Looking a new case tumbler with pins do not need a high volume one. Any suggestions
Looking a new case tumbler with pins do not need a high volume one. Any suggestions
I have had great success on small batches using the Harbor Freight rock tumbler and pins from ebay. For larger batches I use the Frankford Arsenal tumbler
I have thumblers model B on swappin and sellin
I'd second the HF tumbler.
3rd HF tumbler, works great for a pound of brass at a time.
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Make that a 4th on HF. I have the dual and bought extra belts just in case. Haven't replaced one yet.
Tumblers like other equipment is " You get what you Pay For" reloading Tumbler are made Cheap. Unlike Rock Tumblers that last for 20-30 Years . My Lortone was purchased In the late 1960 still runs Like New with no problems. the new reloading tumblers on the Market are nothing but Sub standard.
Buy Once and Once only. The best is hard to say But 4 are on the list Thumler ModelB, Lortone Qt12, Diamond Pacific, Covington. I do have 3 out Of the 4.
NRA Endowment Member
International Ammunition Association
New York, the Empire State Where Empires were Won and Lost
The Frankford arsenal tumbler is nice. The light is small, the platinum is larger and Includes pins.
Lots of Harbor Freight (Chinese) tumbler love here.
I am at the point now of not buying from HF.
Especially now with all that China has been doing.
I say buy American.
I bought the Frankford Arsenal tumbler that came with the SS pins.
Cheesh, if you had to buy the pins alone they are near $50.00 as I recall!
The unexamined life is not worth living....Socrates
Pain, is just weakness leaving the body....USMC
Fast is fine, but accuracy is FINAL!....Wyatt Earp
I tried wet tumbling in my HF rock tumbler. I didn't care for wet tumbling so I made some custom drums that were larger and barely fit on my dual drum HF rotary and dry tumble (I got a HF single drum tumbler in '89 and it lasted until I "improved" it in 2009). Then I bought the dual drum unit and use it along with my Lyman wobbler...
My Anchor is holding fast!
I love my Lyman Cyclone.
It is a fairly large tumbler...dale
You mentioned that you are not looking for high volume, but you don’t mention how often you will be tumbling. i.e. You shoot 50 rounds a week and tumble those 50 rounds after each firing or you shoot 50 rounds a few times a year and tumble after each firing. I have a Tumbler model B that has lasted around 40 years, and ultrasonic cleaner for 8 years, and an STM that I use with pins for about 5 years. At least for me, the pins do a much better job of cleaning the inside of the cases and I have not used the other two for cases since getting it. While my shooting time has been reduced over the past few years I have been happy to clean cases for several friends which I enjoy. I have no experience with the Harbor Freight tumbler.
To me you need to decide how often it will be used and go from there.
Maybe 50 to 100 every week bring home and clean.
Admirable but don't look at the "Made in ___" label on your computer. Or cell phone, or any other phone for that matter. Or portable power tools branded DeWalt, Millwakee, Porter-Cable, Skill, etc. (including most hand tools). Or your small kitchen appliances like toasters, microwaves, mixers. Or nuts and bolts and nails. Or common plumbing and electrical fixtures. If you look, you'll cry.
For quick little batches like that the FART is great. If you aren’t too picky about shiny primer pockets you can run without pins and save yourself some time and money.
I started wet tumbling with an HF Dual Drum rock tumbler, I wet tumbled with SS pins, I could tumble 50 30-06 cases in each drum (100 at a time) I could do 200 .45acp at a time. I now have the HF Tumbler and the FA Light for Rifle cases and the HF Tumbler for Handgun brass. The cost was less than $150 for the pair. I can do Rifle and Handgun Brass at the same time. I also bought the FA Wet Media Separator.
Ordered the Frankford Arsenal today from a local shop.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |