave the cases unsized and old primers in when I tumble. Cleaning primer pockets manually is a PITB however, it's the best way to insure new primers get seated properly...

[mdi]

Yep, crushed walnut shells is normally larger than most corn cob media. Most of the time I leave the primers in but occasionally remove them. I use corn cob blast media, 14-20 and don't get debris stuck in the flash holes. I switched to blast media quite a while ago as it seems to be better quality control (consistent size and hardness) and a bit harder than the commercial "case tumbling corn media". I buy it in 40 lb. bags which turns out to be way cheaper per lb. than 5 lb. bags...

[dverna]

Did not know HF sold media. Will need to put in on my "to buy" list.

[oley55]

the primer pocket may not get clogged, but you will still get some fine granules stuck in the flash holes. Shouldn't be an issue for routine practice/blasting ammo as the primer's flash will likely blow them right out. However, being OCD as I am, I blast them out with compressed air (if/when I am not wet pin tumbling).

[trails4u]

Not sure what the HF media costs....but been using 1 bag of this stuff for about 10yrs now.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zilla-ground-english-walnut-shells-reptile-bedding-1038982?mr:device=c&mr:adType=pa&cm_mmc=PSH-_-BNG-_-CCY-_-CAS-_-CAB-_-AQU-_-NA-_-PM_BNG_FY20_SBU05_SH13_SmallAnimalBird%26ReptileSu pplies_Other_PLA-_-58700006228196541-_-PRODUCT_GROUP&msclkid=81661c58470d17201e517c08aa4342dc&gclid=81661c58470d17201e517c08aa4342dc&gclsrc=3p.ds

[1hole]

I honestly don’t think that a small speck of corncob media is blocking anything given that a primer only squib round will blow a bullet out of a crimped case and halfway down a barrel.

Goodness! I've never had such an experience with a "primer only"
blank. In fact, I've tested a few primer only rounds in otherwise empty .38 Special cases and it didn't move the 148 gr. bullets out of the cylinder.

I watched a professional log home blaster finish a job near me some 10-12 years ago. I asked him to sell me bag of the fine cob media he had been using and he just gave me one, something like 40# of 20-40 grit, IIRC. It doesn't clog flash holes. I've never seen anything that works better and I still have most of it.

I want clean cases that actually look factory new, not like gold plated, and couldn't care less about glittery brass; I got over my fascination with that kind of trivia decades ago. Therefore, I add no gray caking brass polish to my tumbling media and it lasts a very looong time.

[Mk42gunner]

I went to using lizard bedding from pet stores years ago. It is ground English walnut hulls, which are supposed to be harder than black walnut hulls.

If I want to clean the primer pockets, I use a Lee universal decapping die first, then use a normal resizing die with decapping pin to clear to flash hole as I size the case.

If I'm using a messy case lube that needs removing, I tumble in walnut and do the old poke the flash hole with a punch trick.

Robert

[Garyshome]

Lizzard litter from pet smart. It's non clogging:killingpc

[Airborne Falcon]

Yep, crushed walnut shells is normally larger than most corn cob media. Most of the time I leave the primers in but occasionally remove them. I use corn cob blast media, 14-20 and don't get debris stuck in the flash holes. I switched to blast media quite a while ago as it seems to be better quality control (consistent size and hardness) and a bit harder than the commercial "case tumbling corn media". I buy it in 40 lb. bags which turns out to be way cheaper per lb. than 5 lb. bags...

If I may ask ... from where do you purchase your corn cob blast media? Thanks in advance - the tip is much appreciated.

[JSnover]

Goodness! I've never had such an experience with a "primer only"
blank. In fact, I've tested a few primer only rounds in otherwise empty .38 Special cases and it didn't move the 148 gr. bullets out of the cylinder.


I don't know about a crimped case but, years ago with a 6" .357 I loaded JHP (don't remember the brand or weight but they would have been between 125 and 158gr) too light and had a squib, bullet lodged part way down the barrel. One empty case with one magnum primer popped the bullet out just as nice as you could ever want. Double-checked my data, pulled the rounds apart, all was correct. The next day, same story, same solution. Since then I Never load to the minimum, always come up just a hair.

[mdi]

Prices vary, some want shipping. McMaster and Granger are normally where I buy but since a 40 lb. bag lasts a very long time I haven't purchased any in quite a while. Last time I bought a 40 lb. bag I paid $40 delivered...

https://www.mcmaster.com/blasting-media
https://www.grainger.com/product/GRAINGER-APPROVED-Corn-Cob-Blast-Media-2MVR5
https://www.google.com/search?q=corn+cob+blast+media&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS874US874&oq=corn+cob+blast+media&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30l4j69i60.8158j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[1hole]

I don't know about a crimped case but, years ago with a 6" .357 I loaded JHP (don't remember the brand or weight but they would have been between 125 and 158gr) too light and had a squib, bullet lodged part way down the barrel. One empty case with one magnum primer popped the bullet out just as nice as you could ever want. Double-checked my data, pulled the rounds apart, all was correct. The next day, same story, same solution. Since then I Never load to the minimum, always come up just a hair.

Okay, so it was a sub-minimum charge, not a "primer only" event.

[JSnover]

Okay, so it was a sub-minimum charge, not a "primer only" event.
Yeah, in my case there was powder. I didn't think the primer alone would clear the barrel but it did. With cast boolits I might never have had a problem.

[Kenstone]

Just a FWIW.... I tumble my resized rifle cases to remove the lubrication. Using my older style corn cob media I found primer holes clogged in over 50% of the cases. Now that's no big thing when doing 50 cases or so, but I do hundreds, so it's no fun. Then I found a tip on another board; Harbor Freight Walnut Shells - Fine -24 Grit..... no more clogs!

BTW, interesting posting on that same thread. A long time benchrest shooter did a test using cases with and without tumbling media clogged primer holes; same load; no noticeable difference in velocity or group size!!! Wow, I didn't expect that result! Still, why chance it, so I'm glad to find something that eliminated the problem!

Thanks!

Here's something to try next time.
After I sift all/most of the media out, and there is media stuck in the primer pockets, I return the brass, just the brass to the vibe tumbler, and run it.
The brass is vibrated much more violently without the media, and the stuff stuck in the pockets falls out.
:idea:
jmo,
.

[BigAlofPa.]

Im thinking about switching to H.F #12 walnut. The 24 makes a lot of dust. It will be awhile though. I have a full box and a 1/2 box of the #24 on hand. Corncob i bought my last from home depot. 50 lb bag free ship.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/ALC-50-lbs-Corn-Cob-Blasting-Abrasive-4012510/206941121

[snowwolfe]

Once you go wet you will never go back to walnut