Tumbler
- Thread starter 1rstEncountr
- Start date
Having done sonic, then sonic and dry tumbling, then finally wet tumbling. I wish I would of saved some money and just started with the wet tumbling. There is lots of posts about it and the previous pictures show the results. You can see any problem cases and they run through the die easier after.
This is what I use for all my hunting rounds and for all my Milsurps. Does a great job at a very good price. If you want any better you need to spend quite a bit more and get a ultra sonic unit or a wet tumbler with stainless steel pins. All depends on how deep your pockets are.
http://www.btibrands.com/product/quick-n-ez-case-tumbler/
http://www.btibrands.com/product/quick-n-ez-case-tumbler/
- Location
- West Quebec
Depending on how much you clean at a time a small stainless steel pin tumbler will do (50 cases) or so, but if your into several hundred and want to save a bit of time a larger one like a Rebel 17 is the cats meow.. here: h ttp://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/ a heavier motor, bearings and rubber liner with knobs instead of wing nuts.
A cheaper solution is available at h ttp://www.canadiantreasureseekers.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=330 with free shipping
A cheaper solution is available at h ttp://www.canadiantreasureseekers.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=330 with free shipping
I have no complaints and no dust problems with my Lyman turbo 1200. Run it with green corn cob media from Lyman as well. One container lasts me for about a year when cut 50/50 with crushed walnut lizard bedding from a pet store. That's around 3000-5000 rifle cases for me. At $20/year for media it'll take many years before I reach the cost of a stainless tumbler and stainless pins. I also don't have to bother drying my cases after tumbling. It gets the job done for me with a smaller up front investment, insignificant costs for consumables, and much less mess (no liquids, no drying, and like I said I've never noticed any dust outside of the tumbler bowl itself).
Stainless works very well and does an excellent job if you want shiny cases. Personally, I've never found shiny cases to shoot any better, the small amount of extra force to FL size cases doesn't bother me, and the claims of extended die life with stainless tumbling are unconfirmed. If old timers got 50+ years of regular use for over a hundred thousand rounds with their dies and either no tumbling or dry tumbling, I can live with that.
I'm not saying stainless wet tumbling is a waste of money. It gets your brass cleaner than any other method; I just don't see any advantage to it for my current applications.
The one thing I would like to wet tumble (or use an ultrasonic but if I'm going wet, I'd just go with stainless pins) is the 45-70 cases I use for black powder shooting. The black powder residue needs soap and water to remove before dry tumbling. For the amount I shoot (a couple hundred rounds a year for fun) I'm fine with washing by hand but if I got into it more I'd probably pickup stainless pins and a wet tumbler.
Stainless works very well and does an excellent job if you want shiny cases. Personally, I've never found shiny cases to shoot any better, the small amount of extra force to FL size cases doesn't bother me, and the claims of extended die life with stainless tumbling are unconfirmed. If old timers got 50+ years of regular use for over a hundred thousand rounds with their dies and either no tumbling or dry tumbling, I can live with that.
I'm not saying stainless wet tumbling is a waste of money. It gets your brass cleaner than any other method; I just don't see any advantage to it for my current applications.
The one thing I would like to wet tumble (or use an ultrasonic but if I'm going wet, I'd just go with stainless pins) is the 45-70 cases I use for black powder shooting. The black powder residue needs soap and water to remove before dry tumbling. For the amount I shoot (a couple hundred rounds a year for fun) I'm fine with washing by hand but if I got into it more I'd probably pickup stainless pins and a wet tumbler.
Get a Lortone QT-12 or Thumler Model B rock tumbler. Either one costs more than a typical vibratory unit, but they are durable and quiet. A rotary tumbler gives you the option of conventional walnut or corncob media or wet tumbling with SS pins.
- Location
- West Quebec
Think you have to order direct..
Doors of Perception
CGN Regular
- Location
- Burlington, Ontario
Get a Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler kit. If you live somewhat near the boarder in Ontario. Buy it from Amazon.com and have it shipped to cbiusa.com - your new usa address that costs only $6.95 per accepted package. Best deal around. I buy almost all of my consumer goods from the USA now. Things that are controlled by the US dept of commerce you can't do this with like optics, projectile, brass, and gun parts. But just about everything else is good to go. Other boarder points may have there own version of CBI - just search US address for Canadians near your favorite boarder crossing.
Cheers,
Cheers,
Armored Metal
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- The People's Republik of Kébekistan
Like LUTNIT, I'm happy with my Lyman Turbo 1200. I use the green corncob or the regular with NuFinish car polish. I've been running it with used Bounce sheets and have never had any issues with dust.
It cost me 113.00$ two years ago and I've only bought one container of Hornady corncob (10.00$) and NuFinish (11.00$) to compliment the original green corncob that came with it.
SS tumbling looks interesting but for my small shooting budget and less frequent range trips (young kids), I find my setup to be satisfactory.
It cost me 113.00$ two years ago and I've only bought one container of Hornady corncob (10.00$) and NuFinish (11.00$) to compliment the original green corncob that came with it.
SS tumbling looks interesting but for my small shooting budget and less frequent range trips (young kids), I find my setup to be satisfactory.
