Live ammo in tumbler

[geargnasher]

Been proven safe time and again in vibratory tumblers, I do it too sometimes, but I won't criticize anyone for being a little skiddish about it. I do mine outside on the other side of a big oak tree, run an extension cord out there and if it goes Kaboom the tree will soak up anything headed my way.

Gear

[chris112]

Been proven safe time and again in vibratory tumblers, I do it too sometimes, but I won't criticize anyone for being a little skiddish about it. I do mine outside on the other side of a big oak tree, run an extension cord out there and if it goes Kaboom the tree will soak up anything headed my way.

Gear

Not to be a jerk but if you "think" it is so safe, why do you put the tumbler on the other side of a tree?
I don't tumble live ammo. Never have, never will. As far as cleaning case lube off goes I tumble the resized case before I do anything else with it. Doing it this way I could tumble the cases for a month and the only problem would be the electric bill and maybe a worked to death tumbler.
I will admit that for all I know both "theories" as to why you shouldn't tumble live ammo could be total nonsense BUT if either theory turns out to be valid I don't want to be the one that proves it.

[bumpo628]

I heard that tumbling live ammo can break up the powder grains and change the burn rate.
I dunno if it's true, but it sounds reasonable.

[muddman97]

Hey guys, I'm a newbie here in your forum and this will be my first post. Its a good topic and one I have wondered about from time to time as I was wiping lube off of 200+ .223 rounds. Nice to see someone went to such an extreme as mentioned in howInmad's post just so folks like us can clean our fresh reloads comfortably in a tumbler.

[diverdoug]

I never use a lid. I like to see the brass vibrating. I fill the vibrator half full of crushed walnut shells. I drop the brass and live ammo in while vibrating. I don't over do it where the cases touch much. vibrate a few hours while checking to see how there doing. depending how clean I want them I'll dump the walnut shells put in cleaner walnut shell. I have 3 tubs walnut shells dirty, fairly clean, and clean. I have been reloading about 30 years and have not heard or experanced any accident tumbling live ammo. Use common since. That's just my way, works for me.

[Tom W.]

I tumble ( or vibrate) my brass after I size and trim it. I haven't had the urge to stick loaded ammunition into the tumbler yet..Probably won't, either...

[geargnasher]

Not to be a jerk but if you "think" it is so safe, why do you put the tumbler on the other side of a tree? Sorry, you succeded. I use caution because the only ammo I tumble live anymore has cheap primers, the only ones I've ever had go off when seating. I figure if they don't detonate in the tumbler, they won't detonate in the magazine from recoil and blow my hands off. The powder will not degrade in a vibratory tumbler, this has been proven multiple times by people with way more time than I have. Ultimately, the tree is a personal choice, if tumbling live ammo gives you the "willies", then don't do it, and leave it at that.
I don't tumble live ammo. Never have, never will. As far as cleaning case lube off goes I tumble the resized case before I do anything else with it. Doing it this way I could tumble the cases for a month and the only problem would be the electric bill and maybe a worked to death tumbler.
I will admit that for all I know both "theories" as to why you shouldn't tumble live ammo could be total nonsense BUT if either theory turns out to be valid I don't want to be the one that proves it. Me neither, but at least my opinions and choices are educated ones. I also don't want to be the first one to prove how weak M96 Swedes are supposed to be or that slow powders will blow up my guns with cast boolits. Every time you pull the handle on your press or pull the trigger, you're taking a risk.

......Gear

[fryboy]

and anything done to lessen the risk ( at least for me ) is worthy !! i'm really fond of my fingers and life as well as the equipment that my hard earned cash bought , most commercial companies tuble clean their ammo , no they dont do it for but a moment but it's still being done , common sense goes along ways in this , i'll tumble for hours prepping the brass yet as a final polish on very few select rounds i'll tumble for 5 minutes , i also wont finish tumble rile rounds or pointy projectiles

[GH1]

I've tumbled live ammo before, but I don't see myself doing it again. Seems redundant. It sure makes the rounds pretty though.
GH1

[Secondhand Bob]

I always size my brass, vibrate it clean, then load it.

I once vibrated some very crudy .38's, planning to shoot them. I had second thoughts about shooting them because I thought they may have gotten too wet, so I pulled them. 3 out of 40 had clumped, 1 a solid chunk.

I get the willies punching live primers, even though I use what I consider safe practices. If 1 in 10.000 should go off, it would scare the begeezers out of me.