First Tumbling

[LumberZach]

I found a rock tumbler from when I was a kid and I had big plans for this and that before I finally decided to just pick up some walnut media and start tumbling. After 4 hours this I what I came up with. It still seems a little tarnished and I was just wondering if I should keep it going, or if that is good enough and it won't hurt anything.
Left side is a case from the same lot that didn't make it into the first batch, right side is the tumbled case.
Thanks guys, I always appreciate the help.

[DoxaPar]

I've usually run mine (Hornady tumbler) with walnut for 7ish hours.

I have no idea if I should, it's just how long it takes to clean up nicely.

[DoxaPar]

I've also been adding Nu Finish polish.

[MNIceMan]

I would not use a rock tumbler but a vibratory tumbler for you casings.

[LumberZach]

Will it do any damage or anything? I plan on getting a vibratory tumbler soon, but I figured I would polish up some cases cheap with what I currently have.

[rtwills]

I dont think it would hurt ( I have never tried it) but the vibratory ones will make the media work harder and probably be more gentle to the cases. I like corncob and usually put in in before bed and shut it down when I wake up

[JJ]

If its a rock tumbler, I would assume that it seals? If so, SS pins would be a better solution than walnut.

[Vlad]

A rock tumbler will work just fine, just takes longer than a vibritory tumbler. Use what you got... if this is a new experience keep your overhead low. Ss pins would work well but like the walnut would take a bit of time as well.

[MXGreg]

I picked up a rock tumbler and some SS pins and did a test load with some weathered 9mm cases I had laying around, just to see how well it will work. The two cases on the right are what went into the tumbler, the two on the left are what came out after 4 hours. I will say, I'm impressed.

[CarRacer]

Those look great. What did you use to separate the pins from the cases and water when you were done?

[LumberZach]

Do you guys think the pins work the brass too much? I have concerns about that, but I am extremely interested in the pins. I thought that the walnut would be good to try because it seems so tried and true. That and because it is easily available at Gander and such.

[MXGreg]

Those look great. What did you use to separate the pins from the cases and water when you were done?

I have a kitchen strainer that's made out of fine mesh, the pins won't go through it, then I just pick the shells out of the pins. I dump the water/shells/pins into the strainer over a 5 gallon pail just incase I get sloppy.

[Scratch]

I have both vibratory and SS pins. If I didn't have anything, and cared about shiny cases, I'd go with the SS pins and a rotary wet tumbler. It is more time involved though with straining, rinsing, and drying. Don't worry about the pins causing a problem with the brass, the only reason people don't use SS pins exclusively, is the initial cost difference, and the extra work, but if you want über shiny brass, the pins are the shiznit. Plus you already have a rotary tumbler.

But if I didn't have a lot of free time, and especially if I was doing pistol mostly, I'd just use a vibratory tumbler. Cant tell a whole lot of difference in the outside, and I don't really care about the insides and primer cups.... For pistol.

[LumberZach]

Nice, the fact that the pins clean inside the case is a huge plus. I just need to get off my butt and order the pins soon. Hopefully I do get a vibratory tumbler as well.

[BigDog58]

Do you guys think the pins work the brass too much? I have concerns about that, but I am extremely interested in the pins. I thought that the walnut would be good to try because it seems so tried and true. That and because it is easily available at Gander and such.

fwiw I get my walnut shells and corn cob from either Petsmart, Petco or Walmart. It is used as Pet bedding or substrate. It is far cheaper and I find the walnut ground much finer, which prevents any possibility of it plugging the flash holes. I add Nu Finish Car Polish to both, which helps prevent the brass from oxidizing as quickly.

Now that I have the wet tumbler, I do the following process in this order

Tumble dirty brass for 1 hr in plain Walnut Shell (Vibratory Tumbler) to get firing residue before I deprime and resize.

Deprime- Resize

Wet Tumble with Stainless Steel Pins, Dawn Dish Detergent and Lemi-Shine (Rotary Tumbler)

I then use my media seperator ( same one for walnut-corncob) to seperate pins brass and then completely rinse all traces of soap etc. in clear water.

Then dry the brass on a towel in front of a small fan. About 1 1/2 hrs.


After loading my ammo I then put the loaded ammo in the Corn Cob with Nu Finish (Vibratory Tumbler again)and wear cotton gloves to handle my loads as I place them in either sealed bags or ammo boxes for storage.

Most of this I learned from OldmanFCSA, except for the Nu Finish. That, I picked up from a You Tube video.