Worriedman

I have been running the SS media for several years now. My suggestion is to fill the tumbler to within an inch of the top when loading with water. I start with hot water too, seems to work better. I also have better results with Ivory dishwashing liquid than others. I built a larger drive unit, but still use the Thumler's drum, as the weight of the larger unit I constructed is considerable, and the smaller Thumler's drum is more user friendly. I reload a lot, and would not ever go back to vibratory cleaners, this method just cleans too well to not spend the extra time.

If one is going to load a lot of .223 and .308, it is nearly a necessity. That and an annealing machine.

Big fan of the "S" dies here. Lets you change up the grip needed to hold bullets with varying brass.

I load 43.5 gr. 748, CCI BR primers, 168 gr. Sierra Game King Bullets, light FC as a finish. Works really well for me.

Being patient, I have purchased enough mags so that I should never have a problem. Having run all of them, I am satisfied that there are no issues with the Armalite mags, at least the ones I own.

Did not have a .308, always wanted one. After working up a couple of rifles on the semi platform in 5.56 and .204 that are insanely accurate, decided that I could satisfy the .308 craving in a rifle I was basically familiar with. Being an add on junkie, I have changed out the parts and pieces on my Armalite till I have what I want. It is not a light weapon, but it sure is accurate, and it gives me several advantages over a bolt action, in my mind anyway. As a handloader, it is a dream to work with. I simplify when I can, settled on the 165 gr. Gameking Sierra, now if they would just make more of them...

Not being a fan of two stage triggers, I ordered and installed a JP Enterprises Fire Control System w/speed hammer. Wish the weather was more conducive to shooting this afternoon, I would love to try it out and see how it functions.

Careful, they start out all neat and organized, but this is what happened to mine:

Let us know how well that works. If dry media works as well as the liquid solution, it would remove a step.

I can save you the trouble of the attempt in a vibratory cleaner with the SS pins, you will notice no difference than with standard media, except that you will score the interior of your cleaner.

Have no clue, as I have never tried it by itself. The soap is necessary as a medium to "hold' the carbon that is "brushed" off the brass. The Lemishine aids in "softening" my hard water and aids in holding capacity of the solution. I personally do not see the difference in the "steps" between a vibratory cleaner and a tumbler. You put the brass in a media, be it liquid or dry, you have a certain run time, then you separate the brass from the media. I guess drying IS an extra step, but the difference in quality is worth the extra time, to me any way. I uniform the primer pockets, and ream the flash holes of every piece of brass I load. That is anal. The brass cleaning is just a little eccentric.

For one thing, I can not get the same results using the LemiShine and standard tumbling media. It takes an aqueous solution for the LemiShine to work at all. The SS pins will last forever, and they clean far better than a vibratory cleaner will, or can. I was not trying to insinuate that this system is the only way to clean brass, but, if you are running a large number of cases, it will give the best results with the least amount of expended labor. No corncob stuck in the primer holes either, as well as no dust. Like you, I like my brass clean when it hits my dies, and I like the baked on primer residue really gone. Simply offering the benefit of experience.

To bring back an older thread. I have been fighting case cleaning for a lot of years. A friend of mine turned me on to this system, and it generates the best, cleanest brass, inside and out, that I have ever been able to produce. I am in no way affilitated with the gentleman that sells the stainless steel pins, actually purchsed my first batch of media from my friend when this guy was just getting started. Big pluses are, that there is no hardenend primer residue going down the barrel ever again, primer pockets are immaculate, and the inside of the case is as clean as the outside. Here is a link to the site where it is all explained, and where you can get the media. Stuff never wears out. http://stainlesstumblingmedia.com/ A small batch of multifired .243's run with this sytem.

I wanted to use the Burris Zee Signature rings, I have a great deal of like and respect for them. You can pre-zero the scope, and they impart no stress, and they will never leave a mark on the tubes.

Redding Full Length Type S dies allow you to swap out bushings for the neck portion of the resize operation. If you are like me, I use several different brands of brass, and the Redding lets me custom fit the die to various neck wall thicknesses. Worth every penny of the price for my use. I picked up 1000 pc.s of LC then came upon 1000 pc.s of Hornady TAP once fired. My Dillon dies worked fine on the LC brass, but did not constrict the neck of the Hornady enough to hold the bullets securely. The Redding allowed me to change out the bushing and use the TAP brass.

Latest and most likely final mod to the rifle. La rue QD LT-101 rail. I wanted to continue to use the Burris ZEE rings, this seemed to be the right answer.

165 gr. Sierra Game Kings, 748 powder, dialing in the scope. 5 shot fired for effect group. 100 yards, need to fade her a touch left and back up to 200 to re-set the zero.

I may change out the high rings and add on a GG&G Scout rail and rest my lower rings. I do not like the fact that I have the front rings set int he last slot of the upper, i suppose it is OK, but I think the scout rail would do (and look) better. But sans attaching a sling, I guess she is done!

About range ready. Just lack the PRS stock.

For the A4BSF. Got a rifle length VTAC FF forearm headed my way, along with a JP Rifle adjustable gas block, a David Tubb Carrier Weight System and flat wound buffer spring, (I really like what they did for my brass in my AR 15's) plus it is supposed to help with the kill the bolt stop thing in the .308. Picked up the shim for the gas block. Drilled and tapped a case for the comparator, have 200 pcs of brass prepped, found 2 boxes of Sierra 2140 165 gr. Gamkings at Gobs of Money (Gander Mountain) today, paid too much, but all the mail order houses are out, and they had them in stock. Got the Millet that came with the rifle ready to mount as soon as the handguard goes on, should be shooting for group by next weekend. Going to start with RL 15 and W 748, we will see.

I like the performance of stainless steel, but find the look of my BSF barrel to be something of a distraction. What less-than-break-the-bank options are out there to turn that barrel black?

I moved up to the Dillon 650 a few years ago for "service" rifle type loading. The Powder Check die station is a real advantage. I have had to turn down the stylus that fits in the case on most of the set-ups I have, but that is simply paying attention to what is going on. Once dialed in, it is a peace of mind giver.

Three die set from Dillon for the 650, .308 trimmer and head for my Giraud trimmer, Panther .308 Claw, Redding Type S full length die, Vickerman seating die, (I really like them, have one for most all my rounds I load for).

I found the site by searching for "Ar 10 hand guards" in Google. Glad I happened in!

I try to learn from those who will impart information. I like to get my weapons tuned up and running as best I can. Seems to be some real experience here. I play with break action guns a lot, like to deal with Mike Bellm on the Encores, I go retro there. Like to have him custom chamber old rimmed cartridges and neck 'em up and down. My .25X.307, makes a pretty fair yote gun, and works for deer as well. Sight in target, pulled that fifth shot. I have a couple of CZ rimfires that I have dressed up and I like the results of that as well. http://rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237624 One of targets from that work. The .17 HMR I did next. A 100 yard target from that one. My first Ar build. The next one. The .204 I lucked up on a decent price on an AR 10A4BSF, want to see what I can do with her.