I have a Thumler's tumbler Model B and stainless steel pins from Buffalo Arms, plus a cheap Frankford media separator. I got to wondering if ceramic media would be an improvement over handling those pesky little pins, and, Googling the subject, immediately came upon Wayne's excellent post. Thanks Wayne.
Here it is if you might have missed it.

http://www.texas-mac.com/Case_...less_Steel_Pins.html

Bill, I have had a Tumblers tumbler since the early 70s but I upgraded to a Dillon vibratory (the lg. size) a few years ago. A cheap medium can be found in the feed stores under the name of 'Hampster bedding' (walnut hulls).

Heh, Randy, I had a Midway house-brand vibratory for years and used walnut media. Went the opposite direction -- to the Thumler's and SS pins. I get a much faster and more thorough clean, but handling those dang pins is a real pain.

I have both a vibratory and a Tumbler's Tumbler. I use the Tumbler's Tumbler with ceramic media for black powder cartridges of .40 caliber and larger (add a cap full of dawn dish detergent to really clean brass). The vibratory is used for everything else. I find that the ceramic media gets stuck in cases smaller than .40 caliber.

I bought some of the prettiest brass ever seen
from a guy in WA. state about 15 years ago.
Apparently he's died as not listed any longer
and someone else is in the house now.

Said he used a wet with Dawn dish soap and
#9 steel shot in a cement mixer.
Just let it run a few hours until he remembered it was
running and went out to dump it. Rinsed it with
water and let the sun dry on old towels.

George

All out of cement mixers at my house George!