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Hornady Sonic Cleaner

Sportin Wood

Sportin Wood

Team Hardwood
Full Member
Minuteman
    • Jul 17, 2010
    3,601
    236
    The Woods, WA
    I did some searching online and can't find much discussion on the Hornady Lock N Load Sonic Cleaner. Natchez Shooters Supplies has a sale for $10 off which pretty much just saves you a liltte bit of the shipping, but I was wondering if it was worth buying to use instead of a tumbler. Looks like they also created a solution just for brass cleaning. Does anyone have this or know more about it?
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    I have both the unit and the cleaner. It works just as advertised. With the cleaner and distilled water, it gets cases clean in/out with 5-6 cycles.

    Happy with mine.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    Other than the color, looks just like the cleaner I bought from Harbor Freight a few years ago... for $69.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    I also ues both the cleaner and fluid. It works well and if you are only cleaning 50 or so cases at a time its a much faster process than a tumbler. Just make sure you get the fluid with it if you buy.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    All sonic cleaners work the same, it's the solution that you put in that makes them clean cases better/worse than others.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    I saw that sale and was looking to try it out, it would be my first sonic cleaner. I only do 20 to 60 cases at a time anyway so thats not an issue. KRELOADER what do you mean 5 to 6 cycles ? translate to time please?
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    Each cycle is 480 seconds (8 mins). I usually run 3 cycles, let it sit for a few minutes, then repeat the 3 cycles.

    They are pretty clean after the first 3, I just like the primer pockets to be clean and no carbon on the necks.

    So, my total clean time is about 50 minutes or so, but I am usually loading other things, so easy to get done while reloading.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    I bought one but haven't used it yet. i will use it/try it for all of my cases but bought it mostly to deal with cleaning my 5.7x28 cases. They have a coating on the brass that supposedly is there to help with feeding/extraction of the cases and some report that tumbling in media will damage/remove the coating over time. So I figured this was an good alternative. I am also anal so if it cleans better/faster than my tumbler I will use it for all other calibers too.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    i like mine but refuse to buy there cleaner so i use 2.5 cups of white distilled viniger and top that off with purified water.2 cycles at max time and shazam there clean.i put a little bakin soda in some water to rinse off the vigner then drain and put into the dryer for 30 min.cases are ready for work at that point.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: motodog</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i like mine but refuse to buy there cleaner so i use 2.5 cups of white distilled viniger and top that off with purified water.2 cycles at max time and shazam there clean.i put a little bakin soda in some water to rinse off the vigner then drain and put into the dryer for 30 min.cases are ready for work at that point. </div></div>

    Any reason against their cleaning substance?
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    Used mine for 1st time today really works well with the cleaner. Did 60 pieces of Lapua .308 5 cycles of 480 seconds each worked like a charm. 1 capful of cleaner, and distilled water to max fill line.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    FWIW----I just got the harbor frt unit. You can find a 20% off coupon in most any magazine and get it for about $57. I tinkered with some solutions. I found that a solution of about 30% vinegar and 70% tap water did really good. I heated up the unit and did 3-4 cycles and the brass came out pretty darn nice. Not as shiney as many hours in the vibratory but definately cleaner. I also "thought" the neck tension when seating bullets felt a bit more consistant in this brass.
    NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS....I'm not sure it the ultrasonic that's really doing the cleaning. I had cleaned up some old brass in a old household pan with the same kind of solution before and it turned out just as well with a little "stirring".
    All I can say is.....in our kitchen we have a stove, a crockpot, a pizza oven, a warming oven, and a roaster.....everything that we do can be done in the oven without the others. I guess I can own a $57 ultrasonic cleaner even if I think I can pretty much do as well on the stove.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    I don’t know what hornady puts in their cleaning solution but I can tell you that it works well. You might give it a try and see what you think. It only takes a small amount of it to go a long way. Also you can run the solution for many cycles for more than 1 set of brass. This beats trying to get a mixture right and trying to get vinegar off the brass.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    I'm a little curious about the distilled water thing. The whole point of ultra-sonic cleaning is to create cavitation and by having some minerals in the water this helps. I guess they want "their" minerals in the water. I don't know if it's in their instructions; but, it also helps to runs a few cycles to "de-gas" the water...Or maybe that's why they have you use distilled?

    "Iosso makes a case cleaner, you can buy it in quarts or gallons. Works pretty good by itself, should work even better in an ultrasonic. http://www.iosso.com/"

    They also say on the bottle to avoid using that in a metal container. But I guess a little wouldn't hurt.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    Try this cleaning solution (Citranox). It comes in one gallon jugs. It will go along way. The ultra sonic cleaner can be used for cleaning cans and flash or muzzle brakes.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    But is anyone giving up their regular media tumblers to use the ultrasonic cleaners, or are you doing both.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    My regular tumblers and corn cob media are out in the garage collecting dust. I use stainelss media in the thumlers now and it is, by far, the BEST method I have tried. I also have a ultrasonic unit that is equivalent to the Hornady and its not that good. I now have an industrial type ultrasonic and it is good, and cleans the brass well but doesnt leave it all shiney and new looking like the thumlers/ss. But, with the powerful type ultra, you can clean fast if you need to, though you still have to dry, etc.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    I use mine for cleaning my suppressors. I with the right cleaner it should work for you. Contact you suppressor maker and ask them which cleaner they recommend. My cans are made of steel not aluminum.
    The ultra sonic cleaning process works great for other things besides brass.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    Yep, which is why even though I went stainless media, I still keep my ultrasonics. THey work great on other stuff....drop your dirty shooting glasses in there and they come out spotless...no gunk, sweat crap, etc. Works good on gun parts too.
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    well went to a local dealer of German made Elma
    ultrasonic cleaner and the guy told me to bring some dirty cases and he would show me how fast it is and no fuss
    brought him 400 30-06 case and but them in one of is industrial grade cleaner with distil water and some cleaning agent which he say his for brass cleaning
    guys no 12 hrs tumbling and removing the media just 20 minutes and they where all clean
    this cleaner has a drain valve so he drained the dirty water in a basket fill the cleaner with some new distill water and rinsing agent for 5 minutes than drain again and that is it
    in all took 45 minutes
    all that is left to do is to dry them in the dryer on the shoe platform
    the downside is its cost you $ 600 for the cleaner
    but since I don't have a tumbler and media
    might just buy it with a couple 100 dollars more than the tumbler and media
    and save time and being scared that somehow I forgot a media inside the case and ruin a barrel
     
    Re: Hornady Sonic Cleaner

    For those that are interested the Hornady Sonic Cleaner is made by a company called Gemoro. I bought mine from these guys and saved money over the cost of the Hornady. It has the same warranty and looks exactly the same. I use the Hornady solution and it works great.
     
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