Wet Tumbling - My Personal Experience with it

[dansedgli]

I put my tumbled brass in methylated spirits before I lay it out to dry. It displaces most of the water and stops water marks.

I reuse the metho until it is too dirty. It lasts a while.

I tumble for an hour and can't tell my new loaded brass from my old. I have tried to separate it for my new revolver but gave up.

[Studlee]

I use One-Shot Sonic Cleaning Solution for cartridge cases. A few drops is all that is needed. Wet tumble for 1.5 hrs and inside and out is super clean. Using Dawn would take 2 - 2.5 hrs.

After separating brass from the pins and rinsing the brass, I use an air compressor to blow off the extra water, then lay out on a bath towel. All dry in a couple hrs.

[BaggerJoe]

I also have a Frankford Arsenal stainless tumbler and until yesterday, only used it for handgun brass. Last week I acquired about 3k 223/5.56 pieces of used brass. (I have a 550b and bought it with the intent of someday loading 223/5.56 ammo). I de-prime everything before tumbling. I was somewhat skeptical of the Frankford claim that it would handle 1k pieces of 223/5.56 brass, so I started out small. The brass I have was range brass and some of it was quite dirty. I de-primed 500 pieces and put it in the tumbler with 5lbs of pins. I then added 1 gallon of water (yes, I measured), 2 tablespoons of Armor All Ultra Shine Car Wash and Wax, and 1/2 teaspoon of Lemishine. I set the timer for 90 minutes. I cannot imagine any other type cleaner doing a better job! The brass looks brand new inside and out! I basically use the same formula for my handgun rounds with similar results. I may try adding more rounds to the next batch I clean, maybe 750, and see how they come out but I think 1k is pushing it. Give the Armor All a try. I works great!

Edited March 4, 2015 by BaggerJoe

[gigs]

Drum tumblers actually work best when they are about 80% full.

Same with vibratory tumblers, most of them work best when nearly full as well (as full as you can get it with the brass still "rolling over")

[TONY BARONE]

I spray spent cases with One Shot, decap and resize. Using the Frankford wet tumbler,1000 .38 super cases , fill with RO water,add one tablespoon of Dawn and 1/2 teaspoon of Lemshine with 5#s .062x.255 pins. Run for three hours, rinse cases and run thru Dillon separator then dry on towel in the hot Az sun and that does not take very long. Great product.

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Edited March 6, 2015 by TONY BARONE