Which wet tumbler?

[Edge40]

So I want to start wet tumbling.  Which tumbler and media size does everyone like.  I've been tumbling dry with walnut and it just isn't giving me the results I want.  I like to think that cost is a concern but I usually lean towards the buy once cry once mentality.  Thanks for the info!

[metalicat30]

I use a Thumler's Tumbler Model B with a shot of dawn dish liquid and a spoon of lemi shine and stainless Steel Pins. 25 mins tumbling and It works like a champ.

[warpspeed]

What kind of volume are you looking at?

I have been wet tumbling my 6.5 CM brass in a Harbor Freight dual drum tumbler because I do about 100 pieces at a time  and that works perfect - 50 per drum.

When I do 223 or 9mm or 45 ACP I'm doing 500+ so it would take forever in that little beast.

 

[Edge40]

5 minutes ago, warpspeed said:

What kind of volume are you looking at?

I have been wet tumbling my 6.5 CM brass in a Harbor Freight dual drum tumbler because I do about 100 pieces at a time  and that works perfect - 50 per drum.

When I do 223 or 9mm or 45 ACP I'm doing 500+ so it would take forever in that little beast.

 

Not crazy volume but I wouldn't mind waiting until I had a good amount and bang it out in a day or so load after load.  Im cleaning mostly pistol cartridges right now.

[Edge40]

10 minutes ago, metalicat30 said:

I use a Thumler's Tumbler Model B with a shot of dawn dish liquid and a spoon of lemi shine and stainless Steel Pins. 25 mins tumbling and It works like a champ.

What size pins do you use?  Im cleaning pistol cartridges and won't be de priming before I clean.  Just want to try to avoid pins stuck in the primer flash holes or is that not an issue?

[Bkreutz]

Pin size is not an issue (I've never had a problem with it). I clean a couple of thousand 9mm cases at a time. I use a HF tumbler as well, just a little bigger.

[Edge40]

Damn that looks like a not messing around tumbler.  I do have access to a cement mixer.  I should fill it with brass and let her rip.  I could polish the years supply of brass in a few hours hahah.

[Smeeg]

Frankford Arsenal tumbler excellent reviews big and comes with everything you need 

https://www.slickguns.com/product/frankford-arsenal-platinum-series-rotary-tumbler-kit-13758-after-code-shop15-and-free-return

[Glock021]

 

I have the Frankford Arsenal tumbler.  I was able to grab it as an Amazon "Lighning Deal" for around 110 bucks.  It works really well.  Wet tumbling is a pain.  Sometimes I question why I do it.  How clean does the brass really need to be?

[Jeepjal]

I have and use the Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler package. I only use it for rifle brass, really not worth the hassle for pistol IMO. If you don't remove primers and use the steel pins, pins could get caught up in the primers. That being said, if you remove primers and use wet tumbler with steel pins you'll get nice shiny brass that shoots better. ?

[metalicat30]

10 hours ago, Edge40 said:

What size pins do you use?  Im cleaning pistol cartridges and won't be de priming before I clean.  Just want to try to avoid pins stuck in the primer flash holes or is that not an issue?

Here's the pins i use . I do occasionally get pins stuck in the flash hole, However annoying this is the flash holes are spotless which i like better than the annoyance . YMMV

[Kaldor]

A few options.

First off, I have always gotten my pins from STM off of Amazon.  I cant recall the size, but they never stick in flash holes.

Low volume, low dollar investment has to go to the Harbor Freight tumbler with a 4" PVC pipe drum.  The stock drums work, but over time they seem to break down a little.

Medium volume, reasonable price would go to Frankfort Arsenal FART tumbler.  Its a ready to run kit.  Im not too key on plastic parts like gears, but it will probably be fine.

Higher volume, higher price would be something like an STM Rebel tumbler.  Better than a Thumbler IMHO because of the bearings for the drum.

Highest volume, price is all over depending on investment would be to roll your own.  I went this route, and I have about $300 into it?  I didnt keep exact prices.  It has about 2.5x the capacity of the STM/Thumbler with double drums, and will outlast me and probably my kids.  

[TONY BARONE]

Frankford Arsenal , Frankfurt Arsenal Brass cleaning solution, de prime before tumbling, no pins needed for a great looking result. Frankfort Arsenal Brass Dryer works good also, holds 2000 pcs 38 super.

 

 

 

[warpspeed]

19 hours ago, Glock021 said:

 

 Wet tumbling is a pain.  Sometimes I question why I do it.  How clean does the brass really need to be?

Truer words have never been spoken - Unless I'm trying to put 5 shots on top of each other @ 100 yds, 3 hrs in the walnut+polish is more than clean enough.

[peterthefish]

Truer words have never been spoken - Unless I'm trying to put 5 shots on top of each other @ 100 yds, 3 hrs in the walnut+polish is more than clean enough.

I used to use pins, now I wet tumble without unless I'm deburring trimmed rifle brass. Keeps the lead dust from getting all over which is the benefit for me.

[Bkreutz]

29 minutes ago, warpspeed said:

Truer words have never been spoken - Unless I'm trying to put 5 shots on top of each other @ 100 yds, 3 hrs in the walnut+polish is more than clean enough.

3 hours in walnut and polish is 3x longer than I spend wet tumbling. It takes me an hour to clean 2000 pistol cases, from the time I throw them in the cement mixer, until I spread them out on a towel to dry. (I'm not counting the drying time) 2-3 days later the brass is ready to use. I wet tumble to save time yet I hear all this stuff about how time consuming it is. I have to wonder, "What are you guys doing? it's a simple process, don't make it complicated"

[Glock021]

Separating and handling the pins is the biggest pain for me.  So is drying.

The pistol brass that I wet tumble ends up too clean (if that makes sense).  It sticks to the powder funnel and makes for a rough upstroke when loading on a 550.

I end up tumbling in walnut (with polish added) anyway. 

[Edge40]

4 minutes ago, Glock021 said:

Separating and handling the pins is the biggest pain for me.  So is drying.

The pistol brass that I wet tumble ends up too clean (if that makes sense).  It sticks to the powder funnel and makes for a rough upstroke when loading on a 550.

I end up tumbling in walnut (with polish added) anyway. 

Hmm thats an interesting.  Do you case lube at all?

[peterthefish]

Separating and handling the pins is the biggest pain for me.  So is drying.

The pistol brass that I wet tumble ends up too clean (if that makes sense).  It sticks to the powder funnel and makes for a rough upstroke when loading on a 550.

I end up tumbling in walnut (with polish added) anyway. 

If you ditch the pins it doesn't stick as bad on the powder funnel (because you're not scoring the inside of the cases) and you'll also get rid of what was, for me, the worst part of wet tumbling. Primers seat easier too!

[Glock021]

2 hours ago, Edge40 said:

Hmm thats an interesting.  Do you case lube at all?

No case lube on pistol cases.

 

2 hours ago, peterthefish said:

 

If you ditch the pins it doesn't stick as bad on the powder funnel (because you're not scoring the inside of the cases) and you'll also get rid of what was, for me, the worst part of wet tumbling. Primers seat easier too!

 

Never tried it without the pins.  Seems like it would kind of defeat the purpose of getting really clean, new looking brass. 

Do the primer pockets and insides of the cases still get clean with no pins?

[wmaximusd]

I'm another FART fan. Started using pins but stopped about a year ago. Now it's just Lemishine and Armor All for me. The outside of the brass is just as clean and shiny, the inside and primer pockets are maybe an 8 out of 10 compared to using pins but plenty clean enough IMO.

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[hornetx40]

I used the tumbler from CED. Followed his directions and it was great. I deprimed before tumbling because I wanted the primer pockets  clean. I did 24000 cases in 3 days and dried them in a dehydrator from target. They only took about 45 minutes to dry and I would get done emptying the dehydrator just in time for the tumbler to finish. As far as cases sticking to the powder funnel...you should be using case lube...when you are using just the right amount everything will run smooth and you won't be finding brass shavings on your press. Cleaning the priming pockets keeps a lot of the burnt priming compound from getting into the press and keeps it running cleaner and smooth for longer between cleanings. It also allows the cases to dry completely with the pp open. The few pins that do get stuck usually fall out before getting to the press but if not the depriming resizing station will either stop or push it out.

[wmaximusd]

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[peterthefish]

Never tried it without the pins.  Seems like it would kind of defeat the purpose of getting really clean, new looking brass. 

Do the primer pockets and insides of the cases still get clean with no pins?

Still looks new outside. Primer pockets and inside of cases get clean enough. The small amount of carbon that remains works as a lube.

[dthomas1003]

I use the Frankford Arsenal with their seperator and magnat. It works very well. I de prime before cleaning and have had no issues with stuck pins.