Rice

trailtwister · June 13, 2015, 07:08:22 AM

When I started reloading for rifle and pistol I being a old farm boy got some corn cobs ground them up and used them in my tiny Model A-R12 No. 130 rock tumbler to tumble brass. I found it to be horrible stuff and was lamenting that fact to our friend at the gun shop where we bought all our reloading supplies. He suggest plain old no name brand white rice. I started using it and liked it. Even when I got my big tumbler I use it. I like how the brass comes out after a short tumble time.

Al

trailtwister · June 13, 2015, 07:10:43 AM

Even works well with a thousand empty's in my big tumbler.

Al

FinsnFur · June 13, 2015, 08:03:36 AM

Love the tumbler! Lets hear some more about that bad boy.

Hawks Feather · June 13, 2015, 08:12:15 AM

I have never tried rice, but did just give Citric Acid a try.

Jerry

trailtwister · June 14, 2015, 04:56:46 AM

I had a thumbler single drum rock tumbler to start with and soon was wishing for some thing bigger. Found a double drum rock tumbler cheap at a yard sale and used it a few years but wanted some thing even bigger. Went to a auction sale at a machine shop selling off some extra and old equipment thinking I could buy a Bridgeport milling machine. I couldn't afford the prices but I was able to buy this tumbler they used at one time For $25.00.
I had to replace the rubber on the drive shafts but that was as simple as a 3/4 in hose that I soaped down and slid on the clean shafts.

I have had a 1000 cases in there at once and probably could have did a second thousand at the same time.
I normally will do 500 at a time.

Al

Hawks Feather · June 14, 2015, 08:02:54 AM

I could use that right now. I am cleaning up brass from the indoor range and have a 5 gallon bucket of 9mm.

Jerry

FinsnFur · June 14, 2015, 10:05:34 PM

The Terra Tumbler

trailtwister · June 15, 2015, 05:41:11 AM

The sportsman club sells brass and it sells better as shiny clean stuff.

Al

Hawks Feather · June 15, 2015, 07:52:06 AM

I was just wondering if any of the rice sticks in the primer pocket. I have a vibrating cleaner that I have dry media in and sometimes there are pieces that stick in the case. Not all of them, but probably 10% or so. It really isn't that much of a problem since I inspect each case when it comes out of the cleaner. I have tried more of the CA in the ultrasonic and really do like it. About 10 minutes and the brass (including the primer pockets) come out looking really good. That works for anything that the club plans to sell, but if I am keeping any they go into the vibrating tub.

Jerry

Hawks Feather · June 15, 2015, 09:01:52 AM

Here is a before and after from 10 minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner. Not perfect, but good enough for me to shoot.

trailtwister · June 16, 2015, 05:23:34 AM

Some rice will stick in the flash hole.
That is some real clean brass. good enough for me too.

Al

JohnP · June 21, 2015, 10:30:03 AM

When we owned The Arizona Ammo Bunker we had three cement tumblers we used, washing (water w/citrus juice,and Dawn), then dried outside on a screen, second tumbler was a quick clean with fine sand, after loaded final tumble with corncobs ground very fine.

Hawks Feather · June 21, 2015, 11:44:01 AM

John,

I remember reading about a 'place out west' that was dealing in huge quantities of brass and used cement mixers. Maybe it was your company.

Jerry

Okanagan · June 21, 2015, 01:23:28 PM

trailtwister, Thanks for the tip re using rice! I've been using cheap ground corn cob cat litter and it works pretty well, but my vibration style tumbler is NOISY. I put it in the garage on a foam pad and a box over it and it still makes so much racket that the neighbors here in too-close-together town hear it. Limits the hours of day I use it.

Hawks Feather, any recommendations on a sonic clear that won't break the bank? On this kind of stuff, it's not that I can't afford it but simply don't want to spend much on accessories I don't use much and can get by without their convenience.

JohnP · June 21, 2015, 03:07:25 PM

Quote from: Hawks Feather on June 21, 2015, 11:44:01 AM
John,

I remember reading about a 'place out west' that was dealing in huge quantities of brass and used cement mixers. Maybe it was your company.

Jerry

Probably was us Jerry. We use to bid on all the brass(.223 & .308) from Fort Huachuca and alway won the bid as we didn't have the transportation cost our competitor(s) had. Dillon used us as a test bed for his prototype presses, which was a huge savings. We had the first three Dillon prototype 1000 and could crank out close to a 1,000 rounds per hour per machine. Had two set up for .223 and one for .308. Later we had set ups for .357, 44Mag and 45ACP.

By the way Okanagan you have to sift out the clumps in that kitty litter before you use it, probably what's making the racket.

Hawks Feather · June 21, 2015, 03:25:58 PM

Quote from: Okanagan on June 21, 2015, 01:23:28 PM
Hawks Feather, any recommendations on a sonic clear that won't break the bank? On this kind of stuff, it's not that I can't afford it but simply don't want to spend much on accessories I don't use much and can get by without their convenience.

This is the one that I have https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/23934 Lyman Turbo 6000. At $260 it is a bit salty, but I also have been known to toss a handgun in it. They make this one https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/22827 Lyman Turbo 2500 that cost about $110. I just realized that the number is the volume of liquid in ml. So the 2500 is 2.6 quart and 6000 is a 6.3 quart. Lyman says you can put 900 9mm cases in the 2500 and 1300 in the 6000. If I were only doing brass I would probably have purchased the 2500. Here is the link to Lyman's page on cleaners http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/ultrasonics/index.php

Jerry

Okanagan · June 21, 2015, 04:26:00 PM

Thanks! Will look them over. I don't reload nearly as much anymore and don't do much volume.

John, it's the smell of the ammo after cleaning with used kitty litter that enhances my cat calling! Try it...