Brass Cleaner - Sonic or Vibrating?

[Rogue]

Sonic or Vibrating, which works the best and why?

Thanks!!!

 

[bob4]

Depends on your way of thinking. Myself, I like leaving some carbon in my cases for more consistent seating pressure.. So it's vibrating for me.

 

[Rick Richard]

I have done both and vibrating is much easier in my opinion.

 

[SabreCross]

I'm the opposite. I used to vibrate my brass but now I use the sonic. Less mess.

 

[FURMAN]

I have both. I only sonic clean if/when brass gets very dirty. The sonic cleaner removes carbon inside the neck and effects ES and SD. If only getting one get a vibrator and use lizard bedding with flitz.

 

[J E Custom]

Pin Tumble if you want clean brass throughout.

Sonic clean If you want quick results in small batches (50)

Vibratory clean if you want the polished look, But don't forget to rinse
all of the abrasives out of the cases to prevent extra wear on the barrel (Every time you shoot, the abrasives are shot down the barrel)

I like all three methods depending on what use and amount of time I have.

J E CUSTOM

 

[MudRunner2005]

Both... I decap, sonic clean, then dry, then tumble polish. They come out looking better than new.

 

[Black Hat]

I only have the Lyman Turbo Sonic 2500 cleaner, use it after each fire and before resizing, cleans cases up like new again.

I rinse in metho to help them dry quickly, and sometimes rush it along in the oven, thats the only downside to sonic cleaning is the time to dry the cases out properly imo.

 

[Rick Richard]

Pin Tumble if you want clean brass throughout.

Vibratory clean if you want the polished look, But don't forget to rinse
all of the abrasives out of the cases to prevent extra wear on the barrel (Every time you shoot, the abrasives are shot down the barrel)


J E CUSTOM

Wouldn't it take a bunch of the media to do any harm to a barrel. Also, since the media is usually something like walnut shells or corncob wouldn't that small amount burn up during ignition? Just curious and would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[SavageHunter11]

I have both. I only sonic clean if/when brass gets very dirty. The sonic cleaner removes carbon inside the neck and effects ES and SD. If only getting one get a vibrator and use lizard bedding with flitz.

Why does removing carbon inside the neck effect ES and SD negativity? I would think the cleaner your case, the more consistent the load.

 

[375fan]

Both... I decap, sonic clean, then dry, then tumble polish. They come out looking better than new.

I do both too, basically the same reasoning.
Anneal
deprime/size
sonic clean to help clean off sizing lube
let cases dry, then tumble

 

[SavageHunter11]

I do both too, basically the same reasoning.
Anneal
deprime/size
sonic clean to help clean off sizing lube
let cases dry, then tumble

I like the idea of sizing then sonic cleaning. Kinda a two bird one stone deal there. I might just use that if I decide to get a sonic cleaner

 

[Greyfox]

I use corn cob media, and tumble with an old Lyman vibratory model. I also like the very consistent lubricity/tension of the residual carbon coating on the inside of the neck which seems to produce lower ES and consistent velocity averages. I always tumble before removing the spent primers to keep the medial out of the flash holes. Subsequently, after depriving.sizing, I may or may not brush the primer pockets depending upon the degree of fouling. May not be always be as pretty.......but they do shoot well.

 

[okie man]

I tumble in dry media just because all the work too dry wet cases. Hit them with a blast of compressed air too remove the residue from tumbling