Do you use a sonic cleaner or media tumbler, and why? I've always used a sonic cleaner as they are faster but mine just broke and I want to make sure Im not missing anything. I dont really care if my brass is polished and shiny on the outside, as long as the pockets and insides get cleaned I'm happy. What say you?
- Thread starter Mbaysinger89
- Start date
I use a tumbler. I like the abrasiveness as apposed to a sonic cleaner. I can also polish the brass with a tumbler and can't do that with a sonic cleaner. But I feel whatever you feel comfortable using, use it. Either way is right, I don't think you can go wrong. The only drawback with the tumbler is the noise. If you're doing this in your living room, your better half is not going to be happy. I use my furnace room so the noise isn't a problem.
I use a media tumbler with walnut shell media mixed with a bit of Comet. I like purty brass.
Not sure I'd want to shoot Comet residue down my rifle bore, but to each their own...
To each their own, but I use a cheap car polish called Nu Finish. I add 2 dabs about the size of a quarter to new walnut media. I can clean and polish about 10k rounds with this. I then clean out the tumbler and start all over. I've been using this technique for more than 5 years and I'm still on my first bottle of this polish.
Is the only reason to tumble to polish the brass? It seems to be coming up alot. Does it clean primer pockets and/or the inside of the case?
No, but tumbling accomplishes 2 tasks in 1 operation. You don't need to polish while tumbling, just put in your walnut shells and clean away.
Now, lets get to the meat of the subject. Do you de-prime before or after tumbling???
I almost never clean brass unless it gets muddy.
I tumble for 3 reasons, occasionally 2 times in a load cycle:
-Clean the brass before it goes into the annealer or my dies. (on as needed basis)
-Clean the lube off my brass. (every load cycle)
-Polish brass (when it looks and feels dirty, usually 3-4 load cycles)
I have not found dry tumbling to work at cleaning the primer pockets. Just not enough agitation going on in that small space to be effective. Tried with multiple media types, I just clean them with a tool.
I use the Lyman green treated corn cob until it's nearly grey, add bits of torn up rags with mineral spirits between tumbling cycles to keep the dust down on occasion, but the stuff does break down. When I want a good polishing or cleaning I'll use some fresh media after the lube has been cleaned off. But if I just need to knock the lube off, I can run it with dirty media for an hour.
I do have an utrasonic cleaner but haven't bothered using for brass cleaning, the drying process associated with it or wet tumbling seems to much of a PITA for me I'd rather just clean the pockets by hand.
-Clean the brass before it goes into the annealer or my dies. (on as needed basis)
-Clean the lube off my brass. (every load cycle)
-Polish brass (when it looks and feels dirty, usually 3-4 load cycles)
I have not found dry tumbling to work at cleaning the primer pockets. Just not enough agitation going on in that small space to be effective. Tried with multiple media types, I just clean them with a tool.
I use the Lyman green treated corn cob until it's nearly grey, add bits of torn up rags with mineral spirits between tumbling cycles to keep the dust down on occasion, but the stuff does break down. When I want a good polishing or cleaning I'll use some fresh media after the lube has been cleaned off. But if I just need to knock the lube off, I can run it with dirty media for an hour.
I do have an utrasonic cleaner but haven't bothered using for brass cleaning, the drying process associated with it or wet tumbling seems to much of a PITA for me I'd rather just clean the pockets by hand.
Tumbler > ultrasonic. I have both but I only use the US to do a preliminary cleaning on brass before resizing. And then only if its REALLY dirty. Otherwise a quick wash in hot water with a drop or two of dish soap gets it clean enough for resizing. Then I tumble in 50/50 mix corn cob/walnut with a couple cap fulls mineral spirits to take off the lube and shine 'em up.
Ive always done it after and cleaned the pockets with a tool. It’s a pain getting the media out of the pocket anyway, might as well spend that time actually cleaning it up.
I use walnut in a tumbler b-4 sizing and to remove sizing lube. I heard and I seriously don't know if there is anything to it, that ultra sonic cleaning gets the inside of the case to clean. The carbon residue left behind when tumbling in media acts as a lube when seating the bullets. Even when you brush out the necks there is still some carbon residue.
Crushed walnut. Before and after sizing.
Looks like I'm in the minority here.
I wet/ss tumble my brass after every firing. Bring the empties home, deprime, and tumble in tap water and a couple drops of dawn. My main reasons for doing this are keeping my dies and equipment clean and keeping the brass and primer pockets clean. I think there is something to be said about keeping the inside of cases and primer pockets clean and uniform. Carbon deposits eventually build up and change internal volumes.
For drying I just roll them out flat on a towel. At some point I'll roll them around a bit. Then when moving them back into boxes I shake/tap them to make sure there is no media left in the cases. I average like 5 pins inside cases per 100 at this point. I generally put them in ammo boxes neck down so anything left will drain. I shake the boxes around a little sometimes too to make sure the brass is dry, clean, and empty.
After typing this, it makes it seem like a lot of shit. Realistically, it takes me maybe 15 minutes per 100 cases for all the hands on steps. Tumble time depends on how many and how dirty they are. 1-3 hours, usually. I let them dry on the towel overnight.
BTW, I've got an US cleaner too. That's reserved for gun parts.
I wet/ss tumble my brass after every firing. Bring the empties home, deprime, and tumble in tap water and a couple drops of dawn. My main reasons for doing this are keeping my dies and equipment clean and keeping the brass and primer pockets clean. I think there is something to be said about keeping the inside of cases and primer pockets clean and uniform. Carbon deposits eventually build up and change internal volumes.
For drying I just roll them out flat on a towel. At some point I'll roll them around a bit. Then when moving them back into boxes I shake/tap them to make sure there is no media left in the cases. I average like 5 pins inside cases per 100 at this point. I generally put them in ammo boxes neck down so anything left will drain. I shake the boxes around a little sometimes too to make sure the brass is dry, clean, and empty.
After typing this, it makes it seem like a lot of shit. Realistically, it takes me maybe 15 minutes per 100 cases for all the hands on steps. Tumble time depends on how many and how dirty they are. 1-3 hours, usually. I let them dry on the towel overnight.
BTW, I've got an US cleaner too. That's reserved for gun parts.
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