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Putting live ammo in a tumbler

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  • 40Arpent

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

    Bullseye Shooter

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    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.
     

    baboon

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    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.
     

    40Arpent

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    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." ;)
     

    Charley

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    Do it at your own risk, BUT:

    Manufacturers do it, commercial reloaders do it. I sometimes do it, to remove lube. With modern powders (that are hard kernals), a small amount iof tumbleing isn't going to change the burn rate. I do suppose IF you tumbled ammunition for 24 hours or so, you might break it down enough to alter the burning rate, but 15 minutes sure won't.
     

    markfh

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    I've tumbled live ammo for a long time with no problems. I've compared the powder before and after and found no degradation of the powder.

    Here are a couple pictures of the powder from two different surplus German 7.62x51 rounds. Can you tell which one was tumbled for an hour and which one wasn't?
     

    Old Man of the Mountain

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    Tumbling live ammo sounds like a bad idea to me.

    If a primer gets set off, it would send out brass Shrapnel like a little mini hand grenade.

    If you need to remove some corrosion, put on some cotton gloves, and clean with very fine steel wool. Don't handle ammo that you intend to store away with bare hands, wear gloves. Bare hands will cause corrosion on cartridges.
     

    Old Man of the Mountain

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    Do it at your own risk, BUT:

    Manufacturers do it, commercial reloaders do it. I sometimes do it, to remove lube. With modern powders (that are hard kernals), a small amount iof tumbleing isn't going to change the burn rate. I do suppose IF you tumbled ammunition for 24 hours or so, you might break it down enough to alter the burning rate, but 15 minutes sure won't.

    I tumble my sized empty brass cases first, before I load them.

    Besides the safety issue, if you have lube inside the case, that upsets the powder charge, as some portion of the powder could be rendered inert by the lube.
     

    Old Man of the Mountain

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    I've tumbled live ammo for a long time with no problems. I've compared the powder before and after and found no degradation of the powder.

    Here are a couple pictures of the powder from two different surplus German 7.62x51 rounds. Can you tell which one was tumbled for an hour and which one wasn't?

    If it is German made, then it is likely made to the highest standard in the world. What about the Australian made powder that we are using here, such as Winchester and Hodgdon labeled powders?
     

    Old Man of the Mountain

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    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." ;)

    I have polished empty brass cases that looked like they needed it, and the difference in the surface slickness of polished brass is such that it would be real hard to manage to get one stuck in a chamber.
     

    markfh

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    Tumbling live ammo sounds like a bad idea to me.

    If a primer gets set off, it would send out brass Shrapnel like a little mini hand grenade.

    If you need to remove some corrosion, put on some cotton gloves, and clean with very fine steel wool. Don't handle ammo that you intend to store away with bare hands, wear gloves. Bare hands will cause corrosion on cartridges.


    Can you provide one (1) example of a primer being detonated because live ammo was tumbled?

    Can you provide ANY scientific test results demonstrating the charactistics of the powder was affected?

    I've read too many threads with too many stories about 'it's ok" to "you're crazy" and not one comment has offered any real evidence that tumbling would cause any problems.

    For those that think it changes the characterics of the powder just remember this. Ammo is trucked from the manufacturer to where ever it is eventually sold. The vibrations of hours of driving doesn't seem to have made a difference unless that is factored into the design which in and of itself would be impossible.

    I would imagine military transport vehicles are even rougher on ammo they transport at least every military vehicle I was in beat the crap out of me. :patriot:

    Bottom line for me is if there is no scientific evidence to prove tumbling live ammo causes any adverse conditions. The Internet is full of advice based on nothing other than what someone thinks should be or something they read somewhere else accepting it as fact with nothing to support it.

    If I want information that isn't fact checked I'll just watch the main stream media or read a newspaper...

     

    Old Man of the Mountain

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    Can you provide one (1) example of a primer being detonated because live ammo was tumbled?

    Can you provide ANY scientific test results demonstrating the charactistics of the powder was affected?

    I've read too many threads with too many stories about 'it's ok" to "you're crazy" and not one comment has offered any real evidence that tumbling would cause any problems.

    For those that think it changes the characterics of the powder just remember this. Ammo is trucked from the manufacturer to where ever it is eventually sold. The vibrations of hours of driving doesn't seem to have made a difference unless that is factored into the design which in and of itself would be impossible.

    I would imagine military transport vehicles are even rougher on ammo they transport at least every military vehicle I was in beat the crap out of me. :patriot:

    Bottom line for me is if there is no scientific evidence to prove tumbling live ammo causes any adverse conditions. The Internet is full of advice based on nothing other than what someone thinks should be or something they read somewhere else accepting it as fact with nothing to support it.

    If I want information that isn't fact checked I'll just watch the main stream media or read a newspaper...

    In order to get good solid scientific information on some dangerous procedure that has no good reason to even be attempted, someone has to go ahead and do that, many times, under all possible conditions, for no good reason whatsoever.

    Be my guest!
     
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