Tumbling media

[257 Ackley]

What does everyone use as their guideline for changing out the media for cleaning cases? I use corncobb media with Iosso polishing cleaner.

 

[hubcap]

Corn cob media loads up with grime and foreign material too fast. It takes too much polish to make it work good. It gets caught in the flash holes too often. It takes too long to polish. Ya have to change it out for new stuff too often. Walnut shell media lasts longer. Does not load up with dirt as easily or guickly. Does not need more polish as often. Seldom gets caught in the flash hole if you buy the correct grain size. It only takes about one hr. in my dillion CV-500 with some of that flitz cartridge polish and your done. It used to take me hours with corn cob. Corn cob is out at this house. I buy the walnut shell media at the feed store in a 25LB. bag for a darn good price.

 

[SJB358]

Thats great info. I have been using corn cob media with a dryer sheet in the mix. Seems to suck up a bunch of the dirt. I don't mind letting it run longer, but I will keep my eye out for some walnut media. Sounds like a better mousetrap. Never used polishing compounds either. I just dump them in and it run till they are shiny. Scotty

 

[Guest]

I'm going to have to check the local feed store for walnut media. I've used both, and currently use both. They are for different purposes for me. Corncob polishes much better for me than walnut, but walnut cleans the grime off better on really dirty cases.

@Scotty - if you haven't tried it, get a bottle of citrus based liquid polish (mine is Midway branded, but there are numerous just like it) and dump some into your corncob. You'll be amazed at how shiny that brass gets. Just let the corncob run about 20-30min after you dump in the polish before you put the brass in, so it's well mixed. Well worth the $7-10 for the polish.

 

[SJB358]

Man, I guess I will have to add that to list of things "to have"!!! It never stops.. I do like bright shiny cases though. Just seems alot easier on the dies and equipment. Scotty

 

[Guest]

Scotty, at least this is a cheap acquisition! Here's what I'm using:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=198878

 

[SJB358]

Cheap is a relative term. If I buy that, I have to buy enough to make it worth shipping, then all the sudden I have a 50.00 order! Scotty

 

[Guest]

I have a simple, elegant solution. Order some 110gr Accubonds in .277, and then ship them to me. Easy fix! Glad I could help out!

 

[SJB358]

Ah man! Why didn't I think of that. We could split a box and see what they do in each of our 270WSM's! Scotty

 

[SJB358]

Ah man! Why didn't I think of that. We could split a box and see what they do in each of our 270WSM's! I could even have my son field test them for a recoil report for ya! Scotty

 

[hubcap]

Another thing I decided to to do after much frustration with media sticking to the inside surfaces of cases upon removal from the tumbler is to clean the cases prior to tumbling with some of that birchwoodcasey case cleaner. That stuff removes your sizing lube and anything else you don,t want on those cases. This way your brass comes out of the tumbler shiny and without media clinging to the inside surfaces. Of course the cleaner costs me another ten bucks.

 

[257 Ackley]

So back to the question...what tells you it is time to change the media? Is it a color change of the media or is it a time thing with how long it takes to get the brass clean?

I need to visit a feed mill/pet supple store and see if they carry larger bags of walnut shell media as well. I have spent more money than necessary on media over the last few years. I tumble twice with every case, since I do them before they are resized and after resizing to remove any lube.

 

[257 Ackley]

Hubcap -
I want to try the walnut media just to get away from having to check every flashhole after it comes out of the tumbler. I have a paper clip on my reloading bench that I use to push corncob media out of the flashholes that are filled,

 

[Guest]

As far as when to change or recharge media, I use time as my primary indicator, though I will use the appearance of te media, too. When it starts to take a lot longer to clean cases, it's time to either recharge or chuck the media, depending on how it looks and how many times I've recharges it already.

 

[SJB358]

I usually just dump the cases in after shooting and leave my reloading room for awhile, heck, sometimes I almost forget about them! Seems like even with dirty looking media, they still come out pretty shiny. I do hate getting the kernels out of flash holes though. That is a pain. I will be looking into Walnut. If any of you all find a place online or something like that, let me know, I wouldn't mind giving it a whirl. Scotty

 

[Guest]

I found a tool years ago (that I think Lyman still makes) that is a flash hole cleaner. It's basically a Lyman tool handle with a decapping pin on the end of a 3-4" shaft. You just "poke" the pin through the flash hole and knock out any debris. Works pretty easily for me. Midway has these listed in their catalog:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=914112

 

[257 Ackley]

Just stopped by the Gun Stop store to pick up some bullets and asked John about the corn cobb media. He says the version he sells, (grinds and packages himself) will not stick in the flash holes. I guess it is a finer grind. I didn't buy any today because I still have a supply of the Lyman media, but will give this stuff a try with when I need more.