Buffing Spent Shells for Tampers

[winton]

Someone gave me about 100 spent shells to use for tampers. I can clean them with a wire wheel on a drill, but this gets to be like work. Can I polish them in a rock tumbler? The tumbler I have is much better than the junk ones for kids. I don't want to trash one of the tumbler barrels if it would hurt it. Any advice would be appreciated.
Winton

 

[dochudson]

yes you can use a tumbler (with proper media) or unless they are real nasty a little Brasso on an old t-shirt will not take more then a couple of minutes per case.

 

[smokindawg]

I just use a buffing wheel that I use only on metal. Takes a little bit of buffing but you can really put a shine on them. But once you use the wheel for metal you can't use it for anything else, just other types of metal.

 

[chopz]

spent shells are usually tumbled with ground corncob as a medium for cleaning and polishing, before reloading them.

 

[ejames]

I just use a buffing wheel that I use only on metal. Takes a little bit of buffing but you can really put a shine on them. But once you use the wheel for metal you can't use it for anything else, just other types of metal.

Ditto. Generally cut a piece of dowel etc that fits fairly snug in the casing to hold it. They can get real warm-real quick.

 

[baronsamedi]

I think some people use walnut shells for brass, too, but I may be mistaken.

 

[checotah]

I tumble all my spent brass in crushed walnut shells (Lizard Litter from pet supply store) but in a vibratory tumbler made for brass(don't know if it's the same as a rock tumbler). Of course they are for reloading, but the practice is the same. Adding a cap full or two of turpentine or mineral spirits to the media first helps clean them. I tumble the media with the spirits about 10 minutes, then add the brass. Tumble about 3 hours, separate brass & media, add a couple caps full of Turtle Car Wax to the media, tumble until mixed, then add brass again for another couple of hours. Brass comes out very shiny. Some folks let 'em tumble over night. Of course, buffing each case individually might get them a little shinier, but it's a lot more work, at least for me.

 

[winton]

I tried tumbling them with the polish I had for rocks. They became smooth, but dull. Another great idea falls apart. Back to using the wire wheel and a dowel. Thanks for the responses.
Winton

 

[photoman13]

I use micromesh.

 

[joshwolftree]

Shoot I've just been using them still loaded, what can I say I like to smoke while I hunt