Author Topic: How necessary is a tumbler? (Read 670 times)

MGMorden · « **on:** March 10, 2004, 02:27:52 PM »

I've just recently purchased the Lee Anniversary Reloading Kit and dies for the calibers I plan on reloading for at the moment (6.5x55 SE and 7.62x25 Tokarev). For now, is this (along with bullets, brass, etc), all that is necessary for now, or is a tumbler/case cleaner absolutely required? For the time being most of my 6.5x55 brass seemed to shine upl alright with just a few strokes of some 000 steel wool. I'll probably get a tumbler in a few months (along with some more die sets), but for now I'd like to save the cash if I could.

Thanks,
Mike

Questor · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2004, 02:39:43 PM »

It's not a necessity. It's nice to have if you do a lot of pistol shooting, when you get a lot of sooty little cases to clean.

Wiping them down is fine.

While wiping them, check the neck of the case for cracks, and for other problems related to deterioration of the case.

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2004, 02:45:49 PM »

For now you could get by with a 3 liter soda bottle about half full of vinegar and some a squirt of dish soap. Some add a spoon of salt, but I never could see the difference. Add enough deprimed brass to stay covered, put the top on and shake. Left sit about 10 minutes then pour off the solution(reuse 3-4 times) into another bottle. Add water, shake and rinse a couple of times. Spread to dry. Brass is clean and brighter (not brand new, tumbled shiny) and interior carbons neutralized. While not fancy, your brass if far from tarnished and costs less than a dollar to try.

HoCoMDHunter · « **Reply #3 on:** March 10, 2004, 03:21:11 PM »

You don't need it. I like the above post - I'll have to try it. I reloaded for about three years before springing for one.

huntsman · « **Reply #4 on:** March 10, 2004, 03:36:32 PM »

Depends on how much you reload and how valuable your time is. I don't load that much, but a few hours of my time is worth a lot more than the cost of a tumbler, so I made the investment. I would say in just a few uses I have already paid for it from that perspective. It's not a necessity, but it saves me a lot of time I'd rather not spend messing with dirty brass.

hogship · « **Reply #5 on:** March 10, 2004, 03:39:24 PM »

You can get by without a tumbler. Most reloaders start out without one.

Your steel wool may do a fairly good job, but realize that "shiny" is nice, but the real purpose of tumbling is "clean". That being said, we all like "shiny", as long as we are going through the motions anyway!

A lot of reloading dies have been ruined by one little errant speck of crud that ends up scratching the interior surface of the die. Once that happens, all the brass from then on will be marred.

For the time being, Blackhawk44's pop bottle idea is a pretty good poor man's solution....it's probably overall better than just the steel wool, because it does do something for the interior of the cases. Once, I've even heard someone say that they tied their brass up in a pillow case and tossed it in the washing machine. Doen't know how that turned out, but it's got to be better than nothing!

hogship

Tc300mag1 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 10, 2004, 03:52:19 PM »

Depends how much you shoot and relaod when im shooting a ton i couldnt live with out mine

MGMorden · « **Reply #7 on:** March 10, 2004, 04:14:29 PM »

Well, I don't typically shooot a whole lot. Usually every other weekend or so, and on each trip I'll shoot 30-40 rounds for each rifle I bring, and about 100 through each pistol. So given I'll only be loading for 1 rifle and 1 pistol, I'd say 75 rounds per week (for now anyways. If I can cut the cost of shooting by reloading then I might end up shooting a bit more each time

).

The Shrink · « **Reply #8 on:** March 11, 2004, 01:33:19 AM »

Mike

I loaded for 18 years without one, but not shooting as much as you do. Then I got one when I started shooting Black Powder Cartridge, to clean the cases with ceramic beads. Then I picked up some walnut media and polished cases. My, they are nice that way! Now I got the Lyman Moly kit to Moly coat bullets I cast.

This thing has grown way out of proportion in just a few years. While it is handy to have, it is far from necessary.

Wayne the Shrink

Mikey · « **Reply #9 on:** March 11, 2004, 04:50:08 AM »

mike: I reloaded for almost 30 years before I got smart enough to get one for myself and now won't do without it.

Hogship is right about that one piece of crud ruining a set of dies, and in comparison, a tumbler is an inexpensive piece of insurance.

You are shooting a good bit right now and I would expect, or hope rather, that as you get farther into shooting you will enjoy the sport more often and, as a result, have more brass to clean.

If you decide to get one there is one trick to remember - do not clean two different sized cases at the same time - they often get caught inside each other and then nothing gets cleaned. HTH. Mikey.

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 11, 2004, 05:45:56 AM »

Hogship, unless your better half has been doing a good bit of shooting without her earmuffs, you may be in for a tussle. Using the dryer might be something to try, but only when alone. Every time I've tried, even wrapped in quilts, the noise has been horrendous (and I did shoot too much without muffs). The sack of brass never stays inside the cushion, then the fun begins and don't even think of using any type of media 'inside' that sack; it won't be there by the time you can get it shut off and when the War Dept. sees the inside of her machine...then for a relaxing weekend, you could take up hunting Kodiak Island with a hickory switch.