Brass Cleaners - Vibrate Or Tumble?

For the last 4 years I've been using this vibrating brass cleaner: http://www.amazon.com/SmartReloader-SR787-Dream-Case-Tumbler/dp/B004ZIO3W4

It works real good with corncob media with a little metal polish added. Takes 2-4 hours to make very shiny brass. Still works fine after nearly 50k (Yes, I shoot about 12k a year) cases cleaned.

Last week I took the plunge and bought a Thumler's Tumbler: http://www.amazon.com/Model-Heavy-Duty-Rock-Tumbler/dp/B000BUXY0W

It uses steel pins in water with a few drops of dish detergent and a half teaspoon of "lemishine". You pop your primers before cleaning your brass in the tumbler, and it cleans the inside of the case AND the primer pocket. The brass comes out looking like you just bought it from Starline!

If you cheap out and get the vibratory cleaner, you need to keep corncob media stocked, and you need to clean your primer pockets by hand, AND the insides of your cases will get cruddier and cruddier over time - Sometimes the flash-hole will get partially plugged.

Yes, the tumbler is expensive, but you only buy pins once, they last forever, and if you collect a pile of range brass and tumble it, it's damned easy to sell at a premium price. And you can use the tumbler to polish rocks.

 

I think the size of the pins determines whether the primer pockets get clean. I bought the small pins on a chance, and the pockets get shiny! The small pins are a pain to handle.

 

Oops. Thought I responded to that. Yes, those are the pins I've got.

 

After a bit of experimenting, I found that the discoloration was due to too much Dawn. It only takes a couple drops in a gallon! Same for the Lemi-Shine... Less is better.

 

If the brass develops spots within a week of tumbling, it's the Dawn. Discoloration from the air is usually pretty even over the surface of the case after tumbling. The LemiShine softens the water AND leaches Zinc from the brass. The Dawn breaks the surface tension between the water and media and cases (It's primary purpose is to keep the pins from clumping, surprise! The detergent ingredient in Dawn is very powerful, even at very low concentrations, and the slightest residue will cause the cases to spot.

Storing brass in airtight plastic bags will prevent discoloration from the atmosphere.

There is one hazard with wet tumbling that has me a little worried. The LemiShine gets the lead residue from the primers into solution. If you don't use gloves during the rinsing process you could get SEVERE lead exposure leading to vein embrittlement and spontaneous bleeding over a long period of time. The dissolved lead goes right through the skin.

 

Woah, woah! Half teaspoon is WAY too much! 2 drops and a pinch of LemiShine!

Starline straight cases don't get deburred. They don't need sizing either unless you've got tight chambers. Belling should be done using a Lyman M Die. After firing, they should be sized using a Lee U Die.

HOWEVER - Factory barrels usually have slightly oversize chambers, and modern brass is extremely strong and resistant to expansion. If your ejected brass has a smear of lead on one side, your chamber is oversized and you need to get a custom made oversized Die. I was planning on contacting Lee about this, and trying to get them to make an oversized die part of stock.

An interesting experiment is to load up just until the smear of lead disappears (should happen by 18ksi) - Accuracy usually takes a big leap at that point, and trajectory flattens. 6.5 grains of Unique will hit that spot with all bullets I've tried.

45ACP brass can be reloaded indefinitely. If you want to buy new brass, get the +P brass and load some 22ksi loads!

 

Oh yeah, if your brass is landing somewhere in the next county, go to a higher power recoil spring. You'll find it dampens felt recoil quite a bit. Of course, your SA gun will only last 150 years that way, not 200.

Unless of course you need the exercise.

 

I guess Starline's new factory is getting a little ahead of itself.

Spraying a little Hornady One-Shot case lube into the dies works wonders. It doesn't poison the powder. Not saying that polish in the corncob does, just that the One Shot does not.

Ah, you're shooting bullseye! My loads are for 50 yards and beyond - I shoot silhouette. I like swaged bullets for precision work too. Do you seat right up to the lands? The cases will expand and seal at low pressure if you seat for your barrel, and right up in the lands. I only know a few folks that do this. I shoot too many 1911's to do it! If i ever decide on a favorite, maybe.

Is the Square Deal one of those that's made for one cartridge?

Your old Colt will get a new lease on life with a Wilson Group Gripper. It's a drop-in item (well, almost - You do need to change the link to the one that comes with the GG) and it will tighten things up considerably. The POI will drop when you install it, but group size will close right up. You won't believe the lockup (and you can save your money for building your next gun!).

The RO should make a great start for a bullseye gun. The frame/barrel/bushing fit should be perfect from the factory. I'd add an EGW tungsten guide rod to get some weight out front and Herrett adjustable grips. An EGW hammer and sear should drop right in and give you a sweet trigger. A Clark 4-finger sear spring should finish it off nicely (sounds like I'm making stone soup, doesn't it?) by letting you go as low as you want with the trigger pull.

 

I'm finding that loading enough 45 is getting to be a chore. Maybe I should get one. My shooting partner has been trying to convince me to go progressive.