Wet Tumble Discovery

[Warden Callaway]

I've got the time so I deprime.  If I didn't,  I'd either bake them brass to get rid of any trapped moisture or put them in a dry place a week or so.

 

[Chain Blue, BPGF]

On 11/4/2023 at 2:48 PM, Buckshot Dobbs said:

So by skipping the pins do the insides still get clean? Primer pockets? 

No not really, I always use pins, they are amazing.

[Warden Callaway]

On 11/4/2023 at 1:48 PM, Buckshot Dobbs said:

So by skipping the pins do the insides still get clean? Primer pockets? 

My experience,  deprime and no pins, the insides and pockets may be a bit stained but no crud or anything like that. Plenty good.

[watab kid]

never used pins and dont think i will , ive always dry tumbled with walnut/corn cobb medias and dryer sheets to control dust , i think these results might change my thinking as i said earlier , never been anal about shiny brass but those came out really clean and i bet they reload very nice , look better than new to me 

[Chain Blue, BPGF]

On 12/7/2023 at 10:14 AM, Blind Squirrel said:

I ran a test of using the Hornady cleaning solution in my wet tumbler (using no pins) against dry cleaning using walnut media and some Nu Finish in my vibratory cleaner. Both ran for 6+ hours. Wet tumbled on the left and dry cleaned on the right. While the slightly tarnished shell on the left is most likely more authentic, I think I am going to stick to the dry method. I want it to be as easy as possible for the brass pickers to see my shells.

 

Why on earth would you wet tumble brass for 6 hours? My Frankfort arsenal wet Tumblr timer stops at 3. I wet tumble with pins after I size and deprime all my brass if it's rifle brass I trim it also before I tumble it. They come out looking like brand new. dry tumbling cannot compare to wet tumbling when done right. Specially if you shoot black powder. Just saying.

Edited January 14 by Chain Blue, BPGF

[Warden Callaway]

I usually set the Frankfort Arsinal tumbler on 1 hour and that usually enough.  But I typically tumble it soon after a match.  After deprime, I usually rinse and drain before putting in tumbler.  This reduces the black powder fouling a good bit to start with. I don't ever letting them go for days without cleaning. 

[DeaconKC]

@Yul Lose set me on this. A decent car wash without pins, run it about an hour and then I dry them [outside in the sun if it's summer, or in the oven for about 20 minutes]. They come out ready to go. I do not deprime before tumbling.

[The Surgeon]

On 1/13/2024 at 7:03 PM, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

Thinking about trying wet tumbling, is depriving necessary? I don’t want to have to add that extra step, prefer to deprive with my 650 as I load.

 

Thanks

Randy

Its not necessary but if you aren't going to de-prime first you really need to dry the cases right after in a dehydrator, sun, oven, in front of the fire... whatever suits you. I used to not de-prime and I would just spread the brass out on a towel to dry but I found when I reloaded the brass primers were getting stuck in the pockets. This may not be an issue if you load soon after you tumble. 

[Warden Callaway]

I forgot to mention I have a Lee APP press to deprime cases quickly when I have a bunch.  But when I have a few, I just use a hand held tool. Old picture.  I have it set up with 4 tube feeder and filler hopper and better handle. 

 

[Blind Squirrel]

On 1/14/2024 at 1:48 PM, Chain Blue, BPGF said:

Why on earth would you wet tumble brass for 6 hours? My Frankfort arsenal wet Tumblr timer stops at 3. I wet tumble with pins after I size and deprime all my brass if it's rifle brass I trim it also before I tumble it. They come out looking like brand new. dry tumbling cannot compare to wet tumbling when done right. Specially if you shoot black powder. Just saying.

 

Because that is how long I let the dry process run and I wanted to compare apples to apples.  

[Lead Monger]

One of the best improvements I have made in reloading straight case ammo is wet tumbling. Resize and deprime with a carbide die, bell the case and into the wet tumbler it goes. I use stainless pins and a little dish washer soap and in about two hours the cases are spotless inside and out. All the muck goes down the drain and there is no dust. Dry the batch of cases on paper towels over night. I do look in every case after they are dry for stray pins and that is a great time to look for cracked or split cases also.

[Warden Callaway]

FYI 

 

[Shooting Bull]

15 hours ago, Lead Monger said:

One of the best improvements I have made in reloading straight case ammo is wet tumbling. Resize and deprime with a carbide die, bell the case and into the wet tumbler it goes. I use stainless pins and a little dish washer soap and in about two hours the cases are spotless inside and out. All the muck goes down the drain and there is no dust. Dry the batch of cases on paper towels over night. I do look in every case after they are dry for stray pins and that is a great time to look for cracked or split cases also.

 

 

That seems backwards.  Isn't most of the reason for cleaning the cases to prevent damage to your dies? 

[Lead Monger]

Not backwards at all. I generally process 500 to 1,000 cases at a time. Most of the sand and grit has fallen off the brass before sizing and yes some remains. I use a Lee carbide sizing die that costs about $30.00 bucks and will handle tens of thousands of rounds without damage. The RCBS carbide sizer die will also hold up but it costs more. I do not store black powder cases dirty. They get rinsed first, then processed in the same manner without delay. This has been working very well for all my straight walled pistol ammo. 
As to why I clean the cases in the first place; It is a point of pride to manufacture ammunition that is fully functional and utterly reliable in every firearm it is intended for and that it will never damage that firearm.