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Ford vs. Chevy type question

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  • ttuttle

    An old guy who like to shoot
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    Apr 17, 2015
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    I need to get a new brass cleaner. I have a vibratory cleaner that needs replacing. The question is which is better....a vibratory cleaner or a roller rock polisher type? I'm open for suggestions.
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    dee

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    Nov 22, 2008
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    Personal preference imo. Stainless media in a wet/rock will get the cleanest but I prefer the dry with corn cob or walnut media.

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    ttuttle

    An old guy who like to shoot
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    Apr 17, 2015
    68
    11
    Personal preference imo. Stainless media in a wet/rock will get the cleanest but I prefer the dry with corn cob or walnut media.

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    I tried stainless steel but all it did was turn the cases dirty gray, but what kind of machine did you use?
     

    ttuttle

    An old guy who like to shoot
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    Apr 17, 2015
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    Did you use any cleaning agent? That's far from the results I've seen.

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    No cleaning/polishing agent was used. Do you have a suggestion. The gray crap won't rub off!
     

    EZ-E

    King Turd of Shit Mountain
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    PIN TUMBLER is the only way to go.
    Pin tumbler with half a .45 case of Lemi Shine & few drops of Dawn work well.
    Depending on the size of your tumbler you may need to adjust the recipe of lemi shine & dawn ratio.

    I started with the harbor freight double rock tumbler. Then my neighbor built a bad ass tumbler for about $250... a motor, belts, rollers & a 6" piece of PVC about 24" long ... ive been borrowing his tumbler ever since.
     

    Brains

    One of the idiots
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    Apr 9, 2013
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    I don't need my cases overly pretty, so I just throw 'em in a vibratory with walnut or corn cob and run it overnight. They come out pretty darned clean, and I finish up by putting 'em in a mesh bag that I blast a few times with a blow gun until no more dust comes out.
     

    Younggun

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    Jul 31, 2011
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    hill co.
    I used a vibratory tumbler for a long time.

    Pro: Cases come out dry and basically ready to go. They are plenty clean for use.

    Cons: Dust. I hated the dust created and didn’t like changing the media for whatever reason. It was also very loud.

    I now use stainless media in a rotary tumbler.

    Pros: Cases come out clean. No dust. Much quieter than a vibratory tumbler. Inside of cases seem cleaner (if that matters to you)

    Cons: Cases must be separated from the media afterwards and rinsed. I do this in the bath tub. Using hot water and a 5 gallon bucket to rinse brass and separate the pins. A magnet makes collecting the pins much easier. Then the cases have to dry. There are a few ways to speed up the process and I tend to either set them in a cake pan in front of a small heater or put them on a window screen above the fan on the central AC unit in the summer.

    Overall I much prefer stainless media. I’m really lazy so I just throw in a dishwasher pack with them, but I’ve also used liquid dish detergent with lemishine and a few other concoctions. Overall the packet is easiest since I just toss it in.

    I think which is “better” depends on which factors are more important to you. I also like to deprime my brass before tumbling and the pins seem to do a much better job cleaning primer pockets.


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    TheMailMan

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    Dec 3, 2015
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    I've got four vibratory tumblers. I prefer them. Brass is good to go as soon as you take it out. I don't need, nor want, squeaky clean brass. I like that little bit of carbon in the case to help keep the brass from sticking to the powder funnel.
     

    Pistol Pete

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    May 10, 2010
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    I use a vibratory tumbler with corn cob. It does not clean as well as ss pins but it's ready to load when it comes out of the tumbler. I'll have the 300 .45s loaded while you are drying your brass. I don't need new looking ammo but I do want clean brass.
     

    smittyb

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    Nov 12, 2009
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    Cut N Shoot
    Ford







    And this for really nasty brass
    PIN TUMBLER is the only way to go.
    Pin tumbler with half a .45 case of Lemi Shine & few drops of Dawn work well.
    Depending on the size of your tumbler you may need to adjust the recipe of lemi shine & dawn ratio.
     

    EZ-E

    King Turd of Shit Mountain
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    Middle of no where

    Younggun

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    Yuck







    And this for really nasty brass


    I agree with this. When it comes to that pile of nasty brass you found at the range that is covered in mud and maybe had some dirty packed in it, wet tumbling with steel pins is the way to go.



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    gll

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    Jan 22, 2016
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    I haven't made the jump to wet tumbling, though I can see advantages...

    I only have an old Lyman vibratory and have never liked how the typical media, either corncob or walnut, gets stuck in the flash holes. I've recently started using ZIlla Ground English Walnut Shells Desert Blend Reptile Bedding, which is finer ground and harder than corncob, doesn't stick in the flash holes and is reasonably priced on Amazon at $6.39 for a 5 quart bag. I like to add a little Nu Finish car polish, helps keep the dust down and yields a decent polish. I dump the Lyman contents through a fryer basket and toss the cases until no more media falls out.
     

    Deavis

    Active Member
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    Oct 20, 2011
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    Austin
    If you use the right burnishing compound, you can wet tumble at part on part volumes and get the cases very clean. Flasholes will still have some residue but otherwise they look great. The pins aren't worth the hassle unless you just have to have that very last bit of clesn. No dust, no pins, darn good clean... best of both worlds.
     

    xdmikey

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    Nov 27, 2009
    1,445
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    cypress, tx
    I use the SS pin tumbler. I bought mine before they came out with the smaller version.

    I load it up and let it go. Do the separation thing, dry then rifle brass gets lubed, pistol brass goes to the dry tumbler to take the squeak off then into an ammo box or straight to the press.
     
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