Tumbler

[Hyperlight66]

Thoughts, recommendations and/or other suggestions on picking out a tumbler. I've been suggested the below kits:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/414369/frankford-arsenal-quick-n-ez-case-tumbler-master-kit-with-quick-n-ez-rotary-media-separator-110-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding

http://www.berrysmfg.com/product-i14545-c47-g8-b0-p0-Rotary_Brass_Cleaning_Kit.aspx

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/00038502024/Tumbler-Kit-(Tumbler-and-Separator-and-Media-and--and-Brass-Polish)

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Model-400-Vibratory-Case-Tumbler-Kit/731769.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dtumbler%26x%3D10%26y%3D6%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=tumbler&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

I hope the links work

Thanks everyone for your help!!

[jshuberg]

http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/e ... el-17.html

[Ghost]

I have only used the frankford arsenal. Works just fine. Likely all these are made very similarly if not by the same company. Compare the warranty's and prices (including shipping and taxes) and pick which one fits you the best. One of these may last 30 years or 3 weeks as they are on the low end of the spectrum.

I plan to move to one of these http://www.brownells.com/reloading/case-cleaning/case-tumblers-accessories/thumler-s-tumbler-stainless-steel-tumbling-kit-prod42993.aspx but am waiting until some sort of sale to place my backorder with them.

[870TC]

UV-18, Industrial quality, quieter than any other vibe/tumbler I have seen. Various places sell them.
http://thumlerstumbler.com/vibratory.html

[Ghost]

UV-18, Industrial quality, quieter than any other vibe/tumbler I have seen. Various places sell them.
http://thumlerstumbler.com/vibratory.html

Quite a lot more expensive than what he's looking for. It may last longer but will it tumble any better? Quieter is good but I use a timer with mine so i just start it up at night and go to bed or start it up on the way to work, I never hear it.

[Hyperlight66]

Thanks Ghost! Yes i'm looking for more of a entry level model.

Will any of the model i listed not function as advertised?

I also read somewhere that the Berrys MFG tumbler and the Cabelas are the same, just different colors and stickers? any truth?

[BuckKlier]

A rotary tumbler with stainless steel pins will clean better than anything using corn cobbs or walnut shell. I have both, aqnd I use stainless, and may polish with corn cobbs, if I want the brass to have a high shine.

[usnret]

For entry level, get the one from Midway.

[LarryFlew]

I do like the models that have clear top so you can see what is happening. Have done literal 100,000+ rounds through Frankford.

[shooter115]

The tumbler from Berry's and Cabelas are the same tumbler just a different color. I've had the Cabelas tumbler for probably about 15 years and right before Christmas it quit working, so my awesome wife bought me a new one just like it for Christmas. Then I found my old one had a broken wire. Little bit of solder and it's back up and running. Now I have 2 Lyman tumblers and 2 Cabelas tumblers and I use them all. My recommendation is to go with the Cabelas/Berry's tumbler due to high capacity, low noise and they last forever.

[Ron Burgundy]

I bought the one from Cabelas, which is made by Berry's. They have a pretty good reputation and warranty. I've cleaned several thousand pistol cases. It is relatively quiet and very affordable.

Make sure you get the cool, enclosed media separator. This is the point in the process where you get exposed to the most lead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[870TC]

Thankfully we live in free country where different opinions are allowed. Mine tends to be along the lines of, " Buy a quality piece of equipment once, and it only hurts once". "Buy P.O.S. and get use to buying them again and again.... took me 4 lyman 2200 vibes before I learned.

[Scratch]

In my opinion, I wouldn't get what's in your first link, or your last link.
The two in the middle are pretty much the same and would be a fine way to get into metallic reloading.

I started with a vibratory tumbler, using corn cob media, and it does a fine job. Yes.. It's a little dusty, and doesn't get the insides clean, but it does a great job getting the outsides clean enough to reload pistol over and over again. Don't pop the primers out then tumble though, or you'll be picking media out of the flash holes for hours.

Eventually... If you enjoy reloading, you may end up going with SS pins for case cleaning which you'll be hard pressed to find someone who has both, and prefers vibratory tumbling over rotary with pins. Less dust, clean primer pockets, clean insides, shinier cases... Although a little more work letting them dry.

When/if you do go with wet tumbling, you can use the same media separator to separate the SS pins. The last link you have with the "gold pan" style separator, will be more time consuming than a crank style separator, and you really don't need the volume of water that a 5 gallon bucket has like the first link shows.

The other two links have separators that have their own water/media containment system, and will do great for both dry, vibratory, corn cob tumbling... Or wet, rotary, SS pin tumbling. My media separator looks exactly like both of the middle links... Except blue, and I can't see any need for anything else ever, as long as I don't break it.

As far as the quality of those vibratory tumblers, I think they're all pretty much the same, just different colors. FWIW... I have the Frankford Arsenal one and it works great. Although I'll probably never use it again. Don't ask to buy it though, since I've already loaned it out to a friend who's getting started, and it's nice to have a backup.

[MXGreg]

I'm going to be the odd man here...Harbor Freight rock tumbler and SS pins. I started with a single drum tumbler over 1-1/2 years ago and it still runs strong and is still on the original belt. When I started loading .223 I bought a dual drum tumbler because bigger cases = less per load. I've replaced the belt on the dual once (they come with spares). I've done around 30,000 cases so far and I'm happy with the results and the small cost.

[Hyperlight66]

so this is the tumbler:

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-lb-rotary-rock-tumbler-67631.html

Can you explain what media and the process that you use?