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It's kinda a Coke or Pepsi
Not saying that it ruins the case... please don't misunderstand.... I simply prefer the quality of the polish more from the tumbler.... Cheers
Best Tumbler?
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usually 30 minutes, the max the timer will go on the RCBS unit. if i want more, run re-set and go.
RCBS Ultrasonic Rotary Case Cleaning Solution. There are all sorts of witches' brew recipes floating around, but this works, a little goes a long way (the water / cleaning solution can be reused multiple times as the gunk sinks to the bottom) and I'm not spending time guessing about ingredients, proportions, etc., and sourcing the stuff.
Brass cleaning is one reloading activity I have the least experience on.
Back when I started reloading (2 or 3 decades ago) as part of my initial kit I bought a Lyman, it’s a 1200 Turbo if I recall correctly, the labels are long gone. It has a screen lid but no drain plug.
It’s always done the job and never gave a reason to “upgrade” it; it just works.
Usually my volumes are a hundred or less of rifle at a time or maybe 300(ish) pistol though I’ve never really counted I just add until it looks full enough.
I use their green media, I believe it’s corn cob.
It’s not quiet but the rhythmic sound isn’t annoying and reminds me not to forget it running overnight.
When I went OCD on high polish for awhile I added a squirt of mag wheel polish (Mothers) that initially clumps but give it some time working it went back to normal and the cases came out like new. I quit doing that though, without it is clean enough.
Edit: FYI if you do this you have to run the tumbler without cases for a spell to work out the clumps, if you put cases in before then it’s a problem…
Super easy to empty, I just use a plastic pan for a hot water tank and tip the running tumbler (by holding the bin) upside down over the pan and give it a shake while it’s running. It doesn’t take long to completely empty the cases of any media. The hot water pan has a hole on the side for a drain hook up which makes reloading the media easy with little to no spillage.
Some dust is created as the media becomes worn but nothing I have ever worried about as it pretty much stays contained.
Dumping the brass on a large towel and giving it a roll/scrub/wipe cleans any residual, takes very little effort in my opinion.
I have an ultrasonic cleaner as well, not a firearm specific cleaner but one for shop use. It works amazingly well for everything I’ve ever put in it but I’ve never cleaned brass with it. The thing is noisy and the noise is irritating, not pleasant at all…
I looked at the wet tumbling when it became the rage but my hurdles were it wasn’t cheap to get set up for it, it really didn’t do anything my existing setup didn’t and mainly takes more dedicated space that I simply don’t have. To learn some experience case damage I’m glad I didn’t take the bait.
Back when I started reloading (2 or 3 decades ago) as part of my initial kit I bought a Lyman, it’s a 1200 Turbo if I recall correctly, the labels are long gone. It has a screen lid but no drain plug.
It’s always done the job and never gave a reason to “upgrade” it; it just works.
Usually my volumes are a hundred or less of rifle at a time or maybe 300(ish) pistol though I’ve never really counted I just add until it looks full enough.
I use their green media, I believe it’s corn cob.
It’s not quiet but the rhythmic sound isn’t annoying and reminds me not to forget it running overnight.
When I went OCD on high polish for awhile I added a squirt of mag wheel polish (Mothers) that initially clumps but give it some time working it went back to normal and the cases came out like new. I quit doing that though, without it is clean enough.
Edit: FYI if you do this you have to run the tumbler without cases for a spell to work out the clumps, if you put cases in before then it’s a problem…
Super easy to empty, I just use a plastic pan for a hot water tank and tip the running tumbler (by holding the bin) upside down over the pan and give it a shake while it’s running. It doesn’t take long to completely empty the cases of any media. The hot water pan has a hole on the side for a drain hook up which makes reloading the media easy with little to no spillage.
Some dust is created as the media becomes worn but nothing I have ever worried about as it pretty much stays contained.
Dumping the brass on a large towel and giving it a roll/scrub/wipe cleans any residual, takes very little effort in my opinion.
I have an ultrasonic cleaner as well, not a firearm specific cleaner but one for shop use. It works amazingly well for everything I’ve ever put in it but I’ve never cleaned brass with it. The thing is noisy and the noise is irritating, not pleasant at all…
I looked at the wet tumbling when it became the rage but my hurdles were it wasn’t cheap to get set up for it, it really didn’t do anything my existing setup didn’t and mainly takes more dedicated space that I simply don’t have. To learn some experience case damage I’m glad I didn’t take the bait.
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After reading a little more I weighed the pins I currently have (just short of 5lbs which makes sense as I believe the tumbler comes with 5lbs minus a few losses along the way) so I have ordered another 2.5lbs to add to see if that helps "cushion" things.
Will try this as a first step. Coupled with less cases (have a batch of 100 223 case and a batch of 200 223 cases - will run both of those through and see if there is any noticeable difference).
If the results don't please me then I will pick up a dry tumbler.
Will try this as a first step. Coupled with less cases (have a batch of 100 223 case and a batch of 200 223 cases - will run both of those through and see if there is any noticeable difference).
If the results don't please me then I will pick up a dry tumbler.
5 lbs of pins with 100 cases should work fine- but this relate to your bucket stated capacity more than anything else. Mine is the small Frankfort Arsenal max 100 cases capacity. Fill the bucket FULL of water and your cleaning mixture ( I use dawn dish soap and a very small amount of lemishine ).
There is some factors I know that can affect case shine..dirty pins along with lube & crud inside the bucket, too much le ishine and the kind of water..city water never caused any problem until I moved in an area where we use a well…this created a dull finish instead of the usual shine..finally fixed it.
A dry tumbler is nice to obtain shiny case but does nothing in cleaning inside the case or remove any crud from primer pockets.
I shoot IBS Benchrest - of wet tumbling has any effect on accuracy - I will not do it.
There is some factors I know that can affect case shine..dirty pins along with lube & crud inside the bucket, too much le ishine and the kind of water..city water never caused any problem until I moved in an area where we use a well…this created a dull finish instead of the usual shine..finally fixed it.
A dry tumbler is nice to obtain shiny case but does nothing in cleaning inside the case or remove any crud from primer pockets.
I shoot IBS Benchrest - of wet tumbling has any effect on accuracy - I will not do it.
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I use a similar mixture of Dawn and Lemishine. Very minimal Lemishine is required (learned this the hard way). I am on well water but I installed a salt softener so no worries there.
One of the biggest factors for clean brass in my experience is changing the water. If I want to cycle for an hour I will change the water out (with new Dawn & Lemishine) at the 30 minute mark. It seems this helps to sweep out the crud (especially if using Lanolin lube).
FWIT....I bought the large Lyman tumbler from Barotto Sports(cowtown) in the 80's. Still goin strong !
Switched back and forth from corn cob to walnut a time or two when sales were on.
Bit of jewelers rouge now and then...always performed better than expected !
That old tank got a LOT of use over the yrs, esp when I was pistol and 223 shooting every chance I had in the 80's, 90's and the early 2000's. Hasn't seen a lot of use as of the past 10 yrs, bit of rifle brass only...but it'll flash up as soon as I hit the switch !
Thought about the wet ones a time or two, but in the end , with my health on a toboggan on Field hill...my money better served me buying shotgun consumables
Switched back and forth from corn cob to walnut a time or two when sales were on.
Bit of jewelers rouge now and then...always performed better than expected !
That old tank got a LOT of use over the yrs, esp when I was pistol and 223 shooting every chance I had in the 80's, 90's and the early 2000's. Hasn't seen a lot of use as of the past 10 yrs, bit of rifle brass only...but it'll flash up as soon as I hit the switch !
Thought about the wet ones a time or two, but in the end , with my health on a toboggan on Field hill...my money better served me buying shotgun consumables
Lortone 45c rock tumbler, I have been using one of these for 45 years now (same one), a telescope store in Edmonton called All Star telescopes has these on sale right now, thirty five dollars off built like a tank. Walnut media and a little jewelers rouge mixed in, does a great job with zero dust.
You just get a shine on the case - nothing else. The wet tumbler get the crud out of primer pocket & inside of case but more important- case neck. So you go for blink or for real purpose ?
Lol, the expert has spoken. You should write a book, or start a channel.
Comprehension is important. Go back, read my post again and then if you still don't understand, come back and I will explain it
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I have been at it for 50 years - maybe I know a few things you don’t..your post is clear..you go for shiny case thats it.You like the blink..good for you rock star.
For understanding -you should learn how to read and fix your inattention deficit - by reading the full the conversation and educate yourself about wet tumbling..that you obviously know nothing about since you are stuck with a crumpy vibratory tumbler..
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Only 50 years.
Do you know what "most" means? I said a vibratory tumbler is good enough for most of my usage. I did not say it was my only cleaning method. You did not understand what you read before you went off half cocked.
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