Tumbler - stainless pins or not ?

Rutland lad

Well-Known Member
I have a tumbler which has done sterling service. I also have a small ultrasonic cleaner. Both tend to be used when preparing cases. I've been told that if I used stainless steel pins instead of the normal media in the tumbler that I would get better results - as no matter what I seem to try the inside of the cases and the primer pocket always seem to be grubby.
Has anyone got experience of the stainless pins ? and more importantly, are they worth the money ?
 
Stainless pins are for wet tumbling and require a different tumbler to a normal dry tumbler using corn cob media or similar. From what I've read, wet tumbling does seem to get better results but the tumblers and pins are a lot more expensive.
 
I have a tumbler which has done sterling service. I also have a small ultrasonic cleaner. Both tend to be used when preparing cases. I've been told that if I used stainless steel pins instead of the normal media in the tumbler that I would get better results - as no matter what I seem to try the inside of the cases and the primer pocket always seem to be grubby.
Has anyone got experience of the stainless pins ? and more importantly, are they worth the money ?

Stainless pins need to be used 'wet' with detergent and water softener in a rock tumbler type cleaner.. using them in a vibratory tumbler will not work. If you are using them in the correct type of machine then yes, they are very much worth it. Your brass will come out looking like new both inside and out. I couldn't go back to dry tumbling now!

You need one of these... Extreme Rebel 17 Wet Tumbler 220 Volt Kit 1967spud Reloading Supplies Ltd
 
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I got far too many pins and beads stuck and it was a total ball ache sifting and rinsing

also had some shiister sell me some pins that were NOT stainless mixed in with my stainless one...cue lots of rust staining and picking of individual pins

I US now
much simpler and I don't give a toss about a bot of dirt inside
 
When wet tumbling or ultrasonic, do you use a dehumidifier to dry your brass or pop them in warm oven with the door open?
 
When wet tumbling or ultrasonic, do you use a dehumidifier to dry your brass or pop them in warm oven with the door open?

I used to put the oven on its lowest setting and leave the brass in there for half an hour then leave it on a teatowel overnight to completely dry..

Then I found the food dehydrator from Lake land for £49... Will dry well over a hundred 308 cases completely in half an hour without overheating them... A very worthwhile investment
 
I got far too many pins and beads stuck and it was a total ball ache sifting and rinsing

also had some shiister sell me some pins that were NOT stainless mixed in with my stainless one...cue lots of rust staining and picking of individual pins

I US now
much simpler and I don't give a toss about a bot of dirt inside

If you invert the cases WHILE THEY ARE STILL UNDERWATER, the pins run out like a liquid, I have never, ever had a pin stuck in 5 years of using them in both 308 and 6.5.
 
If you invert the cases WHILE THEY ARE STILL UNDERWATER, the pins run out like a liquid, I have never, ever had a pin stuck in 5 years of using them in both 308 and 6.5.

You are quite right, but a bit more effort is required with .17 and .20 calibre cases. It's still worth it, though.
 
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If you invert the cases WHILE THEY ARE STILL UNDERWATER, the pins run out like a liquid, I have never, ever had a pin stuck in 5 years of using them in both 308 and 6.5.

Thats a useful tip for the bigger cal's I load but will be sticking with US for the hornet as they definitely get wedged inside the case, probably every one in three had a pin or two lodged in the last batch, a few in the 6.5 necks too but easy to remove. I have a 3x 5lb rock tumbler so have 2 filled with corn cob and one with SS media giving both options.
 
Thats a useful tip for the bigger cal's I load but will be sticking with US for the hornet as they definitely get wedged inside the case, probably every one in three had a pin or two lodged in the last batch, a few in the 6.5 necks too but easy to remove. I have a 3x 5lb rock tumbler so have 2 filled with corn cob and one with SS media giving both options.

Are you using the correct size media? There are different sized pins.

Sstm in the states offer smaller pins for the smaller calibres (both in length and diameter,) however, the smaller pins seem to do a Stirling job on the larger calibres too..

The standard pins as supplied are meant for 30cal and up.
 
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Hi Vipa
I just looked on line for the smaller pin sizes & STM only show the normal .047"x.255" size on thei web page. Have you got a link to a page selling the smaller size?
The only smaller size I saw advertized is Ebay USA number 141952712730.
It would be nice to try some of that as I very occasionally get a pin jammed across the mouth of 243 & 223 cases. - My media must have a few slightly long pins in it.
On some cases where the flash hole is a bit big I also can get two pins jammed side by side - again only very occasionally. My media may be a bit small diameter to permit this.
However for me the benefits of SS tumble cleaning vastly outweigh these minor issues. I like clean, bright brass.

Ian
 
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Hi Vipa
I just looked on line for the smaller pin sizes & STM only show the normal .047"x.255" size on thei web page. Have you got a link to a page selling the smaller size?
The only smaller size I saw advertized is Ebay USA number 141952712730.
It would be nice to try some of that as I very occasionally get a pin jammed across the mouth of 243 & 223 cases. - My media must have a few slightly long pins in it.
On some cases where the flash hole is a bit big I also can get two pins jammed side by side - again only very occasionally. My media may be a bit small diameter to permit this.
However for me the benefits of SS tumble cleaning vastly outweigh these minor issues. I like clean, bright brass.

Ian

Looks like they only supply the smaller ones now.. Which is sensible!

If you look on Amazon.co.uk you can buy different sizes there..

When I bought my first one, I had the choice of standard pins or smaller if using 6.5mm or smaller cases.
 
Looks like they only supply the smaller ones now.. Which is sensible!

If you look on Amazon.co.uk you can buy different sizes there..

When I bought my first one, I had the choice of standard pins or smaller if using 6.5mm or smaller cases.

Just checked Amazon UK --- None of the small size advertized there today. I may have to import some.

Ian
 
Are you using the correct size media? There are different sized pins.

Sstm in the states offer smaller pins for the smaller calibres (both in length and diameter,) however, the smaller pins seem to do a Stirling job on the larger calibres too..

The standard pins as supplied are meant for 30cal and up.

Probably the wrong size, they fit perfectly across the neck of the 6.5 x 55 so guessing they're around 6.5 mm and perfect for 30 cal. I'm not overly worried they come out of the 6.5 easily and only a few get stuck, too big for the 0.223 but still get inside and do the job and perfect for the .308 so the only issue is the little hornet. I'm happy US cleaning these to get the primer pockets & insides clean then I just dry tumble them when I'm doing some wet tumbling to polish them up.
 
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