Hi I want to get into reloading and I was wondering if I will need a tumbler. I would like to be able to use brass I have already shot. And will there be any difference in brass between companys. Like federal and hornady.

Thanks-Bobby

Depending on how many cases you shoot/reload and how much you shoot, you don't really need to worry about a tumbler. For my .308 Win i started with 500 remington cases. I have not tumbled any of them, and have been shooting them for over a year. They all have been loaded 5 or 6 times. If you only get a few cases and shoot them a lot, you will want to clean them. As far as cases go, i buy remington cases for all my loads. But what ever kind you choose, stick with one man. Case thicknesses can vary from company to company, and that affects total case volume. Hope this helps.

I have a different slant on the tumbler issue. I clean ALL my brass before reloading, and for a couple reasons. Cleaned brass won't scratch your dies. A scratched die will mark every case after that until you either replace the die or have it polished out. Next, I can examine a clean case allot easier than a dirty case when looking for problems. And last but not least, I think they look good. Cleaned cases look better than factory cases and I like the way they look. Cleaning your cases is such a 'no-brainer', why would you 'not' do it? I've seen tumblers on ebay for under $50. And if it doesn't do any good, why do most reloaders do it? Just my 2 cents worth.

I have to agree with Highpower on one point and that is a clean case is much easier to inspect for cracks and such. You can even make your own case tumbler that works and is very inexpensive. I will have to look for the link to the site again.

I finally found the link I was looking for.
http://home.speedsoft.com/theashes/tumbler/tumbler.html

I also have to agree with Highpower - clean cases are just better. BUT there are a number of ways to clean cases without special equipment. I used a lot of methods before I could afford a motorized cleaner.

You can hand clean them with some of these "wonder" cloths or the lead removal costs. This is tedious but if you chuck the case in a Lee case trimmer holder (less than $10.00) you can spin it with your drill and trim at the same time - I still use this method for certain conditions - like pre-cleaning dirty case mouths.

There are also a number of liquid cleaners available that are very economical - including a home brew of cider vinegar that has a number of followers in some of the forums.

Finally - when you get around to buying a machine - you don't want a "tumbler" per se - you want one of the vibratory case cleaners. My Midway version was the cheapest I could find way back when and it's still going strong.

I'm going to go with highpower as well on this one.

Cleaning your cases:

1.) Makes it easier to see developing flaws in the brass early.

2.) Keeps your dies clean and prevents wear to the dies and scratches in the cases.

3.) Reduces sizing effort.

4.) Makes the cases look nice.

5.) Is fairly inexpensive.

I tumble all my cases before they are deprimed and sized. When I come home from the range I just dump the cases into my tumbler and turn it on. Because the cases weren't super nasty to begin with it usually takes just an hour or two to get them clean and sparkling. If you're looking for an inexpensive tumbler, go to MidwayUSA's sight (www.midwayusa.com) and search for the Frankfort Arsenal Tumbler. It's a base line, no frills unit that's big enough to clean 100 22-250, 50 .454 Casull, and 50 .45 Colt cases at the same time, and costs about $50.

For media I've found that the best, and cheapest, media one can get is a 50/50 mixture of pet store fine ground walnut hulls and the fine corncob bedding, treated with Iosso Brass Polish. The media costs a fraction of what it costs at a gun store (i.e. the Lyman tumbler media) and lasts three times as long. The 50/50 mix does an outstanding job of getting the cases sparkling clean and highly polished in little time.

Tumbling cases is worth the small bit of expense and trouble, IMO.

Mike

one thing to add about using different head stamp brass, if you have a copy of the Nosler 5th edition, reloading guide (pg46) it shows a great cutaway picture of several different headstamps and the differences in case wall thickness, web thickness and flash hole shape. All variations can affect velocity, pressure and consistency. Hope this helps! Note Ive found Winchester and Federal brass to be the best for me, just my opinion.

I take alot of pride in my handloads, so I make sure they look as good as they shoot. Good luck.

Like about 75% of reloading gadgets, you don't need a case tumbler, but it makes life easier.

I made one for about $10, here's how:

1. Took a cheap box fan ($10 from Walmart) removed the rear screen.

2. Using a pair of tin snips, cut off all of the blades except for 1.

3. laid the fan face down.

4. Securely duct taped an ice cream bucket ( rightside up with a lid) onto the frame of the fan.

5 using tin snips, cut an opening in the screen so it could be replaced around the bucket.

6. filled the bucket 3/4 full of corncob media.

7. drop about 50 '06 sized shells or 200 .45 auto shells in the bucket and turned the fan on. The amount of vibration can be adjusted by fan speed or by securing weights to the remaining fan blade.

Its not pretty, it takes up alot of floorspace when its running, and you need to secure it so it doesn't walk off and unplug itself while running, but the price is really hard to beat.

Prior to getting a tumbler I washed the cases in soap and water and blew them dry with an air hose and further let them dry over night. It's critical that they be dry before installing primers or powder however.

The tumbler is a nice tool but not a necessity at all.