Steel media hanging up in the case

[Uriah, SASS # 53822]

Folks,

 

I rarely use steel media, because of the concern over the steel media being left in the cases, especially rifle cases.

 

My brother did some cases for me. 45-70 case with steel media stuck. No rapping of the case could dislodge it.

 

I generally use ceramic or corn cob media.

 

Comments?

 

Uriah

 

[Eyesa Horg]

Corn cob 

[German Jim]

I've been using steel media for several years and have never had this issue.  Does steel media come in different lengths?  I don't know.  The steel media I use came with my Rebel 17.

[Uriah, SASS # 53822]

German Jim,

 

Length .29”

 

l think I know the cause of it. Most of my 45-70 rifle cases have their primer flash drilled out somewhat (uniform). Then, I place a drill reamer Inside and clean up the flash hole from the inside. This drill reamer actually putting an angle to the flash hole. The piece of steel media was wedged in the flash hole and the inside of the case. It was stuck fast. I tried to push it out with a pen, but, had to resort to a hand held decapped rod.

 

Uriah

[Cholla]

Sounds like you need longer pins. I have had way more issues with walnut and cob grit plugging the hole.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Why I use ceramic 

[Old Man Graybeard]

I have done thousands of cases with stainless steel pins and have only had one case that had a pin stuck in the primer pocket

[Shooting Bull]

I had this exact issue when I bought extra steel pins.  I didn't pay attention to the length of the pins I was buying so ended up having to fish them out of about every other case after tumbling.  When you tumble a few hundred cases at time that effort becomes a royal PTIA.  I also destroyed more than one decapping pin on cases where I'd missed seeing a pin in them. 

 

That was what finally pushed me over the edge and caused me to ditch pins altogether.  Yule Lose turned me onto Strat O Sheen.  It's a jewelers burnishing compound.  You use the exact same recipe you're using now in your tumbler but no pins.  Just add a tablespoon of Strat O Sheen to the mix.  After a couple of hours simply rinse and dry.  Boom, you're done.  No separating pins from cases.  No pins stuck in the cases.  Easy peasy and your brass comes out every bit as clean and shiny as it did with the pins. 

 

Strat O Sheen

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

I went to SS chips.  very small so they don't get stuck in the cases

 

I think the do a better, quicker job off cleaning due to the share edges on each piece

 

I am a happy customer and am not part of the company in any way

 

https://www.facebook.com/southernshinemedia/ 

 

and email:  southernshinemedia@gmail.com