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Use a grain mill to make your own tumbling media.

orkan

Primal Rights, Inc.
Banned !
Minuteman
  • Oct 27, 2008
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    3,996
    South Dakota, USA
    www.primalrights.com
    Some of you may know that I've been using rice to tumble my brass with fantastic success for many years. The article on that is found here: http://www.primalrights.com/library/articles/clean-brass-with-rice

    The only issue I've run into is that the rice is often too large and gets stuck in .17 and .20 caliber case necks. The cases pack with rice but it's ultra-difficult to get out.

    I've solved this problem by getting a grain mill and running a coarse grinding op on a batch of rice. This single batch of ground rice will be good for many thousands of cases! You could use this same process to make your own custom media out of nearly anything compatible with your grain mill.

     
    I would have never thought to use that. Cheap and readily available.
    I wonder if anyone has ever tried the Plastic Media that they use in stripping cars and planes? I think it might last even longer than walnut.
     
    How is the dust when using rice?

    I've been using walnut for a while, but the cases are covered in a very fine dust after tumbling and it's annoying so I'm looking for an alternative.
     
    How is the dust when using rice?

    I've been using walnut for a while, but the cases are covered in a very fine dust after tumbling and it's annoying so I'm looking for an alternative.
    Give that original article a read.

    The rice absorbs the carbon/lube and so there is nothing flying around in the air. The right rice must be used... or you'll end up with plugged flash holes. It's all outlined in the article. :)
     
    Ok thanks. I love using the rice but I found it gets stuck in the cases, even my 6mm. This will fix that problem. Thanks.
     
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    The dryer sheets are really for absorbing the comtaminates when using corn cob or walnut enabling it to last a bit longer.
     
    Every time I come on this site I find something else I gotta buy. I will say rice will probably be the cheapest though.
    Thanks for the tip!
     
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    Been using rice with my 260 for a year now. No dust or residue on the cases was a big plus. Small flash hole brass and kept the grains out of it. Was a pita to knock all the rice out by hand but not awful when it’s only 50-100 cases.

    tried 200 pieces of 223 in there....never again. Every flash hole plugged, and a GIANT pita to get the rice out of that 22 cal hole. Gave up on it and ended up using really fine walnut reptile bedding but still have the dust and residue problem.

    this is giving me a great way to use rice on 223 now. Rice is 10/10 my preferred tumbling method.
     
    How is the dust when using rice?

    I've been using walnut for a while, but the cases are covered in a very fine dust after tumbling and it's annoying so I'm looking for an alternative.

    Just switch to corn cob and Dillon case polish. No dust, and no need to grind your own media. Cheap too.
     
    Been using rice with my 260 for a year now. No dust or residue on the cases was a big plus. Small flash hole brass and kept the grains out of it. Was a pita to knock all the rice out by hand but not awful when it’s only 50-100 cases.

    tried 200 pieces of 223 in there....never again. Every flash hole plugged, and a GIANT pita to get the rice out of that 22 cal hole. Gave up on it and ended up using really fine walnut reptile bedding but still have the dust and residue problem.

    this is giving me a great way to use rice on 223 now. Rice is 10/10 my preferred tumbling method.
    Are you using the correct rice?

    Not just any old food product will do. lol I went through quite a few makes before I landed on the one that would work properly. Its listed in the article.

    Do you use any polishing compounds with the rice?
    Nope.
     
    I just buy corn cob grit in 50 pound bags from a snad blasting supply company, I think the last bag cost me less than $15, 50 pounds of tumbling media lasts me a long time. You can also get walnut media at sand blasting supply houses if that is your desired media.