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  #1  
Old 05-01-2013, 5:22 PM
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Default Really shiny brass

So, if you leave your tumbler running for 12+ hours, you are going to get really, really shiny brass!

After returning from birthday trip to the range yesterday, I threw in some 45 brass, hit the switch on my RCBS tumbler and totally forgot about it until this morning when I heard an odd humming noise emitting from my garage. I know immediately what was humming... Whoops!

Aside from the totally shiny brass, I'm happy to report that my "big green" tumbler, wasn't hot nor had any signs of stress from the prolonged tumbling session. Woo Hoo. Now to buy a timer...lol

+1 gazillion for RCBS quality!

Hard to tell from my crappy pics, but it's really shiny!

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  #2  
Old 05-01-2013, 6:51 PM
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Imagine if you threw in some Brasso! You'd have works of art.
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  #3  
Old 05-01-2013, 7:07 PM
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I have done that a few times myself.

I finally took the Christmas tree light timer out of storage and took the ON peg out (subsequently lost the ON peg and had to buy a new one when Christmas came around again). Nowadays I tumble for like 30 minutes. I have adopted the old guy brass look, fully tarnished, fewer guys diving to pick them up.
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  #4  
Old 05-01-2013, 7:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ranger341 View Post
Imagine if you threw in some Brasso! You'd have works of art.
Uh, doesn't Brasso have ammonia in it? That's not very good for brass. I use the Flitz stuff in the black squeeze bottle. It gets everything just as shiny with none of the side effects.
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Old 05-01-2013, 8:03 PM
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Next time try it with a cap of Nufinish...

I also need to get a timer for the tumbler... I give it about 4 hours with walnut only and a cap of nufinish and it looks like shiny gold.
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  #6  
Old 05-01-2013, 8:47 PM
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Those aren't that clean... look at the inside you can clearly see carbon from the powder burn. Oh and skip the trimmer if you are only reloading pistol brass. Trimmers are not required for pistol cartridges like .45 ACP.
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Old 05-01-2013, 8:47 PM
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Really shiny. Can you update this if you see a spike in your electricity bill.

When I tumble my brass, I get a spike in my electricity bill. That's why I only tumble 90 mins per batch, clean, but not shiny.
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Old 05-01-2013, 8:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by patrickstarfish View Post
Really shiny. Can you update this if you see a spike in your electricity bill.

When I tumble my brass, I get a spike in my electricity bill. That's why I only tumble 90 mins per batch, clean, but not shiny.
You need a new tumbler then... The motors on plain old tumblers are tiny....


Unless you have a huge commercial tumbler
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Old 05-01-2013, 9:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by patrickstarfish View Post
Really shiny. Can you update this if you see a spike in your electricity bill.

When I tumble my brass, I get a spike in my electricity bill. That's why I only tumble 90 mins per batch, clean, but not shiny.
Put a kill a watt on it...

http://www.amazon.com/P3-Internation.../dp/B00009MDBU

My tumbler uses about 60 watts fully loaded.
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  #10  
Old 05-01-2013, 9:16 PM
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http://www.ocabj.net/cleaning-brass-cartridge-casings/

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  #11  
Old 05-01-2013, 9:36 PM
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One hour in my Thumler's tumbler makes the brass look better than new. Although drying is a bit of a pain.
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  #12  
Old 05-01-2013, 10:20 PM
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Show-off!
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  #13  
Old 05-01-2013, 10:37 PM
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Nu Finish FTW...

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Originally Posted by JackRydden224
I hope Ruger pays the extortion fees for the SR1911. I mean the gun is just as good if not better than a Les Baer.
Quote:
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A Colt collector shooting Rugers is like Hugh Grant cheating on Elizabeth Hurley with a hooker.
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Old 05-01-2013, 10:57 PM
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2 hour tumble with SS media.

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Old 05-01-2013, 11:46 PM
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^^ Stainless

Im very happy with the external clean and shine with walnut and nufinish... but stainless does wonders for those primer pockets

Ill have to try it one of these days.
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Old 05-02-2013, 12:22 AM
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Yeah, give it up for SS.

I need to get picz of my new pins though. I wonder what a tumbler would look like after 12 hours.
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  #17  
Old 05-02-2013, 1:35 AM
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10+ hours tumbling will not hurt anything. 3-5 hours is typical, whatever it takes is what it takes. You will not hurt your tumbler by running it 24/7, otherwise you have a crap piece of gear. I have forgotten tumblers for 24+ hours, only downside is the brass gets shinier the longer it runs
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Old 05-02-2013, 1:43 AM
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Heh. It takes me about 45 minutes or less in some cases.
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Need GOOD SS pins to clean your brass? Try the new and improved model...



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  #19  
Old 05-02-2013, 5:24 AM
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Shiny brass is great and all, but it doesn't make your rounds go bang any better. Nor does it make the bullet any more accurate. So don't go spending excessive dollars in search for that shine!! Just get it clean enough to reload, and spend more of your time at the range.
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Last edited by waxer; 05-02-2013 at 5:31 AM..
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Old 05-02-2013, 6:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirk Tungsten View Post
Uh, doesn't Brasso have ammonia in it? That's not very good for brass. I use the Flitz stuff in the black squeeze bottle. It gets everything just as shiny with none of the side effects.
True brasso does have ammonia in it which is hard it the brass. Just put a few drops in every other 3-5x you tumble and you wont have any trouble. Also trying cutting a couple dryer sheets up and tossing them in there, you will be surprised how much dust is collected by those things.
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  #21  
Old 05-02-2013, 6:22 AM
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+100 stainless.
Pins on sale at Midway
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  #22  
Old 05-02-2013, 6:35 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Steele View Post
I have adopted the old guy brass look, fully tarnished, fewer guys diving to pick them up.
That is an interesting point. Not a bad idea to go "incognito" these days.
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  #23  
Old 05-02-2013, 1:48 PM
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Is this a show your shiny sexy brass picture thread now?

+1 for SSmedia. never looked back. 1hr tumble. 15 minutes in the socal sun and straight to the press.
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Old 05-02-2013, 8:32 PM
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Hey... Jack... If shiny brass toots your horn, tumble all you want. Waste of time? Got a schedule to keep? In a hurry? Shouldn't be reloading. Just my .02
BTW. Stainless x100
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Old 05-03-2013, 6:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waxer View Post
Shiny brass is great and all, but it doesn't make your rounds go bang any better. Nor does it make the bullet any more accurate. So don't go spending excessive dollars in search for that shine!! Just get it clean enough to reload, and spend more of your time at the range.
This^^^^
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Old 05-03-2013, 8:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hairtumor View Post
This^^^^
+2, if you cannot measure it on the target face, it don't mean squat
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Old 05-03-2013, 9:24 AM
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Running the tumbler longer doesn't necessarily get brass shinier. There is a point of diminishing returns. With my brass and tumbler it's around 3 hours.
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Old 05-03-2013, 10:49 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waxer View Post
Shiny brass is great and all, but it doesn't make your rounds go bang any better. Nor does it make the bullet any more accurate. So don't go spending excessive dollars in search for that shine!! Just get it clean enough to reload, and spend more of your time at the range.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffLinder View Post
+2, if you cannot measure it on the target face, it don't mean squat
Thanks for the input. We'll take that under advisement and give that serious consideration...
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Originally Posted by JackRydden224
I hope Ruger pays the extortion fees for the SR1911. I mean the gun is just as good if not better than a Les Baer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redcliff View Post
A Colt collector shooting Rugers is like Hugh Grant cheating on Elizabeth Hurley with a hooker.
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Old 05-03-2013, 10:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waxer View Post
Shiny brass is great and all, but it doesn't make your rounds go bang any better. Nor does it make the bullet any more accurate. So don't go spending excessive dollars in search for that shine!! Just get it clean enough to reload, and spend more of your time at the range.
Whilst I do agree with the clean enough to reload, I can't help but think that have squeaky clean primer pockets would be advantageous during reloading especially with some of those primers that are harder and/or a bit tighter to seat.

I've noticed a difference between Remington and Winchester SRP when reloading RG 5.56 brass. The Remington are more difficult to seat than the Winchester. Having ultra clean primer pockets may make the Remington primers easier to seat ??

I'm still using a traditional tumbler, but considering moving to SS.
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Old 05-03-2013, 11:07 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by milw50717 View Post
Whilst I do agree with the clean enough to reload, I can't help but think that have squeaky clean primer pockets would be advantageous during reloading especially with some of those primers that are harder and/or a bit tighter to seat.

I've noticed a difference between Remington and Winchester SRP when reloading RG 5.56 brass. The Remington are more difficult to seat than the Winchester. Having ultra clean primer pockets may make the Remington primers easier to seat ??

I'm still using a traditional tumbler, but considering moving to SS.
Never seen any difference in primer seating if I don't clean primer pocket versus scouring it clean. I have determined this don't mean squat unless you are doing ultra-precision work like bench rest or 1000 yard shooting.

Again, if you cannot measure it on the target face, it is meaningless.
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Old 05-03-2013, 11:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffLinder View Post
Never seen any difference in primer seating if I don't clean primer pocket versus scouring it clean.
Thanks for confirming that.
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Old 05-03-2013, 11:44 AM
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Nice. I usually only tumble for about an hour. Seems to get it clean enough.

One thing that does bother me though is I seem to get a lot of soot on the necks of my .223 brass. That doesn't come off in just an hour. I've never tried to see how long it would take. Guess it doesn't bother me that much.
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Old 05-03-2013, 1:59 PM
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Walnut media and nufinish for me also. Do not see the need to spend extra money to change to a wet tumble set up. Shiney brass does not equal more accurate ammo in my eyes. Who knows maybe I am wrong.
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Old 05-03-2013, 10:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by milw50717 View Post
Whilst I do agree with the clean enough to reload, I can't help but think that have squeaky clean primer pockets would be advantageous during reloading especially with some of those primers that are harder and/or a bit tighter to seat.

I've noticed a difference between Remington and Winchester SRP when reloading RG 5.56 brass. The Remington are more difficult to seat than the Winchester. Having ultra clean primer pockets may make the Remington primers easier to seat ??

I'm still using a traditional tumbler, but considering moving to SS.
Or you could buy a $4 Lee primer tool which cleans them up nicely.

.
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  #35  
Old 05-04-2013, 6:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SandDiegoDuner View Post
Those aren't that clean... look at the inside you can clearly see carbon from the powder burn. Oh and skip the trimmer if you are only reloading pistol brass. Trimmers are not required for pistol cartridges like .45 ACP.
This is true, there are pics of shinier brass. My focus was the fact that my tumbler ran for 12+ hours and didn't die or overheat. Someone was talking crap about RCBS product quality and I thought this might shut them up.

Not sure why you mentioned trimming the cases...I didn't!

Quote:
Originally Posted by patrickstarfish View Post
Really shiny. Can you update this if you see a spike in your electricity bill.

When I tumble my brass, I get a spike in my electricity bill. That's why I only tumble 90 mins per batch, clean, but not shiny.
Let's not go there. The day prior to asinine move, the wife was happy as all hell that we had managed to reduce our electricity consumption, thus dropping our bill dramatically.
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