Tumbling media size

nun_hunter

Well-Known Member
I have some already de-primed brass to tumble but have found the corn cob media that came with the tumbler is just the right size to get jammed in the flash holes. I have found a lot of crushed walnut media on eBay that comes in all different sizes but not sure which is best to go for. Smaller so it can fit through the flash hole or lager so it can't get in to get stuck?

Further to this I've read of people using rice as the grains are large enough not to get stuck and also quite gentle at cleaning?
 
I had similar problems and now de-prime after tumbling. I clean the flash hole/primer pocket and uniform as one step then afterwards. I nearly wore a hole in my hand clearing grit from the flash holes of 300 223's.
 
I use both corn cob and walnut shell but always tumble before sizing, i like my cases to be clean when i force them up the die.
I also tumble after sizing to get rid of any sizing lube when F/L resizing, all cases go into the corn cob for about half an hour and i then pick the media out of the flash holes, its not a problem for me i just get on it with it.
17 Fireball cases go into the walnut shell media, because of the case size it cleans them better then the corn cob.

Ian.

PS. i was unaware that walnut media came in different sizes, the stuff i use is about the same size as a grain of sand
 
Last edited:
Cheers guys, I was only tumbling deprimed brass as I'd already cleaned it then neck sized and deprimed but as I'd got a new tumbler I thought I'd give the brass a bit more of a polish too! As I'm due getting some once fired brass from another's rifle I thought I'd also need to tumble after FL sizing and so didn't want to have to pick through 100+ flashholes again.
 
Picking tumbling media out of flash holes is a royal PITA. I always tumble with primers in, and then clean separately later if required :cool:
 
Back
Top