I'm getting in to reloading and need to buy a case tumbler. I'm going to be cleaning 223. What is the best tumbler for the job? I was hoping to stay under $100. The more I can clean at a time the better.

If you're going to be tumbling more at one time, than a wet tumbler would be best. It really sucks to have to clean the dust off the cases when using a dry tumbler.

I will say, wet tumbling with stainless steel media is freaking awesome. Brass comes out looking as good and new if not better. Well worth it to me and many other who have switched.

 

Only down side, it's usually a little more expensive to get into equipment wise. Only plus equipment wise is, your media will last a life time and never need replacing.

 

Also an update for the other wet tumblers. Using the Thumblers Tumbler ( say that 5 times real fast) but doing 425-450 pieces of 9mm or 375-400 .40S&W with 2 tea spoons of Dawn and 1/4 tea spoon of lemme-shine and I'm down to 60-65 minutes to get very clean brass.

 

 

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I just got this - starting to get into reloading too.

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Model-400-Vibratory-Case-Tumbler-Kit/731769.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dcabelas%2Btumbler%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D15%26y%3D4&Ntt=cabelas+tumbler&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

One more thing I should add. The cases I'm cleaning are VERY dirty. I got a good deal on brass so I got them. What is going to bring them back to life. I can't find the thumbler anywhere.

One more thing I should add. The cases I'm cleaning are VERY dirty. I got a good deal on brass so I got them. What is going to bring them back to life. I can't find the thumbler anywhere.

 

Try this site

 

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/?gclid=CKmBvbu47rQCFQ2i4Aodhk0AbQ

 

This will bring them back to as good as new.

 

 

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$250 is bit more than I wanted to spend, but " buy once cry once" the only problem is even that link is out of stock. It says in stock, but when you click on it the tumbler is on back order. Any ideas?

I picked up the Dillon 750 tumbler. Its pretty damn good.

 

On a side note, I tried experimenting with something...soaked a bunch of brass in soda overnight like 12hrs...needless to say I hardly drink soda, but I am NEVER drinking it again lmao...

 

I'd rather have ugly brass I can tell has had damage done to it by having stuff leached out of it than checmically treated brass I cannot.

 

THe big ass harbor freight tumbler works REALLY nice and goes on sale for $150. I have done 1000 .223 cases at once in it without problems. You don't like dust on your brass, don't use walnut. Personally I use rice as it is very low dust and easier to get out of places you don't want it than corn cob media.

I just ordered the thumler tumbler deluxe kit

These are after 1hour and 5 minutes of tumbling and they were dirty.

 

 

 

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With this tumbler I deprime all the brass before cleaning? When I deprime the brass do I do the lube and resizing in this same step?

Up to you.

 

For depriming before cleaning get a Lee depriming die. All it does is take out the primer. Then onto cleaning, etc.

 

Pistol shooters will clean brass with spent primers still in esp. if using progressive reloader.

 

Up to you. Done it both ways and never had a problem. I prefer corncob/walnnut combo with 2 capfulls of Nu Finish Liquid Car Polish and torn up dryer sheet.

I've stopped using lemishine. Just a small amount of dawn. Not as shiny but as someone pointed out its less likely to mess up the chemical composition of the brass.

With this tumbler I deprime all the brass before cleaning? When I deprime the brass do I do the lube and resizing in this same step?

 

No do not size yet. Any grit on th brass can score the sizing die.

 

Deprime with universal decapper, clean then lube and size.

 

That's what I thought. It didn't seem right to size dirty brass.

Up to you. Done it both ways and never had a problem. I prefer corncob/walnnut combo with 2 capfulls of Nu Finish Liquid Car Polish and torn up dryer sheet.

Same here. Crushed walnut reptile bedding from Petco, lil bit of Turtle Wax and cut up used dryer sheets. Good stuff.

FWIW, I clean using Dawn and Lemi-Shine in a Harbor Freight tumbler I got with a coupon for 35 bucks or so. I have stainless pins I bought from Heavyopp on this very board. I use two pours of Lemi-Shine from the powder scoop that came with some used Lee dies. Works a charm.

 

C

Topher, is this the one you use?

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-lb-rotary-rock-tumbler-67631.html

I've tried corn cob vibratory, ultramsonic and wet tumbling stainless steel.

 

I'd say look for the wet tumbler. There really is no comparison. I just got a Thummler's tumbler and it makes crappy cases look like new, including the flash hole and primer pocket m

Mine should be here any day now

I picked up the Dillon 750 tumbler. Its pretty damn good.

 

On a side note, I tried experimenting with something...soaked a bunch of brass in soda overnight like 12hrs...needless to say I hardly drink soda, but I am NEVER drinking it again lmao...

 

 

 

Is that Coke classic or the new recipe?

Is that Coke classic or the new recipe?

Pepsi regular.

I finally got my tumbler, once i get my shell holder i can deprime the brass and start cleaning.

I ran my first run of brass in my thumler tumbler and holy crap. I put some of the worst looking brass I could find to test it. I mean this stuff was black. When finished, they all looked perfect. Very easy to use and great results.

I was using a thumbler vibratory and was pretty happy with the results. After reading threads like this I broke down and picked up a model B. holy crap, I can't believe how dirty my already cleaned brass was!

 

Wet tumbling is the only way to go if you want very clean brass. You just have to do it ahead of time so there's enough time for the cases to dry fully.

I just did 11 pounds of .45acp shells with 13 pounds of pins in 1 load --  using a 6" drum

 

clean,clean,clean ---  1 ounce dish soap, 1 - 44 mag case of lemi shine, and filled with water  is my formula -- works every time

OK--I'll be the contrarian here.  While I fully agree that wet tumbling can yield spectacular results, I found the extra work wasn't worth it.  I sold my wet tumbler, bought a vibratory tumbler, and never looked back.    Corncob or Walnut media that I rarely change, occasionally a capful of brass cleaner, and the brass emerges shiny and ready to go.

OK--I'll be the contrarian here. While I fully agree that wet tumbling can yield spectacular results, I found the extra work wasn't worth it. I sold my wet tumbler, bought a vibratory tumbler, and never looked back. Corncob or Walnut media that I rarely change, occasionally a capful of brass cleaner, and the brass emerges shiny and ready to go.

I have two words for you. Lead dust.

 

That was the only reason I went to wet tumbling and eveything else was secondary.

Another two words.  Dryer sheet.  Torn into strips collects dust.  Wet tumbling while nice, is a long process.  Half corncob and walnut shells by volume, with 2 caps of NuFinish liquid car polish and a dryer sheet, produces acceptable results.