Ultrasonic or Tumblers?

[TruthTellers]

I'm trying to get my ducks in a row to start reloading and I'd like to know which is a better choice for cleaning cases for a person getting into reloading and which is the best choice for the long run?

I will say I'm leaning more towards ultrasonic cleaners as they can clean more than just brass, they can be smaller in size, are quieter, and from what I gather, don't take as long to clean.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

My small Hornady ultrasonic is just gathering dust. It's what I started with and it did it's job. But the small unit just took too long for any decent amount of brass. And all that time I had to babysit it. The longest it will cycle is something like 8 minutes. It generally took me 3-4 of those cycles to get the brass to my liking. Then there's the need to rinse the brass and dry it. And it still doesn't get it as nice as my Lyman vibratory tumbler. The vibratory tumbler is louder, creates some dust (though it can be minimized), and you still have to sift the media out of the brass, but for me it works better and is actually quicker since I don't have to babysit the machine. Fill it up, turn it on, and go do something else for a couple hours.

A bigger ultrasonic cleaner might work better than my little Hornady did, but as much as the bigger ones tend to cost I'd switch to stainless pin wet tumbling before I bought a bigger ultrasonic. For now I'll stick with my vibratory tumbler, or concrete mixer when I have a LARGE volume of brass to clean.

 

[SwaneeSR]

Interesting.

My Lyman vibratory tumbler works well for pistol brass. I have a $5 timer that I use and setup and get thing started and put the timer on 2 hours and walk away. The media is cheap and works just fine. I bought my last bag of media at the pet store.

However, for rifle brass I was thinking of ultrasonic or wet tumbling. If I de-prime the brass, it will clean out the primer pockets. The only thing holding me back has been the cost of the equipment. I was worried about the brass drying. I had not considered the batch cleaning time.

As long as you do not co-mingle the .45acp, .40sw, 9mm, my dry vibratory tumbler works well and is easy to complete big batches. It is a pain to remove stuck together cases.

Instead of ultrasonic, maybe wet tumbling with the stainless pins is the way to go. I have even seen wet tumbling without the stainless media done online.

I do not regret starting with my Vibratory tumbler. I just want the primer pockets shiny and cleaned.

Swanee

 

[dh1633pm]

I use a tumbler with stainless steel pins. Its cleans everything inside and out. The empties do not necessarily shine, but they are clean. I dry outside in the summer using solar energy. Pins are rinsed and dried in an old frying pan using heat.

I got tired of all the dust from using a vibratory cleaner. And from removing all the particles stuck in the flash holes.

In the winter or when there is not enough solar power, I dry in the oven at 225 degrees for about 25 minutes. I have an ultrasonic cleaner on order, but not to clean brass. Want to use it to clean various parts that are dirty.

 

[GBExpat]

For many years I cleaned cases in a vibratory case cleaner [VCC] (and for many more years prior to that I washed them buy hand ).

I still own 2 VCCs and currently use them periodically to clean dirty cartridges.

Last December I purchased a Franklin Arsenal Rotary Tumbler [F.A.R.T. ] kit that came with a packet of stainless steel pins.

After I ran the first batch and saw the results , I realized that I would never use my 2 VCCs for case cleaning again. Inside & Out the cases looked NEW.

For starting out, I think that a VCC would be a wonderful addition to your initial reloading kit. Even if you later replace it with another device (as you probably will), you will still find uses for it.

 

[cfullgraf]

Dry tumbling with a vibrating "tumbler" is probably the most bang for the buck. Lots of good tumblers available for less than $100, some in the $50 range. These will hold 400-500 9x19 cases. Media is inexpensive and can be bought at the pet store (crushed walnut hulls for small critter pet bedding). Larger units are available.

Wet tumbling stainless pins will clean cases to like new condition. Equipment costs are higher than dry tumbling and dealing with the water and wet cases is a bit more work than dry tumbling but the cases are squeaky CLEAN.

When I used an ultrasonic cleaner several decades ago for cleaning cases, it would get the crud out of the cases but they would not be polished. Today, the magic elixirs available for ultrasonic cleaners may polish the cases as well. As WestKentucky said, it takes alot more attention than tumbling.

With either of the wet processes, you have to be sure your drying process gets all of the water out of the cases. I spread the wet cases out on a towel and, and just to be sure they are dry, let them dry for a week, stirring them periodically to dislodge any water. Some folks use various means to accelerate the drying process.

I dry tumble most of the time. Periodically, I wet tumble to get the cases back to super clean condition.

 

[jaguarxk120]

We wet tumble everything that comes from the range. Case's are as new inside and out.

Dry tumbling has fallen by the side. There is one dry tumbler set up with clean media (no polish) and loaded with wax. A dry tumble in there and the cleaned cases have a coat of wax, sizing through the carbide dies is as if they are greased, almost no effort.

 

[GBExpat]

... I spread the wet cases out on a towel and, and just to be sure they are dry, let them dry for a week, stirring them periodically to dislodge any water. Some folks use various means to accelerate the drying process ....

<nodding> After spinning out as much water as I can, I "bag & agitate" them twice in 2 different initially-dry towels prior to spreading them, one case deep, in corrugated cardboard flats (in my case, the cardboard base that holds catfood cans together under the plastic shrinkwrap).

I place the Flat(s) in front of a 16" fan that I have running in the basement for air circulation ... and walk away for at least 24 hours.

To me, the additional minor attention is well worth the results and nowhere near the "pain" that some folks mention.

O'course, I do 500-1500 cases per batch. I think that tiny batches would be a "pain".

 

[joem1945]

I have a larger ultra sonic but I use it for cleaning guns. For brass the fastest is a vib cleaner with crushed walnuts but noisy. A rotary tumbler takes longer but the brass looks nicer and thay are quiet. The Thumbler "B" while maybe more expensive is great. I did try the ultra sonic on brass but it took to long and baby sitting it is not my thing plus I had to dry the cases.

 

[oldpapps]

Everyone has their 'best' ideas and they are right. The problem is to find the way that works best for you and what you need to get done.

How much and what size?
I can get by with an old 'T' shirt and rubbing a dozen specialty cases with no problem. Move on to a K of .40s or .45s and that method isn't viable. 9MM would be more of a pain, in the hands.
So, how much of what becomes a major question.

I have but seldom use a 'rattle tub' with various type of grit/media. It makes dust, is noisy and cleans lots of brass at one time. From time to time I will obtain fair sized quantities of brass that is nasty, grass, gravel, twigs and dirt. The 'rattle tub' ends up being my first step.

I have a little sonic cleaner and I like it... for small jobs. It is my choice when cleaning a BCG from an AR but not for brass. Just too small of case numbers.

My, current, preferred cleaning method is a double rubber canister rock tumbler with Dawn detergent with water and stainless steal pins. Being a nut, I do a quick cleaning followed with sizing and de-priming and follow up with a full cleaning. Some powders will leave a shell on the inside of cases and sizing breaks this and the liquid after the second cleaning is just as black as the first time. Now to the concerns, not problems. Some times with some cases, I will get pins stuck inside of the brass (.223/5.56 type/sizes) and these require some shaking to get out. A few times two pins will wedge in the flash hole and need to be pushed out. And then there is the drying.... I picked up two 'food dehydrators' at yard sales. They dry brass quickly with no fuss.

So, your needs will be the determining factor. I can only tell how I deal with the task.

Load with care and enjoy.

 

[Crashbox]

I prefer ultrasonic since I can use the US cleaner for much more than firearm brass, e.g., handguns, reloading dies, prescription glasses (only occasionally), wristwatches, tools, etc. etc.

I had an ultrasonic cleaner before I took up this hobby and have since bought a second, larger one for larger tasks.

 

[TruthTellers]

For those who had used sonic cleaners and switched to tumblers, how long ago were you using those ultrasonic cleaners?

 

[someguy2800]

This may not help, but the place I work at has several 10 gallon ultrasonic tanks that are filled with lye and water and are heated to 150 degrees F. I put about 500 rounds of whatever type of brass in a gallon plastic jug with water and simple green degreaser in it, screw on the cap and toss it in. 5 minutes later the water in the jug is black and the brass will be 100% clean, even the primer pockets. So ultrasonic's do work very well and very fast if you have one with alot of power.

 

[cfullgraf]

For those who had used sonic cleaners and switched to tumblers, how long ago were you using those ultrasonic cleaners?

When i started reloading around 1980, I used an ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning cases only because i already had one in inventory for other purposes.

A few years later, I could buy a rock tumbler and cleaned cases with dry media. Vibrating cleaners for home use were not as available, if at all, then as now.

I got my first vibrating cleaner in the late 1980s and my first wet/stainless pin cleaning system around 2011 or 2012, another rock tumbler.

 

[salpal48]

I was going to get a sonic but Most people I know who Have One . don't use It . and cycls slow. I decided to Use only Dry Tumblers. I have a Total of * in various sizes. from 2 lb to 20. . all are usable and runs Continuous. . also stopped useing Pins. To me they did More damage than It was worth
sal

 

[beag_nut]

I use only an ultrasonic cleaner, because I am interested only in cleanliness, not shininess. I can't care less what the cases look like, but I care very much that they and the primer pockets are clean.

 

[TruthTellers]

I use only an ultrasonic cleaner, because I am interested only in cleanliness, not shininess. I can't care less what the cases look like, but I care very much that they and the primer pockets are clean.

So, Tumblers make the brass shinier, but both will clean them just as well?

 

[KansasSasquatch]

So, Tumblers make the brass shinier, but both will clean them just as well?

Yep. Ultrasonic cleaners just take longer, for me at least. My ultrasonic will only run for short cycles and has to be babysat, so I have to be physically near it during the entire cleaning process, plusbthe time to rinse solution off (some solutions will corrode brass over time) and the time to dry brass. With a vibratory tumbler its (basically) plug it in and step away from it while it does the cleaning. The only time I use my ultrasonic these days is when I'm cleaning 5.7x28 brass. It has a polymer coating that tumblers wear off and tha can cause severe feeding issues in an FN Five Seven. And actually if the 5.7 brass isn't too dirty I just let it soak in a soap and water in a bucket for awhile then give it 5 minutes of good agitation. Quicker than the ultrasonic and less babysitting.

 

[spitballer]

I use an ultrasonic myself, but I can see where a tumbler might be easier to "set and forget", esp with shallower handgun brass. I expected dazzling .223 cases with no work when I bought my ultrasonic, but it turns out I still have to swab carbon off the bottom around the flash hole and under the shoulders for a true clean.

 

[Hondo 60]

If I were starting over, I think I'd go with wet tumbling.
(which is different than ultrasonic.)

The results I've seen with wet tumbling are just unbelievable.

Brass that sat out in the rain & got all tarnished come out looking like brand new.
It even cleans the primer pocket.

 

[beag_nut]

So, Tumblers make the brass shinier, but both will clean them just as well?

No. In my experience, seeing what results others get from tumblers, ultrasonic is more efficient/gets into the primer pockets without any follow-up. Plus, there's no clean-up of the tumbler debris and media to worry about.
Again, I don't care about the shiny appearance from a tumbler. Of course, I also use the cleaner recommended by the ultrasonic maker.

 

[MislMan]

I love my ultrasonic. I have lots of already cleaned brass waiting for loading so I never in a hurry. I do 9mm and 45 ACP in small lots (400-500). Load the basket with 2 handfuls of brass and start the 8 minute timer. I sit down in the garage in my large camping chair and browse the net on my laptop. Every 8 minutes (1 cycle) I remove the basket, swish basket/brass in clean water deep pan ($2 at Home Depot, plastic) and spread on drying towel. Load next basket and repeat. Sometime later in the week I gather the dried brass and place into "Tupperware" style containers and store under the loading bench with the other cleaned brass. Takes maybe 1.5 hrs or so but most of the time is just surfing the net. Pour out the rinse water and change the cleaning basin and no muss no fuss. Quiet, clean and simple.

... Larry S.

 

[AABEN]

I like my Lyman I can clean 200 223 in a short time use my wife blow drier and reload them in a very short time they are clean in side out also the primer pockets. I re size before cleaning them. YES I would by one again. OH by the way I use the heater on my Lyman I let the brass set in there for about 30 min and then go throw 2 full cycles I also keep adding Lyman cleaner each time I clean my brass. I also let it set till all the powder settles to the bottom them dip off the good clean cleaner and dump the dirty water.

 

[TruthTellers]

When drying the brass, does anyone think it would be an issue if they were dried on low, low heat in an oven? To give a specific temp, I'm talking lower than 200 degrees.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

I used to dry mine on "Low" which was below the 200* setting on my over. Never saw any issues with it.