Walnut or Corncob?

Corncob. I use walnut for removing case lube. Doesn't clog up the primer pockets.

Eddie

I use walnut for cleaning and corncob for polishing afterward. Also if you have friends that reload it is much cheaper to buy corncob and walnut media at a sandblasting supply house. Locally we pay about $15.00 for corncob and $23.00 for walnut in 50 pound bags. They are usually available in two grit sizes. I used 2 tablespoons of Blue Coral liquid wax in my corbcob media last night and it worked great for polishing.

feedramp, I use walnut for cleaning and then corncob for polishing. I use a little Midway polish with the corncob, and the cases really shine.

I have been using Walnut because I get it at the pet store by the 25 lb. bag.

I use both together. Treated with Flitz Case Cleaning solution. No Ammonia. What a shine.

shooter22

I use corn cob because I like the way it polishes up the cases. Takes longer than walnut, though. Truth is, I don't know that it matters much.

I use tuff-nut for cleaning/polishing, and pet store walnut for removing lube from rifle cases(the corn cob is too big).

I'm going to try adding some of the polishes being mentioned lately to the pet store walnut and see what happens. I normally tumble overnight, so time isn't an issue.

When I have both I mix corncob and walnut. I ran out a few weeks ago and the local store only had tuff-nut. I tried some and it works OK but why do they add the red dye? I'm not going to use it again unless it is the only thing I have available. I don't like having red stain on my fingers.

I use walnut hulls and the old red nasty Thumblers polishing addative only because I still have a quart can of the stuff.

I know people are going to freak, but I use Nevr-dul on my brass. I run brass on my drill like a lathe and polish with Nevr-dul. Immediately after I follow with a paper towel to wipe all Nevr-Dul off. Shines em good and I have never had an ammonia problem eating my cases. Soaking in it, yes. This method, no.

Houston1944

My tuffnut has lasted so long that I forgot about that red stuff. I never saw it cause a problem, and after about the third use it will go away.

Walking Point- My problem is I keep spending money on pistols, bullets, primers and powder and never have enough left to buy a medium separator. I have to dip my fingers in the colander I stole from the kitchen and "stir" the brass to separate brass from medium. The first time I did this with tuff nut I had solid red fingers. With the corncob and walnut I just dust off my hands, with tuff nut I have to be careful or I'll have red over everything. I'll just use it until the red goes away. It does do a good job of cleaning.

Gentlemen, thanks for all the great replies to my question. You've all been a great help.

Just got a 50 bag of walnut shells from the local sandblasting materials supplier. One batch of sized cases went into the tumbler with lube all over 'em, and came out one hour later looking and feeling like they just came from the factory.

Houston, I use a coffee can to separate the media from the brass. I punch a bunch of holes in the plastic lid, then snap it back in place, and turn it upside down over the tumbler bowl or a newspaper. Move it around a bit to encourage the media still in the cases to fall out, wait a few seconds, and your media will be separated from the cases without getting your hands dirty. Another thing that helps are throwaway latex gloves.

I pour my tumbler out into a plastic bowl and use a $1.98 kitty litter scoop to pick out the cases. Takes 2~3 minutes to de-media 300 cases.

I bought an overpriced media separator pan(?) and just pour cases back and forth between it and a liberated plastic kitchen colander that I drilled lots of 1/4" holes in.

One of these days I'm going to buy one of those Lyman bowls that has a drain port just to see how it does.

I used a plastic kitty litter tool (with sides) sucessfully, but it just didn't hold enough cases, especially .308s, and I tended to make a mess.

With my current technque I just let everything drain into a 5 gallon bucket and the garage floor stays pretty clean.

I use neither. I use plain old rice. And hey, you can feed it to your mother in law after it gets dirty.

Tom
AF Shooting Team

Originally posted by Tom Freeman:
I use neither. I use plain old rice. And hey, you can feed it to your mother in law after it gets dirty.

Tom
AF Shooting Team

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Wal, peel me down and call me spud!

Your post brought back a memory I forgot I had! An old-timer told me that way back when I was a kid, and I just forgot about it over the years.

Thanks, Tom!

Houston1944: That media you're running your hands through is full of lead so be sure to wash up afterwards. And watch out for inhaling the dust. Stay safe.