My Lyman bit he dust and I need a new tumbler. I do a fairly lage volume of reloading. What is the best and what kind of media do you guys use. How bout the Thumlers or RCBS rotary type?? Thanks in advance for the respones. 163bc

I've been using one of the Midway brand tumblers for years and it has worked great. If you're doing a large amount of cases at one time you might consider one of the larger tumblers from Dillon Precision. I've never used one but have heard nothing but good reports from fellow shooters at my gun club.

BTW - I've been able to clean as many as 200 45 ACP cases at one time in my Midway tumbler.

I don't think it's so much a matter of the better tumber as much as the media you use. I have a cheap Franckfort Ansernal tumbler that works just fine, it's the media that determines how quickly the shells come up clean.
I's like to find somethnig small enough not to jam up inside the primer pockets so as not to have to pick it out every time. That bothers me so much that I avoid using the damn thing.

Mid-south sells the old Frankford tumbler (under a dif name) in orange color for $29.99

Except for the RCBS sidewinder all the vibrating bowl "tumblers" are made by the same company and are sold to lots of folks like Dillan, Lyman, Midway, etc..... They all use the same fasco motors with the off center weight added to the armature.

Not too many folks want to shell out $400 for the sidewinder but MO it's the only true tumbler.....all the others are vibro bowls.....and they work....mine is from Hornady and has been running well for over ten years now. I use walnut shells and Lyman activating liquid.....I really like the results.

how bout media?? anything that works real well that doesn't get caught in the primer pockets?? Thanks, Sam

quote:

Originally posted by 163bc:
how bout media?? anything that works real well that doesn't get caught in the primer pockets?? Thanks, Sam

I use ground walnut shells. I tumble the brass before decapping. That way, I don't have to worry about media in the primer pockets. Tumbling doesn't clean the primer pockets very well anyway.

Wonder, what's wrong with your present tumbler? It's likely repairable. Most tumblers fail due to the motor's brass sleeve bearings drying out and seizing so the windings burn out. Giving the bearings a few drops of oil annually goes a long way towards preventing that. But, that's not much help now, is it?

I took my old tumbler apart and removed the dead motor. Took that to an electrical supply house and we found a motor that had the same diameter shaft and mounting holes. Not difficult to find, those motors are quite common in bath exhaust fans and stove overhead vent hoods. Mine cost me something like $10-12 and it's been going strong for several years now.

Media - Depends on which quality you prefer. Walnut is harder so it cleans just a little faster than cob but won't put quite the shine on the brass that cob will. I use cob media that's marketed for fine "sand blasting", it's almost as fine as corn meal. Does good and doesn't clog flash holes.

A spoon full of any type/brand of auto polish in the mix will give all the shine you can get from either type of media. Avoid using too much polish or it will leave the brass dusty with dry residue.

An ounce or so of mineral spirits added just befoe tumbling will help hold dust down if you over do the polish AND it leaves the brass almost squeeky clean rather than "dusty."

A couple of 3" inch squares of any loose weave paper or fabric will trap any fine dust or excess polish and it can be tossed after use. Paper towels, tee shirt fabric and old dryer sheets all work great.