Could have been a problem?

mkeBob · August 22nd, 2006, 09:19 PM

I'd been cleaning brass on and off for the last two days. Today I went over to my sons house to pickup my two grand children for the day and my son asked if I would clean some .45 and 9mm for him. Well of course I said. Being the dummie I am, I just dumped all the cases into my turbo and let it rip for a few hours. Well you probably know what I found when I pulled them out. 9mm's inside of the 45's. As luck would have it there were only about 150 cases in all that I had to separate with a very thin nosed jewelers pliers. But, that wasn't the worst thing. Also in the mix was an unfired .22 long rifle cartridge that had spent about three hours churning in the mix.

A lesson was learned today. Always double check what your putting in that tumbler prior to turning it on.

Sure greatful the .22 didn't go off, especially with the grandkids in the house.

P95Carry · August 22nd, 2006, 09:39 PM

I think .22's would take a lot more than tumbling to be at risk - but for sure - better not to have them in there!

I did a ''multi-mix'' myself last year - was too impatient. I find it is the 9mm's that get nicely lodged in .40's and .40's into 45's. Some I could not separate as media had gotten jammed between the two and would not come out.!

Time lost in that chaos is actually time saved by doing one cal batches I find - in the end.

lowflyer · August 22nd, 2006, 09:53 PM

.22 LR detonating inside a tumbler, however remote that possibility is, would not likely pose much of a threat. I wouldn't want to test it out, but my guess is that without adequate containment to build pressure and nothing to "push-off" against, the bullet would not penetrate a plastic tumbler. Even if it did, there wouldn't be enough residual energy to be lethal. Again, that's just an educated guess; not an excuse to clean .22 LRs in a brass tumbler.

I only load .44, .45, and 7mm Mag. so I can mix and clean without issue.

nn · August 22nd, 2006, 10:21 PM

I saw a.22 cooked off in a spoon heated by a candle and placed in a wooden box with a plexiglass front. Nothing got out of the box. This was at a Wash state hunter safety class.

RSSZ · August 23rd, 2006, 08:56 AM

If it was a barrel type tumbler you possibly could have had a problem(though pretty unlikely) but a vibrator type,can't imagine it.

I have a few problems with my .45-70 in with my .444 Marlin also. If a few pieces of media get stuck just right in between the two pieces of brass, I have to tap them with a screwdriver to free them.-------

Old Chief · August 23rd, 2006, 10:26 AM

The only calibers that I clean together are 9mm and 38-357. This combination is actually the sane size so there is no hiding inside the larger brass. But I arrived at this decision in the manner you described.

BlueLion · August 23rd, 2006, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nn

I saw a.22 cooked off in a spoon heated by a candle and placed in a wooden box with a plexiglass front. Nothing got out of the box. This was at a Wash state hunter safety class.

I think I would have walked out.

August 22nd, 2006, 09:19 PM	#1
mkeBob Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: S.E. Wisconsin Posts: 291	Could have been a problem? I'd been cleaning brass on and off for the last two days. Today I went over to my sons house to pickup my two grand children for the day and my son asked if I would clean some .45 and 9mm for him. Well of course I said. Being the dummie I am, I just dumped all the cases into my turbo and let it rip for a few hours. Well you probably know what I found when I pulled them out. 9mm's inside of the 45's. As luck would have it there were only about 150 cases in all that I had to separate with a very thin nosed jewelers pliers. But, that wasn't the worst thing. Also in the mix was an unfired .22 long rifle cartridge that had spent about three hours churning in the mix. A lesson was learned today. Always double check what your putting in that tumbler prior to turning it on. Sure greatful the .22 didn't go off, especially with the grandkids in the house. __________________ The power of the future is in its ability to inspire the present.

August 22nd, 2006, 09:39 PM	#2
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	I think .22's would take a lot more than tumbling to be at risk - but for sure - better not to have them in there! I did a ''multi-mix'' myself last year - was too impatient. I find it is the 9mm's that get nicely lodged in .40's and .40's into 45's. Some I could not separate as media had gotten jammed between the two and would not come out.! Time lost in that chaos is actually time saved by doing one cal batches I find - in the end. __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

August 22nd, 2006, 09:53 PM	#3
lowflyer Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Middle Earth Posts: 1,162	.22 LR detonating inside a tumbler, however remote that possibility is, would not likely pose much of a threat. I wouldn't want to test it out, but my guess is that without adequate containment to build pressure and nothing to "push-off" against, the bullet would not penetrate a plastic tumbler. Even if it did, there wouldn't be enough residual energy to be lethal. Again, that's just an educated guess; not an excuse to clean .22 LRs in a brass tumbler. I only load .44, .45, and 7mm Mag. so I can mix and clean without issue. __________________ Whatever doesn't kill you postpones the inevitable.

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August 22nd, 2006, 10:21 PM	#4
nn VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NC Posts: 4,367	I saw a.22 cooked off in a spoon heated by a candle and placed in a wooden box with a plexiglass front. Nothing got out of the box. This was at a Wash state hunter safety class.

August 23rd, 2006, 08:56 AM	#5
RSSZ Distinguished Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,847	If it was a barrel type tumbler you possibly could have had a problem(though pretty unlikely) but a vibrator type,can't imagine it. I have a few problems with my .45-70 in with my .444 Marlin also. If a few pieces of media get stuck just right in between the two pieces of brass, I have to tap them with a screwdriver to free them.-------

August 23rd, 2006, 10:26 AM	#6
Old Chief VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Southwest Tennessee Posts: 3,199	The only calibers that I clean together are 9mm and 38-357. This combination is actually the sane size so there is no hiding inside the larger brass. But I arrived at this decision in the manner you described.