Hey Guys: As a newcomer to this hobby I am starting to collect some equipment. I am primarily reloading for handguns. Is a tumbler considered a "gotta have it" item?
TIA for the feedback.

Hey Guys: As a newcomer to this hobby I am starting to collect some equipment. I am primarily reloading for handguns. Is a tumbler considered a "gotta have it" item?
TIA for the feedback.

deuceroadster2,
I would not say it is "gotta have". There are different ways of cleaning cases. But it sure is handy. Clean cases are a must in my opinion. The tumbler is an easy way to do it.
Crookedshot

Clean counts...it reduces wear from imbedded "crud" on the dies, the brass, and the chamber.

Polished is just a matter of preference...has no real bearing on the load's perfomance, but many people just like that bright shine of polished cases.

I think it's not 'gotta have', but....
ALL my brass for reloads goes thru a tumbler at least once, sometimes twice.
Clean cases aren't mandatory, though, although I do agree that they make dies last longer - can't say I can prove that, though.

Can't prove it either. But every used set of steel dies (before carbide was common) I've picked up had internal scratches. Even after a detailed cleaning, they'd leave mirror image scratches on cases that past through them. Polishing the hardened dies can remove scratches, but then the die is not sizing the cases as much as it was designed to...sometimes that's acceptable, usually it's not.

BIG THANK YOU FOR THE DIE MAKERS for the standardization of reasonably priced carbide dies for pistol calibers. Not that you can't damage them, but you have to work at it.

Considering that a rifle's chamber isn't as hard as a reloading die, it's not a big jump to suggest that a dirty gritty case could mar a chamber.

All this is a vote for clean cases...polishing is the easiest, dry way of cleaning cases.

In my book it is a must have. I like clean and polished brass. JMHO :D

Over the years, i've accumulated three. One is to clean, the next is to remove the lube once sized, and one is to polish once the case has been fully prepared. I know that's overkill, but it sure makes for good looking (and performing) ammunition........

I loaded for about 15 years without one so, no, it is not a neccessity. However, with that said, now that I have one I cannot see how I got along without it. Now, I would say, yes, it is a neccessity. What I do is deprime all cases with a universal deprime die, no lubing... Then tumble them clean. It makes sizing so much easier, case inspection so much easier, I am convinced it will reduce wear and tear on your dies as no crud is left on your cases, and while I have no proof of it, I think clean bullets shoot better ;) Also, as was mentioned, after you do size your cases, 20 minutes back in the tumbler has all the sizing lube off and you can proceed without all the mess. Best thing since the auto primer feed!

I loaded for about 15 years without one so, no, it is not a neccessity. However, with that said, now that I have one I cannot see how I got along without it. Now, I would say, yes, it is a neccessity. What I do is deprime all cases with a universal deprime die, no lubing... Then tumble them clean. It makes sizing so much easier, case inspection so much easier, I am convinced it will reduce wear and tear on your dies as no crud is left on your cases, and while I have no proof of it, I think clean bullets shoot better ;) Also, as was mentioned, after you do size your cases, 20 minutes back in the tumbler has all the sizing lube off and you can proceed without all the mess. Best thing since the auto primer feed!

Thanks for the input guys! Your input is helpful as always.
Deuceroadster2

Don't know what I would do without mine. Fairly inexpensive item, plus cost of consumables. A little , purpose made, additive will make your media go a long ways if you don't have a inexpensive source. You can buy huge bags of ground corn cob at the mill (50lb), if you have one nearby, for about half the cost of a box of the stuff the mfg's sell(5lb?). One of these bags will last you for years, unless you load a ton.

I use two tumblers for my brass...one i use a super fine silica sand in to clean and get all the crud off and the other is filled with crushed corn cob for polishing. You must be VERY meticulous about the silica sand though....making sure you get every bit of it out of the cases before and reloading or shooting operation or else trouble can and will arise. I like it for cleaning though...you can clean the dirtiest of cases in about 20-30 mins and then just hit them up with the corn cob and its some of the nicest looking brass around! Although tumblers are not needed, they are nice too have and really save your fingers from cleaning brass by hand!

I like the idea of putting clean ammo in my firearms, I also like the ease of picking-up/finding shiny brass out of the grass at my range. My older Midway tumbler makes this one-time chore a no hassle, no brainer. For me the corn cob is a nice polisher, but the ground walnut media seems to clean better. When you buy one, spend the extra bucks and get the seive,(seperator for large bathes of brass), youi'll never look back.

I like the idea of putting clean ammo in my firearms, I also like the ease of picking-up/finding shiny brass out of the grass at my range. My older Midway tumbler makes this one-time chore a no hassle, no brainer. For me the corn cob is a nice polisher, but the ground walnut media seems to clean better. When you buy one, spend the extra bucks and get the seive,(seperator for large bathes of brass), youi'll never look back.

Thanks for the info Terry. How do you like the Midway unit? That is the one I was leaning towards.

Deuce

I've had a Midway model 1288, for 12-14 years now, with zero brakdowns or complaints. I frequently let it run over night.

While you don't need one, before long you will just want one! Because at some point you will come to take pride in the ammo you make and just don't want nice newly loaded ammo that looks like crap.

Its also very beneficial to have clean cases for inspection purposes.

I haven't tried many different media because I haven't needed to...... A lot of people will frown at this but an old timer once told me..... one tablespoon Brasso (very common brass polish $2 for 8 oz) and two or three capfuls of sudsy ammonia ($2 per quart) with ordinary corn cob media ($5 for 2x gallon mild jugs). Works great, on the most stubborn staining.
I bought the Lyman red walnut shells when my original corn cob became too fouled (after 10 years) . It was $15 for a gallon jug and doesn't work any better.

I have one due any day now.I was wondering do they clean inside as well as outside the brass.I used a brass brush and 000 steel wool on the last set.How important is it to throughly clean the inside of a case.I'm fortunate that a 444 strate wall is very easy but something like a 223 must be tough.

You don't need to clean the inside of the case. The inside of the neck mouth area is nice to clean out every so often. A stiff plastics bore brush is all thats needed to remove most crud. If you start with good brass and don't let it get stomped into the ground, thats all you'll ever need.

If you pick up some on the ground that have been around for a long time, you can step up to a brass brush, but most people don't load things left by others.

I have one due any day now.I was wondering do they clean inside as well as outside the brass.I used a brass brush and 000 steel wool on the last set.How important is it to throughly clean the inside of a case.I'm fortunate that a 444 strate wall is very easy but something like a 223 must be tough.

There's really no need to clean the inside of the case. The tumbler cleans inside and out. It's the outside that needs cleaning so your dies and gun chamber will last longer.