Want to use a cement mixer with steel media any done this method

**k5blazerobsession** · January 28th, 2013, 11:40 PM

I have got just about everything I need to start reloading. I have decided to go with stainless steel media with water and detergent. Has anyone used a cement mixer and how much media do I need to use. I will be tumbling about 5k at a time.

**Nate7667** · January 29th, 2013, 11:14 AM

Ive never tried a cement mixer, but i have read about it. For large volume, esp if you already own the mixer it seems to work well.

5lb of media per gallon of water is about the norm with basic wet tumblers.

**DucatiRon** · January 29th, 2013, 12:12 PM

5k of what caliber of brass is the question. I use this method myself and its a lot of trial and error setting up.

The 5lbs of media to gallon of water is only used mostly when dealing with small tumblers because of weight restrictions. As with a Thumbler's tumbler I think the load capacity is 15 or 16 lbs. After 5lbs if media and 1gal or 8lbs of water it leaves you with a small amount of weight for the brass. Using more water or media limits the amount of brass you can put in.

Depending on the capacity of your mixer you need approx 5lbs of media per 250 223 cases. Any more brass than that the brass does not get cleaned effectively. 5lbs will also only clean about 150-175 30-06 cases. On the othe hand you can clean 500 45 ACP cases with 5lbs if media. Everything is based on the weight capacity of the tumbler or mixer. Just remember water is 8lbs per gallon, the weight of your media, and the weight of your brass all has to come under capacity. Again it's a trial and error thing. It's just a one size fits all type of situation.

P.S. Never mix brass if different calibers while tumbling. Ever. Expecialy with stainless or risk a lot of unusable brass. They will lock together so tight with media stuck between them you'll destroy both trying to seperate them.

**k5blazerobsession** · January 29th, 2013, 09:10 PM

I will be tumbling 9mm and 45 acp brass to begin with i have not collected enough 223 or 556 to even think about relaoding in that caliber. I also was well aware not to mix calibers. I did not even think of them getting stuck together i just thought they would not clean properly. I am trying to clean once a month i can get a cement mixer cheaper than i can get a tumbler so why not go big. I have well over 5k of 9 and 45 and i am tired of trying to buy ammo in bulk at reasonable prices so i am now getting into reloading. Before the craze i was shooting close to 1k and month of each.

**Delkal** · January 29th, 2013, 10:29 PM

9mm and 45 brass are probably the worst combination to be tumbled together. Whenever I tumble my 45's, if there are a few 9's in the mix, I eventually find them all INSIDE the 45's.

**k5blazerobsession** · January 30th, 2013, 10:59 PM

i have my 9 and 45 sorted and will be going over each box again before i do. plus i need to go through the nine to eleminate any 380 acp. its going to take me a long time to do that. I weighed the box i have over 80lbs of 9mm brass.