Tumbling & Prep

[sentry1]

So I got a Hornady M2 tumbler, loaded it up about halfway with walnut media from Harbor Freight, added a couple of ounces of Flitz polish, and a hundred or so rounds of .223 brass.

The brass came out all neat and clean, except for the primer pockets. Still as dirty as ever. Any recommendations for a good primer pocket cleaner that can be chucked into a power drill? I have the Redding primer pocket uniformers, but I don't know if those will work after I've already uniformed the pockets this first time.

Even bigger issue: a LOT of the cases have a piece of walnut jammed in the flash hole. Is there a more efficient way to deal with this than poking a drill bit into each and every flash hole to clear it out?

...dammit, I might have to return this thing and get a Thumler's Tumbler.

 

[Temp9]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

I used to use a uniformer to clean my primer pockets. After the first uniforming, it'll just take off the layer of carbon and no more brass. A quick twist will clean it up just fine. You could chuck it into a power drill if you really wanted, but only needs about half a turn to clean all the gunk out.

As for the media in the flash holes, switch to 14/20 or 20/40 corncob. I believe they sell similarly sized walnut as well, but I never felt the need to deal with the dust. Either way, it's small enough that it'll run through the flash holes without sticking.

 

[30SMK]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

I would agree with Temp9 to use a uniformer like these from sinclair.

http://www.brownells.com/reloading/case-...4720-63188.aspx

You can chuck them in a drill and go to town, works very well.

 

[427Cobra]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

uniform the primer pockets and use the uniformer to clean them, as for the stuck walnut media the decapping pin on your FL die will punch the hole clear.

 

[gcoulsey]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

+1 on all of the above,
I actually tumble my cases with spent primers still in the brass,
Because like you, the pockets never come out clean enough anyway.
The primers stop media getting jammed in the flashole, (moot point because decapping pin pokes it out anyway as already mentioned)
And a quick turn with pocket uniformer to clean pockets after sizing.

One small benefit to not having media jammed in the flasholes, is that there's no risk of bending a decapping pin.

 

[leadbullet]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

if you want clean primer pockets, you'll need either an ultrasonic clener or use stainless steel media in a wet tumbler.
Corn cob or walnut will never clean the PP as good as the other two methods, I learned to live with it.

 

[Trigger Time 23]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

Go to the pet store and pick up some lizard bedding. Works great as tumbling media and will not get stuck in flash holes. It is alos affordable.

 

[YAOG]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trigger Time 23</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go to the pet store and pick up some lizard bedding. Works great as tumbling media and will not get stuck in flash holes. It is alos affordable. </div></div>
Lizard bedding? What is it made from?

 

[Modoc]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

Lizard bedding is crushed walnut hulls, at least at my local PetCo.

 

[Temp9]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trigger Time 23</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go to the pet store and pick up some lizard bedding. Works great as tumbling media and will not get stuck in flash holes. It is alos affordable.</div></div>

Depends on the size. If you find one fine enough, make sure you get the same brand every time.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

I've been tumbling in stainless for nearly 2 years now. I like to complain about it being a pain in the ass, but I just did some dry tumbling in walnut shells recently, for the first time in a LONG time, and it sucks.

I ended up redoing it in the stainless.

If you are on the fence about the stainless, I'd say go for it.

 

[insight3b]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

I use this:

https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/MainSer...p;route=C11J037

The flash hole deburring tool pops the media out as it deburrs and the primer pocket uniformer cuts the primer pocket to the same depth leaving it shiny

 

[gunnut223]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

Flash hole cleaneris just a decapping pin on a stick, very handy to have. I know some guys use coat hangers, but then forgot that it was for.

I live with the fact that for a while now im not going to get a case prep center. Ive been reloading for over 10yrs now. And still clean the primer pockets with the RCBS pocket primer brush. Even on my AR rds. Time consuming but reloading to me is relaxing.

 

[Genius.]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

I tumble my brass with the primers still in, then to get the primer pockets clean I use Sinclair's primer pocket uniformed in my drill

 

[Killshot44]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

The lizard bedding he referred to is the Zilla brand. It is crushed walnut shells and it does NOT stick in the primer holes. A $7 bag will fill your vibratory tumbler twice.

Of course the stainless media method is so much better, cleaning the insides and primer pockets as well as the exterior.

 

[Bob L Swagger]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

http://www.petco.com/product/102881/Zill...at=OnSiteSearch

 

[JByrd]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

fight the dry media....the dry media has challenged your flash holes

 

[FamilyMan]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

I just use my air compressor because its faster and I tumble and sort out there anyways. I take each case and just give em a shot in each direction and it blows the dust/debris out one direction and removes the stuck piece in the flash hole out the other direction. Only down side to it is it sends it the one stuck in the flash hole flying across the garage but they are so little it's hardly noticeable when i clean the garage and as for the dust I don't think it matters at all but I tell you what, I never thought there was that much dust/debris in the case after tumbling until I started using air and I was amazed at the dust clouds that it shoots out.

As for the clean primer pockets, everyone has already said it, it ain't gonna happen with dry media so I just run the uniformer and its clean in 3 turns or less (after its been uniformed once already of course)

 

[winterhorse290]

Re: Tumbling & Prep

i use the pet store walnut. and ,yes, i do have to poke the flash holes every once in a while. no dig deal. just part of the QA in reloading. and the large grain corncob works great for cleaning loaded rounds