Gun shop tumblers

Hi! All I know about gun shop tumblers was the one I purchased on
such advise maybe twenty years ago. Used with steel shot and the wet
compound for burnishing. The thing wasn’t intended for wet
tumbling, the liquid leaked into the open motor and I was out the
money which guarantee did not cover since the use was not an
intended one. If those tumblers have been changed since then and the
motors are sealed and protected from moisture, be certain of it
before you save money only to lose it. Just my personal
experience. Stay curious and be informed.

Pat Hicks

Pat, I think nowadays most ammo-cleaning vibratory tumblers are
constructed like mine is, which is a Lyman brand. The bowl is shaped
almost like a bundt cake pan, The only opening is at the top (well
above any fluid levels). While it has supporting structure down
through the middle of the bundt shape, it attaches at the very top.
The bowl screws down with a rubber-covered nut and then the clear
plastic top screws down with an identical fastener on top of that.
There is no way any fluid can leak to where the motor is. In fact
the motor seems to be sealed in the compartment below (so double
protection). Tom

All, I have been using a used Lyman vibratory tumbler on a daily
basis for the past three years. It is optimal for burnishing jewelry
with ceramic media. I just discovered that the ceramic burnishing
media are available through the Small Parts, Inc. catalog on page
395 ( “F” media ) These media last for years. Use them with a non
sudsing detergent. This technique works so well on silver that no
further finishing is required. I use it with gold also, but finish
up with a coloring polish. There is absolutely no need to have to
spend an arm and a leg on a vibratory tumbler nor is there any
better technique for burnishing with anything other than ceramic
media . ( My only qualification would be that magnetic tumblers are
better suited for intricate designs 0 Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, CA.

Dear Pat and interested others,

I have reloaded ammunition for a long time. The “brass” or cartridge
part is tumbled to clean and restore brightness. This is never done
with wet tumbling or steel shot. You see, the little hole at the
bottom of the brass is for the primer, the ignitor for the
propellent. No reloader wants a steel shot in that hole! All is
done generally with dry media. These tumblers are for the most part
vibratory though some older ones are rotary. Most are the same as
used for lapidary and jewelry tumbling. I suspect some are made by
the same companies, such as Raytec, etc. The same vib tumbler I use
for cartridge cases is just fine for jewelry. This is a Raytec
model. This is the way to go without the expense of higher priced
though perhaps tumbling methods. Still, the vib tumblers beat the
socks off rotary ones in a flash!

Thanks for hearing my words, Thomas.

Hi,

In Regard to Brass Tumblers for polishing cartridge cases, I have one
that I have used for YEARS AND YEARS. It is sold by the Dillon
Precision Co. You can reach them at http://www.dillonprecision.com .
They have great shooting products and they back them up with a first
class guarantee. Their scale will weigh in grams in addition to
grains. I have used it for both jewelry and cartridge brass.

Warmest Regards,
Skip Meister