question about a tumbler

[shooter]

Will a rotary tumbler work for for cleaning brass? If so should i used standard media or something else? All help is greatly appreciated!

 

[ZbornacSVT]

yup. go big or go home. Linky

stainless steel media is the $hiznit

 

[shooter]

they sell one at harbor freight for 30ish..... Its rated at 3lbs? Is that big?

 

[sti38super]

Walnut tumbling media really works good in a rotary tumbler.

 

[ZbornacSVT]

they sell one at harbor freight for 30ish..... Its rated at 3lbs? Is that big?

No... that is like a few hundred cases of 9mm.

I run 15 lbs of MEDIA when I tumble...lol. Oh yeah, then there is the brass and water, too I haven't been able to max my capability out yet. I have ran about 1000 .223 cases no issue.

Walnut tumbling media really works good in a rotary tumbler.

and then you open it up and get dust everywhere

 

[shooter]

Yeah THATS BIGGGG!!! I think the 3lb will do me just fine thanks guys!!

 

[mospeada]

Rotary tumblers work great. That 3lb HF unit won't hold nearly enough. I recommend a Thumler's Tumbler model B, but almost any larger commercial rotary tumbler will work well. I got mine from Buffalo Arms Co. They sell ceramic media as well, though as mentioned previously, stainless steel is the best I've found (it's wet).

If you don't mind the noise and want to use only dry media, you can certainly get by with the vibratory tumblers, they do an excellent job of cleaning and polishing the outside of the cases. Using a rotary with wet media can get the inside of the cases and even primer pockets clean, if that matters to you.

 

[shooter]

Im not wanting to mass tumble 20-50 rounds at a time.....it looks like it would be big enough for that to me....

 

[CountryBoy19]

Im not wanting to mass tumble 20-50 rounds at a time.....it looks like it would be big enough for that to me....

You don't want to do 20-50 rounds at a time? What exactly are you doing? If you're reloading trust us, you DO want to tumble more than that at a time. I only wish I could tumble 1k at a time.

 

[shooter]

Oh I have plenty of time to reload.... I will prep my casings over a period of time and then start to reload after all my prep is done.... I'm new to reloading so I feel that taking my time and being exact with my process will benifit me in the long run.. Learing at a pace and in small steps don't wantto just jump right in and something go wrong..... In time I'm sure I will too want to do thousands at a time but not yet....

 

[ZbornacSVT]

No reason to start small on the tumbler... you will want a bigger one FAST...

 

[CountryBoy19]

No reason to start small on the tumbler... you will want a bigger one FAST...

+1

Listen to what everybody here is saying. Most of us have been loading for quite some time. I can understand starting out small and slow. But to start out small on a tumbler just doesn't make any sense.

If anything you'll give up reloading within the first year because you're tired of changing out the brass in the tumbler every day for 2 months just to get enough brass to reload a thousand rounds.

 

[mospeada]

Actually, considering the cost of a good rotary, I think it may be a decent idea to use the little one to see if you like a rotary tumbler. I tend to agree with the bigger is better sentiment, but you go do what you want.

 

[shooter]

thanks for all the advice! I think the lil one will work fine and be replaced within a year...As I learn the art but want to keep my start up cost at a minimum.... And the little one will do that great! If it has to run day and night it will with out a doubt!