Putting live ammo in a tumbler

40Arpent · Apr 15, 2009

Is it safe to put live, brass-cased, FMJ rifle ammo in a tumbler to remove minor surface corrosion from the case?

baboon · Apr 15, 2009

No! Tumbling can change the burn rates in some powders.

ZX9RCAM · Apr 15, 2009

baboon said:
No! Tumbling can change the burn rates in some powders.

Very interesting....

Bullseye Shooter · Apr 15, 2009

This has been batted around on some of the other forums. The major ammunition manufacturers tumble their ammo after it has been loaded and before they put it in the boxes for sale, so for them, it appears not to be a problem.
I accidentally tumbled a live .38 Special round in my rotary tumbler and it shot just fine.
Granted, if you rotary tumbled something long enough, the powder might break down slightly and the burn rate might change.
If you're talking about a vibrating tumbler, it should not be a problem.

40Arpent · Apr 15, 2009

Bullseye Shooter said:
If you're talking about a vibrating tumbler, it should not be a problem.

Yes, I am talking about a vibrating tumbler. Baboon, now that that is clarified, do you still oppose it?

Thanks to both of you for your responses.

ZX9RCAM · Apr 15, 2009

I, for one, oppose it as it sounds very cruel........

baboon · Apr 15, 2009

TXSUT said:
Yes, I am talking about a vibrating tumbler. Baboon, now that that is clarified, do you still oppose it?

Thanks to both of you for your responses.

Yes I still do. Powder come in different forms with different burn rates. I'm sure the manufacturers know what they are doing, but regular guys don't. Hell you take a slow burn rate tumble it & it becomes a fast burn rate then what? Do you really want to seize up a gun? Blow up a gun?.

I've shot some really grimy surplus mostly out of Evil Black Guns over the years with no problems. If the ammo was that nasty that your afraid it wont chamber or eject you must have a gun with a vary tight chamber why risk it.

Ever think about the ammo that old cowboys had on their gun belt loops out in the weather & becoming green from reacting to the leather? You think that was their concern?

You can do what you want, but I would never do it personally.

JKTex · Apr 15, 2009

What would the purpose be other than making it shiny before you shot it?

40Arpent · Apr 15, 2009

baboon said:
Yes I still do.

Thanks, I respect your insight and will refrain. I didn't need the smart-assed rhetorical questions in your response to convince me.

40Arpent · Apr 15, 2009

JKTex said:
What would the purpose be other than making it shiny before you shot it?

I want to increase the burn rate of the powder for more Zombie killing power.

There was no functional purpose, I just wanted to experiment, but didn't want to harm the ammo. So, the real answer to your question is "nothing other than making it shiney before I shot it."