Yeah I have my case cleaner running, and it’s gotten loud loud LOUD, among other maladies.

Time for a 21st-century cleaner/system.

So, what do you use or recommend. Some kind of a sifter would be good too ...

rb

Saved

You should try a wet system, I bought a Frankford Arsenal system on sale to give it a try and have not used my "Vibrator" since.

BTW, I use an RCBS Sifter to separate the stainless pins.

Tumbler
Separator

Rick,

Stick with a vibratory tumbler.

The stainless media gets schidt too clean, specifically in the necks.

Carbon build up is good for ES/SD

FWIW

I'm with Hig ^. I don't want to mess with wet brass and separating pins.
I don't really need the jewelry shine the wet systems provide; walnut media works for me.
I'm on my second Frankford Arsenal vibrator, the first one lasted about 12 years.
The separator I use is pretty basic.

FA vibratory cleaner
Media sifter

There is a reason Scenarshooter dips his new brass necks in Redding graphite neck lube.

SS wet tumbler. I dip the necks in graphite before priming. I personally like shiny clean brass with spotless primer pockets. This also keeps my dies clean of abrasive carbon. I’m using the Frankfurt Arsenal. I also bought extra SS pins. I put in the brass then almost completely fill the remaining space with pins. Keeps from denting thin necks. They rub more than tumble violently. A little dish soap and Lemishine in the tumbler. I anneal every firing to keep everything equal and extend the life of the brass. I lose primer pockets not necks.

And by dipping the clean necks I control the graphite to make sure it’s uniform. I also wipe the graphite off the outside so I’m not lubing the case in the chamber causing increased bolt thrust.

FWIW, I dip necks on new brass.

Once fired, nope.

I use an old Dillon vibrator with corn cob media and Nu Finish car polish. It works but I have to let them vibrate for a few hours. I don't clean brass often though. When it's time to anneal I'll clean them.

Guess I wasn’t kidding. Went to go turn off the vibrator, and it was already off. Wouldn’t turn back on. All that racket meant it was on its last legs, I guess. At least the brass was clean.

Disconnected it, for good. Gonna chuck it tomorrow.

The search redoubles.

Heard about people scoring barrels with stray stainless steel media. Also, wet brass? Then what? Oven? Sunlight?

Frankford Arsenal? Any other worthy contenders?

Thanks all. Last time I bought a vibratory cleaner our calendar years still started with 19 ...

An old Thumler’s Tumbler here, still gets the job done.

My Dillon has never let me down.

This or FA or Lyman

I put my brass in the oven for 30 minutes on 170 degrees after wet tumbling. Works great. Neo Lube #2 to lubricate necks. Just use a cotton swab to apply. Works great. Relying on carbon and dirty necks means you're not in control of the process and its different every time.

A reason I do too.

But if you want clean brass the Thumlers Tumbler is the only way to go. Been doing it 15 years now. Picked the system up on suggestion from a high power shooter and have never regretted it. If you are being observant, never need to worry about stray pins going down a barrel.

I dry on a piece of screen in the over for an hour on warm. Dump all the brass back on a towel and run it back and forth to make sure no pins left inside.

I have two Dillon vibratory units, lg and small, that I gave away to family members who are OK with their service and they do a pretty good job. But for large batches of 5.56 and handgun brass, the SS pins are the way to go. Need both sized pins, the 1/4" bridge in 6.5 Grendel brass and the 3/8 in 7mm. Frankford Arsenal media separator is a must.

I got a big ultrasonic cleaner, I think 6 liter, that works great with boiling water, a squirt of dish soap and a teaspoon of citric acid powder. Seperate out any steel cases or your brass turns pink.

If you're in a hurry dry with a dehydrator or rack over wood stove.

You do have to lube case necks, 375 Ruger likes to turn inside out when seating bullets if not.

I use the same rig and solution to degrease parts like carb heat boxes or heater valves for airplanes before sand blasting.

I personally can't seem to get a vibratory cleaner to last very long so recently bought a tumbler on sale (clearance?)at midway . Just looked, and I think it's still on sale. Will try to leave a link here.

I haven't yet used it with the stainless pins, but it does a good job with water, dawn dishwashing soap, and I added a "guestimated" teaspoon of citric acid. The kind I use for food canning, I think it's ball brand.

This tumbler seems to be built like a tank, but have only run a few batches of cases so far, so can't speak about longevity.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019428848?pid=396592

Wanted to add that after the tumble with the cleaning mixture, I drained, then tumbled for about 15 min. with just water for a rinse.

Spare stuff laying around wet tumbler... half-azz invention of mine. Craigslist $25 treadmill.




Did not like... and went back to dry.

Gifted to a friend... he like it a lot.

Old shark cage (or something) for the grid.

I had a bunch of vinyl "T" from ceiling tile grid. Siliconed in pretzel jars... they last a month or two.

Pins cut down from junk 1x19 SS sailboat rigging with grinder wheels. FYI... Primer holes may get stuck pins if wrong size.

If the pretzel cans wear out it is a hell of a mess.

Dry tumbler noise... Might be loose bolts?

Lyman tumbler

I'm in the market for another one too and my research has led me to settle on the Hornady M-1 vibratory tumbler.

Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler. Use Dawn and Lemishine and tumble for a couple hours. Rinse brass several times to make sure there is no residue left on brass. Use FA crank style media separator will make sure all SS pins are removed and then put brass in loading trays for drying. Leave in trays over night or use a hair dryer for final drying.

I have an old Lyman 1200 Turbo and also use the wet s/s pin tumbler as well. A little advice on the s/s pins when cleaning 223 brass, be sure to peek inside after the final step for lodged pins stuck sideways inside of the case. Happened to me many times.

Not sure any of the new tumblers are better than a Thumler’s Tumbler ive been using one for over 30yrs if it ever quits ill get another!

vibratory tumblers for me. I don't have water in the shop and I'm lazy.

Also don't care what the loaded rounds look like.

Squeaky clean pistol brass is a pain in my progressives.

Wet brass, no problem. Roll them on a towel, shake em out for a couple of seconds and rack em. They'll be rtg in an hour. I've been using a 30+ year old Thumbler's Tumbler. Only thing I changed was to swap out motors to the higher speed version.

Bought one of those in 88 or 89 it’s still going. Outlasted a Lyman and FA. One of the last 3 Hornady items I own.

I use the RCBS rotary tumbler with ss pins. The Lyman separater pans are a must have. Along with the Frankfort arsenal magnet. I use this for pistol brass. I use the thumler tumbler for rifle brass.
Don’t know if it’s true. But I’ve heard there is some concern about the ss pins work hardening brass necks on rifle brass.
Hasbeen

I have 2 Frankford Arsenal tumblers and a Dillon that is about 25 years old. The Dillon is very much quieter and is a much better quality piece.

I agree with that...

I used "Bootleg Lube" when I did bulk rifle reloading (.308 mostly).

Best lube I have ever tried. It did dull the brass and wasted media (which I saved for other projects)... BUT IT NEVER STUCK A CASE... and I used lots of x51 MG brass bought in bulk.

Let the Isopropyl Alcohol flash off overnight (if the brass is cold... the alcohol is still flashing off).

I have loaded 200k+ with this method.

If you have your heart set on a Vibratory I used to use this one until I discovered wet tumbling.

Lyman.

The people who design the AMP induction annealer had a lab test brass that's been tumbled with ss pins. Test showed that the hardened zone is a very shallow skin (like .0002") nothing to be concerned about.

Yep, I still use the lanolin alcohol mix and tumble it off with corn cobb for rifle.

Used cobb media with lanolin goes in the pistol tumbler with some nu finish added. Makes progressive press run much smoother.

Kinda surprised our resident google fu subject matter expert on anything firearms related.
Our very own Slavek Cardones...
Has not used this opportunity to interact with the owner of the site and bless him with some of his "nuggets of knowledge" or a picture of his set up for cleaning brass.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Lyman Turbo 1200

Any type colander to sift brass

Use on carpet.......?

Don't block air ventilation flow to the motor

Rick,

I use a standard vibrating cleaner and basket I got years ago from Cabelas it’s the store brand it’s near 30 years old and still going strong. Either corn cob or walnut media no real preference there, works for me.

Les

I set my oven on 170 and let the brass warm for awhile. Not very scientific about the time. I once forgot about the brass and warmed it all night. Yes you need to be careful to get all the SS media out. I dump all my cases individually and look down inside to be sure they’re out. After I heat all the brass to dry them I tap the brass neck down just before I size the case to be extra sure. I found a pin that way once.
I also tumble the SS media by itself the first time before I use it. I leave it running all night. When you dump the pins after that tumble the water is dark with tons of tiny flecks of SS in it. That initial tumble removes the rough edges and tiny bits that could embed in the brass. I have a big screen colander I put in the sink to dump everything into and sort out the brass under running water. I spread the SS media on another baking sheet and dry it at the same time.
Btw , I don’t find the preparation and loading to be a chore. It relaxes me as long as I’m not under a time crunch. I string my loading out over a couple of evenings of playing in the gun room. I’ll switch to something else like cleaning a rifle if I’m not enjoying what I’m doing loading. Come back to it later. I came close to killing my self rushing and distracted. No bueno !

Harbor freight has a huge one for decent money and warranty for cheap to replace. Take it in a month before warranty and get a new one and another $20 warranty

Got the big 18# one from Harbor freight. It’s a hell of a lot better than the big Lyman one. Fill it up with walnut and some diamond polish and in about 2 hrs, brass is clean as whistle. I have the Frankford arsenal ss media one as well. I prefer the vibratory one unless I have some really tarnished brass. I separate both withone of the Cabelas media separators but any like that should do - I had some of their gift cards and points needing used up.

Did you make the rack, looks slick.

This 👆 I gave both of mine away after the first run with the Frankfort and pins. If you go this route make sure and get the magnet.

Lyman 1200

Key note

keep it off the carpeted floors