Wet Tumbler Recommendations

[powerspc]

Beat my Hornady Rotary Case Tumbler to death in about 3 months. I like to wet tumble [insert your own joke] so I am now ready for something more serious. Saw some older posts but couldn't find anything very recent on tumblers. Any opinions on:

• Extreme Tumbler Rebel 17
• Thumler's Model B
• Tru-Square Heavy Duty Rotary
• Lyman Cyclone

Leaning towards the Extreme but curious to hear from folks that are using/have used one and if I am missing anything obvious in the 'Commercial"/"Heavy Duty" tumbler world. Thanks in advance!

 

[LawnMM]

Thumler B

 

[Devildog]

Believe it or not I’ve had good luck with the Franklin Arsenal Platnium Series tumbler. That and there brass dryer has work really well. It’s the only Franklin arsenal stuff I have, I think most of there stuff seems cheap but these two items have been great!

 

[Strykervet]

Harbor Freight. The big orange cement mixer. It's HF, so likely the motor will burn up sooner than later, but the rest of it's pretty simple and a motor swap would be too. So far it's held up really well to tumbling hours worth of BMG brass. I use 50lbs of pins IIRC. It may be overkill for you, but if you're loading BMG in any quantity, it's the only way to go.

However, I talked to a US cleaner guy locally and he said there are decent sized commercial US cleaners for a decent price. If I had a US cleaner with a 2cu.ft. volume or so, I'd probably abandon other methods.

I have a dry tumbler and a Hornady US cleaner. The US cleaner by far works the best of them all but it doesn't hold enough BMG brass. But it'll do hundreds of other calibers, quickly too. And you can clean an entire M4 upper in one too.

 

[450AR]

Thumlers tumbler b
They can run a week without stopping polishing big rocks.
I got the FA platinum when my wife took my model B.
It's been working well and seems easier to use.
I'd like to try the rebel.
Looks heavy duty and high quality.

 

[Harveyn]

I'd recommend the Rebel 17. I've been running mine for 4 years and still works as good as the day i bought it. I've yet to need to replace any parts. It has easily done 10,000 of cases. It has great capacity as well. Around 220-250 308 sized and 120-150 magnum sized cases.
Here is a batch i just did yesterday and dried in the food dehydrator overnight.

 

[kindabitey]

I didn't see the CED Brass Tornado on your list. I've had one for about 3 years, and never an issue. At the end of the day, they all do the same thing, and what you buy is dependent on your budget. A cheap food dehydrator is a big plus.

 

[EXTREMEPREJUDICE]

I use the model B also, if you decide to go that route the upgrade to the knobs (over the little wing nuts) is well worth it.

 

[powerspc]

Appreciate all the input, there’s a lot of really good people on this forum. Anyway, not sure I’m any closer to a decision but still leaning towards the Extreme; it looks pretty heavy duty from what I can see online. I’m guessing I may be at that price point where I probably couldn’t go too wrong with any of the ones mentioned.

 

[47guy]

Appreciate all the input, there’s a lot of really good people on this forum. Anyway, not sure I’m any closer to a decision but still leaning towards the Extreme; it looks pretty heavy duty from what I can see online. I’m guessing I may be at that price point where I probably couldn’t go too wrong with any of the ones mentioned.

i ran an extreme at least 3x per month for a little over 7yrs only replaced the drive belt once and the lid gasket once...i sold it to a local guy that has ran several thousand cases with it and still going strong.

 

[ctso030]

i have a Frankford arsenal. had a few years works great

 

[z7.jled]

FART all the way

I’ve had mine 4 years, it has good capacity, and the timer works

No complaints ok it

 

[StealthOwl]

Thumler's with the SS pin media works great for me.

 

[shaun1826]

Frankford Arsenal works great. I don’t even use SS pins.

 

[kornface13]

I gotta put in another vote for the Frankford Arsenel. I've had mine for a while. Not so much as a hiccup.

 

[flyright]

The Extreme is a good bit more quiet than the FA if that matters to you. I've had my STM Extreme 17 for about 3 years with not a single issue.

 

[AZIROC]

Another Vote for the F.A.R.T. great, specially for bulk stuff.

 

[Tx_Aggie]

I've had the Lyman Cyclone for about a year and a half and am happy with it. No issues, no complaints. It runs as well as the day I bought it.

 

[magtech]

If you are a little bit handy you could build one for pretty cheap. I keep thinking about making one... but.... I dont see the needs to spend all that money for shiny brass. Hell, half the time i just reload without cleaning.. Everything depends on your needs.

 

[powerspc]

"Hell, half the time i just reload without cleaning..."

I've thrown brass out because it had water marks.

 

[rulellis]

I really like my Frankford Arsenal’s as well, no issues at all.

 

[Gilly]

Don’t buy one is my recommendation!!! I actually really liked my Frankfort arsenal one with stainless media. Brass looks fantastic coming out. But my case necks took a beating in there and it was so slow drying and making sure puns were out. I went to a Dillon vibratory one with walnut medi and couldn’t be happier! My wet tumbler will be in PX if I ever get around to listing it.

 

[northshorelumber]

I run the Rebel 17. Very happy with it and zero problems.

 

[TuskenRaider]

I dont have any experience with any of the other models but I got a Rebel 17 a couple of months ago and I am pretty impressed. If you decide to get one find it on amazon. You can get it on prime and save a couple bucks on shipping.

 

[SuperChop]

Another vote here for the Frankford Arsenal. I’ve used both their wet tumbler and the brass dryer for about a year now...no issues at all. Love the timer on the tumbler...wish the dryer came with one too. Very simple design, but very effective.

 

[kl3309]

Thumler's Model B is OK though I got tired of bustin' my fingers both doing up the wingnuts and prying the lid off. Was going to fix my old one up by replacing the wingnuts with regular nuts and drilling a hole in the metal lid so it won't form a vacuum on the gasket, but instead, replaced it with the RCBS Rotary Case Cleaner. The RCBS drum is a whole lot easier to seal and unseal but the drive unit, being gear-driven, is loud as fuck. Had previously considered the Extreme Tumbler but forgot all about it when I went shopping for the RCBS.

 

[Autofire]

I have been running the rebel 17, Love it!

 

[Cowley]

Thumler Rebel 17, SS pins. I have used about 4 years and no problems.

 

[Hussell]

I know it is not on your list but I have no complaints on my Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series. I am running several hundred 223 now and still had room for more.

 

[SmileMaker]

Lortone QT12 with either pins or ceramic media.

 

[Keel Haul]

i have a Frankford arsenal. had a few years works great

Same. Very pleased with it.

 

[mrtoyz]

Lyman. Drum half full, Dawn dish soap and Lemishine. Love it. Brass comes out new. Used Dillon and media for decades. Won’t go back.

 

[ChadJamesR]

I had a Thumler when wet tumbling first became popular. Had problems with it though and changed to the Frankford Arsenal. Never had a problem with the Frankford Arsenal and I've used it for 10's of thousands of cases over the years. I'm sure there could be better out now, but I haven't had the need to look for anything else.

 

[ken4570tc in WY]

+1 for the Extreme Rebel 17! I noticed the other day that Amazon had them as stand alone or kits with free Prime shipping and instant $50.00 off for applying and approval for credit card.

 

[101stinfantry]

I've been using the Frankford Arsenal one for about 4-5 years, no complaints yet. I dry mine in the oven......even though my wife frowns on the practice.

 

[Srgt. Hulka]

Rebel17. You won't be sorry.

 

[opeagle]

I’ve used the Thumlers B for several years. Just recently I’ve replaced the gasket, and the polymer bushings the shaft runs on. No complaints but I’d likely get the Rebel 17 if I were starting over. I’ve considered getting their base as the bearings will run longer than the poly bushing, and the motor support is better. I made a bracket to reinforce my Thumler.
One way to think about it is the Rebel is kinda like an improved Thumler.