loaded rounds in a tumbler

Although I fail to see a reason to do so I can't imagine it being any worse than loaded rounds in the back of a HumVee driving a thousand miles across the desert. Or for that matter ammo stored in any kind of aircraft.
 
I would strongly recommend not doing so. Other than the tumbler creating excessive heat, it can also break down the powder and actually change the composition. this can boost pressure levels dramatically. a polishing cloth is a much safer alternative
 
DO NOT DO THIS!!!

It's a bad idea. The vibration of the tumbler can break down the powder into a finer mix, and it will ignite differently, increasing chamber pressures.

Shoot 'em up, and then clean them. I loaded ammo for years before I ever got a tumbler, and dull looking brass shoots just as good as shiny brass does.

Daryl
 
"It's a bad idea. The vibration of the tumbler can break down the powder into a finer mix, and it will ignite differently, increasing chamber pressures."

This is just an old wives tale. If it were true ammo that had been shipped by truck or airplane would be no good.

Jack
 
Originally Posted By: Jack Roberts"It's a bad idea. The vibration of the tumbler can break down the powder into a finer mix, and it will ignite differently, increasing chamber pressures."

This is just an old wives tale. If it were true ammo that had been shipped by truck or airplane would be no good.

Jack


plus 1 wives tale

One of those things that comes up every few weeks but can never be proven.

Nobody has ever been able to prove this has happened. Some factory ammo is tumbled as loaded rounds as well.
 
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I've done it. You want to keep an eye on the exposed lead tips, because they'll start to erode fairly fast. I did a batch of Nosler Partitions once and the media was undercutting the tip where it was bonded to the jacket.
Just sayin.
 
I've done it a couple times and dont see how it would hurt them any. LIke someone else said, theres not anythig in there thats going to make it go off and I dont believe the powder breaks down anymore either.
 
All right, then it's an old wives tale. I've never been one to try things like that, simply because I value my firearms and eyesight, and I've never seen a difference in groups between shiny and tarnished brass.

Just the same, I'll tumble mine before I load 'em, and I'll shoot 'em tarnished if they get that way. I really don't care if my friends are impressed by my shiny brass or not, and I'd hate to find out the hard way that I was right.

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Daryl
 
thanks 4 all the great advice guys. i will try about 20 live rounds and see if there is a problem. if none show up i'll do the rest.
 
I agree that it is not something I would want to do to ammo I was going to shoot. However...

Not sure if vibration would change the chemical composition of the powder or not.

If I understand correctly, the SC and SSC powders are just shorter versions of the full length powder and have the same burn rate (and thus same load data). Only difference I could see from this comparison is that you would have a lower load density.

Also as stated above, I have not seen a performance difference from tarnished brass.

B
 
Originally Posted By: Jack Roberts"It's a bad idea. The vibration of the tumbler can break down the powder into a finer mix, and it will ignite differently, increasing chamber pressures."

This is just an old wives tale. If it were true ammo that had been shipped by truck or airplane would be no good.

Jack


OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

AN OLD WIVES TALE????

First of all, put your hand on your tumbler when it's running and let me know how much it feels like a truck, or an airplane.

Second, I quote this straight from my Sierra reloading manual:
Regardless of the method used, handloaders should never tumble loaded ammunition. Doing so may cause a deterioration of the powder's deterrent coating, or, in extreme cases, may damage the powder itself. Either situation would alter the burning rate, possible raising pressures to dangerous levels.

But then, what do they know?
 
Quote:If I understand correctly, the SC and SSC powders are just shorter versions of the full length powder and have the same burn rate (and thus same load data). Only difference I could see from this comparison is that you would have a lower load density.

It is likely that the extruded powders are cut to length before the deterrent coating is added.

(This is speculation, I do not know this for a fact)
 
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Originally Posted By: cornstalkerOriginally Posted By: Jack Roberts"It's a bad idea. The vibration of the tumbler can break down the powder into a finer mix, and it will ignite differently, increasing chamber pressures."

This is just an old wives tale. If it were true ammo that had been shipped by truck or airplane would be no good.

Jack


OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

AN OLD WIVES TALE????

First of all, put your hand on your tumbler when it's running and let me know how much it feels like a truck, or an airplane.

Second, I quote this straight from my Sierra reloading manual:
Regardless of the method used, handloaders should never tumble loaded ammunition. Doing so may cause a deterioration of the powder's deterrent coating, or, in extreme cases, may damage the powder itself. Either situation would alter the burning rate, possible raising pressures to dangerous levels.

But then, what do they know?

 
Originally Posted By: skb2706Although I fail to see a reason to do so I can't imagine it being any worse than loaded....ammo stored in any kind of aircraft. ...HAH...we used to have this very discussion in our vviiiiiibbrrrrrrrraaaaaaattiinnnnnn huey....
 
My concern isn't with breaking down the powder as much as scrubbing off the deterrent coating on extruded powders that's put there to control the burn rate. If that deterrent get scuffed off enough it could theoretically change the powders burn rate enough to cause potential problem, especially on max loads. IMHO, I wouldn't do it.
 
I was just thinkin that I would opt to play it safe on this occasion, the deterrant coating theory seems to make a lot of sense. I have done it in the past, but then again I've done some other not so bright things as well.
 
SOOOOOOOO.............why not just put a few in and then pull the bullets to see what the powder looks like. I imagine there will be a difference between a compressed load and a light load. Put a small line of powder on a board and time how long it takes to burn. Then do the same thing with a line of powder that has not been tumbled. Lay a ruler next to it and start a stopwatch so you can time it say seconds per inch. It seems to me that the scientific method would solve this debate.

Weaz
 
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