Looks like I'm joining the stainless pin tumbling crowd

[Jedabug92]

I have an over and looking to speed dry. ...I'm ready to load some.

Sent from the Armory

 

[swampratt]

Hey guys.
I would like those that use the STAINLESS pins to take a digital picture of the case after pin tumbling.
ALSO take a case and put beside the Pin tumbled case in the pic that has NEVER been pin tumbled only walnut or corn cob or other dry media vibrated.

MOBOOST has noticed harder to resize after pin tumbling and Vibrates afterwards.

Now I do not notice any of that but I use Homemade copper pins.
could be the solution used in pin tumbling is sometimes too strong or left too long

I DO NOT KNOW!
But I would like you guys to take pics.
You do not need to post them just leave them full size and look at them really close and tell what you find.
Any Peening going on with the pins????

Now I had a 30-06 that did not shoot boat tails worth a hoot.. This gun had less than 100 rounds through it it had a recessed stepped crown and looked fine with the naked eye.
I then took a Digital pic and looked at it on the computer screen ..Not a small phone screen.( I do not have a phone like that)

The crown looked like it was chipped all the way around but almost microscopic in size.
I took some compounds and a marble and slicked it up looked really smooth when I was finished and had a slight taper now also.

Tightened up those boat tail groups and made the flat base groups a bit tighter also.
I still get that cold bore first shot of the day flier though that blows the group.. I think that is an issue with me needing to do some bedding work

 

[swampratt]

On the drying thing.
You guys have a wood stove for heat. 3-5 minutes on top of that and all is dry..
Or central heat,, from the floor take a shoe box or other cardboard and make a diverter to blow on the cases laying on the floor on a towel.
Or fashion a box make a bottom from window screen or of fish net or stockings and hang it under the vent in the ceiling.
You could also poke holes in a cardboard box stick cases through it and blow air through it and the primer pockets.

Just thinking out loud here.

 

[Johnny]

To dry I through all the cases in a piece of soft window screen and ball it up like a sack. I blow dry with compressed air and then lay the cases out on a towel or rag and use a heat gun to complete the drying process. Just roll the cases around with you hand while going over them with the heat gun.

Debur hand trick from machine shop experience.

 

[swampratt]

Debur hand trick from machine shop experience.

Is that what that is.. I thought it was poor boy I will figure something out.

 

[Johnny]

Heck no. Aluminum and brass will tarnish rapidly if not dried quickly. That seem to be the best method.

 

[Droff]

So, how about a verdict after all the ss pin tumbling raves?
If in the market for some type of brass cleaning method, bite the bullet and go with a pin tumbler or the lesser expensive dry media tumbler?

 

[aviator41]

Photos that Swampratt have been posted, but here they are again for those that are interested:

Untouched, cleaned brass next to brand new brass. As you can see, the sides look pretty much the same. there might be a small amount of scratching, but it's quite insignificant. This brass has been fired at least 5 times, each time being cleaned in walnut - until this last time when it was cleaned in SS pins.
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The sides looks almost exactly the same, shine-wise. Here you can see the halo effect from the flash to get a good look at the rims. No peening.
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Closeup of the rim halo. I see no peening. The used brass looks exactly like the new brass at the rim.
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reflection isn't quite as crisp on the cleaned brass.
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[Droff]

I saw those earlier Aviator, I agree, pretty much new looking brass. Are the primer pockets just as clean? I'm assuming so. Shiny brass is pretty but I'm more concerned with inside the case.
I was just fishing for a suggestion one way or another as you've now worked with both. I think I can guess at the answer though.

 

[aviator41]

So, how about a verdict after all the ss pin tumbling raves?
If in the market for some type of brass cleaning method, bite the bullet and go with a pin tumbler or the lesser expensive dry media tumbler?

I am totally sold on the stainless steel pin tumbling. I may find a use for my vibratory tumbler again, but for now, it's going on the shelf. Whether you use a homemade unit or a commercial Thumlers Tumber like Jedabug and I are now using, the results speak for themselves. So here are some pros and cons of both but my verdict, after using both is that the Stainless pin system is much more thorough in cleaning. The biggest down side is the time it takes to process dirty brass from start to finish and being careful not to flush the pins down the drain! I am sure I am missing lots of pros and cons on both sides, but here are some things to think about:

Stainless Pros:

• ultra clean brass
• clean brass is easier on reloading equipment
• brass is less apt to tarnish after this process
• easier to identify split cases and bulges
• reflective inside makes it easier to verify powder charge
• more consistent neck tension between rounds
• no dust created during the cleaning process
• properly sized, the stainless pins will not get stuck in flash holes
• perfectly clean primer pockets make for easier, more consistent primer seating
• generally, the wet tumblers are less noisy than a vibratory machine
• wet tumbling, when set up properly takes less time than dry media tumbling (not including drying times)
• Pins last forever.

Stainless Cons:

• Setup is more expensive than vibratory cleaners
• The wet process can be more messy
• Generally requires a sink and access to water to complete
• Stainless pins are not cheap and care must be taken to not lose them during separation
• Seals on the tumbler must be monitored to prevent leaks
• Brass must be rinsed after tumbling
• Brass must be dried after rinsing
• Generally, batches are smaller than in a vibratory tumbler
  

Vibratory Pros

• Vibratory machines can be had cheap, even when bought new.
• Media is cheap and lasts quite a while
• Outside of the brass can be made to look brand new
• Vibratory process will remove sharp edges of trimmed cases
• You can adjust the abrasive level by mixing cob and walnut (though it's not recommended)
• No rinsing
• No drying
• Adding a polish additive to prevent tarnishing is easy
• A little lost media is no big deal
• Access to water and a sink aren't needed. a simple colander can separate media from brass

Vibratory Cons:

• Machines can be noisy
• Dust created can be hard on the body (dryer sheet doesn't always capture it all)
• Media wears out, requiring replacement
• Generally, the process takes longer than wet tumbling
• You end up with walnut media everywhere. be prepared to sweep up
• Insides of the brass are generally not cleaned well, leaving lots of carbon and residue behind.
• Media frequently gets caught inside flash holes of cases which i very hard on reloading equipment
• Generally, brass will tarnish more readily after being cleaned this way
• Overloading the machine leads to poor or no cleaning.

Again, the list isn't exhaustive, and others experience may differ than mine.