I currently dry tumble and I find it to be messy at times and sometimes the cleaning polish gets inside the cases sometimes, which is annoying.
Any opinions?
Pros and cons... Go.
Any opinions?
Pros and cons... Go.
Discussion: Wet or Dry tumbling
- Thread starter RooftopKorean
- Start date
I dry tumbled for decades, I now wet tumble with stainless steel pins exclusively. It is best to punch the primers first so you can be sure your cases are completely dry before loading.
I'm thinking about switching to wet. I figured in the long run it would be cheaper also. Using dawn and water probably better than having to spend on the corn or walnut and the brass polish.
I always , resize, trim (if necessary,), chamfer/deburr, and deprimer prior to tumbling anyhow.
I figured I'll get the drying unit since I threw away my old toaster oven.
I always , resize, trim (if necessary,), chamfer/deburr, and deprimer prior to tumbling anyhow.
I figured I'll get the drying unit since I threw away my old toaster oven.
kev74
20×102mm Vulcan
I mostly wet tumble everything now.
For rifle brass, I deprime, wet tumble, resize, dry tumble to clean off the lube, then trim-chamfer-debur.
Pistol cases get wet tumbled with the old primer, and dried for a week or so on top of the furnace. No moisture problems.
For rifle brass, I deprime, wet tumble, resize, dry tumble to clean off the lube, then trim-chamfer-debur.
Pistol cases get wet tumbled with the old primer, and dried for a week or so on top of the furnace. No moisture problems.
GTN
.308 Win
I dry tumbled for a few years. Never liked the mess, media would get stuck in casings, dust it produces isn’t good for you.
Got one of these 10 years ago and love it. I paid around 120 for it on sale. SS pins for media. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HTN4R6O?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Got one of these 10 years ago and love it. I paid around 120 for it on sale. SS pins for media. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HTN4R6O?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
+1
Over the Winter months, often I'll tumble a batch every day: run them through, dump them in the Media separator, then spread the cases out on a towel to dry for 24 hours while another batch is started...three hours in the pins make those cases as shiny as brand new!
If I have a small batch, or something just needing a little cleaning up, or that I need a bit quicker, then I'll use the vibratory tumbler, but the results just aren't as nice compared to the pins, oh and Pins don't wear out.
For small batches in the winter I usually put them back in the separator after getting all the pins out and put the separator over one of the heater vents.
Brawny71
.357 mag
Dry, green corn media. Small amount of car wax. No mess
JunkBoxFull
.308 Win
@RooftopKorean
I went with wet tumble many years ago, and it`s still my preferred method today. Its a longer process than dry tumbling, but the wet tumbling results can`t be beat. Alot of times, if my cases aren`t that dirty, i don`t bother using the pins, its not really necessary. I find i use the pins more on range brass than my own brass. No pins is one less process. I use Dawn dish soap. If the cases are really dirty, i`ll add a pinch of LemmeShine.
I`ll never go back to dry tumbling. The mess and the dust it creates, NO THANKS!
I went with wet tumble many years ago, and it`s still my preferred method today. Its a longer process than dry tumbling, but the wet tumbling results can`t be beat. Alot of times, if my cases aren`t that dirty, i don`t bother using the pins, its not really necessary. I find i use the pins more on range brass than my own brass. No pins is one less process. I use Dawn dish soap. If the cases are really dirty, i`ll add a pinch of LemmeShine.
I`ll never go back to dry tumbling. The mess and the dust it creates, NO THANKS!
I've been dry tumbling for 40+ years. It works for me.
JunkBoxFull
.308 Win
Have you kept a log book on how much you`ve spent in 40+ years on just the media? Do you wear a mask when using dry media?
kev74
20×102mm Vulcan
Walnut media lasts almost forever.
I think I've gone through a bag and a half of lizard bedding in almost 20 years of reloading. Most of that was replenishment. I think I only changed the media twice.
I think I've gone through a bag and a half of lizard bedding in almost 20 years of reloading. Most of that was replenishment. I think I only changed the media twice.
I do both, because i'm OCD like that
Wet tumble without pins while primers still in, to clean up the cases before handling. The color of that water afterwards is disgusting.
pop the primers and then tumble with the stainless steel media to clean up those primer pockets real good
dry tumble after to polish the cases up nice and shiny before they go into any dies.
I hate that it takes so long, but I like the results.
Wet tumble without pins while primers still in, to clean up the cases before handling. The color of that water afterwards is disgusting.
pop the primers and then tumble with the stainless steel media to clean up those primer pockets real good
dry tumble after to polish the cases up nice and shiny before they go into any dies.
I hate that it takes so long, but I like the results.
Tintalieau
.40 S&W
100% wet tumbling, love the results. I built mine using this as a starting point.
DIY: Wet Media Tumbler
I use stainless pins from: GunTap Stainless steel pins
Some Dawn and Lemishine and even the range rick brass looks new.
I built a sifting tray using a small 12x14 frame and some 3/8" wire mesh coated with a few layers of Flexseal with some leather strap as handles to shake. Drop the washed brass, shake over a cloth frame sieve (old t-shirt and picture frame
) to catch the pins. Most come out while rinsing and shaking. I've done 10 of 1000's and still using the same batch of pins.
DIY: Wet Media Tumbler
I use stainless pins from: GunTap Stainless steel pins
Some Dawn and Lemishine and even the range rick brass looks new.
I built a sifting tray using a small 12x14 frame and some 3/8" wire mesh coated with a few layers of Flexseal with some leather strap as handles to shake. Drop the washed brass, shake over a cloth frame sieve (old t-shirt and picture frame
) to catch the pins. Most come out while rinsing and shaking. I've done 10 of 1000's and still using the same batch of pins.
kev74
20×102mm Vulcan
That looks like mine! I made 2 barrels for my tumbler - 8" PVC for the big batches and 4" PVC for the smaller ones. I made 4 smaller paddles for inside the barrel. They work great.100% wet tumbling, love the results. I built mine using this as a starting point.
DIY: Wet Media Tumbler
I use stainless pins from: GunTap Stainless steel pins
Some Dawn and Lemishine and even the range rick brass looks new.
I built a sifting tray using a small 12x14 frame and some 3/8" wire mesh coated with a few layers of Flexseal with some leather strap as handles to shake. Drop the washed brass, shake over a cloth frame sieve (old t-shirt and picture frame
I use a 2 gallon bucket with the bottom replaced with 1/4 inch hardware cloth as a shaker to remove the media.
I'm not that handy that I can make my own.
Phazer
.450/400 Nitro Ex
I mostly reload pistol cartridges.
Did dry tumbling with lizard litter corn media and polish for a few years. Tons of dust.
Changed to wet tumbling with Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler. Started with steel pins. Subsequently decided to tumble wash cases without pins so as to avoid the annoying separating process.
Now: Cases in tumbler with hot water, good squirt of Dawn liquid soap, a dash of Lemishine, run for 1.5 hours, drain & rinse, and then dry in multilevel cheap food dehydrator (used only for cases).
The final method is fast, effective, and clean...for pistol cases.
Did dry tumbling with lizard litter corn media and polish for a few years. Tons of dust.
Changed to wet tumbling with Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler. Started with steel pins. Subsequently decided to tumble wash cases without pins so as to avoid the annoying separating process.
Now: Cases in tumbler with hot water, good squirt of Dawn liquid soap, a dash of Lemishine, run for 1.5 hours, drain & rinse, and then dry in multilevel cheap food dehydrator (used only for cases).
The final method is fast, effective, and clean...for pistol cases.
ManualF150
.308 Win
I invested in wet tumbling systems a long time ago, and I use a magnet to fish out the steel pins. I just use Dawn and it works fine.
For rifle cartridges, I use the cleaning packets.
For rifle cartridges, I use the cleaning packets.
Buy a FART
I do plenty of that on my own, don't need to purchase farts
All joking aside, what's a FART?
I do plenty of that on my own, don't need to purchase farts
All joking aside, what's a FART?
Platinum Series Rotary Wet Tumbler 7L
The Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler delivers a whole new level of brass cleaning performance. The wet tumbler drums hold up to 1000 pieces of .223 brass
www.frankfordarsenal.com
Carlos Hathcock
.450/400 Nitro Ex
Both.....kind of.
Deprime.
Ultrasonic. Heat, simple green, lemishine, 45 minutes.
Toaster oven.
Vibrating tumbler. Fine hazelnut shells and a dozen drops of synthetic car wax.
I feel the wax helps with the full length sizing die. I don't use / need a lot of lube. Use a lanolin and alcohol mix.
Deprime.
Ultrasonic. Heat, simple green, lemishine, 45 minutes.
Toaster oven.
Vibrating tumbler. Fine hazelnut shells and a dozen drops of synthetic car wax.
I feel the wax helps with the full length sizing die. I don't use / need a lot of lube. Use a lanolin and alcohol mix.
For lube I also use lanolin / alcohol mix, it works great.