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new to reloading- media quantity

maschevymaschevy Member Posts: 61 ✭✭
hello all. im new to reloading and have a simple question. how much media am i suppose to put in with about 250 45ACP cases? enough to fill the bowl half way? im using walnut. and bowl capacity is about 400 9mm cases. thanks.

Comments

  • HighballHighball Member Posts: 15,755
    edited November -1
    Watch the media as it 'works'. Start about half full.

    You should see a 'rolling' effect as the brass and media rolls from top to bottom.

    The big error is throwing in too many cases. If they just sort of 'sit' there, pull some cases out.
  • maschevymaschevy Member Posts: 61 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    thanks. i just checked and thats exactly what happened. the cases were all standing up filled, now they are a very light brass color, if any left at all. were only in there for 40 minutes. are these cases garbage now? thanks in advance.
  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    The media did what it is supposed to do, polish the brass.

    I've had mine so full that when it is running, everything is right to the lip. As long as you see everything "rolling" form the outside in inside, it is working.
  • HighballHighball Member Posts: 15,755
    edited November -1
    quote:very light brass color, if any left at all

    If any what is left ?

    Colors arn't my long suit...but polished brass is ..yellow, I guess one would say..perhaps some with more descriptive power then I would chime in.

    40 moments is nothing. I have left really dirty brass run 24 hours.

    Walnut is more agressive then corn cob...I generally run dirty brass in Walnut, then finish with the corn for a higher polish.
  • B17-P51B17-P51 Member Posts: 2,199 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you could see all the cases "standing up" you do not have enough media. you should not be able to FULLY see any cases when you open the tumbler. Only bits and peices of cases.If you can hear the cases rattle around in the tumbler you do not have enough media. It is (almost) impossible to ruin cases by tumbling or using a vibratory case cleaner.
    Do like Highball said. Watch the media with the lid off. It should roll up to the lip of the machine and fall into a dish/ cone in the middle, and move in a slow circular motion around the bowl at the same time. You should not see any of the bowl, only about 3/4 of the tower.
    I forgot about mine once and left it on for a weekend. 700 45ACP,no damage done.Just real clean!!!
  • Wolf.Wolf. Member Posts: 2,223 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    --
    To answer your question:
    NO, your cases are not all garbage now.

    Just run them through the walnut media with fewer cases in the basket. They'll come out a clean, rather matte brass finish. If you want them shiny as well, do the walnut media first, just as you did, then go to a corn cob media with a drop or two of gun brass polish in it.
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