Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles handloading newbie......woot woot

My fellow co-worker who is going to help me set up mentioned this book as well I guess I will have to pick it up thanks. As far as the reloading equipment the guy I got it from was a retired co-worker who I got a husky 30-06 from, he later called and offered everything.

There seems in my opinion to be a toss up between using a tumbler or not. Can any of you guys give me your opinion on it, does it shorten the life of the brass because it's technically being hardened in the process( its what I've heard if that's wrong please please educate me.) I already have a Tyler that I use to restore some straight razors( I love shaving with them) so it wouldn't be Hard but to change the media and run shells.

I use a tumbler because I like things to be clean before I resize so that any dirt on the brass isnt run into the die. After I resize and trim everything I tumble again to remove case lube. I use walnut media in the tumbler before I resize and I use corn cob media with brass polish after resizing and trimming. It works for me and I haven't had any issues.

As you can tell though by reading it is a personal preference especially seeing how people argue over it. You can over analyze things to the nth degree but unless you have a great rifle and are a great shot alot of the little things people agonize over wont make much difference.

To start keep it simple and you should be able to find a decent load combo for your 30-06. Read a few of the stickies in this thread and you will find how to do a ladder test which will really help get you pointed in the right direction. I used those threads, the ABC's of reloading and a loading manual to get me pointed in the right direction and I was able to find two good loads for me that average 1" and 1.5" 5 shot groups at 200 yards out of factory sporter rifles and that's about as good as I can do and I am happy with that since I do not shoot as much as I like. Take your time and be careful. There is plenty of time to experiment. Make sure you right down everything you do and try and what the results where it will be very helpful when you go back to make up a few more rounds or if you want to try something different.

It would be hard to imagine a go in a tumbler work hardening the brass. I think that myth came from the same place that the one about your powder changing burn charactoristics by riding around in your truck. But if there is something to it, the positive advantages far outweigh any work hardening that occurs. I've brass that I know I've been cleaning in a tumbler for over 10 years without any ill effects.
If I were just setting out to reload, a Chrony and a tumbler would be my first two "nice to have" items after I had my basic kit.

I'm just getting my own stuff set up now, after many years of wanting to do it. I have a buddy thats going to mentor me through the process . By reading books and the net I came down with a case of analysis paralysis. Basically brain overload trying to decipher whats really needed to load for hunting rigs and what was meant for the bench rest guys. I just put my bench together this weekend and have had deliveries coming from Sinclair and Midway for a month now. With this stupid law they have pending here in NY I wouldn't even be able to buy reloading components without a background check , which basically would put online shopping out of business for us guys here. The closest place to me that has ample supply of stuff to buy over the counter is Cabelas and thats 200 miles from me . There is no one here on Long Island with supplies. Powder and primers here and there but thats it. Forster press, RCBS chargemaster, redding comp dies and lee collets and the rest of the toys that go along with it . Hopefully I'll be able to keep the bolt out of my forehead.Its a work in progress.

I live 15 minutes from cabelas and my dad often travels to NYC and jersey so depending on how bad things get for you we might be able to help out.

Forget the tumbler....

Get a brush to clean inside of case necks and polish cases with flitz every once in a while.

Since I already have the tumbler il give both methods a try and determine which I like best. My co worker who's going to mentor me offered to use his equipment while I set mine up but I suggested we wait until I had my bench together, I'd Much rather do trial and error and learn on something that is mine. I went out looking for a newer reloading manual at local gun shops first, no luck yet but I found a couple of hand written loads in back of my manual for 30-06 so I'm going to check if he shot them out of the husky.

Again people have their opinions but I tried the hand cleaning brass with flitz and that's for the birds. Throwing brass in the tumbler is like doing a load of laundry much easier and less work. I have a cabelas branded tumbler kit that came with media and was a fair price.

I'll see what works I have plenty of media I'll try it, nomad I'm working in your neck of the woods today right at the railroad crossing on Derry st. Behind the the Derry church.

Opps Juan I know right where you are at but I never updated my profile. I am actually much closer to where you live. I've moved to brickerville/litiz area. Guess I need to update the profile.

Just remember, there are LOTS of folks that have been doing things for LOTS of years but that doesn't mean they are good at it.

Think for yourself too

Read the books.

Read the books.

Read the books.


Travis

Tumblers are preference.

I've never owned or used one and I've been loading for 20 years now. Flip a coin.


Travis

I hear ya Travis, I'll have to play with mine and see the results. It won't cost me anything anyways.

Nomad you do live fairly close now.

I'm very familiar with processes that surface harden and/or stress relieve metals such as shotpeening or compression rolling.

In order to substantially change the grain structure you have to "move metal". IMO, the process of tumbling has an extremely limited effect on altering the surface of brass and only occurs when the brass contacts other pieces of brass when using "soft" tumbling media. Stainless steel pins used for tumbling might have a slightly more pronounced affect on brass but it cleans faster so the peening effect is limited.

In either case it's such a limited effect that I don't see how tumbling makes a difference. The almost instantaneous expansion of brass under the extreme pressure of firing has a far greater effect on work hardening brass and goes beyond just the surface material.

This is just my opinion and not based on any tests.

A+1 Steelhead that's for sure.

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You will learn more if you have him help you with your own equipment. Then it'll be set up and ready to use. As you're setting it up, you'll learn how to use it.

Agreed, he's on vacation next week so I'm going to get the bench ready and I'll just wait it out, I'll keep on reading so when hes talking I actually understand what he means.

If you don't understand make sure you ask questions. Also we live close enough might need to get together and do some shooting.