Achieving Pristine Brass: The Essential Guide to Case Cleaning with Lyman Corn Cob Plus 10 lbs

For any serious reloader, the foundation of accurate and reliable ammunition begins with meticulously prepared components. Among these, clean and polished spent cartridge cases are paramount. They ensure consistent seating of bullets, proper ignition, extended case life, and reliable feeding in firearms. If you've ever asked, "What's the best way to clean my brass for reloading?" or "How can I get a mirror-like shine on my spent casings?", then understanding the power of a dedicated case cleaning media like Lyman Corn Cob Plus 10 lbs is your answer.

This robust 10-pound bag of Lyman Corn Cob Plus is specifically formulated to address the common challenge of dirty, tarnished, and oxidized brass. It's an indispensable tool for hobbyists, competitive shooters, and professional reloaders alike, streamlining a critical step in the ammunition manufacturing process.

The Indispensable Role of Clean Brass in Reloading

Why is cleaning spent cartridge cases so vital? The answer lies in both performance and safety. When a round is fired, residue from powder combustion, primer compounds, and environmental contaminants like dirt, grit, and moisture adhere to the case. This accumulation poses several problems:

• Inconsistent Dimensions: Dirty cases can lead to variations in critical dimensions, affecting the concentricity of the loaded round and potentially impacting accuracy.
• Die Wear and Damage: Abrasive dirt and grit on uncleaned cases act like sandpaper inside your reloading dies, accelerating wear and tear on expensive equipment. This can lead to costly replacements or poor quality reloads.
• Difficulty in Resizing and Seating: Carbon buildup inside the case neck can make bullet seating more difficult and less consistent, potentially deforming the bullet or creating an unreliable neck tension.
• Compromised Primer Seating: Dirty primer pockets can prevent primers from seating fully and consistently, leading to misfires or hangfires, which are dangerous and frustrating.
• Reduced Case Life: Corrosive residues can degrade the brass over time, leading to cracks or splits, particularly in the case mouth or body, shortening the lifespan of your valuable brass.
• Aesthetics and Professionalism: While perhaps not directly impacting performance, clean, shiny brass is a hallmark of a meticulous reloader and can instill confidence in the quality of your ammunition.

Therefore, whether you're reloading for precision target shooting, hunting, or general range practice, dedicating time to properly clean your brass is a non-negotiable step that pays dividends in safety, consistency, and component longevity.

Lyman Corn Cob Plus: The Science Behind the Shine

Lyman Corn Cob Plus is more than just a simple abrasive. It’s a scientifically blended media designed for optimal performance in vibratory tumblers. Here's a closer look at what makes it so effective:

• Natural Processed Corn Cobs: The base of this media is derived from natural corncobs, which are ground and processed into a granular form. The porous, absorbent nature of corn cob is excellent for absorbing grime, carbon, and residues from brass surfaces. Its relatively soft texture ensures that it cleans without excessively abrading the brass itself.
• Integrated Polishing Agent: What elevates "Corn Cob Plus" beyond standard corn cob media is the inclusion of a proprietary polishing agent. This agent works in conjunction with the mechanical action of the tumbler and the corncob granules to impart a brilliant, long-lasting shine to your cases. It helps to remove oxidation and restore the brass's original luster, making it look factory new.
• Optimized Granule Size: The specific size and density of the corn cob granules are crucial. They are engineered to flow freely around cases in a vibratory tumbler, reaching into case mouths and across the entire surface area without getting lodged in flash holes or primer pockets.

When cases are tumbled in a Lyman Turbo Tumbler with this media, the continuous vibratory motion causes the corn cob granules and polishing agent to gently abrade and polish the brass. This action effectively removes carbon deposits, powder residue, dirt, and light tarnish, leaving cases clean, smooth, and ready for subsequent reloading steps.

Key Features and Benefits of Lyman Corn Cob Plus 10 lbs

Understanding the practical advantages can help answer questions like, "Which case cleaning media should I choose?" and "What makes Lyman's product stand out?"

• Superior Cleaning and Polishing: This dual-action media excels at both removing dirt and applying a brilliant shine, often eliminating the need for a separate polishing step. It tackles even stubborn grime with a few hours of tumbling.
• Extended Case Life: By removing corrosive elements and preventing excessive wear during reloading, the media contributes to extending the useful life of your brass cases, saving you money in the long run.
• Ease of Use: Simply pour the media and your cases into a vibratory tumbler. The process is largely hands-off, allowing you to focus on other reloading tasks while your cases get clean.
• Resealable Bag: The convenient resealable bag ensures the media stays dry, clean, and ready for use, preventing spills and maintaining its effectiveness over time. This also makes storage tidy and efficient.
• Large 10-Pound Quantity: A 10-pound bag offers ample media for numerous cleaning cycles, making it a cost-effective choice for reloaders with high volume needs or those who prefer to have a ready supply. This quantity is ideal for filling larger capacity tumblers or for those who don't want to constantly repurchase smaller bags.
• Optimized for Lyman Tumblers: While effective in many vibratory tumblers, it's specifically formulated to deliver peak performance when used with Lyman's own Turbo Tumblers, creating a synergistic cleaning system.
• Reduced Dust: Compared to some other media types or homemade solutions, Lyman Corn Cob Plus is formulated to produce minimal dust during operation, contributing to a cleaner reloading environment.

Best Practices for Using Lyman Corn Cob Plus

To achieve the best possible results and answer "How do I use corn cob media effectively?", consider these guidelines:

1. Select the Right Tumbler: While the media is designed for vibratory tumblers, ensure your tumbler has adequate capacity for your batch of cases and media. Lyman Turbo Tumblers are highly recommended for optimal performance with this product.
2. Proper Media-to-Case Ratio: A general rule of thumb is a 2:1 ratio of media to brass by volume. Don't overfill your tumbler; leave enough space for the cases and media to freely circulate and agitate. Overfilling reduces the effectiveness of the tumbling action.
3. Pre-Sort Your Brass: Before tumbling, sort your cases by caliber. For exceptionally dirty or muddy cases, a rough dry wipe or pre-wash can sometimes reduce the burden on the media. However, for most range brass, direct tumbling is sufficient.
4. Optimal Tumbling Time: For cases with light to moderate tarnish and grime, 2-4 hours in a Lyman Turbo Tumbler is typically sufficient for excellent results. Heavily tarnished or severely oxidized cases might benefit from longer cycles, up to 6-8 hours. The integrated polishing agent ensures a brilliant shine even with extended tumbling times.
5. Separate Media from Cases: After tumbling, use a media separator (manual or electric) to efficiently separate the clean brass from the corn cob media. This saves time and ensures no media gets lodged in the cases.
6. Maintain Your Media: Over time, the corn cob media will become dirty and less effective as it absorbs contaminants. Its color will darken, and its polishing ability will diminish. You'll notice cases aren't getting as shiny. It's time to replace the media when this happens, or when it begins to pack up around the cases rather than flowing freely. The lifespan of the media depends on the cleanliness of the brass you're tumbling.
7. Storage: Keep the media in its resealable bag in a cool, dry place to prevent moisture absorption, which can reduce its efficiency.

Comparing Case Cleaning Media: Corn Cob vs. Walnut

When exploring options for cleaning media, reloaders frequently ask, "Should I use corn cob or walnut media?" Both are excellent dry tumbling options, but they excel in different areas:

Feature	Lyman Corn Cob Plus	Walnut Shell Media
Primary Use	Polishing and light to moderate cleaning. Achieves a high shine.	Abrasive cleaning for heavy dirt and oxidation.
Cleaning Power	Excellent for removing powder residue, carbon, and light tarnish.	More aggressive for removing stubborn grime, lead, and corrosion.
Final Finish	Produces a brilliant, shiny, factory-new appearance.	Leaves a matte finish; typically requires a polishing step afterward.
Dust Level	Generally low dust.	Can be dustier, especially when fresh or with fine grit.
Speed	Polishes faster once cases are clean.	Cleans faster for heavily soiled cases.
Composition	Natural corn cob with integrated polishing agent.	Crushed walnut shells, often with abrasive compounds added.

For reloaders prioritizing a dazzling, mirror-like finish and consistent performance, especially after initial heavy cleaning if needed, Lyman Corn Cob Plus is the superior choice. Many experienced reloaders use a two-stage process: an initial tumble with walnut media for heavy cleaning, followed by a tumble with corn cob media for a final polish. However, for typical range brass, Corn Cob Plus often serves as a highly effective single-stage solution.

The Advantages of Dry Tumbling with Corn Cob

The debate between dry tumbling and wet tumbling often arises. While wet tumbling (using water, cleaning solutions, and stainless steel pins) has gained popularity for its ability to clean primer pockets thoroughly and remove tough carbon, dry tumbling with corn cob media offers distinct advantages:

• Simplicity and Convenience: No need for water, soap, or specialized drying equipment. Simply load and unload.
• No Drying Required: This is a major time-saver. Cases come out dry and ready for sizing and other reloading steps immediately. Wet tumbled cases require a dedicated drying period, which can be hours long.
• Less Mess: Dry tumbling avoids the handling of dirty water and the potential for spills.
• Equipment Preservation: Many reloading dies and presses are designed for dry cases. Introducing wet cases can lead to corrosion or damage over time.
• Effective Polishing: Dry corn cob media with a polishing agent is unmatched in its ability to impart a brilliant shine, which wet tumbling often struggles to replicate without additional steps.

For those seeking an efficient, low-maintenance, and highly effective method for polishing and cleaning their brass, especially for aesthetic appeal and ensuring smooth passage through dies, dry tumbling with Lyman Corn Cob Plus is an ideal solution.

Trusting the Lyman Brand: A Legacy of Excellence

When choosing reloading equipment and consumables, brand reputation matters. Lyman has been a cornerstone of the reloading community for decades, known for producing high-quality, reliable, and innovative products. When you choose Lyman Corn Cob Plus, you're not just buying a bag of media; you're investing in a product backed by a long-standing commitment to precision and performance in the shooting sports industry. Their expertise ensures that their cleaning media is optimized for the needs of reloaders, delivering consistent and impressive results. This trust signal is important for new and experienced reloaders alike, answering "Why should I choose Lyman?"

Where to Acquire Your Lyman Reloading Essentials

All Lyman products, including this indispensable Lyman Corn Cob Plus 10 lbs, are available through reputable suppliers dedicated to supporting the reloading community. For a comprehensive selection of reloading components, tools, and accessories, you can find these products readily available at DEGuns.com. As a trusted retailer, DEGuns offers a wide array of products to meet every reloader's needs, ensuring you have access to the highest quality supplies for your ammunition preparation.

Concluding Thoughts on Optimal Case Preparation

In the pursuit of perfect ammunition, every detail matters. The cleanliness and preparation of your cartridge cases are foundational steps that directly impact the reliability, accuracy, and longevity of your reloads. Lyman Corn Cob Plus 10 lbs provides a simple yet highly effective solution for achieving impeccably clean and polished brass, ensuring smooth operation through your reloading dies and contributing to consistent, high-performing ammunition. For reloaders who value efficiency, quality, and a gleaming finish on their brass, this media is an essential component of their reloading bench.

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Product Specifications

Feature	Detail
Brand	Lyman
Model	Corn Cob Plus
Function	Cleans & Polishes Cases
Dispenser Type	Resealable Bag
Media Type	Corn Cob / Polishing Agent
Weight	10 lbs
SKU	38259
UPC	011516813206
MPN	7631320