Tumbling media in flash hole

[bootsnthejeep]

Anyone got a silver bullet or amazing solution for this? My 45-70s that I load with blackpowder get soaked and then deprimed (lee universal decapper) and get tossed in the tumbler. And every damn one of them ends up with a piece of tumbling media in the flash hole. I can run them thru the die again, or sit there with a piece of brazing rod and poke them all out. I thought the brilliant minds of here might have another solution I hadn't thought of.

[870TC]

I just load them and shoot it out. No apparent problems so far, only been doing it this way for 20 years or so.

[No_1]

I had the same problem and ended up trying different brands of tumbling media until I found one that had either smaller or larger granules. I chose the smaller granules, bought a bunch, use new finish car polish with it and have never looked back. Ended up saving time and money which is always a good thing

Robert

[mooman76]

I run mine through the media before I decap. The media never seemed to do a great job in the flashole as far as cleaning anyway. A really small jewelers screwdriver or something similar works good to clean it out.

[docone31]

I tumble mine with the primers on board. When I deprime, I also then tumble the same batch. On the rare occasion I get media in the flash hole and it does not tap out, I use a pin.
I used to just shoot it out, and I never noticed any difference either.
The big trick is to keep the media dry.

[44man]

I let mine dry good first, no problems.

[EDK]

Get the ceramic media from SAGEBRUSH or Dave Maurer or ?

De-prime promptly after shooting black powder, set it up according to instructions and let it clean your cases AND primer pockets with a lot less hassle and better results than before! I knock most of the media out of the case, rinse it around in clear water and get the rest out and then put the casings on a drying rack (also from SAGEBRUSH) and let it dry. If I neck size/full length resize, I wipe the spray on lube off with solvent.

Go do some lookin' and listen' over at shilohrifle.com/forums or bpcr. net. You'll learn a lot about black powder reloading on either one.

[Calehedron]

I deprime with an RCBS universal then tumble. After that, they are run thru the sizers and the deprime pin in them knocks out any media trapped in the hole.

[madcaster]

Does anyone use an air nozzle?

[Newtire]

I just use a mechanic's scribe and poke it out. Not a real problem.

[beagle]

I poke mine out too but I don't think it makes any difference. Just something about priming with a particle of tumbling media in there that goes against my grain.

As has been pointed out, the obvious answer is to get the right sized media but I use the cheap "Lizzard Litter"./beagle

[94Doug]

I use a drill bit of appropriate size.

[monadnock#5]

After tumbling I count the number of cases out that I want to reload by placing them case head up in a loading block. When the loading block is held up under a 4' florescent, it's easy to see which cases need need the attention of the aforementioned mechanics scribe.

[cajun shooter]

I also shoot the "HOLY BLACK" and media in the primer pocket is no different than having to clean cases. It's one of those things that comes with the game. I was told that cleaning with the right size ceramic media will stop alot of this type problem. It's expensive but does not wear out.

[Shiloh]

Does anyone use an air nozzle?

I have and it works great If I have a large amount. I usually look the cases over before loading and push out stubborn grit with a scribe.

Shiloh

[686]

for all my rifle cases i tumble first then size-deprime. i then tumble-polish . this gives me nice looking brass. i use 20-30 walnut , this is very fine , also i do not use it for the second tumling id it is getting lumpy. the fresh stuf comes right out. i do check every one and use a pick to get any that may be left.

[rugerman1]

I use one of those pistol length LEE trimmer spuds. Thread it down on your reloading bench while you are priming with a LEE hand primer.As you eyeball each case when you are priming,if you see a case with a booger in the flash hole,reach over and poke it with the trimmer tip.

[dale2242]

I like to size first then tumble to get the sizing lube off the cases. If the brass is for straight walled handguns, size-tumble- decap, no problem . The decapping pin pushes the media from the flash hole. With bottle neck brass, I size - decap- tumble- and [like madcaster] blow the media from the flash hole with air. I don`t want to leave it in the flash when I load.---dale

[DLCTEX]

First, I have found a media (no name, bought at a gun show) that is smaller. Hasn't been a problem since. I was using my air compressor with a nozzle, holding a handful at a time and blowing through the flash hole. Then hold the handful up to see light through the flash holes. You can do hundres in minutes.

[Shuz]

Folks--smaller media is the answer. There used to be an outfit in Illinois known as Mt Pulaski Products. Maybe they're still in business? Anyway they offer corn cob grit in various sizes. I once bought a pallet load by mistake(but that's another story), and I sold most of it to IHMSA friends in 1989. Now that I'm down to my last 50 pounder, I better look 'em up! Once again.....Size does matter!--Shuz