What Kind'a Tumbler Do You Use~?

[Ala Dan]

OK guy's, I will have too admit - I never thought 'bout tumbling rifle brass
to remove lubricant. So, my question is what kind'a tumbler do you use;
and do you use corn cob media or walnut shells?

I have an RCBS vibatory tumber; but I do not like it as much as the old
"Thumbler's Tumbler" that I once owned.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I use very fine corncob media in a Hornady and a Lyman. Both work great.

 

[PotatoJudge]

Franklin Arsenal and Lyman treated media. I started on my grandfather's old Lyman with plain red walnut, but set up my loading stuff in college/med school and went a bit cheaper. Until I really up the volume of my loading the Franklin should work fine. I like the rotary media separator much better than stealing my grandmother's slotted spoons and digging shells out.

I clean the media occasionally with an old dryer sheet.

 

[jcwit]

Fine 20/40 grit corn cob in a Cabelas tumbler, same thing as a Berry's tumbler. I use a cheap $2.00 walMart colander to seperate brass from media. One more time 20/40 grit corn cob flows right thru primer pockets and flash holes.

 

[Walkalong]

Thumblers are good ones. I have a Lyman and a Berrys right now. Grainger corncob to polish or remove lube. I keep a tumbler full worth of cob in a separate bucket for tumbling lube off of cases. I just swap it out with the corncob with polish in it when I want to tumble to remove lube.

Corncob

 

[armoredman]

Franford Arsenal cheapie, been going strong for years with nary an issue.

 

[Starter52]

I've had the same Lyman tumbler for two decades and it is still going strong. It's an excellent machine. I don't tumble to remove lube. I use a water soluable lube and wash it off in hot water. I then tumble in walnut media and a used dryer sheet.

 

[fireman 9731]

Cheap Cabela's tumbler with corncob. Mine came with a separator, polish and media for around 60 bucks.

 

[The Bushmaster]

I use a 20+ year old Lyman's Turbo 1200...finely ground corncob...

 

[1SOW]

Same as jcwit: "Fine 20/40 grit corn cob in a Cabelas tumbler."

It's inexpensive, works well, has a good see-thru plastic lid, and has a shut-off switch. Mine seems to work well with 500+/- 9mm cases, but it's rated about double that.

I have a pan-type sifter that works, but want to get a rotary when opportunity knocks.

 

[dc.fireman]

I'm using the Lyman Turbo 1200, and Harbor Freight Walnut Shell media (about 15$ for 20lb. box). I use the Dillon case polish, three capfuls in the new walnut media ( I reuse the used walnut media 3-4 times, until it turns completely black from the crud it cleans off of the cases). I've tumbled around 5K cases this way, in the last three months.

 

[arizona98tj]

Dillon tumber and case polish on corncob. I also have a Thumbler's Tumbler that I bought back in the mid-70s.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Thumbler--quiet and do the job.

 

[cagwp]

RCBS walnut media

 

[Sport45]

Lyman Turbo 1200 and Petco Lizard Litter ground walnut here.

 

[redsoxfan]

tumbler

Dillon cv-750 tumbler with lyman corn cob media

have had the tumbler for 10 years now, and it is still like new

 

[Franco]

I don't tumble. I use an RCBS vibrator. I do a thorough "tumbling" with dirty brass in my old walnut shells before I size them. I size them, then do a brief (1-2 hours) "tumbling" in newer walnut media to remove lube and also help clean the primer area a little. Over time (approx 12 months), I'll throw away the "old media", replace it with the formerly new media and buy a new bag of walnut. This rotation method is pretty economical and my brass is super clean. I have corn but don't use it often. It's really just for shining up the brass and isn't abrasive enough to do a good cleaning job.

 

[otblue]

I have Lyman, RCBS and Cabelas vibratory "tumblers". Best bang for the buck is the Cabelas (Berrys made in USA).

Quiet, good size and well priced.

Buy the kit from Cabelas, everything you need. Use the enclosed separator that comes with the kit. Minimises your exposure to lead contaminated dust and does a good job of getting media out of the primer holes.

 

[Thumpa]

Clean Brass

Two tumbler system. First in walnut to clean, then to corn cob to polish. Franklin Arsenal and RCBS tumblers. Dillon media. Dillon case polish in the corn cob,but on this site I've been informed that Nu-Finish car polish (not wax) is as good and hopefully a little cheaper.

 

[HOWARD J]

I use a 35 year old Lyman tumbler & a 6 mo old Hornady tumbler w/ground walnuts w/
Flitz polish.
I put my Thumblers away years ago--too much work taking the lid off unit--too many
wingnuts...................

 

[Mal H]

Another satisfied Lyman user here. I have the "Twin Turbo" unit because you can never have enough horsepower!

It is a combination of the 1200 and 600. I use ground corncob almost exclusively. I also have ground walnut, but it's too messy/dusty IMO.

 

[Hondo 60]

I use a Lyman 1200 w/ ground corn cob.
Length of time depends on what brand of brass.
I've found that winchester brass needs more time than most others.
With new media & fresh Cabela's polish it's about 2 hrs for most & 3 hrs for Winchester.

Does a nice shiny job.

 

[fixerupper]

Homemade tumbler fabricated from scrap lumber and a garage sale ice cream maker. Ground walnut with a dash of Nu Finish.

 

[lgbloader]

Midway 1292 w/pet shop walnut & Grainger corncob (50/50) NuFinish every 3rd load and mineral spirits every load plus a used dryer sheet cut in 4 pcs.

I am in the market for a new one and will probably go with the Lyman 1200.

LGB

 

[Rokman]

I use an RCBS vibratory case cleaner but am thinking about buying one of the Cabelas or Midsouth Shooters (Berry's made) vibratory cleaners to have an extra one handy. I usually use Lyman walnut media because it seems to work well, but the rouge can get messy.