Skip to main content

DIY: Reloading Your Own Ammo Begins with Clean Cartridges

Tumblers, such as the high-volume National Metallic Rotary Tumbler, provide an important first step.

DIY: Reloading Your Own Ammo Begins with Clean Cartridges

The National Metallic Rotary Tumbler

Reloading ammo at home can be a worthwhile endeavor, whether as an enhancement to your shooting hobby, or as a way to save money on hunting gear during a time when supply chain issues can make ammo hard to come by.

Simply, reloading is the act of repurposing spent cartridges into new ammunition. It involves saving, cleaning and resizing the metal cartridge case, removing the spent primer and then re-priming, recharging with powder, and seating the new bullet.

The goal is to make the best-performing ammunition possible.

There are multiple steps to reloading your own hunting ammo, and many involve specialized gear that can range greatly in price.

It all begins with preparation of the cartridge case, which is the most important element in true-shooting ammunition. The case houses all the components, so shooting accuracy is largely impacted by the quality of your repurposed piece of metal.

Prepping the cartridge begins with cleaning, and most reloaders use a tumbler to clean and polish the cases to make them look almost new.

The National Metallic Rotary Tumbler (midwayusa.com, $92.60) allows reloaders to efficiently clean and polish a large number of cartridges at the same time.

The heavy-duty tumbler’s large 7-liter drum is rubber-lined and can clean up to 1,000 .223 brass cases. It comes completely assembled and ready for use.

Features:

  • Gear-driven motor
  • 0-4 hour timer with automatic shut-off
  • Quiet operation
  • 7-liter rubber-lined drum
  • 5 pounds media capacity
  • Shipping weight: 15.384 pounds

Click for more info on the National Metallic Rotary Tumbler

Recommended





GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Hunting

Draper Hunt 1

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Hunting

Draper Hunt 2

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - California Hunt #2

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - Patterning Your Turkey Hunt

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - California Hunt #1

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Hunting

Kali Parmley - Florida Turkey Slam #1

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: How and When to Fish a Buzz Toad

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Destinations

Polaris – Pack Up and Play On

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Gear

Polaris – Camping Adventures In Style

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: How to Find Bass in an Unfamiliar Lake

Many bass fishermen agonize over the color of whatever lure they are using. Game & Fish “Crash Course” host Shane Beilue...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: Is Bait Color Choice Important?

Game & Fish Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Game & Fish App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use