SmallCaliberCentral

My question is what type of tumbler media do you guys use? All I have ever used is the corn cob media, but was thinking of something different as it seems to get stuck is the cases and I am starting to get really perturbed with it. Are all the different types of media going to do this?

i use walnut media and have been very happy with it. In my experience the walnut media has not stuck in any of my cases. For the best value you can buy a 15 lb bag from Midsouth Shooters Supply for around $9 or you can visit any of the big name pet stores and get a bulk bag of Walnut Litter for about the same money.

I've used both corn cob and walnut media with equally good results. The Lyman jugs of either are a decent deal, but the bulk stuff like Brad above mentioned that Midway sells is probably the best deal for the money.

One caveat I'll mention is to stay away from the walnut media with the rouge impregnated in it. The rouge will build up and harden in the bottom of your cases, thereby reducing internal capacity. It's a real bugger to get out too, most times you don't even know the stuff is in there until you get pressure spikes for no apparent reason.

Hey Rick, thanks for that bit of good news! I just switched to Lyman Red. Why? Just wanted to try something different, DOH!!!!
Jon

Personally, I have never seen the need to use walnut shell media. I have only used corn cob media with great results. I do add some of Lyman's turbo charger to the media, once in a great while. This stuff helps to add life to your media, and does an amazing job polishing my brass and keeping it looking like new!

Below Is The Media I Use. I Absolutely Love It Except for the fact that the finer one leaves a little dusty residue in the necks which I Brush Out. I Know You said that you dont like the corn cob getting stuck but it does such a nice job the pix below are 3 firings.

One thing about the media additives/polishes. Be careful how much you add. If you over do it you will end up with the situation that the OP is stating... media stuck in the cases. You'll also end up with a lot of film left on the cases. With too much compound in the mix the media will pack into the cases and basically the kernels bond to each other and don't move around and clean the inside of the cases. Then you end up having to knock the media out.

So, stick to the directions and don't add it too often.

I use to use walnut/corn cob but I switched to Stainless Steel Media. It was another initial purchase but I would not change a thing!! Since I have switched I've not turned on my vibratory tumbler since, and that was February of 2010!! I would post picks but there is enough on the net to convince you as well. Check out their site!!

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/

Good Luck!!

Wow Watching The video That it A LONG! Process! I will stick with a no mess Corn Cob Media That really doesnt cost all to much and I get great results. It is a cool Product and might be worth it If there were tumblers that could hold 500-1000 cases for the people who go through A LOT of rounds. But For The Average Reloader I dont see it practicle. Neet Product Tho!

The Reloader wrote: Except for the fact that the finer one leaves a little dusty residue in the necks which I Brush Out. ]

If you toss in a used dryer sheet that's been torn into about three strips you won't get the dust and it helps to keep your media cleaner because it wicks up the black residue thus extending the life of your media.

I use corn cob media with a small amount of Nu Finish liquid car polish. Makes for some very shiny and clean brass. All that being said, if I were to do it all over again, I'd go the afore mentioned stainless rods route.

Dryer Sheets Thanx for the tip! Cant wait till my next batch and see how it works!. Also you think its really really worth going through that cleaning process with the steel? Or do you do A LOT of Cases?

I do clean a lot of brass because I shoot a ton of pistol rounds as well. But that's an aside though because I think for pistol brass, even wiping it off is probably an overkill. For my rifle brass though, I don't really care for cleaning the primer pockets. With the stainless media, EVERYTHING including the primer pockets gets cleaned. It really is impressive how well it cleans the brass, not just polishes the outside of it like traditional media.

Stainless steel is DA BOMB! Cleans an polishes everywhere inside and out (except sometimes a tiny ring at the base of the primer pocket). And the media lasts forever unless you lose it or somebody steals it or a giant electromagnet flies over your house. The only real downside, IMHO, is dealing with the wet brass.

Fred_C_Dobbs wrote: or a giant electromagnet flies over your house. The only real downside, IMHO, is dealing with the wet brass.

I hate it when those magnets fly over! It's a well known fact that the SR-71 Blackbird uses such a magnet to read people's minds from great heights above. To thwart such government antics, I ALWAYS wear hats made from aluminum foil.

My buddy uses an El Cheapo spinning salad washer from Wal-Mart to spin his washed brass dry.

sharptailhunter wrote:I hate it when those magnets fly over! It's a well known fact that the SR-71 Blackbird uses such a magnet to read people's minds from great heights above. To thwart such government antics, I ALWAYS wear hats made from aluminum foil. ...

I did, too, until I learned first hand they just didn't work. Last time a Blackbird overflew my house, it picked me up by the steel plate in my head and I was stuck to the ceiling for weeks. My family only ever got me down by inviting in the Mexican kids from next door and telling them I was a piñata.