Walnut Media tumbling problem

[zrile9]

So I just put in a ton of brass in a tumbler and most of the brass has tiny bits of walnut in the flash hole. Is it ok to reload and/or how do I get this shit out? Thanks in advance.

[rebel]

Poke it. Don't reload it with it in there as the hole is the fire delivery port for the boomy stuff.

[steven11b]

No, its not ok to reload, blocking the primer from the powder probably will cause some problems with consistency and the primer probably would be hard to fully seat causing the possibility of slam fires.

I still use walnut/corn cob media and I tumble brass again after sizing to remove lube, causing the same problem you have. I just grab the brass one piece at a time and if I can not see light through the flash hole, I take a straight dental pick and push the piece of media out. Usually it is stuck from the primer side for whatever reason and is easiest to push it out from the inside of the case.

If you do not want the media to infiltrate your flash hole, clean the brass before sizing/depriming and use a lube that doesn't require wiping off. I use the dental pick method in conjunction of looking over the brass for defects so it does not really add extra time.

[zrile9]

Appreciate it guys. I had one of those tiny little watch screwdrivers laying around and just poked them out. Didn't take long.

[plant.one]

you can run it back through the press with a lee universal decapper... that'll clear the flash holes right smart quick for ya. this is especailly true if ya have a progressive press.

as others have noted - this is unfortunately a must clean situation.


when i'm using walnut, this is what i have for my tumbler

http://www.harborfreight.com/25-lbs-coa ... 92150.html

over several years, and thousands of pieces of brass i rarely recall having to clean it out of flash holes. i specifically kept away from the fine stuff for that possibility.

[golfindia]

http://www.harborfreight.com/25-lbs-coa ... 92150.html

I've used this exact same stuff for a long time. It gets in the primer holes occasionally. Is this a devastating problem? In my opinion, no. I've probably loaded and shot thousands of rounds that had a kernel stuck in the flash hole and didn't even know it. 99% of the time I load on the progressive, so either sizing removes kernels or I put a universal decapper in station 1 for multi-pass stuff.

[blaster]

I tumble before I size & de prime.

[John A.]

I use walnut media because I like it better than corn cob.

I've got 2 words for you.

Dental pick.

I have found that if you tumble for an excessively long time, the more media packs itself into the primer pocket.

You tumble a half an hour, you will have very few if any in there.

I have no need to run my tumbler for hours on end or overnight.

[tXr]

I used compressed air to clear the flash holes, a lot quiker and easier to place the tip of a air nozzle into the neck and blast it out than try to fit something into the flash hole.

[bangbangping]

I used compressed air to clear the flash holes, a lot quiker and easier to place the tip of a air nozzle into the neck and blast it out than try to fit something into the flash hole.

This.^

But since I switched to lizard bedding I haven't had any stick in the flash hole.