This is the old do-you-tumble thread.

I do, most of the time, because I really like looking at a row of gleaming brass. I've only been reloading for a little over a year, so my opinion isn't worth much. But I am curious.

But based on what I've read on some other forums, it sounds as if there are some knowledgable-sounding people who've been reloading for decades who never actually polish the brass, just make sure it's clean before reloading.

Others evidently feel that getting the brass polished up nicely is also useful, because it enables you to see cracks and other defects better.

(Of course, if you're shooting autos in the outdoors and only recovering about 6 cases out of 10, like me, it's kind of a moot point for the missing cases.)

So, a question for those who are in between: How clean is clean? How stain-free do you want your cases? Would you use brass polish, or does that verge on obsessive-compulsive disorder?

DISCLAIMER: This is just my opinion and the way the I operate:

For general pistol shooting, practice, and league clean is relative, so no I don't really care as long as they are functional and reloadable. I don't tumble them. So in general, I shoot junk for reloads or purchase cheap bulk ammo.

Now for precision rifle (.308, 6.5-284, .408) I am fanatical. Each case is examined, cut, weighed, measured, and hand polished (not-tumbled).

There two primary reasons to tumble your brass.

1) To clean all dirt or anything else off the brass that could scratch your dies.
2) To remove any lube on the case after resizing.

Shiny pretty cases are a secondary benifit as they seem, to me anyway, to be easier to spot after firing.

I don't clean.
I don't use lube on my dies, as they are all carbide, and the cases are strait wall. I've read annecdotal information that says a bit of residue on the brass helps prevent galling in the dies.
Nice shiny brass would no doubt be prettier to look at, but I've just not gotten around to setting up a tumbler system.
Maybe someday. For now, I have no problems with multiple reloads without cleaning. I also load to relatively low pressures, I've yet to find any split brass except for some nickle plated .38 special I have lying around.

I, too, load to low pressures and don't see any splits.

My nickel-plated cases don't get used all that much, so I haven't yet seen any splits on them.

My "tumbler" is actually a rock tumbler I got five years ago for my wife, who's a rock hound, but she has never quite gotten around to using it, so it's effectively mine now.

Why NOT tumble? Other than the cost of the tumbler and media, it's pretty painless and effortless. I wired up one of those rotary mechanical timers (like for the bathroom heat lamp) and I just crank it to 2 hours and walk away.

I generally use nickel cases (they stand out well when chasing them around the range) and they don't really need all that much cleaning visually, but they actually feel a lot cleaner when done.

Haven't had any neck splits with them, either, despite most of my 10mm cases being on their 4th-6th generation of warmish loads.

I'm sure I'll end up with some type of cleaning system eventually.
Right now, it's not at the top of my list. I'm in the process of redisigning my reloading area- new permanent bench, more lighting, etc.....
As I do that, I'll probably entertain the idea of cleaning my brass.

I use some Lee brand equipment, but their suggested method of cleaning brass would take forever. One shell at a time, basically.

I just got a huge Midway catalog in the mail- maybe I'll have a peek at the reloading section.

If you don't happen to have a rock tumbler that you gave to your wife and she's not using -- I suspect lots of people fit this category -- then you could consider buying locally. I'm a huge believer in supporting small businesses.

If I were in the market, I'd go to John at GS in the Minnetonka area. I saw some tumblers there the other day.

I'm going to have to check that place out one of these days.
I work relatively close to Minnetonka, and I'd rather spend locally, especially if the prices are close.
With my hectic schedule, it's just really easy to order online sometimes.

It's a great store and his prices are competitive. I also think he doesn't bother with a lot of "junk" stuff; I had to practically beg him to sell me some plated .45 bullets, only to find out that they weren't worth the headache. Plus while he fills your order you can go drool at the stuff in the back.

I like Midway, too, but they are a little high on their shipping and handling charges. To their deficit I don't buy a lot of impulse items from them from them for that reason; I kind of wait until I have a bunch of things to buy to keep the handling charge as low as possible relative to what I spend, and then I put that off since it usually runs a couple of hundred dollars at that point..

True. But there's also the return factor. I bought a PACT electronic scale at GS that just would not settle down and report one consistent weight. It was easy to take it back.

I suspect it would be a hassle to return anything bought online. Not impossible, just a big deal.

So far, I haven't had to return anything I've ordered on line, but you certainly raise a good point.
I too, don't make small orders online. Shipping charges quickly eat up any savings, unless your order is of a size enough to spread out the charges. But I don't think Midaway's shipping is much more expensive that other places. What I don't like is when shipping is based on the value of the order vs it's size and weight.
Plus there's the hazmat fees on shipping primer, powder, ammo, etc..
That really knocks you for a loop.

I reload in mass quantities - I mean mass quantities - I dont set up the Dillon 650 for less than 5k rounds of any given caliber and I reload for a lot of people.

I have found that a short vibratory cleaning helps in a couple of ways -

1. I like working with Clean brass - machine seems to stay cleaner
2. Easier on dies

I also tumble then lay out on a large bin - them lightly and I mean lightly spray with Hornady One Shot - then bag the brass up for loading at a later time -

Basically when I am not loading - I am prepping brass for the next session - I just got done sorting 15 gallons of oe fired 9, 40, 45 and 38 and a ton of 223.

I figure that one can have all of the guns that you want - as long as you keep a good supply of ammo on hand - all is good.

I love reloading and everytime I do it I learn more and more - I love talking to J. Walton - he is a wealth of infromation - simply stated he is the best.....

I have tumbled well over 20,000 cases in the same media - it is really getting funky - but it still works well - I use Dillon Polish in my media - I only use walnut.

I am thinking of using that new ceramic media - anyone out here use it ? Is it worth the $45?