I Need serious advice....................

partisan

Some of you guys have to help me. I started reloading in the mid 70's, and have just about everything I need. The one thing I don't have, and need the advice on, is a tumbler. I need to know which brand has the best reliability? What type of media do I need to buy? Do I need some type of liquid to add to the media? Which media seperator is the best for the least money?
You guys get my delimia. I will base my purchase on whatever reccomendation I get from you guys! Thanks in advance!!!!

I only do small amounts of handloads, and usually do no more than a hundred at a sitting.

TANK78Z

I had couple of RCBS tumblers..they did not last...go with a berry's tumbler..very quiet next to others, reasonably priced, and have a good rep,. I really like mine.
I have no recommendation on additives, hardly ever used any,I use "preloaded" corncob, when it stops doing a good job I just replace it.
I have a Dillon separator ..it's ok ..but I would try another less expensive one if I needed one now.

bpost

Just get one from Midwayusa.com any brand, they all work fine, for the little use you have ground walnut or corn cob sold with the tumbler will last along time.

partisan

Thanks to all for your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![8D]

Bubba Jr.

A lot of the vibratory tumblers look like they are made on the same assembly line, just with different colored bowls. I have a Hornady, and it works fine so far.

I use corn cob media with a little Flitz Brass Polish dropped in. Let the machine run for at least 10 minutes to distribute the polish before dropping in the brass.

Justjump

The small midway one should last you for years. Walnut or Corn cob ( I prefer walnut) I add frankfurt arsenal treatment and let run for a few minutes before adding brass. Any of the additives that are designed for reloading brass (no ammonia) should work. Never use brasso.

dcs shooters

My Midway has been running strong for the last 20yrs.
I use ground walnut and corn cob mixed with some of the cheapest auto, fine polish I can find.

Mobuck

I would NEVER buy another Midway brand tumbler. Some have lasted less than 8 hours and none have lasted me over a year. Right now I have two and when(not if) they fail, I'm going to ask for credit against the purchase of another Lyman.
I had a Lyman 1200 that ran for over 10 years and it ran a lot. Last year, I got a Lyman 2500 and will likely get another when the crappy Midways go poop. I wouldn't say you need the big 2500 for the amount you noted. I load by the bucketful and was running 4 of the smaller 1200 size to keep up. The Lymans have much better cleaning action than the Midway and only have to run half as long to get the same results.

Pistollero1050

My Franklin arsenal has been doing great for about 6 years. JMHO

Okie743

I've used a Lyman tumbler for years and it just keep running like the energizer bunny! I made a hull separator by taking a plastic pail, about 1 gallon size and ground some slots in the bottom, sit it inside another pail dump the brass and media, couple shakes and the hulls and media are separated. I would buy another lyman. I've seen the type I have on sale with two bowls for approx $60.

I use the Lyman walnut tuf-nut media with the red rough already added! It's gets 100 hulls polished in about 2 hour run. I use a timer when I'm not going to watch the tumbler for shutting it off! You will have to use a paper clip and remove the tug-nut media from the primer pocket holes. If you see the media getting red dusty, throw in a dryer anti-static sheet cut into 1 to 2 inch inch squares and it will remove the dust during the next hull run. Fastest way to ruin your media is by not degreasing the hulls BEFORE they are run in the media. The sizing lube will severely shorten the life of the media! I've never had to use the corn-cob for the final polish because the tuf-nut always got em bright enough for me. Corn cob if used as the only media usually took too long a run for me if the hulls were slightly tarnished.[;)]

geeguy

Try Harbor Freight for the machine and Pet stores for Walnut media.

I have had a Midway for at least 20 years (can't remember, may be more than that)and it's still going strong. However, some new loaders have used the Harbor Freight one's with great success and they are less expensive. Rice, corn, or walnut, they all seem to do the job for me, and I find a citrus cleaner spray to be every bit as good as the high price name brand polish.

Depends a lot on how much shine you want. Some guys use walnut and then corn. Right now I am using walnut and corn mix, seems to work well for me.

Good luck

oneoldsap

Ditto on the Lyman , my 1200 has been going since 1990 ! Using their media is a good idea too .

Alan Rushing

partisan - I've been in the same multi-faceted dilemma as you.

Having searched the GB site and read what folks have studied and experienced more recently, I went and ordered the stainless tumbling media set up that several guys have strongly recommended.

I won't be able to say much definitively about it until I try it awhile.

Good luck to you and your odyssey.

gregoryhart1

I use a Lortone rotary rock tumbler for my polishing needs. I don't know if it's any better than a vibratory type, but I already had it so I couldn't justify buying another. For polishing media I use ground walnut lizard bedding from Petco. Works well. I've also used uncooked rice with a little cornmeal thrown in.
GH1[:)]

reload999

quote:Originally posted by oneoldsap
Ditto on the Lyman , my 1200 has been going since 1990 !I've been using mine since 1987 [:D]

Alan Rushing

partisan

For whatever it is worth to you. I had ordered and have since received the STM - stainless steel tumbling media, tumbler, etc. the whole shabang. It has been mentioned by some of the folks here on GB.

I ordered the entire system / package. So far so good, it has been working well, no muss, no nasty surprises, it is measuring up. Have tumbled an assortment to pistol, rifle and magnum brass cases. Well in excess of 3,000 in 5 days of going at it. Everything has been working per what they and others have shared. When I use something, it is flat azzed, used a lot! I'd recommend the same set-up.

I have to dredge-up more brass around here so as to clean and polish all of it while I have the time and the space to do so.

If you get it and want to bounce ideas around regarding it, just contact me. Whatever you decide, good luck to you.

Best, Alan

cnsay

Lots of miles on my lyman 1200. I have polish on the current walnut media, but when it wears out I will go back to plain walnut. The polish makes the media a little more sticky and I find quite a lot of the cases pack up inside and need to check and clean them out. With regular media very few packed up inside.

Alan Rushing

This is the best set-up that I have ever used or even seen:

www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com [:0]

I recently purchased the system and have no complaints. [:)]

I've now cleaned and polished several thousand additional cases ... well over 5,000. They're looking excellent! [:D]

I'd recommend the system to anyone that is interested in a straight forward and adaptable system. [^]

Topkick

I have used a Cabelas branded tumbler going on 3 years.
No problems and I think I gave about $38 or so.

I use the Lyman walnut media without any a further additive.

v35

I have been getting by for years using a Thumbler's Tumbler that was too small.
Recently I bought a Cabella's unit that I believe is a Berry's unit.
I like it as being a good unit with good capacity.
I found it does a quicker job with a lot of brass than with few.
I'm not charmed with the media and polish supplied and will try rice as has been recommended when my supply runs out.
Right now, I deprime without resizing before tumbling and resize later to avoid scratching the dies.
In the case of carbide resizer, I resize and deprime before tumbling.
In any case, I prefer to have primers out before tumbling.

Navybat

I also use a Cabela's tumbler. It's quiet, effective, has an on/off switch, and I bought it in a kit which came with a separator pan and some corncob media, plus polish.

I hear that walnut is better, but so far I'm VERY pleased with what I have. Look into it.

grady mitchell

try a diamond pacific custom made usa made

SCOTTGUNN

Dillon Precision CV-2001 Vibratory Case Cleaner (largest in the industry) and the Dillon Precision CM-2000 Case/Media Separator are the best I have found by far, and I have gone through many brands and models. I load up to a couple thousand rounds per week and these units have continued to run flawlessly for over 4 years now. You will pay a little more up front for these, but they will save you tons of time and money in the long run. It is worth not having to deal with broken down units over and over again. Dillon also has a LIFETIME NO HASSLE WARRANTY!!!

I also use the corn cob media Dillon sells, it is priced reasonably and is top grade. I seem to get the best polishing results from Flitz polish.

Pay maore now or pay a whole lot more later!

armilite

I have a Thumlers Tumbler Model B that I have used for 30 years and in that time I've replaced like 3 belts that's it. Last year I picked up one from Harbor Freight on sale for $29.99. I use this one as well as I'm backed up in brass that needs to be tumbled.