Tumbling Media

[AIRret]

I have been using corn as my tumbling media, but today I tumbled with walnut for the first time.
I didn't like it because it is really dirty.

What do you folks use and what do you like?

[Bawanna]

I've been using reptile bedding from a pet store, last a long time and seems to work well.

I add a bit of liquid car wax, I use Turtle Wax Ice, but others have been mentioned as well.

You might try throwing in a couple of them dryer sheets that take away static cling in the dryer. Used ones work fine, don't have to be new.

They seem to attract and collect the fine dust and you can just toss em.

Works pretty well too.

[AIRret]

The stuff I have is called walnut litter, and I do use car polish and dryer sheets.
Those were some suggestions I received when we first started reloading and they do help.

It just seems that this bag (might be the brand) of walnut is very dirty. It works but when it's gone I'll go back to corn.

I don't change the media often. I'm guessing I tumble about 7,000 pieces of brass before I change the media.
Of corse that's dependent on how dirty the brass is. Sometimes, brass from
outdoor ranges pick up more dirt etc.

Thanks for the reply

[garyb]

I purchased a Cabela's tumbler that came with media and polish. I believe it is walnut. It is dusty and dirty, but the polish tones it down. It works, but there may be better media out there. I have not tried anything else, as I have a substantial quantity that will last for a while. I am aware that corn can contain fungus, that can lead to other skin issues if you are sensitive. However, I don't know how much, if any, an issue this may pose. If it works, use it.


Good advice about the dryer sheets to control static. Learned something today. Thanks Bawanna. I have noticed static in my tumbler.

[AIRret]

I purchased a Cabela's tumbler that came with media and polish. I believe it is walnut. It is dusty and dirty, but the polish tones it down. It works, but there may be better media out there. I have not tried anything else, as I have a substantial quantity that will last for a while. I am aware that corn can contain fungus, that can lead to other skin issues if you are sensitive. However, I don't know how much, if any, an issue this may pose. If it works, use it.


Good advice about the dryer sheets to control static. Learned something today. Thanks Bawanna. I have noticed static in my tumbler.

That's interesting!
When using the corn I didn't notice any skin issues. But then again I'm not even allergic to poison ivory or poison oak.
However, I do know that eventually a person will become allergic if you are exposed enough (whatever that is)>

[pbagley]

I use corn cob media for handgun brass. For .223 I size and decap first and walnut hulls is finer and does not get as much stuck in the primer pockets and flash holes.

Media conditioning - I've used Brasso instead of car wax. Let it dry before use or you end up with media stuck inside your cases. I've never ran media for only 7000 cases. Usually a lot more than that, but only 200-300 at a time. Never had a fungus problem.

[leftysixty]

I've been using reptile bedding from a pet store, last a long time and seems to work well.

I add a bit of liquid car wax, I use Turtle Wax Ice, but others have been mentioned as well.

You might try throwing in a couple of them dryer sheets that take away static cling in the dryer. Used ones work fine, don't have to be new.

They seem to attract and collect the fine dust and you can just toss em.

Works pretty well too.

I'll second the reptile bedding, I use Berry's brass cleaner (just a dab'll do ya), and I'm too lazy to add the dryer sheets.

I try to get the big chunks out'a the brass by shaking them in a big screen basket, before tumbl'n.

[downtownv]

I have both:
the walnut/USED-dryer sheets/And "NU-FINISH"car wax
I use this for cleaning dirty brass. The USED dryer sheets capture the dirt and dust that the media has tumbled off the brass. I go to my local laundry mat and grab all the USED dryer sheets you could want and will throw "strips" of them in the tumbler with no brass to clean up my media.
This cleans the best

I also have corn(Stinks). I used this for polishing my finished reloaded ammo.

[AIRret]

I have both:
the walnut/USED-dryer sheets/And "NU-FINISH"car wax
I use this for cleaning dirty brass. The USED dryer sheets capture the dirt and dust that the media has tumbled off the brass. I go to my local laundry mat and grab all the USED dryer sheets you could want and will throw "strips" of them in the tumbler with no brass to clean up my media.
This cleans the best

I also have corn(Stinks). I used this for polishing my finished reloaded ammo.

I also noticed that the corn makes the brass shinier.

[CJB]

When I was doing commerical reloading, loading the recycled range lead and brass back into range reloads, walnut media was the media of choice. It basically cut the crud the fastest.

If you add a little mineral spirits or similar, it will keep the dust down. You can add just a bit of abrasive to it, if you feel so inclined, like red auto compound. Once the brass starts to self impregnate into the shells, it cuts upon itself very nicely and the media will last a very very long time, and cut like crazy.

I used that in the big drum tumbler (25lbs of media plus brass), and in vibratory units like the small Lyman one. They worked equally well with walnuts.