Tumblers for reloading

[northAZarcher]

Just getting into reloading and was wondering what brand tumbler to purchase? I'm a buy once cry once kind of guy so if I have to pay a few extra bucks, I'm ok with that. Thx

[Delw]

Back when I used to shoot alot I bought the big blue ones from dillion in the 80's I think right when they moved to the bell road store,I picked up my second one there. ran thousands of all the center fire 22 cases as well at 300mag cases every week. then i needed a tumbler to de-bur our screw machine parts in 94 bout 1 more. they ran and still run 1/4 ceramic to this day. up until 4 years ago we use them everyday. never broke. no i use them very little. but still at home for loading.

2 weeks ago I bought a harbor freight one the bigger one ($160?)to run stainless small parts it worked extreamly good,,last month I bought a mr deburr 300 ($3k)for alum parts. wish i had this thing when I was shooting alot. the thing is awsum. I could do 5k-10k at one time lol.

 

thats my experiance with tumblers which isnt much except for the dillion. heard the new dillions dont run as good as the old ones. But I would buy another if I needed one just from my experiance.

only thing i dont like about the dillion is the bowl isnt lipped so media and cases come out of lids off.

ive done wet and dry in the dillion and no issues since the late 80's

[Hoss50]

I have an old blue dillon too. It works well.

 

I am kind of wondering about the newer drum style tumblers with stainless steel rods though. They seem pretty sweet and less messy.

[muledeerarea33?]

Stainless media is your friend! If money is no concern then buy a stainless media tumbler. Makes brass look like new.

[300RUM]

I have had a Dillon rotary tumbler for about 30 years and it is still going strong. I shot IPSIC for a number of years so it got lots of use. I started using stainless pins and have 3lb tumblers from Thumler and Harbor freight. The Thumler has been trouble free at twice the price. The Harbor Freight unit has required some repairs but is still functional. Having used both vibratory with corn cob and rotary drum with pins I feel the pins clean cases better and get it done faster. You do not need a fancy cleaner to use with the pins. Water with a little bit of Lemi-Shine, a dish washing product available at the grocery store, works great.

[QCwtAddict]

I have had a Dillon rotary tumbler for about 30 years and it is still going strong. I shot IPSIC for a number of years so it got lots of use. I started using stainless pins and have 3lb tumblers from Thumler and Harbor freight. The Thumler has been trouble free at twice the price. The Harbor Freight unit has required some repairs but is still functional. Having used both vibratory with corn cob and rotary drum with pins I feel the pins clean cases better and get it done faster. You do not need a fancy cleaner to use with the pins. Water with a little bit of Lemi-Shine, a dish washing product available at the grocery store, works great.

The pins bouncing around doesn't work harden the cases?

[rcdinaz]

Nope, best thing since sliced bread! Harbor Freight tumbler and stainles steel pins = shiny clean brass all the way down to the flash holes. A bargain to set ul as well.

[Latestartchase]

Definitely wet tumble in s harbor freight cheapie with little limishine and get you some stainless steel media from amazon, best way ever!

[northAZarcher]

Thanks for all the replays.