Ultrasonic cleaner vs. Tumbler

[John_schaffer]

I’m new to reloading and I’m still trying to get all the stuff I need, but I was wondering if a ultrasonic cleaner is better/worth the money?

Or does a tumbler do the exact same thing?

I was looking at the Hornady Lock-N-Load Sonic Cleaner 2L

Thanks for any advice!


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[stevieray54]

I have had very successful results with the vibrating cleaner or tumbler

[cobbc03]

I am currently looking to get into reloading, so I've done a fair amount of reading. I'm going with the ultrasonic cleaner because it will easily clean out around the primer much better. Again, I have no experience so take that for what it's worth.

[cm12setx]

My friend and I both have used tumblers for over 20 years. Work just fine. His son went with a wet tumbler with steel pin media. The brass looks just a little better than what comes out of my tumbler. And so far our guns cant tell the difference.

[dclifton]

Wet tumbler with SS pins is the only way to go. I have washed thousands of pcs of brass with a homemade one that aint fancy.. And it will clean primer pockets an all. Every once in a while i get some pins stuck in primer holes but i always just do a once over when drying them. Way better results then ultra or vibratory. You can make old corroded range brass shine like a diamond. I use dawn and lemishine added in the water also.

[JakeGraves]

I dont like anything with water or getting cases wet. I dry tumble with corn cob and brass polish only. Stainless tumbling can and will ding up case mouths as well as clean the interior of the case mouth too much and remove carbon that is beneficial

[pdevoto]

Regarding Ultrasonic Cleaners and the fluids used in them.
Remember that the Ultrasonic cleaner can atomize the fluids you are using to clean your gun and that you will be breathing those atomized fluids directly into you lungs. Much stronger than the off gassing odors evaporating from cleaning solvents alone.

[M16]

Wet tumbler with pins for the win.

[Mike D]

I have a sonic cleaner, traditional vibratory tumbler and a wet rotary tumbler.

Nothing gets them cleaned and polished better inside and out including primer pockets than the wet rotary tumbler.

I mainly use the sonic cleaner to clean really dirty gun parts and serviceable suppressor parts.

I hardly ever use the dry vibratory tumbler.


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[Mike D]

I dont like anything with water or getting cases wet. I dry tumble with corn cob and brass polish only. Stainless tumbling can and will ding up case mouths as well as clean the interior of the case mouth too much and remove carbon that is beneficial

I’ve not seen any dinged case mouths on mine. I usually deprime, resize and then tumble to get the case lube off. After that I do my traditional case prep (trim/deburr/chamfer). I also lube case necks with dry graphite although I have seen little benefit to that extra step.


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[Lonestar Angler]

Wet tumbler and stainless pins for me. Add dawn soap and about a spoonful of Lemmi Shine detergent booster.

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[John_schaffer]

It seems like the SS pins in a wet tumbler is the only way to go!


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[zac221]

Stainless homemade kit for me and I’ve done thousands of rounds and tools. Never an issue and they just about come out looking new every time.


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[Tommyh]

Pecan shell and Meguiars car wax in my vibrating tumbler, and they look brand new.

[cva34]

I had both.and both work fine.. But Wet Ultrasonic is personal fav cause it will clean Carburetors and lots of other things also...