Tumbling or ultra sonic for cleaning?

Wow, can't wait to see the replies.... this is right up there with a Ford vs. Chevy convos. I give you my opinion and as usual, to you it will probably be worth 2 cents. I'm not a fan of ultra sonic for my brass. I love my ultra sonic for parts. Why? I can't say there is a scientific reason or performance reason... I think it came down to I didn't want to keep buying the solution and the volume wasn't big enough. Again not performance, but several batches of brass can out very oddly stained and spotted (which I'm sure most will say was user error). Tumbling I ended up going with wet tumbling. Don't' mind dealing with the water or drying. Again, never saw a performance difference and I'm not sure the dust created by the vibration media is really a thing to be worried about. Wet tumbling just fits my setup and storage (like the fact I don't have to store the media, just pour more).
 
Dont overthink this. You dont need brass with a mirror like finish as itll all end up on the ground anyways. Get it clean and shiny enough to find cracks and damaged cases.

If you have alot of brass and the room, an Electric cement mixer and some corn cob or walnut shells.
 
Dont overthink this. You dont need brass with a mirror like finish as itll all end up on the ground anyways. Get it clean and shiny enough to find cracks and damaged cases.
This.
All I use corn cob or walnut media for cleaning. That way I don't have to deal with drying the brass etc. Also I find that it makes resizing the cases easier when dry tumbling vs wet tumbling/sonic cleaning. The wet option makes the brass ultra clean and BONE dry with no residue to aid in lubrication when the cases are resized. Just my $0.02.

Edit: I will say the only benefit I see with wet tumbling is the lack of hazardous lead contaminated dust as compared to dry tumbling. That's why I do that outside so I'm not contaminating my basement.
 
Dont overthink this. You dont need brass with a mirror like finish as itll all end up on the ground anyways. Get it clean and shiny enough to find cracks and damaged cases.
This (again).

I bought an el-cheepo tumbler & walnut shells at Harbor Freight - works perfect.

If you do go dry, you may find you need a sifter. A little pricey - but I recommend this. (on sale!)

Good luck !
 
I once had the displeasure to get something burning ejected from the shell landing my the back of my neck. when it happened again, I was able to squash the ember and see the material was the compacted dust of walnut tumbling medium. The dust (maybe also actual walnut particles) had somehow accumulated and stuck inside the shell casing.

from this experience, I'm now more of a "sonic/wet tumbler" camper. But I also realize and agree with 50wt ... "You dont need brass with a mirror like finish"
 
I use a tumbler with corn cob media unless they're really filthy in which case I'll use walnut. But I've gotten away from case cleaning lately. I'll just load whatever crap brass I've scrounged up. I'll check for foreign objects but that's about it. Dirty brass or clean, it hasn't seemed to make a difference.
 
i've been using the cheapest bottom of their line lyman tumbler, 2 bowls w/sifter top. i've had it maybe 35 years or a bit longer. i bought from midway many years ago, a 35 gallon cardboard drum of the lyman tumbling media for cheap on a sale. believe it or not, the media is still active with whatever cleaning solution they charged it with. it's going to last me the rest of my life i reckon. works like a champ with minimal investment.
 
Both,.. ultrasonic for small handfuls and wet tumbling for larger loads,.. pins with anything bigger than 9mm. Dry media tumble for finished rounds when I want to impress my friends with my polished rounds at matches,.. so I'll wash up a full drum of 9mm and ultrasonic some 45 or 40 while I wait,.. and then everything goes in to the dryer.
 
What do you guys perfer? Need to buy one and can’t decide
Im going to say
Depends on your level of clean you want .
I am a bit lazy.
I like to dump cases in the media (dry) tumbler run it for a a bit while I do other things. Come back dump it through the sifter and be done.
I need clean enough to go through dies and maybe to remove lube after sizing IF if I feel inclined .
 
Wow, can't wait to see the replies.... this is right up there with a Ford vs. Chevy convos. I give you my opinion and as usual, to you it will probably be worth 2 cents. I'm not a fan of ultra sonic for my brass. I love my ultra sonic for parts. Why? I can't say there is a scientific reason or performance reason... I think it came down to I didn't want to keep buying the solution and the volume wasn't big enough. Again not performance, but several batches of brass can out very oddly stained and spotted (which I'm sure most will say was user error). Tumbling I ended up going with wet tumbling. Don't' mind dealing with the water or drying. Again, never saw a performance difference and I'm not sure the dust created by the vibration media is really a thing to be worried about. Wet tumbling just fits my setup and
i dont care if its shiny as long as it loads correctly and goes bang
 
My pistol cases get an hour in the tumbler which is more than enough, they're just gonna get dirty again.

Rifle casesI'm a bit more picky about, I don't know why but I am so I tend to polish them a lot more. I haven't had a lot of luck cleaning cases with ultrasonic cleaners but I do have one, like someone said before they come in handy for other things.
 
Started cleaning in a bucket
Switched to ultrasonic and now wet tumble without pins
Whatever is fastest to get them clean enough to load.
 
Bought a cheapy sonic cleaner does all I want out of it this was only 7 minutes
 

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