Tumbling media question

[rotor]

I used to dry, vibrate tumble, and have always used treated corncob media, and it's always done a pretty good job. I used to run it for at least 3-4 hours.

Recently, I got a rotating tumbler with steel pins. I've only used it once, and was very pleased with the results.

Absolutely correct. If you want it to look like new go this route. I actually went this route when I first started reloading. But for me it was a PIA and now just use corn cob. Both shoot the same. I tried ultra sonic too and didn't like it.

 

[Txmark]

I have been using rice with a little NuFinish car polish for several years now. I let the brass run for about 2 to 2-1/2 hours and the exterior is shiny and clean. My system is when I back from the range:
1. Throw all the brass in the tumbler and clean it. I don’t deprime because the rice will get in flash holes. I’m not worried about cleaning the primer pocket.
2, Sort by caliber
3. Anneal
4. Size, deprime, and reprime.
5. Trim on the the Frankford Arsenal to SAAMI length.
6. Store away for future loading sessions.


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[Nestathebesta]

I use corncob, it works well, and I’m lazy, I leave spent primers in so I don’t have to clean out the hole.

 

[cygunner]

At Lake City nobody cared how the brass looked as long as it shot. Went straight from drawing and anneals to priming, no polishing, same with demilled rounds pull bullet, dump powder and pop primers then remove primer case and away it went for tolling, reloading, outside sales, etc. We burnished bullets with corn cob media.
That's how I remember it. Never made a round in 14 years, I was manager of project engineering.

 

[Adept]

I started using rice in the late 70's, walnut hull was expensive compared to a 20# bag of rice for a couple dollars (High School Dollars at that). I throw the brass in with old primers in place, if a piece of rice does get into the flash hole it will get pushed out when I de-prime.
Over the decades I have added several polishing compounds, both name brand and home-brew, all worked though I shy away from the lemon/acidy stuff as I don't want to wash brass after tumbling to avoid tarnish.
My current set up is a cement mixer from Harbor Freight. Much quieter than the vibratory rigs. I discovered spray cans of bed liner at Tractor Supply the other day and plan to line my drum in the near future, should cut the noise even more.
*NuFinish......... that is now on my list to try.

 

[rotor]

I started using rice in the late 70's, walnut hull was expensive compared to a 20# bag of rice for a couple dollars (High School Dollars at that). I throw the brass in with old primers in place, if a piece of rice does get into the flash hole it will get pushed out when I de-prime.
Over the decades I have added several polishing compounds, both name brand and home-brew, all worked though I shy away from the lemon/acidy stuff as I don't want to wash brass after tumbling to avoid tarnish.
My current set up is a cement mixer from Harbor Freight. Much quieter than the vibratory rigs. I discovered spray cans of bed liner at Tractor Supply the other day and plan to line my drum in the near future, should cut the noise even more.
*NuFinish......... that is now on my list to try.

You must really do a lot of cases. I have heard of others using cement mixers. Have not heard of rice. Warning about rice, if you get rice weevils they will take over your pantry and are about impossible to kill. Drowning them in insecticide didn't work. We use a lot of rice, stick the bag in the freezer for a couple of weeks and keep rice in a sealed container. We had to throw out a ton of food and buy some very expensive insecticide. On the other hand they are harmless to humans and give that rice a little crunchy taste.

Finally, don't be obsessive compulsive about case cleaning, and don't use anything with ammonia in it. Adept sounds like he really has this mastered.

 

[Adept]

You must really do a lot of cases. I have heard of others using cement mixers. Have not heard of rice. Warning about rice, if you get rice weevils they will take over your pantry and are about impossible to kill. Drowning them in insecticide didn't work. We use a lot of rice, stick the bag in the freezer for a couple of weeks and keep rice in a sealed container. We had to throw out a ton of food and buy some very expensive insecticide. On the other hand they are harmless to humans and give that rice a little crunchy taste.

Finally, don't be obsessive compulsive about case cleaning, and don't use anything with ammonia in it. Adept sounds like he really has this mastered.

Yeah....... I used to average 800-1000 rounds per month. For my shooting the biggest mistake I ever made was running a public access shooting range. Watched others shoot all day and didn't have time for my own trigger time. Now I have retired twice and I'm building/working on my own facility in the SE Panhandle so the construction is a little overwhelming. 200-300/month live fire is more normal now but I do lots of dry/laser work in between.
Can't say I've ever had a weevil issue, they leave a nice shiny shellac finish on the brass. hehehehehe
You are correct, don't obsess over clean, sorted, matched and weighed brass for general/plinking/practice ammo. Watch for cracks and knock off the funk before you resize, load, shoot, grin, repeat!!!!
I have actively loaded for 28 calibers over more than 4 decades and NO I don't have it all figured out, but I'll keep working on it.