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September 9, 2012
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The six cases on the left were cleaned using my old vibratory tumbler. The six cases on the right were using my new Thumler's rotary tumbler with steel cleaning media, soap, Lemi-Shine, and water. See how much cleaner the rotary cases are? I love how the inside and the primer pockets have no black left on them.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/Gandog56/SANY0023_zps5b92c555.jpg
March 27, 2013
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That's impressive. I ran one round of de-primed brass through my media tumbler and ended up with media caked in the primer pockets. At this point I'm having to clean each pocket after they've been through the tumbler. The stainless wet media may be the way to go.
Thanks for the pics.
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January 24, 2009
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That's quite a difference! I may have to find one of those for myself.
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February 22, 2009
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but then you have to dry it... Try (long cook) white rice. Mix 1 table spoon of car polish (not wax; polish) with 1 table spoon of acetone to thin it out. Drizzle it on the rice while the tumbler is running. Let it mix for about an hour or so, until thoroughly mixed and dry. Tumble brass as normal. Rarely will the grains of rice stick in the primer pocket. It's been my experience, that for the average shooter (not bench rest shooters), super clean primer pockets and brass in general are a preference, not a necessity.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
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March 2, 2008
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rwsem said
but then you have to dry it... Try (long cook) white rice. Mix 1 table spoon of car polish (not wax; polish) with 1 table spoon of acetone to thin it out. Drizzle it on the rice while the tumbler is running. Let it mix for about an hour or so, until thoroughly mixed and dry. Tumble brass as normal.
Someone spends WAY too much time on the Food Network 
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
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June 25, 2013
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rwsem said
It's been my experience, that for the average shooter (not bench rest shooters), super clean primer pockets and brass in general are a preference, not a necessity.
+1
Endeavor to persevere,
Press on regardless.
Need little, want less, love more.
September 9, 2012
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So I let them dry on a towel a couple hours. I have other things I can do while they dry. Not a problem for me. And I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Sometimes the black in the primer pockets build up so bad it's hard to insert new primers. Taking a tool and cleaning them can be very physically painful for me. I prefer to do the wet tumbling.
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February 22, 2009
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Well then, that is a good reason! Some people think you have to have pristine brass to reload. While it is a bit harder on the dies to not have clean brass- I haven't noticed any significant wear and some of the dies I have been in use for 25 years. As you stated- I clean my primer pockets when it gets hard to seat to proper depth. On my long range shooters, I do use clean brass every time.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
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November 17, 2008
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Try (long cook) white rice. Mix 1 table spoon of car polish (not wax; polish) with 1 table spoon of acetone to thin it out. Drizzle it on the rice while the tumbler is running. Let it mix for about an hour or so, until thoroughly mixed and dry.
Hey Ron, does that have a Cajun twist to it or do you serve it with "Dark" gravy?
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
November 23, 2008
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Greetings
I knew there was a reason I was hanging on to my old large tub Timley rock tumbler.
Been reading at Castboolits about the Stainless Steel media also.
Mike in Peru 
September 9, 2012
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Round 2, a little worse shape brass:
Before
After
Better shot of the cleaned primer pocket.
I LIKE this method!
June 16, 2013
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rwsem said
While it is a bit harder on the dies to not have clean brass- I haven't noticed any significant wear and some of the dies I have been in use for 25 years.
I have found that brass that is too clean actually sticks in my carbide dies sometimes, and I REALLY don't want to have to start lubing my pistol cases.
Anyone else have this problem?
February 18, 2014
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I built myself a rotary tumbler because I got a five gallon bucket of brass that had tarnished from being outside. No corrosion, just turned almost black, a couple wash and rinse cycles in dawn dish soap and some stainless pins turned this stuff almost new looking.
I would guess that I salvaged 97% or better of the brass so I had good luck using this method.
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January 24, 2009
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jdt81 said
rwsem said
While it is a bit harder on the dies to not have clean brass- I haven't noticed any significant wear and some of the dies I have been in use for 25 years.I have found that brass that is too clean actually sticks in my carbide dies sometimes, and I REALLY don't want to have to start lubing my pistol cases.
Anyone else have this problem?
Maybe that's my problem, because most of my cases stick without lube.
Oh well, I'm used to using lube, especially where .375 SM cases are concerned, those babies protest loudly without lube.
June 13, 2014
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I use a tumbler with stainless steel pins. I was having problems with the cases sticking in my Redding double carbide ring sizing die or almost ripping the press off the table. So I just take the tumbled brass using no lime shine, dry them them put the brass in the corn cob tumbler with a half a tea spoon of Brasso. The brass looks like gold and it leaves a very slick finish that doesn't bind in the dies.
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