I use this method as well.
Stainless Pin Tumbling "too clean"?
- Thread starter archer441
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
I use this method as well.
I am intrigued about the Imperial Dry Neck lube idea. Have you loaded any and let them sit for a few months then fired them? If so how did they chrono? Any change in the ES?
Eagleye242
Well-Known Member
Certainly Not challenging your results, and I'm sure that many many times your scenario has been repeated, without any issues at all. But there is still that possibility. Because I have experienced it, I am a bit leery about
really clean brass [Even brand new stuff I prelube slightly] While I escaped any serious consequences with that
lower pressure round, that might end up differently in my 308 Norma magnum, or 8mm Rem Mag, should I
end up with a "weld" So, for me, Dry media tumbling is the answer. I do not need the super shiny cases to
have a lot of fun with my rifles. Good shooting, BTW. My best group at 1000 so far is 5-3/8 inches.
Dave.
I wish that guys would stop trying to deny that cold welding exist. Just because you have not had it happen or did not recognize it does not mean that it does not happen. It in fact does and I have experienced it many times in the last 51 years I have been reloading. I wonder how often a stray shot or one out of the group that is that annoying flyer is in fact a cold welded case and bullet.
Yes 60K psi of pressure can break a cold weld easily but it will have a different point of impact.
There are lots of conditions that cause it and so it is hard to put your finger on. The worse case is where not all the cases and bullets are cold welded the same. As Oldtime experienced. A good way to test is to seat your last years loads a little deeper and if you have a pop or noticed resistance to moving the bullet then you have cold weld.
If you are shooting ammo that has been loaded for a while and get erratic performance then check for cold weld by trying to seat the bullets a couple thou deeper and then test again.
When I started Moly coating bullets my cold welding stopped. There are so many variables to cause this condition. Brass composition, type of bullet jacket, type of lube in neck, environment the ammo is stored in, How long in storage. What happens to the lube in the neck if organic it can turn into gunk or glue with time in hot or humid environment. I could go on and on but you get the picture.
Now I do not use Moly as much as I used to, not sure why, got lazy I guess. Moly does not make a bullet more accurate nor faster, it does allow longer strings before cleaning and it does keep the barrel cooler during long strings both of which are good things and oh yea it also prevents cold welding.
Yes 60K psi of pressure can break a cold weld easily but it will have a different point of impact.
There are lots of conditions that cause it and so it is hard to put your finger on. The worse case is where not all the cases and bullets are cold welded the same. As Oldtime experienced. A good way to test is to seat your last years loads a little deeper and if you have a pop or noticed resistance to moving the bullet then you have cold weld.
If you are shooting ammo that has been loaded for a while and get erratic performance then check for cold weld by trying to seat the bullets a couple thou deeper and then test again.
When I started Moly coating bullets my cold welding stopped. There are so many variables to cause this condition. Brass composition, type of bullet jacket, type of lube in neck, environment the ammo is stored in, How long in storage. What happens to the lube in the neck if organic it can turn into gunk or glue with time in hot or humid environment. I could go on and on but you get the picture.
Now I do not use Moly as much as I used to, not sure why, got lazy I guess. Moly does not make a bullet more accurate nor faster, it does allow longer strings before cleaning and it does keep the barrel cooler during long strings both of which are good things and oh yea it also prevents cold welding.
One of the problems with walnut hulls is you'll need a polishing compound to sine and clean the brass . That polish stays on the case and that goes down the barrel ! This is why I went SS liquid it leaves the brass clean and all carbon is removed , AND if you use the right sizing lube that problem is taken care of as well. . Yes on rifle case you will get some peening of the mouth . I rectify that by trimming after tumbling and I chamfer on my late with the tool in the lathe , it is really fast .
IHFarmer07
Well-Known Member
I like SS pin cleaning, you have a setup for life that you pretty much don't need to keep buying special supplies for. Yes it takes everything off but as someone else said, don't tumble too long. I started out using a drill and 0000 steel wool, but that made a mess with really fine strands of steel everywhere and it was time consuming. So I have been using the SS tumbler, wash everything out with hot water to get the detergent and SS pins out, either let it set case mouth down or go straight to annealing(I anneal every time) and use the heat to burn the water off to dry them, put them in a ziplock and spray a homemade lanolin case lube on them, hand tumble and so on.
I do get a little case mouth dings but when use my 3-1 case trimmer/debur/chamfer you can't tell anymore.
I think I may try putting some bullets in the case lube bag and hand tumble, let them sit for a bit and load.....I think it might work pretty good, never heard of anyone trying that so somebody might as well try it
.
I do get a little case mouth dings but when use my 3-1 case trimmer/debur/chamfer you can't tell anymore.
I think I may try putting some bullets in the case lube bag and hand tumble, let them sit for a bit and load.....I think it might work pretty good, never heard of anyone trying that so somebody might as well try it
.
What you guys are calling cold welding definitely exists. Its true name is galvanic corrosion. Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical process in which one metal corrodes preferentially when it is in electrical contact with another, in the presence of an electrolyte. The electrolyte in this case being humidity in the air. As you mentioned about the moly coating, that breaks the electrical contact. Galvanic corrosion is common any time dissimilar metals touch. That's why, regardless of the industry, people have to take galvanic corrosion into account, typically putting something like a grease or anti-seize between the metals. You get the same thing with a steel bolt in an aluminum engine block. It's the same reason electricians use something like Noalox where copper wire touches aluminum connections. It doesn't happen quickly, unless the electrolyte is strong, like salt water, but the more time it has, the more it will do it.
Sealing the ammo in an air-tight container would probably also prevent the "electrolyte" part and prevent or reduce it.
Last edited:
I do almost the same
the reason this post caught my eye is carbon in the neck discussion that has come up.
I sonic it clean because I want consistent necks and I cannot control the carbon so I remove it.
Now I may stop doing that altogether. Lou Murdica is seen in one of his video's lubing the inside of his necks with moly.
So I have been using HBN for the same reason. I used to dry tumble my brass with corn cob to remove the one shot lube before I primed and loaded but have stopped that. I dont see any benefit.
I did a test with clean dry necks against carbon filled and saw no difference in es/sd.
I chat with NBRSA members and I can tell you there is NO cleaning or annealing during those matches.
MANY 5 shot groups in the .1 range and very often a few screamers (the very coveted .0 groups)
So clean em dont clean em.
I am gonna try the NBRSA method. Man I hate reloading
Hard to argue with someone of your proven experience.
However I will tell you you are wrong about walnut media.
For 50 years both my father and I only used the media. No polish was ever added and it worked flawlessly. Beautiful shinny outsides but we had dirty primer pockets and carbon in the necks and case, which is why I now own a sonic.
But we never added polish.
I am going to try dirty brass for a while. I have been using HBN in the necks and on the bullets. But that is another topic. Thank you for your input.
