Stainless Media Tumblers

[mickey]

I ordered a kit from stainless steel media few months ago to clean rifle brass. Simply amazing. Looks like new brass in 4 hours. Primer pockets and necks are spotless. If you are thinking about taking the plunge and making the purchase, don't look back.
I ran another 200 pieces of 308 today and here are the results.....

 

[themcfarland]

mickey, I am running one now too, I have to say the only thing to remember is if you stop it, and leave the brass over night or something before emptying it, tumble it again for a few min, or it will antique it ..

I have to say, its nice..

 

[mickey]

mickey, I am running one now too, I have to say the only thing to remember is if you stop it, and leave the brass over night or something before emptying it, tumble it again for a few min, or it will antique it ..

I have to say, its nice..

I have never let it sit over night, but I did rinse the brass with tap water once after taking it out. It left spots.
As soon as it take it out now, I shake and put on a towel to dry and have no issues.
Placing it in the sun while on the towel speeds the drying the process.
At any rate, stainless media beats the hell out of cleaning dirty primer pockets.
Dave, i am assuming that are mainly running pistol brass thru yours.... how much can you fit in it the hopper at one time?

 

[themcfarland]

I have only tried 45 brass, I didnt even try to run the 150 or so the instructions told me, I have too much to tumble, I put 400 pieces in, or so and the soaps and media in, the barely cover it with water, less than the gallon they say... sometimes I have to help it start turning its so heavy but it works..
I have thousands of pieces to tumble still, and then there is the rifle brass.. I need two or three of these..

 

[kajunprepper]

I volunteer to let you clean 1000 40 S&W cases Mickey... Just to "check" it out on pistol ammo...

 

[mickey]

I volunteer to let you clean 1000 40 S&W cases Mickey... Just to "check" it out on pistol ammo...

Bring it on Wood! I will hook a brotha up!

 

[FTRrookie]

After reading this thread I decided to try out ss media. I already had a Thumbler model B tumbler so I ordered the media and the lemon brite. It came in yesterday so last night I de-capped and sized around 400 .45acp cases. I cut back on the water to fit in all of them added the dawn and lemon brite and ran it for 3 hrs.

Wow!!! What a difference! I had been using walnut shell with a splash of polish for years and thought I had "like new" looking brass. There's no comparison. So, from now on I'm going to lube and size my brass before cleaning. I like knowing that the primer pockets are clean with nothing preventing the primer from seating all the way

 

[francis8709]

Just received my kit today. Already running 45 brass in it. I wish I knew about this process before sinking hundreds on vibratory tumblers, primer pocket cleaners, a worthless (IMO) sonic cleaner, etc. perfect for an apartment by the way. Very quiet and no harmful dust.
I love it.

 

[mickey]

After reading this thread I decided to try out ss media. I already had a Thumbler model B tumbler so I ordered the media and the lemon brite. It came in yesterday so last night I de-capped and sized around 400 .45acp cases. I cut back on the water to fit in all of them added the dawn and lemon brite and ran it for 3 hrs.

Wow!!! What a difference! I had been using walnut shell with a splash of polish for years and thought I had "like new" looking brass. There's no comparison. So, from now on I'm going to lube and size my brass before cleaning. I like knowing that the primer pockets are clean with nothing preventing the primer from seating all the way

The stuff is awesome! You made out like a bandit already having the thumber model B tumbler.

 

[leeshall]

The hold up for me is the very small capacity of the Thumlers Tumbler. So I have been constructing a BIG tumbler based on heavy wall 12" PVC sewer pipe. I picked up a piece of scrap pipe freebies and am modifying another piece of gear with an electric motor to rotate the drum. The problem is finding a cap for one end of the drum and a 12"-4" reducer for the other. Pipe supply outlets want a HUGE amount of money (retail of course!) for these parts. Does anybody have a less expensive source for these needed parts? Maybe something left over fron a construction job?
Thanks!
Distinguished Rifleman #1352

 

[RStewart]

Tumbled 125 .308 and 75 .223 brass together with no problems. Came out looking brand new!

 

[jgreco15]

I've been running the SS media system for a few months now and WILL NOT look back! Mickey, just for grins, you should find the nastiest piece of brass on the ground at the range next time you go. I picked up an old .223 case and threw it in with a batch of .308 once. The difference was AMAZING!

 

[FTRrookie]

Like Themcfarland suggested you can use less water and add more brass. I only put in 2 liters of water, but if you do you need to cut back on the soap too. My first batch I followed directions exactly. For my second batch I only put in the 2 liters but still put in 2 tbs of dawn. I had a hell of a time getting all the soap rinsed off Had to change the water in my rinse bucket 3 times. I halved the water so for my next batch I'm going to halve the soap too and see what happens.

 

[Taiaut]

The hold up for me is the very small capacity of the Thumlers Tumbler. So I have been constructing a BIG tumbler based on heavy wall 12" PVC sewer pipe. I picked up a piece of scrap pipe freebies and am modifying another piece of gear with an electric motor to rotate the drum. The problem is finding a cap for one end of the drum and a 12"-4" reducer for the other. Pipe supply outlets want a HUGE amount of money (retail of course!) for these parts. Does anybody have a less expensive source for these needed parts? Maybe something left over fron a construction job?
Thanks!
Distinguished Rifleman #1352

What do you plan on putting inside the drum that will make the brass tumble ?

 

[RStewart]

Like Themcfarland suggested you can use less water and add more brass. I only put in 2 liters of water, but if you do you need to cut back on the soap too. My first batch I followed directions exactly. For my second batch I only put in the 2 liters but still put in 2 tbs of dawn. I had a hell of a time getting all the soap rinsed off Had to change the water in my rinse bucket 3 times. I halved the water so for my next batch I'm going to halve the soap too and see what happens.

One person's lesson learned is another person's gold mine. Thanks for the info!

 

[cajun 22]

What do you plan on putting inside the drum that will make the brass tumble ?

Most people cut a smaller size pipe into quarter sections and bolt them on the side of the drum. Looks like the inside of a clothes dryer.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/344986_How_i_built_my_own_rotary_tumbler.html&page=7

 

[leeshall]

I've cut a number of strips out of the remaining pipe I intend to glue inside the drum to agitate and overturn the brass while rotating. Kinda like a front loading washing machine.

 

[Ritten]

Just ordered mine....





Bastards.

 

[mickey]

Just ordered mine....





Bastards.

Haha!!!!
You won't regret it!

 

[SMILEY]

I assumed all of the top shooters(SSST) knew how ss media cleaned brass like new.Glad to see y'all have a new tool for reloading.lol