Cabela's brass tumbler review

[MemphisMechanic]

I have now filled a 5gallon bucket with shiny 9mm brass using my Cabelas tumbler.

Until now, I've been getting more than enough brass off the floor of our indoor weekly matches, so a quick wash with a bit of Simple Green in a bucket was enough to give me 'good enough' brass. I never needed a tumbler.

Now we have more shooters indoors vulturing all of my brass, picking up a lot of slightly corroded brass outdoors, and a desire to shoot 3-gun (loading .223) have all lead me to finally break down and buy a tumbler. I wanted something that would fit at least 1,000 cases. The squirrel-cage style media sifter seemed like something I really wanted to try.

The Dillon one was just plain more than I wanted to spend. The Lymans are either loved or hated, same with the Frankford. And the Frankfords are apparently quite loud.

The only cheaper one that no one seemed to have a problem with was the Cabela's brand. And it holds 1,000 9mm cases. Cool. Ordered the tumbler and separator for the same price (shipped) as the big, fat Lyman I was eyeballing.

So far I'm happy. Loaded down with crushed walnut from the pet store, it's pretty quiet. My living room (the BEnos reading area) is against the back wall of the garage. You can hear it running if you listen with the TV off, but it's more than quiet enough for me.

[DWFAN]

I have the same one and find it more than suitable for me. It runs on a very tight, short carpet and I put a folded towel on the top of it to dampen the sound. I have people above my reloading room and dont want them questioning what I have going on. Works well, and a good price.

[DocMcG]

Paper Towels & Dryer Sheets!

I got tired of wiping dust off of everything in my garage and trying to rid my media of excess dust and broken-down walnut. A friend and several posts here recommend cutting used dryer sheets or clean paper towel into strips and running them in the media while polishing. They attract the dust and help to keep the media clean.

Also, a trick I developed because of the vented lid on my Lyman is to puncture a full paper towel in the center with the lid retaining screw, then slide it down over the top of the tumbler. Next place the lid on as usual and screw down tight with the retaining nut. This traps dust as well and prevents the garage from developing a layer of dust to be cleaned! Does not look as if you will have a problem with this issue if the Cabela's tumbler lid is not vented.

Cheers,

Kyle

[jkatz44]

I have now filled a 5gallon bucket with shiny 9mm brass using my Cabelas tumbler.

Until now, I've been getting more than enough brass off the floor of our indoor weekly matches, so a quick wash with a bit of Simple Green in a bucket was enough to give me 'good enough' brass. I never needed a tumbler.

Now we have more shooters indoors vulturing all of my brass, picking up a lot of slightly corroded brass outdoors, and a desire to shoot 3-gun (loading .223) have all lead me to finally break down and buy a tumbler. I wanted something that would fit at least 1,000 cases. The squirrel-cage style media sifter seemed like something I really wanted to try.

The Dillon one was just plain more than I wanted to spend. The Lymans are either loved or hated, same with the Frankford. And the Frankfords are apparently quite loud.

The only cheaper one that no one seemed to have a problem with was the Cabela's brand. And it holds 1,000 9mm cases. Cool. Ordered the tumbler and separator for the same price (shipped) as the big, fat Lyman I was eyeballing.

So far I'm happy. Loaded down with crushed walnut from the pet store, it's pretty quiet. My living room (the BEnos reading area) is against the back wall of the garage. You can hear it running if you listen with the TV off, but it's more than quiet enough for me.

Is there a specific amount of time you are supposed to leave brass in the tumbler?

[MemphisMechanic]

One hour is all I do, and pretty much the norm. It's on a cheap $5 timer you'd use to turn on lights while on vacation. Works just fine, brass is more than clean enough.

If you want jewelry-like shine, you typically use corncob media and run it longer. 2 hours or so. Walnut cleans more quickly and is ground small enough it never gets wedged in a case, but doesnt get the brass as super-shiny. Its like using 80grit sandpaper instead of 220 - youre done faster, but its not glass smooth.

Ran 500 shiny tumbled ones through my 650 yesterday. Wish I'd been doing this all along. A bit of One Shot and they glide through the press, handle effort is noticeably reduced versus dull, washed brass.

[CAMO66]

I originally got a Berry tumbler (which makes the Cabelas) and really liked it. Everyone said the Thumblers tumbler was the best so I found a deal on 2 of them. I much prefered the Berries so I sold both the Thumblers and got another of the Berries ( this time a Cabelas as it was the best price). Simple to load, quiet,and fast.

As far as a sifter. I just made my own out of 2 collenders from WalMart.

Scott

[S391]

Are you running straight walnut shells or do you use any polish in the media? I have the same tumbler and picked up a bunch of walnut shells from a pet supply store but I don't use polish... I tried it once and all I got was a big clump of sticky goo......

I ran a few thousand rounds of brass through it when I first got it and it seemed to work just fine.

[smokshwn]

With the walnut I just use a squirt of whatever car polish/cleaner is on sale at Wal mart. Works great.

[CocoBolo]

That tumbler looks like a FrankFord Aresnal with a Cabellas label on it. Got no Beef with Frandford Aresnal, I have one its been abused to the max for years still runs, and you can hear it 1/2 mile away. I'm using a Lymann Turbo 2500 now, bigger, quieter, cost more, and the cheap so and so's don't even put a switch on the cord like FrankFord or aka Cabellas.

I had a Dillon, got it with a gun, loader, deal and sold it, the FrandFord was just as good, just not as expensive.

[DWFAN]

Pretty sure my Cabelas tumbler came with a Berrys MFG warranty card.

[Dan Hefta]

I have the same tumbler and have used it for about 2.5 years now, it is actually made by Berry Manufacturing and has the Cabela's lable on it, for the money you can't go wrong. I like the really shiny brass so I run mine for a couple hours, I use corn cob media and a splash of polish that came with the tumbler. I would recommend this tumbler to my friends on a budjet.

[tigerfan_9]

good to know...thanks for the info. i will likely get this one when the time comes that I need it. I'm all about saving money for the right product.

[BMartens]

I have an older small Dillon and a Cabelas's tumbler and to be honest if I'm just running one load it always goes into the Cabelas's tumbler. I did a very unscientific study and put a few dryer sheet strips in both running side by side. The Cabela's tumbler turns the brass over 5 times to the Dillon 1 turn. I think more action means cleaner brass in a shorter time.

I run everything on a timer for 2 hours. If I have some real dirty brass I will let it go for 3 hours. Never have needed more time than that using corn cob media.

I add a capful of oderless mineral spirits and few drops of polish to each load and get bright and shiney brass, no problems and very little dust. The dryer sheet strips do help a little, just put a couple of drops of the spirits on them too.

I also like the green plastic separator better just because it has a lid. Not made as well and won't last as long the Dillon but, it is way cheaper. Same for the tumbler, you can buy 2 complete set-ups from Cabela's for what you pay for one Dillon.

[HotIce]

I have the same one now. Not a lot of mileage (probably ~100h runtime), but it is working w/out any issues so far.

[S391]

I just ran around 500 rounds of brass through my Cabela's tumbler and once again everything looks great. Thanks for the tip on adding a cap of mineral spirits.... I gave it a try and I think it helped.

For the money I think the tumbler has been a fantastic value... The only thing I might try is one of the new ultrasonic cleaners but I'm in no hurry.... However, I do need to pick up a separator....

Edited March 20, 2010 by S391

[MemphisMechanic]

The Cabela's tumbler is a Berry's unit.

I only run mine for an hour. I like my brass 'just clean enough'. I don't care if my brass looks like gold - if it's clean enough to run through the press and the gun, that's where I stop. Don't really see the need for dryer sheets or polishing compound.

[xinnix]

I see the Cabela's is on sale for 54.00. I need a larger capacity cleaner and a quiet one. I have heard that the Cabela's is quiet. I can buy two of these unit for $124.00 shipped. Is this a better deal than getting the larger Dillon tumbler. I have heard they are noisy. I need to be concerned about the noise because I live in an apartment.

Thanks a lot of the help or other suggestions.

[Trini]

The Cabela's tumbler I have is an older unit (10 yrs) which has a solid green top & doesn't have the on/off switch. Just looked at the one on sale which has a clear top that makes inspection of the cases easier. The other day I found a 5 gal bucket with 40 S&W brass that I had forgotten about. Will be cleaning brass next week.

[ninefan]

My Cabelas / Berry's tumbler is much quieter than my Lyman tumbler.

It seems to clean as well or better also.

[BMartens]

I see the Cabela's is on sale for 54.00. I need a larger capacity cleaner and a quiet one. I have heard that the Cabela's is quiet. I can buy two of these unit for $124.00 shipped. Is this a better deal than getting the larger Dillon tumbler. I have heard they are noisy. I need to be concerned about the noise because I live in an apartment.

Thanks a lot of the help or other suggestions.

You won't be disappointed. If you get the "kit" there will be media and polish included, probably enough for several months. It is cheaper and quieter and having two is not a bad idea if you load different calibers.

[Mattog22]

I use crushed walnut for rifle cases since the corncob is hard to get out of rifle cases, especially the .223. I tumble all my handgun cases in the corncob. I use a little glob of car polish and it works great. I have a Cabelas nearby so if mine breaks I will just take it back. They will even exchange without any questions asked, probably because it is Cabelas brand. My first one I bought I brought home, opened the box and the whole case container on the top was broken off the bottom part that vibrates. This made me weary but after thousands and thousands of rounds it's still working great. My buddy took a big plastic trashcan and put a pillow in it and now we just set that over top of it and it's extremely quiet now.

[Tul9033]

I've used the Frankford (died in < than 6 months), the Hornady, and the Cabela/Berry's. Cabela/Berry's wins hands down. My only gripe is I wish the bowl was made of a little more durable plastic, mine is marred from the brass.

[Graham Smith]

I have a Frankford and it's worked fine for me but it is noisy. I've been thinking of buying an ultrasonic cleaner but am not convinced that it's worth the extra $$. Looking at the Cabela/Berry's has me thinking that maybe a new tumbler is in order. If nothing else, it'll give me a second one to help wade through the 5 gal bucket of dirty .40 brass I've accumulated.

[DsWright]

.....picked up a bunch of walnut shells from a pet supply store but I don't use polish... I tried it once and all I got was a big clump of sticky goo......

I did the same thing the first time=P next couple times i put a couple squirts of polish in the tumber with the media only and ran it for a few min before adding the dryer sheets and brass. This is now what i do everytime and get nice shiny clean brass =)

the dryer sheets really do cut down on the dust ALOT! remember that dust contains lead!

[gohuskers]

I've used the Frankford (died in < than 6 months), the Hornady, and the Cabela/Berry's. Cabela/Berry's wins hands down. My only gripe is I wish the bowl was made of a little more durable plastic, mine is marred from the brass.

Mine did that as well. I was overloading it with 9mm. I ran a couple of light loads and it polished out the plastic.