Wet vs Dry Tumbling

[Gadsden]

I'm still new to the reloading world so I'd appreciate any help y'all could offer on the subject.

Since I began reloading (about a year ago) I have been dry tumbling my brass, can anyone tell me, besides nice shiny brass, if there is an advantage to switch over to wet tumbling and if so, what that is?

 

[sherrick13]

Wet tumbling can, not always, make brass shinier. It will take nasty brass and make it reloadable however.

 

[rockchalk06]

I'm still new to the reloading world so I'd appreciate any help y'all could offer on the subject.

Since I began reloading (about a year ago) I have been dry tumbling my brass, can anyone tell me, besides nice shiny brass, if there is an advantage to switch over to wet tumbling and if so, what that is?

The wet process with pins will get brass as shiny as you can, aside from using new brass. Separating the media from the brass without a decent separator is a pain in the padded ass. I had some issues with cases necks getting dinged and needing to be ran back through the mandrel to getting proper seating tension. For pistol brass that is tarnished beyond what dry media will do, there is no better way. I would never do precision rifle again with it though.

Dry media can make a mess at times, but no drying of the brass is needed. It will get most brass nice and shiny, but if you are wanting primer pockets cleaned and in the inside of the cases spotless, you wont get that with dry media.

I recently started using a sonic cleaner and I think it's by far my favorite process. No media to separate and with a small bucket of clean water, you can rid the solution quick. Still requires drying though. I use my food dehydrator at 110 degrees for a few hours to keep water spots down. It will clean primer pockets and inside the case really well.

All that said, making your brass shine like it was new, will not really do anything to aide in accuracy. A good hour in a dry media tumbler will remove most dirt and residue from your brass. I know some precision rifle guys that don't even clean their brass. They will wipe it down after using case lube, process it and then load. When loading rifle bullets, I like a little carbon on the inside of the case neck. Bullets seat a little smoother.

 

[Rustygun]

I'm still new to the reloading world so I'd appreciate any help y'all could offer on the subject.

Since I began reloading (about a year ago) I have been dry tumbling my brass, can anyone tell me, besides nice shiny brass, if there is an advantage to switch over to wet tumbling and if so, what that is?

I reload almost all handgun ammo and I see no advantage to wet tumbling. Takes lots of extra steps, time and requires more equipment purchases. Just to make brass shiny so you can shoot it and throw it on the ground.

 

[Gadsden]

I guess I need to clarify. I'm not concerned how shiny the brass is, I was just curious to know if wet tumbling accomplishes anything else other than that and is it worth it. Apparently I did a pretty lousy job of asking that though . Anyway, I think I got the answer I was looking for. Thanks

 

[YetiSam]

takes case lube off better imo. Deprime, clean, dry, lube, size, throw back in tumbler for a few minutes, dry again.

it's way more time intensive, but it's all time i'm not actually doing anything (tumber, in dehydrator to dry, etc).

 

[Rustytigwire]

5.56 Range brass red clay sand
Deprime. I hand deprime first.
Wet
Pins
Reach in pick up brass 2-3-4 at a time neck down still immersed.
Shake a little.
Pins most fall out.
Dry brass,
Look in EVERY one for stray pins b4 next step.
Next inspect size or prime however you choose.

 

[ForsakenConservative]

Remember the object is to remove the crap. If you “need” shiny like new, wet tumbling is what will do it best. I have always dry tumbled, been content with it. As mentioned earlier, the really stained stuff will still be discolored, but the gun’s chamber will not care (as long as the case is otherwise serviceable). I use a media with a polish compound, works for me. I tumble before sizing, I like to know dirt and grime are removed before running it into the carbide die. I still have to de-carbon primer pocket, but oh well, I usually roll right into hand priming anyhow. The biggest issue (imho) with the vibratory cleaners is that they are very noisy. I run mine out in my shop where is does not bother me, but the mice hate it!

 

[AKmoose]

Clean primer pockets make it so much easier to seat, makes for consistent pressure and depth. Just a tad more labor intensive to separate, I use the caliber specific trays with window screen cut to fit and a releasing magnet to pull the pins.

 

[swampratt]

I began cleaning brass with coolaid mix in boiling water.
Clear mix.
Worked well but left primer pockets a bit grungy . nothing a Qtip would not fix.

I then got a vibratory and read the dust can damage dies and I have seen some very scratched up brass and dies.
I read one guy saying he thought the carbon left in the case after firing and not getting it all out could lead to erosion in the rifle throat area.

This article I read was from a bench rest shooter that rebarrels his rifle every 1500 rounds or sets back the barrel and goes for a few more rounds.
He put his theory to the test with 2 barrels one shot with completely clean cases No carbon at all in them.
Other barrel was media tumbled or wiped clean I do not remember all of it but those cases had carbon in them.

He measured how much erosion the throats were getting and found significantly less erosion in the barrel that only had perfectly cleaned case
shot through it.
I think he mentioned at 2000 rounds no set back was needed on that barrel.

I built my own pin tumbler after reading that.
I also read a lot on stainless pins and some people stated it made brass harder to size and peening was happening with some pins.

I made my own pins from stranded copper wire.
I have been using those for many years and they do not hit the cases as hard as the stainless and after a few cycles the sharp cut edges are gone and no peening at all.

I used parts from a treadmill and a 2 Quart V8 plastic bottle to build the pin tumbler.

I have made them from steel rod and sewing machine motors mounted in a wood box also and they work great.
Sewing machine motors are cheap.