Reloading without tumbling

[Rob5589]

I do a quick tumble before processing to remove any funk I don't want in my die then a final tumble afterwards. All corncob media. I didn't realize tumbling was for the Gram. I'll post up pics next go round.

 

[MuleyFever]

Shot a few today and had no issues. I may just be done with tumbling brass.

 

[49ereric]

40 years reloading & no tumbler.

 

[Decker9]

Iv never owned or used a tumbler personally and reload a fare bit. Never have had any issues.

 

[Marble]

I like the brass clean. Seems to help keep my die and chamber clean.

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[BBob]

@Marble so does that mean you tumble or don’t tumble?

My brass is clean and I don’t tumble.

 

[MuleyFever]

I like the brass clean. Seems to help keep my die and chamber clean.

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I thought the brass in my post looked pretty clean.

 

[JoeDirt]

Ultra sonic or dishwasher, they come out shiny enough!

 

[AkRyan]

The biggest benefit to clean brass when reloading is being able to "read" the brass. Other possible benefit is it will keep your chamber a bit cleaner.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Been meaning to get a tumbler, going on 30 years.

 

[seand]

I’ve been reloading for 20 years and only started tumbling brass a couple years ago when I started using range brass in 5.56 and 9mm as it’s filthy. Until this year never tumbled and centerfire hunting brass prior to reloading. Sometimes I’d wipe cases with steel wool prior to reloading. I built a 6arc AR for my daughter this year and it’s suppressed. That brass is absolutely filthly and I’ve I tumble it prior to running through any dies.

It’s a nice tool to have, but not necessary for hunting rifle loads in a bolt gun.

 

[Newtosavage]

For those of you not tumbling fired brass before reloading what is your process? I have heard a few guys say they dont tumble and that that have not seen any reason to do it as their accuracy has been great.

I only tumble every 3-4th firing. Otherwise I just resize and wipe off the brass, clean the flash hole and check length. I only trim every 3-4 firings too. I'm not a bench rest shooter - just a hunter. I only need to hit a 6-8" circle at 400 yards. Beyond that I don't really care what happens because it's too far for me to shoot anyway.

 

[Harvey_NW]

1. Twist the necks in 4/0 steel wool to remove external carbon for sizing.
2. Nylon brush down the neck.
3. Lube (homemade lanolin), and size.
4. Tumble in white rice to absorb lube.
5. Touch primer pockets with uniformer cutter.
6. Chamfer, deburr, brush again.
7. Prime and load.

A while back a buddy and I did a test on quick prep vs squeaky clean wet tumbled brass, and the ES was half on the dirty stuff. Not sure if it was just from the necks having more friction being clean, but I started using graphite lube in the necks to prevent bullet weld anyways so I may repeat this test soon to include lube for comparison.

 

[Marble]

@Marble so does that mean you tumble or don’t tumble?

My brass is clean and I don’t tumble.

I tumble it. I've found that if brass gets too tarnished it seems to collect more debris. It also is not as "slick" on that outside. It makes for chambering, unchambering and putting them through my dye easier.

When I reload, after I get a load developed I'll make as many as a i can. If they start out dirty, they seem to get dirtier faster. Might be 3 to 4 years or more before I go through 50 rounds.

I just use regular media and sometimes pour some liquid polish in to help clean it up.

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[Marble]

The biggest benefit to clean brass when reloading is being able to "read" the brass. Other possible benefit is it will keep your chamber a bit cleaner.

This is another thing I forgot to hit on. After I anneal my brass it can be discolored. So I tumbled it and resize and then closely inspect the necks at the shoulder junction. So.eyimes necks don't split completely and only have a slight crack at the neck/shoulder transition.

If it's dirty it's difficult to see and sometimes cracks are visible after polishing.

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[Marble]

I thought the brass in my post looked pretty clean.

Yours is. Mine never looks like that after several years in a box and also being on multiple trips. If mine looked like that I wouldn't bother tumbling it either.

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[Rob5589]

I don't understand those that spend time wiping the brass by hand with steel wool or what have you but think that tumbling is a waste of time. Seems much simpler to dump the brass in a tumbler then go post memes on RS for an hour or so.

 

[MattB]

I don't understand those that spend time wiping the brass by hand with steel wool or what have you but think that tumbling is a waste of time. Seems much simpler to dump the brass in a tumbler then go post memes on RS for an hour or so.

It is faster to do by hand than to dig the brass out of the tumbler, not to mention eliminating the wait while tumbling.

 

[willfrye027]

I stopped tumbling and my groups are the same. Also stopped cleaning the primer pockets. I just spray with one shot, size, load, and wipe down with some acetone on a shop rag. Saves a lot of time and my guns are still shooting great. I do believe the carbon in the neck is a good lube and helps keep seating depth consistent. Haven’t measured that theory but unless my brass looks terrible I’m going to keep the tumbler in the closet.

 

[HighUintas]

Tumbling is a waste of time, can allow bullet weld to happen in the neck, and isn't necessarily conducive to lowest velocity spreads.

Alex wheeler, well known gunsmith and long range shooter, advocates for wiping the carbon off the outside of the neck with steel wool, brushing the neck inside with a stiff nylon brush, using imperial graphite lube prior to sizing with the neck mandrel, and that's it. He's stated that he's gotten the best velocity spreads ever doing that, especially after a couple firings when the carbon on the inside of the case neck has built up a little. Zero problems with bullet weld too.

I do the same and it works well and is quick.