Sonic cleaner vs. tumbler

I didn't post earlier what I was going to buy but I did decide on the ultrasonic cleaner reason for this is alot of the brass will be used for competition the ability to clean parts and the short time it takes to get everything clean. I might buy a vibration tumbler just for doing my 9mm brass. I'll let it tumble over night . So I guess my decision is both! I'm glad I learned about the thumblers it might be a future investment.
 
Ultra sonic worked just as well as the tumbler did. Ultra sonic did clean the inside of the cases alot better.

As for parts, ill warn you. I had a cleaning solution i was told was great for parts, dies, brass everything.

Threw my 338 lapua comp dies in there to clean them up. came out black and covered in rust. I now am out $300 and need new dies...

So for parts, if you can test the smallest, easiest to replace before everything else. Not impressed with the company and will certainly be going after them for the replacment cost as they told me " excelent for cleaning reloading dies! ".

Tony
 
My Lyman ultrasonic cleaner, using the correct solution, cleans all my SKS metal parts except the receiver cover, trigger group, and barreled action. I even throw in the gas tube, as I have a simple roll pin holding the handguard in place. 2 hours later and everthing is spotless and no rust. I also put all my expensive rifle bolts in the cleaner and never an issue. As for brass cases, I have had great success with my tumbler and corn cob media mixed with a small amount of Meguiar's PlastX. I use the same media over and over and my brass comes out like new every time. Only 4 hours in the tumbler. No sense wasting turbosonic solution on brass. You certainly don't need the brass to shine on the inside! Both are worthy investments.
 
kombayotch said:
Depends what you want to use it for... I have both a high-end Branson ultrasonic and the Thumbler rotaty with stainless steel media.

The rotary tumbler does a better job of polishing the cases and cleaning them out, and I love it for pistol brass and cases for rifles that have standard chambers. But,
I no longer let the brass for my precision rifle anywhere near the rotary tumbler. It has a tendency to peen the case mouths which causes huge variations in neck tension if the resulting burr is not fully removed.
Click to expand...

Wow. Just wondering how long you leave your rotary tumbler going for to peen the case mouths?
 
kombayotch said:
I've never tumbled anything in the rotary tumbler for more than a couple hours...
Click to expand...

I guess you shouldn't tumble cases if you are a long range bench shooter and just use an ultrasonic. For the other 95% of us the tumbler is by far the best solution.

I used to leave the brass in the Dillon Vibrator over night and it is no where even close to as clean as the tumbler with SS pins in 1 hour.

I still use the ultrasonic for small parts and the vibrating Dillon for cleaning the lube off of rifle cases.
 
Don't own a benchrest rifle and never will...

Guess it depends on the quality of your US unit. Mine is a Branson commercial grade unite and it cleans the brass completely in 10-15 min. once it's heated. I've done my entire lot of 1000 308 cases in an evening. I have both systems and still generally lean towards the US unit for rifle stuff.

As for the SS media, have you ever tried tumbling without it? Do everything the same with the rotary tumbler, only instead of adding SS media, add a bit more brass? The cases come out just as clean and just as polished on the outside without the hassle of having to separate the pins. And with the Hornady US solution (Citronox), the insides also get cleaned, just not polished.
 
kombayotch said:
Don't own a benchrest rifle and never will...

Guess it depends on the quality of your US unit. Mine is a Branson commercial grade unite and it cleans the brass completely in 10-15 min. once it's heated. I've done my entire lot of 1000 308 cases in an evening. I have both systems and still generally lean towards the US unit for rifle stuff.

As for the SS media, have you ever tried tumbling without it? Do everything the same with the rotary tumbler, only instead of adding SS media, add a bit more brass? The cases come out just as clean and just as polished on the outside without the hassle of having to separate the pins. And with the Hornady US solution (Citronox), the insides also get cleaned, just not polished.
Click to expand...

I have tried it with Lizard litter and the outside of the cases were as you said, nice and clean and shinny. The insides or course will still dirty as was the primer pockets. I shoot a lot of black powder so for me I will stick to the SS pins to clean out the insides as well.

If you have a media separator then the pins are not an issue. I built a drum that holds 70 pounds total of media/water/brass and for me when I put in 1000 .38 spl cases and clean them it takes about 15 minutes to separate and lay the brass out on two towels to dry.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom