Comments on: Review of Stainless Tumbling Media Brass Cleaning System

By: Paul Lynch

Paul Lynch — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 23:01:33 +0000

Paul Lynch says:
June 25, 2017 at 3:49 pm
Caution when cleaning tight neck chambering brass. Case mouths will peen over a bit. Check a reloaded round to be sure it is the proper diameter to chamber in your rifle. It will require sizing and chamfering inside and out. I loaded up 50 rounds as they came out of the tumbler, went to the range and couldn’t shoot one round. 6PPC Benchrest. They wouldn’t chamber.

By: Les S Dist Rifleman #632

Les S Dist Rifleman #632 — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:14:04 +0000

I started using BB’s and Joy back in the 80’s. For Large priner holes and #6 steel shot for small primer pockets.
Back around the turn of the century 1900. They tumbled silver coins so the ladys could keep their hands clean.
These sound neet, they don’t rust and might shake out better.
I polish steel cases for the 45ACP.
The color change is from oxadation.
Several of us have droped the Joy detergent for any Car Wash with Carnuba wax in it.
Adding a 1/4 cup of Vinegar really gets things done faster.
Always decap before the clean.
I use the Mason jars now to store the brass/ it stays kleen for years.
This works well for deburring machine parts also.

By: SRM

SRM — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:55:25 +0000

People are starting to use this for cleaning take a part cans with good results. More at silencertalk.com.
nfatalk.org also

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:59:35 +0000

I wonder if this process hardens the brass?

By: Ross

Ross — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:25:29 +0000

Benny, no the dry cleaning with BB’s doesn’t work. The rinse and dry process isn’t that big a deal, and is easier than trying to get all the dry media off the cases.

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:31:41 +0000

These work extremely well. However, they do peen the case mouth. The case mouths end up looking like they do with new brass. If you let it go too long, or put too few cases and not enough water, it will roll them quite a bit giving you a burr that can be difficult to remove.

This also cause the brass to get a bit shorter each time you do it, if you do it after every firing. I found that eventually, the cutter on the Giraud would stop reaching the case mouth and would not longer get the burr. I then had to turn to the de-burring tool.

Since I’ve started doing only full loads and run the tumbler on a timer, this has been less of a problem.

By: Benny

Benny — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:32:12 +0000

I guess the cylindrical pins are conducive to the tumblers actions of rotating. I wonder if simple Daisy BB’s added to tumbling media would work in a dry tumbler just as well without all the water and rince & dry effort?

By: John MH

John MH — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:53:02 +0000

I’ve just started using one of the STM kits, whilst this method may have been around for a while I must say that is very effective. I’ve tried vibratorary tumbles with corn media and ultrasonic cleaning but this is the quickest and easiest to use. I’m more than pleased with the results.

By: Bob Spencer

Bob Spencer — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:46:47 +0000

“I don’t believe Mr. Dickerson pioneered anything hemore than likely found the info on snipershide website. He probably purchased the SS pins from one of the members who had been using the method for over 25 years and copied his cleaning method verbatum.”

EDITOR: No vendor has ever offered a complete commercial kit (with proven performance) using steel pins for reloaders. No one has ever produced a video showing how the process works. No vendor has tested various media dimensions and cleaning solutions — that’s pioneering in our book.

Cory did NOT purchase the pins from a ‘Hide member. His media is made to his spec and sourced from an industrial manufacturer. In terms of “verbatum” (sic) method copying, yes other persons have experimented with similar processes before, but STM did a lot of experimentation before they settled on the recommended process.

Dickerson has invested time and money buying inventory, building a website, creating instructional videos, providing brass weight/quantity load ratio charts, and servicing his customers. Taking a risk and starting a business in other words. Nobody on Snipers’ Hide is doing that. Dickerson also stands behind his product. You have to give some credit for all that….

By: Ross

Ross — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 01:02:38 +0000

We’ve been doing this since 1981 with steel media from a lapidary store. The process works far better than anything else, cleaning the cases perfectly. You do have to be careful not to use too much soap, as the brass will end up with a darker, more golden, hue.

We’ve never seen any evidence of impact hardening, and seldom have any issues with plugged flash holes or media in the cases.