I went to the range yesterday to fine tune the sights on my Mini-14 and M1A as I'd recently changed both.  I added a new FH with bayo lug to my M1A that I'd picked up at the Funshow about a year ago and never got around to using and I'd added the Choate front sight / FH to my Mini.  While I'd taken both out before, every time it had been gusty and I wanted a calm day to really dial in the sights as I'd had to shorten the front sight on my Mini and I wasn't positive that it's was cut down low enough.

Anyway, all went well as I checked everything on my standard length 200yd targets.  I found that using the 200yd works better for me as it magnifies any sight adjustment errors to they stand out.  Further, as almost all of my rifle shooting is done at 200yds or longer, it's a logical distance to test things at.  It was a great day shooting, a bit brisk but calm so everything went well.  I also brought along my Rossi rifle length levergun and had a ball shooting all three.  I absolutely love shooting both my M1A and my Mini as they are definitely like shooting a big and little brother set and my Rossi . . . . what can I say?  A 357mag levergun that's good to shoot out to 300yds; it just don't get any better than that.  So, after about 250rds of fun, I decided to pack it in and came home to clean up and get everything ready for the next outing.

After I threw the brass in the tumbler, cleaned the rifles and put them away, and refilled the mags I went upstairs and got to work on some chores the wife had asked me to finish.  Dinner came and went and we decided to call it an early night and watch some TV in bed.  This morning, she set up to cut my hair (she's been doing it for over 40 yrs) and in the middle it hit me!  I'd forgot to turn off the tumbler and empty the brass that had been running since 3:30 the previous day!!  I ran down to the basement and turned if off, she finished the haircut, and then I proceeded to deal with the brass.  Talk about shinny!  All my brass looked brand new!  I guess that's not surprising as it tumbled for 17.5 hrs!!  No harm, no foul so they say but now I know if I want really, really shinny brass just to leave it run overnight.

I use a timer on my tumbler.  The only thing is to remember to shut it off in 24hrs or it will come on again.

my brother tumbles all his brass for up to 24 hours on purpose, he thinks it's better that way

I pretty consistently leave my brass tumbling over night. Never an issue.

I am certain my tumbler will wear out faster though...

Thing is, the brass is very clean after 1.5 hrs.  I usually only tumble it for 1 hr if it's not scorched or such from TiteGroup.  These pieces were fine so tumbling it 17.5 times what they needed was just a waste.  Yes, I set an alarm on my phone and yes, it went off, however, I thought I hit snooze as I was busy but I guess that I hit the off instead.  Just a dumb move but then, I've made a lot of them in my life.

I dont think thats a dumb move at all.   I'm guilty of a being a 24hr+ tumbler myself. I've killed my fair share of vibratory tumblers.  Just ordered a new motor for my Lyman ProMagnum 2500, that one took forever to die.

I use a christmas lighting timer on mine

....for that very reason

Not dumb.
I use a Belkin Conserve Socket outlet timer.
.5, 3, or 6 hour for my dry Tumbler because I have CRS.
9.95USD at your favorite Home center.

I run mine 12 hours, from supper time to breakfast.  Never had an issue

Of all the dumb moves it is possible make while reloading, I'd have to say this one ranks pretty far down the list.  Not even on the first page.

I've done that before.  I normally run about 1.5 - 3 hours to get them clean enough.  I began running corn cob, and when I switched to walnut shell I really noticed a difference when running for extended times.

Had some processed LC 5.56 brass that ended up running in the tumbler over night once.  The media was corn cob with flitz and ISSO polish.  The shine on it as amazing.

I tried tumbling in my basement. The noise can be hard on the second floor. I am surprised you did not hear it. I tumble in my detached garage.

I use a timer I got for $10 on Amazon. I do 1 hour to prepare for sizing and trimming. I do 2 hours after sizing and trimming to remove lube and shine them up. I have done 4 hours for some really dirty stuff.



https://smile.amazon.com/gp/css/summary/edit.html/ref=dp_iou_view_this_order?ie=UTF8&orderID=111-5126786-8594659

Hell OP Ive never done that. However. A few weeks ago I went out and fired up my old run-around Tacoma to make sure the battery was charged and went back inside. Last week I went to start it. Dead. Key ON. I don't know how many hours a 2.4 will run on 3/4 tank of gas but I did it.

I usually start my brass tumbling when I go to bed and then in the morning dump it out, refill the drum and start it going again while I'm at work.  That way, tumbling doesn't delay any other steps in the reloading process.