View Full Version : Tumbler suggestions
Looking for input on tumbler's. Didn't find much with a search. As with most things these days, there is a large selection to choose from. I'm looking to clean mostly .223/5.56 as I have a friend that can acquire all the free once fired LE brass we can carry. Mostly LC, but others mixed in as well. I realize the cost savings won't be huge, but really want the ability to roll my own as the potential political change draws closer.
Not looking to pinch every penny. Just want a quality 110V medium to large capacity unit that works and lasts. Would also value input on cleaning media. Any advice appreciated.
I use Hornady tumbler with crushed walnut media and some dillon additive.
After about 4hr the brass is nice and clean.
Kurt Reifert
03-05-08, 12:09
Brass doesn't need to be shiny for it to be clean. If you're pinching pennies, just run it 'till it's clean and forget the shine.
If you're doing large volumes, you can pick up one of those small electric cement mixers. they can be had pretty cheap and do a great job on big lots.
Buy your media in 50 lb bags from a place that sells blasting media. Some welding shops sell it.
You can also use car polish. Buy whatever auto polish is on sale at your local automart. It's a lot cheaper than the polish sold for tumbling media.
If you go with non-standard sources for polishing media, make sure you match the size of the media to your cases. For example, it would be a completely foolish idea to save a couple of bucks and purchase pet store corn cob media used in lizard cages and tumble hundreds of .223 cases in it.
Being the intelligent fellow that I am, I new this to be an unwise move and avoided catastrophe.....;)
Thank you for the replys. Forgot to ask in the op. Is it best to tumble with the spent primer still in the case, or should it be removed first? I've heard varying opinions as to what's best.
Thank you for the replys. Forgot to ask in the op. Is it best to tumble with the spent primer still in the case, or should it be removed first? I've heard varying opinions as to what's best.
My rifle brass gets both. About an hour when it's dirty, and another hour to get the case lube off (at which point the primer is gone)
It doesn't matter though. Tumbling won't clean the primer pockets anyway. The carbon is too hard. I just leave it in there.
And I agree on the shiney nonsense. Shiney makes you feel good, but it doesn't do anything for function.
I have the generic blue one that Midway sales and it has worked great for a few years
Thanks to all for the help.
lanceriley
11-25-08, 22:41
You can also use car polish
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what do you mean by car polish? turle wax?
One word, Dillion. They rock. I am a bolt snapper and have sent mine back twice in ten years because I screwed it up. They fixed it, no questions asked, no charge.
Matt
laportecharlie
11-30-08, 16:38
+1 for Dillon. Finally wore out my first one after 22 years and untold thousands of rounds. Just got a new one.
Charlie
My RCBS is 20 years old I would guess, been in storage for 15 years and still works like it is new.
toddackerman
12-01-08, 22:58
Dillon and Midway both make good vibratory tumblers. Dillon also has a very good polish.
I clean the fired cases for about 4 hours in treated corn cob. I also tumble my loaded cases to get the lube off.
I use Horady One Shot Spray (not gel) lube, and it isn't as gummy as roll on lubes so wprking with the cases through the reloading process isn't a messsy issue.
For those who are wondering about tumbling live rounds....all the ammo manuvactures do it after assembly, and I've done it for 25 years without incident. None. You just don't want to overdue it. 10 minutes is good enough. There are some claims that over tumbling loaded rounds effects the powder in a neagative way. I know that 10 minutes does not as many many times I have fired .3 MOA groups with tumbled .308 ammo.
lanceriley
12-02-08, 04:29
really? i thought tumbling loaded rounds were dangerous.
how about tumbling pistol rounds?
won't it hurt the Lead Head?
Whenever I load pistol rounds, the hardest part is removing the residual wax on the lead SWC.
I've been using a Midway tumbler for nearly 20 years now. It runs an average of 8 hours per week and has done so without incident. I use crushed walnut media from WalMart and NuFinish car polish, thinned with mineral spirits.
A lot of people have had issues with the Midway motors, but mine's been fine. If I was buying a new one I'd look at the ones that Berry Bullets list on their site.
really? i thought tumbling loaded rounds were dangerous.
Old myth. Completely bunk.
how about tumbling pistol rounds?
won't it hurt the Lead Head?
Whenever I load pistol rounds, the hardest part is removing the residual wax on the lead SWC.
No idea. I've never shot lead bullets. Your tumbling media should be considered a hub of lead contamination. I read somewhere that the tumbler and media offer the greatest lead exposure to a shooter.
I don't suppose it would hurt to try to tumble some of the SWCs.
lanceriley
12-02-08, 09:44
i'll load some ammo later... then tumble them tom. thanks.
If using a carbide sizing die, there won't be any lube on the cases to need to clean in the tumbler. When reloading bottleneck cases, I lube the cases and then tumble to remove lube, I don't lube the pistol case and they are good to go right out of the press, even the LSWC and LRN.
If using a carbide sizing die, there won't be any lube on the cases to need to clean in the tumbler. When reloading bottleneck cases, I lube the cases and then tumble to remove lube, I don't lube the pistol case and they are good to go right out of the press, even the LSWC and LRN.
I think he's talking about the coating on the bullet, not case lube. :confused:
lanceriley
12-02-08, 11:28
yes it's the lube on the bullet head.
I don't use case lube since it's a Lee Carbide Die
MarkM,
That was obvious, I just stated what I do.
There's some guy on TOS that wants to know if a Concrete/mortar mixer would make for a good brass tumbler.
He says he can get one of those for about $200. (I think actual tumblers can be had for $100 or less depending on size)
After all these years, the level of stupidity on that sight has still not bottomed out.
lanceriley
01-08-09, 09:29
who would have that much brass to use a cement mixer to tumble thier brass
I don't think the guy is long on brass....
Just short on brains.
achildofthesky
02-17-09, 21:20
I bought a basic orange Lyman tumbler and I am very impressed at its durability. I sell brass to fund my shooting sport costs and have ran 10's of 10's of thousands of various brass through it. It will do about 350-400 9mm at a time and they come out sparkling bright using lyman green cob and new or old dryer sheet strips. The new ones have a feature that tumbles out the grit through a doored port in the bottom of it. Pretty cool!
Patty
There's some guy on TOS that wants to know if a Concrete/mortar mixer would make for a good brass tumbler.
He says he can get one of those for about $200. (I think actual tumblers can be had for $100 or less depending on size)
After all these years, the level of stupidity on that sight has still not bottomed out.
Process 10K/week and you'll see the need for a Cement mixer.
I know of a few used brass sellers that use exactly that. a Harbor freight Cement mixer. I have a friend that got the contract to clean up a local range's brass. He gets roughly 10 5 Gallon buckets of brass a week. Once he sorts it(which takes a few hours per bucket due to the range just throwing it all in one bucket) he just dumps it into his cement mixer and walks away. He claims it's easier to process 2500 cases at once in a mixer than phutzing with a tumbler at that point....And I'm entitled to agree.
Should EVERYONE run out and buy a mixer instead of a tumbler? No. BUT there IS a niche that a mixer can fill.
Now, if I can only get him to cut me a deal on 5K LC brass, I'd be happy....:D
EDIT: I should add that this was a mixer purchased for ONLY that use. I wouldn't try using one that you used to mix cement for your deck's footers.....
Process 10K/week and you'll see the need for a Cement mixer.
This Okie wasn't processing that volume. He was just an idiot who didn't realize that a brass tumbler is cheaper than a $199 mixer. :p
This Okie wasn't processing that volume. He was just an idiot who didn't realize that a brass tumbler is cheaper than a $199 mixer. :p
But you cannot stir up concrete for that new Pig smoker with your tumbler :D:D
But you cannot stir up concrete for that new Pig smoker with your tumbler :D:D
Yeah!
I should go on the brick layer's forum and ask if I can use a brass tumbler to mix mortar! :p
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