Ultrasonic case cleaners

[Osceola]

Who uses one and how do you like it.What brand and how many 223 brass can you clean at one time.I'm going to buy one but have no idea which one to buy.

[Coach W]

Following!!!!

Ive been watching them for a while now... not just for 223 though.

[ducks-and-bucks]

I have a lyman. It has settings for 180 seconds, 250, 380, and 480. Then I usually do a few 480 second cycles on each basket of brass. I've had it for over a year and just used it for the first time yesterday. HAHA! Just never got around to it. It works VERY well and I'd buy one!!! You have to buy the cleaning solutions for them though. I mixed it a little stronger than what it said, I did 4 oz of solution to 20 oz of water. You dont want to fill up the whole bowl in the sonic cleaner. It seems to work faster and more efficient if you do 50-100 pieces of brass at a time depending on the size of brass. I did 100 243 cases yesterday, and 50 6.5 grendel cases. There is a brass cleaning solution, metal clean solution, and one other solution I know of... I tried the metal cleaning solution made for gun parts, but I wasnt happy with it, I got rust spots real fast on some metal pieces. I havent tried it again though, I probably did something wrong. As far as brass goes though its fantastic. They cleaned up better than a tumbler does.

If you want an extra shine on your brass tumble them first with white rice as media... It shines up brass great!... Then sonic clean the brass..

[ducks-and-bucks]

And I did use the heating element on the sonic cleaner for the brass cleaning

[ducks-and-bucks]

Just make sure to use distilled water in the cleaner. Then rinse the brass out under the sink real good once they are cleaned. After that, I get a few paper towels and dry off the brass best I can ASAP. Then I put them in my loading block and hit em with a heat gun just enough to blow warm air over them to dry them out fast. You dont want to get the brass hot doing this. I don't recommend letting the brass air dry though, you will get water spots on them. Best to dry up the brass asap. If you dont have a heat gun put em in front of a fan.

[ducks-and-bucks]

Theres my 2 cents. Buy one.

[iamntxhunter]

Ok is wet or dry better? I dont know anything about reloading but trying to get educated. If you have a preference can you please explain.

[Osceola]

D&B do you use the cleaning solution you mix with the water several times or do you change it after each cleaning.

[Jason19]

Just make sure to use distilled water in the cleaner. Then rinse the brass out under the sink real good once they are cleaned. After that, I get a few paper towels and dry off the brass best I can ASAP. Then I put them in my loading block and hit em with a heat gun just enough to blow warm air over them to dry them out fast. You dont want to get the brass hot doing this. I don't recommend letting the brass air dry though, you will get water spots on them. Best to dry up the brass asap. If you dont have a heat gun put em in front of a fan.

Good advice....I learned that the hard way. I'm using a Hornady "Lock-n-Load" cleaner. It says you can fit 200 .223/5.56 at one time but I am usually doing 150-175 at a time. I threw some 30-378 Weatherby in and was reduced to 50 at a time.

And FYI, you still need to throw your brass through the tumbler after.

[Tye]

Good advice....I learned that the hard way. I'm using a Hornady "Lock-n-Load" cleaner. It says you can fit 200 .223/5.56 at one time but I am usually doing 150-175 at a time. I threw some 30-378 Weatherby in and was reduced to 50 at a time.

And FYI, you still need to throw your brass through the tumbler after.

I've got the same cleaner. I usually decap, resize and then tumble. I have added brass cleaner to my tumbler media. I finish the brass in the ultrasonic cleaner at the end. The brass comes out looking almost brand new. You can also get a different cleaning solution for doing pistols, suppressors etc.

[Matteo]

Not to hijack, but does anyone tumble with stainless media?? How does it compare? Pros/Cons?

[Osceola]

Not to hijack, but does anyone tumble with stainless media?? How does it compare? Pros/Cons?

Good question and I've heard that people put rice in with the corn cobb.What's the benefit of this?

[ducks-and-bucks]

I reuse the cleaning solution as many times as it cleans the brass up. The water turns black first use but it still cleans over and over again.

[ducks-and-bucks]

As in I just leave the same solution in the machine until it stops working as good

[ducks-and-bucks]

Iamntx:

I don't know what your asking... clean the brass in the water and solution mix... rinse it all off well... then dry all the brass asap