Anyone else hesitant about $40 media separators? (I guess this is a product review)

[Outlaws]

Well I sure was. But I splurged and bought the Dillon one when I got my CV-500 tumbler yesterday. I don't know what to say...$40 for something that a strainer could probably do. I mean, it can't possibly get every little piece of corn cob out...can it?

Well, after tumbling 100 pieces of 243 brass (primer still in), I took each piece of brass out of the separator separately and did a salt shaker move to count how much corn cob didn't make its way out. Then I did 200 pieces of 204 brass (primer still in), except I only did a bit over half with the shaker effect, then I got bored.

The book said it would completely remove all media from brass in only a matter of seconds. So I tumbled it for about 15 seconds.

End result? My salt shaker test failed to dump out a single piece of corn cob. I don't even know what to say to Dillon about that. Beginners luck?

 

[Sunray]

My $1Cdn plastic collander works fine for most cartridges. Doesn't always work for .243 though. The size of the media has a lot to do with it. That wee 6mm hole can cause the media to get stuck too.

 

[sublimaze41]

I love mine and to me it is worth every penny. I can spin the basket a bit faster if I want complete media brass separation.

 

[byf43]

Well I sure was. But I splurged and bought the Dillon one when I got my CV-500 tumbler yesterday. I don't know what to say...$40 for something that a strainer could probably do. I mean, it can't possibly get every little piece of corn cob out...can it?

Well, after tumbling 100 pieces of 243 brass (primer still in), I took each piece of brass out of the separator separately and did a salt shaker move to count how much corn cob didn't make its way out. Then I did 200 pieces of 204 brass (primer still in), except I only did a bit over half with the shaker effect, then I got bored.

The book said it would completely remove all media from brass in only a matter of seconds. So I tumbled it for about 15 seconds.

End result? My salt shaker test failed to dump out a single piece of corn cob. I don't even know what to say to Dillon about that. Beginners luck?

I've gone through so many 'tricks' to separate media, it isn't funny.

A shooting/hunting buddy bought one of the Dillon's for me, to replace a bunch of 9mm and .45 acp brass that he 'liberated' from my loading room.
(And he had the nerve to load them up before he took them!)

I have the large Dillon media separator.

This separator is slicker than snot on a doorknob!!!!!

I'll never go back to the other ways.

 

[roo_ster]

I find that I don't tumble large amounts of the same cartridge. So, I end up using the mesh baggies and stuff several bags 'o brass in the vibratory cleaner & let 'er rip for an hour or so.

When done, I dump out into a 5-gal bucket and grab a bag play it back & forth between my hands for 5-10 sec & it is ready to go into the correct coffee can. Repeat for other bags. Dump media back into cleaner.

 

[happy old sailor]

after a report like this one, the need for a separator is getting strong. however, most of my reloading is of big straightwall pistol rounds and i just get a few from the media and shake them a little. i size and deprime before cleaning, checking the primer hole before putting them in the press. . and, i really dont know if i want to add another step to my reloading sequence. hmmmm

 

[1911user]

A rotary seperator is by far the best way to go in my experience. In the past, I used a sifter type that fit down inside a 5 gallon bucket. It sort of worked, but was very loud! and actually was work to shake everything by hand.

For all of you tightwads (myself somewhat included), just spend the $25-$40 and get something that works much better than all of the homemade and dollar store substitutes often mentioned. They'll last darn near forever if not abused.

 

[jacobhh]

I've thought about getting a Dillon separtor also, but
I only load relatively small quantities of bottle neck
rifle and I know I'd still shake every one and check each
primer hole anyway so there's little point.

I think they have a name for this behavior but I'm in denial.

 

[Bula]

Funny, I've been kicking around the idea of purchasing of one these. Anyone using the "cabelas' branded one? my one reservation is the size of these things.

 

[FieroCDSP]

I picked up the lyman strainer. It works okay for separating the bulk of the walnut media from my cases, but I still have to use the cat-litter scoop and a coffee mug to get rid of the rest. The 223's I did recently required a salt-shaker move. It still beats hunting for them by hand.

 

[jfh]

I bought the FA bucket version from Midway this Spring to replace a hand sifter. A bit cheaply made, but works just fine. It definitely contains the media better than a baking pan.

And, it looks like Graf has an even smaller version--maybe a little tabletop one that should be just fine for dealing with 200-250 pistol cases.

The Midway one is $30.00, and the Graf one is $20.00--I think.

Jim H.

 

[Noxx]

Personally I just a plastic collander, set in on top of my cleaner, and let it vibrate all the media back into the cleaner.

 

[Otto]

I couldn't see spending sixty bucks for a Dillon so I just recycled some plastic buckets...works fine.

 

[strat81]

My poor butt uses the Frankford Arsenal tumbler and separator combo from Midway. Works well enough, just have to be careful with the separator or you'll dump media everywhere. I do have some corn cob suck in the flash holes of my 9mm brass though...

 

[LotI]

I just found the RCBS locally for $28.99

I've used it for .357 & .223 and it works great. No dust and it takes 20 seconds of turning to completely clean them out. I use corncob. The nice thing about the cover is lack of dust

 

[1911user]

LotI, I use the same seperator except mine doesn't say RCBS. It came from Grafs and is purple (instead of the expected blue), but it works well. If someone can't tell from the picture, the bottom is solid. It does not need to sit on top of a bucket. With the lid closed, no media dust gets in the air. Breathing fine walnut dust can't be a good thing. Read the reviews at LotI's midway link, they describe the products' good and weak points well.

 

[koja48]

My RCBS works just fine.

 

[jhansman]

$40 to separate brass from walnut shells? I don't think so! I got Cabela's Media Sifter Pan ($8) and a 5 Gal. bucket from Home Depot ($3) and I'm good to go. Lets me fondle my brass before the next step, just the way I like it.

 

[jmorris]

I built the one in the photo it worked ok until I got the big Dillon one ($60); maybe I’ll turn the one I made into a small grill someday.

 

[RustyFN]

I love mine. I didn't realize how much faster it was until I bought one. I bought mine from Graf's for $25. I think Midway has one for around the same price.
Rusty

 

[ARGarrison]

Bula,

I have one of the "Cabela's" brand separators. Got it last Christmas from my brother after I pointed it out in the catalog. Haven't sent any necked cartridges rolling in it, but it does work well on striaght walled pistol cartridges. I like it much better than panning for Brass.

 

[Navy joe]

I consider mine invaluable, it saves a ton of time. I know a colander would work, I tried making a bucket separator, not very efficient. When I want to clean brass I want to clean thousands of pieces, multiple tumbler loads. I really don't like fussing with the media long. My big Dillon vibratory cleaner came to me used for $30, so that and the $40 squirrel cage have cleaned about 50K pieces of brass. Well worth it.

 

[Bula]

I just picked up the Cabelas brand seperator, it works really well. I ran a batch of about 150 .44 mag cases and about 100 .45 acp cases. Dumped the media and brass in, about 10 or so turns of the handle, I had media free brass in a removable container, no mess on the floor, and all the media ready to get dumped back into the tumbler. I'd say it's definately worth the $20.

 

[Linear Thinker]

I have the larger Dillon media separator, it's worth every penny they charge. It works exceptionally well for pistol cartridges. 243 is a tough cartridge to empty as the mouth is small, and the corn cobs or walnut granules can stick together inside the case.
I tried the pan sifters, and Lyman's perforated top for the tumbler bowl.
Nothing works as well as the Dillon.
LT

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

+1 on the cheap plastic strainer/collander. I can sift a tumbler full of media in...i dunno, a minute? seems like spending more to save less than a minute is a waste