Tumbler vs. sonic cleaners

[vongh]

Have had both. Just looking for opinions. I like the piece and quiet a sonic offers but it seems that the outside of tumbled brass is cleaner even with used media.

 

[Wylie1]

I went stainless steel in a rock tumbler and I'll never clean brass any other way.

 

[whipper]

I second the SS it works great.

 

[noylj]

Why? Cleaner is not more accurate. Shinier is not more accurate. Time wasted cleaning can be time spent actually reloading and shooting.
I have played with my ultrasonic and it takes 30 mins in hot water and Dawn/Lemi-Shine to get clean but non-shiny cases. These need to be rinsed at least once and dried.
They sure don't shoot any better than 30 minutes in 20/40 corn.
I do like the lack of dust with either method over using walnut grit.
SS seems like a lot of work and water for shiny cases just to have bragging rights at the range.
If it doesn't show up on target, why sweat it.
Remember, all that is NEEDED is to wipe any dirt/grime/sand off the exterior of the case. Anything beyond that is simply 'cause you want to.
So, what do you want to do?

 

[357Shooter]

You didn't know?

I learned as a kid...
My bike was Faster after I washed & waxed it...
Then later, my car & motorcycle run better and go faster after I wash & wax...
So certainly my bullets shoot flatter and go faster out of shiny brass...
Geez, go wet with stainless It matters!

 

[rondog]

Why? Cleaner is not more accurate. Shinier is not more accurate. Time wasted cleaning can be time spent actually reloading and shooting.
I have played with my ultrasonic and it takes 30 mins in hot water and Dawn/Lemi-Shine to get clean but non-shiny cases. These need to be rinsed at least once and dried.
They sure don't shoot any better than 30 minutes in 20/40 corn.
I do like the lack of dust with either method over using walnut grit.
SS seems like a lot of work and water for shiny cases just to have bragging rights at the range.
If it doesn't show up on target, why sweat it.
Remember, all that is NEEDED is to wipe any dirt/grime/sand off the exterior of the case. Anything beyond that is simply 'cause you want to.
So, what do you want to do?

I want to have clean, shiny, pretty brass because it makes me happy. Nobody sees it but me, I don't show it off. But I like it. It's not like I get to go shooting that often anyway. Most of what I load goes into storage, and if it goes in clean and shiny, it'll stay that way longer. Someday we may not even be able to buy ammo, or be able to afford it. So I'm stashing nuts for the winter.

Oh, my oldest brother recently went to the stainless method, and he says it's amazing! Told me to send him a boxful of the nastiest stuff I have, so I'll be sending him a bunch of '06 and .223's.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

Tried all 3 ways and Thumler's with pins, water, lemishine and Ajax dishwashing liquid wins my vote. Don't know if it makes them shoot any better but at least it makes them easier to find in the grass.

 

[jb27]

I actually use both a sonic and a tumbler. I deprime, run through the sonic, clean primer pockets, dry, lube, size, tumble, prime, load. May be overkill to some, but that's the way I like to do it.
My bulk ammo I will wait to tumble until after it's loaded.

 

[hAkron]

I have an ultra sonic. I have only used it twice. I ordered some ultra sonic gun lube, so I'm going to try cleaning and then lubing my 686-6 Plus to see how it does for that.

 

[paw080]

Guess I'll 4th the SS pins and Thumler's Tumbler method.

The SS pins method is superior because the resulting cases are much

easier to inspect and the water clean up is much easier and far less trouble

that the non-users postulate. The only downside would be the higher cost

of the equipment.

Tony

 

[Float Pilot]

Why? Cleaner is not more accurate. Shinier is not more accurate. Time wasted cleaning can be time spent actually reloading and shooting.

Very similar to a line some guy once said about really fat chicks. I did not believe it then either...