I suppose you could. I don't think the pins will do much without the liquid. Also, the stainless pins are not really cheap. 5lbs does not cover all the brass so when they tumble in the rotary type tumbler they will still do their job as they are flying around in there. If you have a vibratory type you would have to have the tumbler filled up pretty high with pins or they would not contact the cases. That would not be cheap.
I suppose you could. I don't think the pins will do much without the liquid. Also, the stainless pins are not really cheap. 5lbs does not cover all the brass so when they tumble in the rotary type tumbler they will still do their job as they are flying around in there. If you have a vibratory type you would have to have the tumbler filled up pretty high with pins or they would not contact the cases. That would not be cheap.
The weight of the pins in the vibratory will become an issue also.
I even tried water solution in my vibratory..no go on that...
I even mixed BB's with my vibratory media..worked for 2 rounds then the BB's pulverized my media and the coating on the BB's made funky in my media....FAIL!
When i use pins alone in the water in my tumbler the brass does not get as clean..still has carbon left.
It really needs the soap and LemiShine.(citric acid).
A pic of some 357 mag brass i cleaned many many months ago. (pin tumbled)
I even tried water solution in my vibratory..no go on that...
I even mixed BB's with my vibratory media..worked for 2 rounds then the BB's pulverized my media and the coating on the BB's made funky in my media....FAIL!
When i use pins alone in the water in my tumbler the brass does not get as clean..still has carbon left.
It really needs the soap and LemiShine.(citric acid).
A pic of some 357 mag brass i cleaned many many months ago. (pin tumbled)
Well, i have to say that using the stainless pins/thumlers tumbler is more of a pain than the corn cob media. But, once you move to the stainless pins you won't go back. There is no dust to deal with. The brass does not have polish/dust/dirt or funk on it. The stainless pin brass looks like new. It is faster. If you decap the brass before you tumble them the primer pockets are spotless.
On the down side you have to buy a little soap and lemishine. you really need their rotary case separator my homemade set up does not cut it and adds time to it. But I am really much happier with the stainless pins and tumbled brass than what I got with the vibratory type.
On the down side you have to buy a little soap and lemishine. you really need their rotary case separator my homemade set up does not cut it and adds time to it. But I am really much happier with the stainless pins and tumbled brass than what I got with the vibratory type.
I feel it is less of a pain with the pin tumbling..
although i need the vibratory for aluminum..as the solution will eat aluminum cases.
Fill my V8 bottle about 1/2 way with brass and 3/4 full with liquid solution set on the spinning conveyor rollers and wait a couple hours..
pour out liquid and rinse 5 times..with hot water..pour all contents onto towel..usually 80 rounds or less.
shake pins out of cases...set on dry towel to dry...pour pins back into jug..
Start again.
Here is my home made setup with the V8 bottle on it.
The holder is an old file cabinet..the conveyor rollers are from a treadmill as is the DC motor and belt. pretty basic and simple..
I made another from a coppier..had to put heat sinks on the tiny motor. No pics of it.
although i need the vibratory for aluminum..as the solution will eat aluminum cases.
Fill my V8 bottle about 1/2 way with brass and 3/4 full with liquid solution set on the spinning conveyor rollers and wait a couple hours..
pour out liquid and rinse 5 times..with hot water..pour all contents onto towel..usually 80 rounds or less.
shake pins out of cases...set on dry towel to dry...pour pins back into jug..
Start again.
Here is my home made setup with the V8 bottle on it.
The holder is an old file cabinet..the conveyor rollers are from a treadmill as is the DC motor and belt. pretty basic and simple..
I made another from a coppier..had to put heat sinks on the tiny motor. No pics of it.
250 or so of what round...
Any way you slice it 250 is a bunch..
I usually leave my brass in there 2 hours if it is stuff i have shot and cleaned before.
3 hours on other brass..any longer and it seems futile as it does not get any cleaner..
I have not tried to pack more in there, although there is room...i usually do not have that many in a batch i need cleaned.
but awesome you can get 250 done in one round.
I do need to shoot more...
I just slugged my 45acp barrels and they came out to .4535,,, crap i have my bullets sized at .452
i tweaked a mold yesterday to drop .454" bullets and tweaked my sizer .001" to .453"..baby steps you know.
.454" is hard to chamber and hate to have a jam...
Going to cast and shoot much more playing with the new bullet size.
Will be casting some this morning.
Any way you slice it 250 is a bunch..
I usually leave my brass in there 2 hours if it is stuff i have shot and cleaned before.
3 hours on other brass..any longer and it seems futile as it does not get any cleaner..
I have not tried to pack more in there, although there is room...i usually do not have that many in a batch i need cleaned.
but awesome you can get 250 done in one round.
I do need to shoot more...
I just slugged my 45acp barrels and they came out to .4535,,, crap i have my bullets sized at .452
i tweaked a mold yesterday to drop .454" bullets and tweaked my sizer .001" to .453"..baby steps you know.
.454" is hard to chamber and hate to have a jam...
Going to cast and shoot much more playing with the new bullet size.
Will be casting some this morning.
No takers yet!
I see an issue of doing this for someone ..let me play it out.
You bring me some brass you want cleaned..and it takes 2-3 hours.. you come back and you have no idea
if i did a switcharoo on you.. in other words i gave you some crappy brass for your good brass...
could happen .. not by me... just playing out scenarios..
or what if it just ruins your good brass..it won't but ...
SO i will also tumble some old cruddy reject brass for you if you want to see what that will turn out looking like.
I know most of us reloaders have a bucket of bad cases....
If you are curious as to how well these pin tumblers work ....
I will tumble your bad cases FREE it's all FREE
Most of my bad cases are pinched down with pliers so i know they are bad. loose primer pockets thinning necks etc
I see an issue of doing this for someone ..let me play it out.
You bring me some brass you want cleaned..and it takes 2-3 hours.. you come back and you have no idea
if i did a switcharoo on you.. in other words i gave you some crappy brass for your good brass...
could happen .. not by me... just playing out scenarios..
or what if it just ruins your good brass..it won't but ...
SO i will also tumble some old cruddy reject brass for you if you want to see what that will turn out looking like.
I know most of us reloaders have a bucket of bad cases....
If you are curious as to how well these pin tumblers work ....
I will tumble your bad cases
FREE it's all FREEMost of my bad cases are pinched down with pliers so i know they are bad. loose primer pockets thinning necks etc
I'll try it just not sure if i got any dirty brass right now, might have to go make some 
. I think i got some .22 hornet and maybe some 41 mag thats never been tumbled and is a lil bit dirty.
I work 7 on 7 off so I'm generally pretty flexible.
. I think i got some .22 hornet and maybe some 41 mag thats never been tumbled and is a lil bit dirty.I work 7 on 7 off so I'm generally pretty flexible.
I'll try it just not sure if i got any dirty brass right now, might have to go make some
I work 7 on 7 off so I'm generally pretty flexible.
I got a crap load of 40 45 38 223/5.56 mixed (wont that be fun to sort..LOL)
Come by and I'll give you a bucket full
