Reloaded ammo comes out dirty

[TonyDedo]

Reloading newbie here, hoping you guys can help me out.

I started reloading a couple months ago. So far I've run off 2 batches of 500 rounds of .45ACP. I'm using range (mostly once fired) brass, 230gr FMJ, Unique Powder and Winchester primers, and loading using a Dillon 650.

My problem is that the reloaded ammo is coming out filthy. They don't look very dirty, but after loading one magazine, my fingers are black.

With the first batch of 500, I ran the brass in a Dillon tumbler with treated media (shop didn't have untreated media) for about 2 hours before reloading. I didn't tumble the loaded rounds afterwards.

The second batch of 500, I ran the brass through the tumbler for about 4 hours with the treated media, then tumbled the loaded rounds for about 2 hours afterwards. And in spite of the additional time in the tumbler, it seemed like these rounds were dirtier than the first 500.

I tried wiping down each round by hand, but with that much ammo it would just take too long.

Why are my reloads coming out so dirty? What am I doing wrong?

Also, how often do I need to change the media in the tumbler, and how often do I need to clean the tumbler?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[EddieCoyle]

You said "treated" media. What is it treated with?

Try running some used dryer sheets cut into 1" wide strips in with in the media with the cases. They'll capture a lot of the crud (they come out black).

 

[GTOShootr]

Try new media. Get it from a feed store cheap.

I don't tumble laoded ammo anymore because I load all hollow points. Instead I take my loaded ammo from the press and lay it on a towel and spray it down with brake cleaner. Then I cover it with another towel and roll it around. It comes out sparkling. I like it clean like that before I case gage it too.

 

[adweisbe]

You almost never need to change the media in the tumbler. I put in fresh media every once in a while because of what I lose from spillage etc. The dryer sheets go a long way towards keeping the media clean.

I had some trouble with my last two batches being dirty. I think it was because I overloaded the tumbler.

 

[GTOShootr]

You wouldn't happen to have any cats would you? At least in my cat's mind, there is no difference between a little box, a tumbler, a media separator, or sadly, a Storm pistol case.

 

[TonyDedo]

I don't know what the media is treated with. The only reason I bought it is because the shop didn't have any untreated, otherwise I'd just use that with some Dillon case cleaner sprinkled in. But the shop keep (Ted at Northeast Trading) said the stuff works well, but not worth the extra $$$.

Dryer sheets and brake cleaner - good ideas! I'll have to give those a whirl. Please keep the thoughts coming.

-C

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Spraying your loaded ammo with brake cleaner or any other petroleum product is not a good idea.
It can effect the primer if it wicks into the primer pocket.

Use clean corn cob media if you need to tumble finished ammo. A quick slosh in an old bath towel will remove any residual dust.

 

[Junglerott]

I use walnut bedding from the pet store mixed with one cap of nufinish car wax. One hour in the tumbler cleans them all up great.

What kind of bullets are you using?

 

[Lugnut]

I've loaded a bunch of .45 and don't have that problem. I use Walnut pet litter from Walmart. Occasionally if I want shiny brass I'll add some polish stuff (cap full or so... don't have the name off hand).

I used to use dryer sheets but I don't bother any more. I just dump the old stuff when it gets old... it does get old and dirty. It's cheap enough at Walmart.

 

[GTOShootr]

Spraying your loaded ammo with brake cleaner or any other petroleum product is not a good idea.
It can effect the primer if it wicks into the primer pocket.

Brake cleaner removes oil and leaves no residue, that's the idea. It evaporates so fast would never get into the primer pocket.

 

[vellnueve]

I use dryer sheets as well.

 

[Supermoto]

If you are using case lube. it will attact dirt, if you use to much

also clean the inside of your dies.

The dryer sheets work well

 

[Patriot]

I don't know what the media is treated with. The only reason I bought it is because the shop didn't have any untreated, otherwise I'd just use that with some Dillon case cleaner sprinkled in. But the shop keep (Ted at Northeast Trading) said the stuff works well, but not worth the extra $$$.

Dryer sheets and brake cleaner - good ideas! I'll have to give those a whirl. Please keep the thoughts coming.

-C

I bought a couple of bags of kitty litter corn cob media at Walmart for CHEAP. I throw in
a capful of the Nu-something car polish (orange bottle) every once in a while along with a used
dryer sheet on every batch and I can't seem to kill the media. Like a previous poster says,
I lose more to spillage than I do using it up. When the media level gets down to a point
where I think I need to add then I just change it out and start new. The stuff is so damn
cheap at Walmart (~$3 bucks a bag) compared to the cost of the same stuff in a gun store
it makes no sense to buy it at a gun store. I paid a small fortune for a small bag of the
rouge treated media at FS because that is all they had. Never again! I couldn't get rid of
that crap fast enough. I still have the rouge all over the place. I had to re-do all the brass
I did with the rouge treated stuff to try to get rid of the dust. It permanently stained the
inside of my tumbler and, to top it off, it did a worse job cleaning the brass than the car polish
treated corn cob kitty litter media from Walmart.

Walmart also sells the crushed walnut media as well. I must have cleaned thousands
of rounds with my current stuff and it's still going strong. I just dropped a few hundred
.44Mags cases in after I cleaned about 500 cases of .38 spl that came out bright, clean,
and shiny. I have been using the current batch of media for about three months and
probably have cleaned somewhere in the vicinity of 10K cases in that time.