Media

[Ba19]

Hello,

Quick question. I am in the process of picking up some tumbling media. I am going to be using a mix of corn cob and walnut shells


My Question is:


Corn Cob grit size _________

Walnut grit size _________


Thanks in advance
Bruce

 

[Bugs100]

I get Zilla Ground English Walnut Shells Reptile Bedding at Petco. I throw a cap full of Turtle wax in and run the tumbler to mix it, then I put the shells in. I like it better than the stuff I use to get at the gun store because it has less dust.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Bruce,

What caliber are you going to be tumbling? I find most of the locally available cheap corn cob (Wally World pet bedding) to be too large for .223, but fine for pistol cases. I had some finer grained corncob that I used to mix 50/50 with the walnut "Lizard Litter" bedding.

If you find some finer-ground corn cob local and cheap, please let me know.

 

[rscalzo]

I've been using the crushed walnut shells from Wal-Mart. Cheap and they do a good job but the first few runs are dusty. Throw in some dryer sheets to absorb the dust somewhat.

 

[Gammon]

There is an outfit called Beede in Lowell that sells Anderson's Gritt O'Cobb 1014 for $22/50lb bag. That's all I use, plus a little brass polish to rejuvenate it after a couple of runs. I dump it after 6 to 8 runs, before a concentration of lead can build up.

 

[Bugs100]

I've never used corn and have never given much thought to using corn. Mainly because the brass looks clean after a couple of hours in the tumbler using walnut and turtle wax.

How much of a difference is there between the corn and walnut?

 

[EddieCoyle]

There is an outfit called Beede in Lowell that sells Anderson's Gritt O'Cobb 1014 for $22/50lb bag. That's all I use, plus a little brass polish to rejuvenate it after a couple of runs. I dump it after 6 to 8 runs, before a concentration of lead can build up.

Gammon,

Is the media size small enough so that it doesn't clog up inside .223 cases?

 

[Gammon]

Gammon,

Is the media size small enough so that it doesn't clog up inside .223 cases?

The 1014 grit won't clog the cases; it comes out with a lot of vigorous shaking of the sifter. The problem is the small mouth of the case which inhibits the flow of the grit. The stuff does clog the flash hole, however. I tumble, resize/decap, and then tumble again to remove the lube. This leaves grit in some of the primer pockets.

I reload on a 550 and put a decap only die in station one, rather than a resizer as the cases are already sized. This clears the flash holes prior to priming.

Beware of grit in the primer pockets! Whe I first started reloading 223 I let a few clogged primer pockets get by, reasoning that they would be consumed when the powder burned. Then one day my AR failed to fire. Disassembly revealed that there was corn cob grit in the trigger group. The grit made it from the flash hole down the barrel, through the gas tube and bolt assembly, to become lodged in the trigger mechanism.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Thanks! That's a good idea about the decap-only in station 1.

 

[Ba19]

I will be using it for 40, 45, 223, 41mag, 30-06 and 460 if I ever shoot the new toy.

 

[Texashorsepower]

Could you post some contact info or an address for Beede in Lowell? I'm in Western Mass but we don't have a source for 50lbs at a whack for the corn cob. If it's good stuff and isn't dusty as heck i'd take a drive to go get 50lbs! Sounds like a great price too! Thanks for your help

 

[Gammon]

Could you post some contact info or an address for Beede in Lowell? I'm in Western Mass but we don't have a source for 50lbs at a whack for the corn cob. If it's good stuff and isn't dusty as heck i'd take a drive to go get 50lbs! Sounds like a great price too! Thanks for your help

Beede: 24 Payton St., Lowell MA (1-978-452-8906)

The stuff is a little dusty, I guess corn cob grit is like that. I have been using it for quite a while with no complaints. The price quote may be a little off as I made my last purchase almost a year ago. They are located just off the Lowell Connector.

 

[Bugs100]

Grainger sells it. www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/6YY33

 

[Gammon]

Grainger sells it. www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/6YY33

Unless Grainger has changed their policy, they won't sell to anyone who doesn't have an account with them.