Lot of response to the tumbler test,

thought I'd expand in another post.

My old vibratory tumbler still gets a lot of use.  I like to use it to give the brass a first cleaning soon as possible after firing to get much of the fouling out, using a decapping die to punch the primers out if I have time so the primer pocket gets a bit of cleaning. After I resize cases that need lube, I throw those in for half an hour or so to get the lube off because if any need trimming they slip less clean.  Then for really thorough cleaning, the rotary.

Be it noted that you can add to the cleaning with walnut hull with a suitable stuff, last I picked up was a bottle of Mother's Cleaning Wax at the auto parts store.  With fresh media about 4-6 tablespoons of the stuff added in and allowed to run for a while to mix it in thoroughly, then throw the brass in.  Cleans and shines it pretty well, and cheaper than most of the brand-name brass polishes.

On black powder cartridges I worry about that fouling, so for the start I take an old sports drink bottle to the range and fill it with water.  After I fire a shot, my old Lee hand press with a decapping die punches out the primer, then into the water(which also forces me to slow down and not rush).  When I've got 15-20 or so(rifle brass fills it up fast) put the cap on, swirl it around good, dump the water, fresh water and repeat, then spread it out in the sun in the truck bed.  When home I use a nipple brush and water to make sure the insides have most of the fouling out, dry them(truck bed on suitable days, either in front of a fan on a towel or on a cookie sheet in the oven on 'warm' if not).  After dry lube and resize, then any that need trimming go into the vibratory to get rid of the lube, trim and deburr, then- when there's time- into the rotary for the really thorough cleaning.*

Other brass that I want really clean, resize and straight to the rotary.  Yes, I do like shiny brass.

As to time, for normal stuff 1-2 hours depending on how many in the barrel, the more, the longer.  Stuff that's had black in it, 2 hours seems to work very well.  Most I've ever had in at one time after shooting was about fifty as I recall, that much .45-70 takes up some space in the barrel and I want it to have plenty of space for rolling around and letting the pins work through.  For smaller cases and smokeless, can fit in more.  I had a bunch of .32S&W I came into, and you can put a LOT of that in one load.

Stuff that I dry in the oven, I have an old pizza sheet just for that.  Piece of towel that does not overhang the edges, roll the brass around to get drops off the surface, then in it goes.  Hour or so dries them nicely.

As noted in the comments of the first post, you can get walnut media for the vibratory in various places for less than labeled 'Tumbler Media'.  One place is pet supply stores as reptile bedding.

that's about all I can write for now as my eyes are about to cross.  To bed with me.


*Probably more cleaning than needed, but .45-70 brass is expensive and hard to find, so I don't want to lose any.