Thread: Sonic Case Cleaner vs Media Tumbler Case Cleaner ?

Hey Guy's just wondering which is the way to go.
Now living in Central and where living and reloading in Tauranga was a rare
occurrence I am doing A LOT more down here.
Prepped 135 cases last night and hand polished the cases to check for damage and that was after giving the necks a scrub with a neck brush, de-priming and neck sizing and then primer pocket cleaning. Takes bloody ages .
Thumbs this morning feel like they have been in some bloody medieval torture device.
Thought I might invest in a case cleaner of some thought but don't know which way to go, I see there's a media based one or a sonic type one that uses liquid ( and heat ) ?

Just wondering which you guys recommend,

Cheers

Mrs told me off on saturday night, id put an afternoons shooting worth of empties in the leg pocket of my pants and thrown them in the wash pile. Went through the machine, as shes hanging them out a couple fall on the ground. Last time this happened it was a pocket full of .22 that blocked some of the little holes in the drum thing and took me ages to pick out.
But I digress.
The cases came out sparkling clean!
I have negotiated a trial run of some more but in a wash bag for later in the week.

Wet tumble with stainless media for clean and shiny.
Sonic cleaner for just clean.

For the low number of cases you're doing, ultrasonic I reckon. The cost outlay for wet tumbling isn't fun but then wet tumbling is ideal when doing large volumes of cases. If you're savvy enough to build a tumbler system yourself for little $ then go for it.

Wet tumbling no question that this is the better method.

Originally Posted by Kscott

For the low number of cases you're doing, ultrasonic I reckon. The cost outlay for wet tumbling isn't fun but then wet tumbling is ideal when doing large volumes of cases. If you're savvy enough to build a tumbler system yourself for little $ then go for it.

+1

That is what I use. cheap and easy. Stuff is clean inside and out and shiny enough.

Something I've been wondering about as well, what's folks thoughts on this... Gunsmithing &Reloading Tools - Hornady Lock-N-Load Sonic Cleaner 2L, Brass Case Cleaning

Yup it'll do the job nicely. But $200 to clean 135 cases . . . maybe try the leave them in a bag in the washing machine trick 1st

FYI I've got a Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler, which will take @1000 223 and similar number of 9mm. It's robust, does a fantastic job of cleaning and is worth the money ($500+) but because you're only a small number of cases, you can scale the cost of setting up back a touch. A 2nd hand rock tumbler can also do the job cheaply for you, provided it's waterproof.

In terms of the sonic cleaners is it you get what you pay for? Tempted to try a $50 piece off trade me but don't wanna kick myself in a few months time

Doesn't tumbling take ages? Sonic cleaning takes about 15 min.

The Hornady sonic cleaners heat the water for faster/better cleaning. Ideally you want a cleaner that a) can for in all the brass you want to clean at once b) has enough grunt to clean it all at once.
Chuck in some shower power and you're away laughing.

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Originally Posted by keenbloke

In terms of the sonic cleaners is it you get what you pay for? Tempted to try a $50 piece off trade me but don't wanna kick myself in a few months time

I got a $30 one. It works but you have to split 50 cases into three lots and clean them for 15 min each. That one was 50 watt, if you want to clean lots of cases you need much more power. Might be better to get a kick ass ultrasonic transducer and attach it to whatever vessel you want.

Originally Posted by keenbloke

In terms of the sonic cleaners is it you get what you pay for? Tempted to try a $50 piece off trade me but don't wanna kick myself in a few months time

I use a $50 special and it works well. Seems to keep the water hot too. Have done 1000's of pieces of brass from 223 to 7mmRM.

if you like a bit of noise then case tumbler with media because you now its doing something

Originally Posted by Feather or Shoot

Doesn't tumbling take ages? Sonic cleaning takes about 15 min.

Yup, wet tumbling take more time (but quicker than dry tumbling). Problem can be the size of sonic cleaners, not too good when you're doing bulk numbers.

if you want you brass BLING! stainless media tumble is the only way

you can buy yourself a cheap small rock tumbler off ali express, doesn't need to be huge/expensive if you only want to do a few case's
and stainless media can be bought locally

those that argue it takes ages... I ask them.. do you watch paint dry?