Case cleaning. Tumbler or sonic?

[KA0811]

First off let me say Hi, this is basically my first post. I have been trolling around for quite awhile reading stickys and post etc. Anyways I have been reloading for a couple years but recently I have gotten into it ALOT more but as of yet don't clean my cases aside from giving the outside a quick run while cleaning primer pockets etc. But now that I went from maybe using my set up once every few months to weekly/daily I think I really should. I wouldn't mind both but don't have the space. So what do you think? I was looking at either RCBS tumbler or the hornady LNL stainless or maybe rcbs sonic. Sorry such a long post for simple question. Thanks

[ranger1962]

Harbor freight tools tumbler and ss pins. Best way I have found so far.

[Pipefitter]

The question we should ask of you is "How much brass and what type are you looking to clean at one time?"

If you are cleaning a couple hundred pistol or less rifle cases at one time I would go with the Hornady stainless sonic unit (I have one). I deprime with a universal die then a bath in the sonic cleaner with distilled water, a teaspoon of Lemishine, and a couple drops of Dawn dish soap. rinse thoroughly with SOFT tap water and dry.

If you intend to clean 500-1,000 pistol cases or several hundred rifle cases at a time then a wet tumbler with SS pins or a vibratory case tumbler would be the way to go.

Be advised that the sonic cleaner and tumbling wet with SS pins will clean the primer pockets if you deprime first, where the vibratory tumbler will leave residue in the primer pockets.

[KA0811]

Most likely I would doing smaller batches of hundred or two.

[Eddie17]

frankford arsenal stainless steel tumbler

[dannyd]

Frankford arsenal stainless steel tumbler works great using it right now.

[Pee Wee]

I had a sonic cleaner and gave it away, did not like the results and went with a rebel 17 SS pin tumbler, 1 hr with a big table spoon of armorall and a table spoon of lemi shine and it looks like new inside and out.

[KA0811]

What is the benefit of using rotary with SS pins compared to a regular one with corn/walnut ?

[MUSTANG]

SS Pins tend to clean really tarnished brass better, and Time. The stainless pins are more aggressive than walnut or corn cob media with polish; that coupled with the end of the pins is why they clean the primer reside better if the primer is removed first.

Down side; if you do not tumble in a walnut/corn cob media with a polish as a final step; brass processed with the Stainless pins and Dawn (et.al) become slightly dull in a few hours/days as the oxygen in the air gets to the surface of the unprotected brass skin.

[georgerkahn]

What is the benefit of using rotary with SS pins compared to a regular one with corn/walnut ?
Using my Thumler's Tumbler with rouge-laced walnut shell (Lyman) media, the brass gets suitably cleaned on the outside, and sort of almost-cleaned on inside. Primer pockets (I never clean brass with spent primer still in it) still have residue, and the occasional piece of walnut is stuck in flash hole. A fine coating of dust is on entire case...
Using my hi-speed Thumler's Tumbler with ss pins, Armorall, Dawn, and Lemishine -- the brass generally comes out looking like factory-new! 'Specially the primer pockets, too, get cleaned -- and, guess what? On occasion a pin or two will get lodged in the flash hole. Similar to walnut in dry method.
Using my Hornady Ultrsonic cleaner, results are similar to the ss pin tumbled brass, except it is not as shiny-looking. I reckon the ss pins in effect polish the brass a bit using that machine.
In the first two methods, the ambient temperature is maintained. Using the ultrasonic cleaner, the longer you do it, the hotter things get -- albeit below any temp (~<120*F) to do any harm to the brass. But, it does get warm!
Re "benefit", as you asked -- I always figured that same rouge that polishes brass must also affect firearm innards like, say, valve grinding compound -- hence, I do rinse with warm tap water. For kicks, roll a few dry tumbled cases in a piece of clean paper toweling, and you'll see what I'm talking about. From the other "wet" methods -- some time is required to dry them. I have a Frankfort Arsenal brass dryer, and that works pretty well to speed things up, but spreading brass on a surplus window screen on a warm sunny day works as well.
If asked which gives the best results -- my answer would be for the wet with ss pins. 'Specially the like-new primer pocket and 100% clean INSIDE of entire case directs this choice/answer.
But -- the bottom line is, this being a FUN hobby -- whichever method you like the best should be your election!
geo

[dragon813gt]

Brass doesn't have to look new to shoot well. The primer pockets don't have to be completely clean. A vibratory tumbler w/ corn/walnut media is no work for you and cleans well. If you want to mess w/ pins, water and a solution, that has to be right, than by all means go for it. But it's not going to make a difference on target.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I have known a few people who have used ordinary tumblers with plain rice as a medium. It cleans the brass sufficiently,but does not make it shine. It certainly is cheap although those folks who want brass that is sparkling in appearance will not be pleased. When the rice is dirty then chuck it and use a new batch. You can try to add in other things to make it shine more, but as previously stated it won't make any kind of difference on the target. LLS

[Vann]

I have the Rcbs sonic cleaner and a STM Rebel 17 with the stainless pins. The stainless pins beat the sonic cleaner hands down.

[country gent]

alot depends on how fast and clean you want the brass, How much you want to deal with as far as drying mixing and prep work. I deprime cases with a hand tool and dump in a vibratory cleaner ( large dillon) for any where from a few hours ( smokeless fired nickel plated brass) to a soak at range to rinse at home deprime and vibratory over night. ( Black powder fired brass cases) I use 2-4 ounces of alchlool with nufinish polish or iosso case polish in corn cob media. Cases come from the corn cob nice and clean with a nice shine. A simple way with little expense is a large mouth laundry soap jug hot water a little dawn dish soap and lemishine. mix well add cases and shake for several minutes let soak for 1/2 hour 45 mins and shake again for several minutes. Rinse well and allow to dry. Cases wont be shiney but no dirt grit or crude will be there to damage dies or tooling.

[fast ronnie]

I'm starting to build a tumbler for stainless pins. I like my cases clean inside and out and the vibratory bowl does not clean the inside or the primer pockets. That adds at least one more step to clean the pockets and the inside is still not clean. Just my preference, may not be necessary, but I don't like variables.

[warf73]

I use a MidwayUSA tumbler with corn cob and a cap full of Nu-Finish. Tumble for few hours (depends how dirty the brass is) dump and ready to load. The Nu-Finish leaves a slick finish so when sizing pistol brass it makes it easer on the sizing die. I've got some 40 S&W that has been loaded up for just over a year and looks like it did the day it came off the press.



157731

[bangerjim]

I do not go for "glistening like-new" brass. Darker brass loads & shoots just as well.

I use walnut shells with a tsp of BonAmi in an inexpensive nnnHF vib tumbler. Cleans darker brass in about 15 minutes. For shine, I then dump them in VERY VERY hot water with a tablespoon or two of citric acid. and let them sit for 10 minutes. Rise well and dry in the sun.

I could care less if the insides are black and the primer pockets are darkened. They shoot just the same.

But do whatever floats your boat. I'll be at the range shooting "dirty" brass and not spending time cleaning it. :D

bangerjim

[popper]

My US sits on a shelf under my WB (hornady - HF was returned). Cleans well enough, Seems like repeated US cleanings/reloadings on the same brass keeps PP clean. Don't much care about pistol but rifle PP I want clean. I haven't changed fluid for probably >500 cases, just add some water. Rinse in tap water & dry. SS pins $$ more and sifting them out seems like a pain.

[MUSTANG]

^^ picking stainless pins out can be a pain. I use a large magnet to do that job which speeds it up and helps leave any light debris (short pieces grass etc..) behind.

[farmerjim]

I size and deprime then I use the Harbor Freight 2 qt ultra sonic with citric acid and liquid soap for 9 minutes. Tumble dry in a towel for 30 sec. Dry 10 min in my 200 F convection oven, then tumble in vibratory tumbler with Lizard litter ( ground walnut shells) and some Nu Finish on a piece of paper towel for 5 minutes. They come out clean shiny and with a slick protective finish. I do about 350 9mm per load.

[dudel]

Check out the stickey in the Cast Boolists on Citric Acid.

All you need a $3 bottle of Citric Acid (Balls in the canning section of Wallmart), plastic tub/bucket, water and some dirty brass. It's replaced my 30 year old vibratory cleaner. I was considering SS pins till I tried the citric acid. Made a believer out of me. I deprime first, so primer pockets come clean, no pins to separate. Brass looks great. I'm done in 1/2 an hour.

No longer considering SS pins.

[KA0811]

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking a vibration tumbler was going to be my answer, because of simplicity but after dudel suggestions Ive been reading up on citric acid and I think I'll give it a try.seems simple and cheap.

[Shawlerbrook]

Harbor Freight ultrasonic with detergent and LemiShine . Gets them clean, but not looking better than new like the SS pins. I only care how it functions, not how shiny it looks.