Sonic Cleaner or Die Upgrade?

[varanidguy]

I find myself in a predicament. PSA has RCBS match dies on sale right now for about $80. The seater looks awesome with the window, and the way it is designed, it's supposed to properly index and center the bullet every time when it's seated. But I also would really like to get an ultrasonic cleaner and one even worth buying is about the same price, and could be used for case prep, as parts cleaning, and cleaning tools and dies.

Providing it was one or the other (for now), which would you guys choose? Upgrading reloading dies (for .308) or an ultrasonic cleaner?

[TheWoodCrafter]

If you think you really need "MATCH" dies, don't waste your money on a sonic cleaner.
Buy a wet tumbler.
Do you really think "MATCH" dies will help you at all?

[varanidguy]

If you think you really need "MATCH" dies, don't waste your money on a sonic cleaner.
Buy a wet tumbler.
Do you really think "MATCH" dies will help you at all?

Not sure, honestly. More sold on the product design, I guess. I don't have a concentricity tool to really see how off or on my cartridges are.

Why not get a sonic cleaner? I've seen some great results with cleaning brass, plus deep cleaning of gun parts and tools for hard/impossible to reach spots.

[TheWoodCrafter]

I have the Hornady small sonic cleaner.
It works fine for small batches but does not polish your brass.
I also clean my wife's jewelry with it. That keeps her off my back.
Wet tumbler is my next purchase with S.S. chips.
I have read and seen that that looks like the way to go.

[varanidguy]

I have the Hornady small sonic cleaner.
It works fine for small batches but does not polish your brass.
I also clean my wife's jewelry with it. That keeps her off my back.
Wet tumbler is my next purchase with S.S. chips.
I have read and seen that that looks like the way to go.

I agree for brass only, but it would also be nice to use it for my slides, BCG's, reloading dies, 1911 frame, etc.

Maybe ultrasonic for now, and wet tumbler down the road for brass only.

['ol shooter]

I bought the Hornady cleaner, the identical item is also sold at Harbor Freight. For cleaning cases it's a waste of time and money.

[varanidguy]

I bought the Hornady cleaner, the identical item is also sold at Harbor Freight. For cleaning cases it's a waste of time and money.

Okay, why?

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[bazineta]

I've got that same Harbor Freight cleaner and the FA stainless tumbler. For cleaning cases, the ultrasonic to the stainless tumbler is as the lowly worm is to the soaring eagle.

Seriously, it's just not in the same league. Doesn't do nearly as good a job, and you have to run it about 4 times on what's a maximum 8 minute timer to get a decent level of cleanliness from it. In that same amount of time, the tumbler has them practically spotless, and I didn't need to reset a timer every 8 minutes to get there.

For parts cleaning, it's a good choice. I wouldn't use one for cases unless it was the only choice I had.

[Wrangler John]

Okay, why?

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http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/10436

Besides, I have never found any accuracy advantage to stripping brass completely clean, in fact sonic cleaning will make the necks too clean so that a bit of inside neck lube is needed to seat bullets easily.

Also, if you want a set of dies, the RCBS seating die you mentioned is good, I use a set with one to load .204 Ruger because it's easier for me to drop the bullet in from the side rather than fumble with them from the top, less wind up on the floor with my big fingers that way. However, I tried an experiment with my last .308 Winchester rifle build, I bought a set of LEE dies:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/538030/lee-pacesetter-3-die-set-308-winchester

Made up loads that shot around .5" for 10 shots @ 100 yards. Not bad for a $27.97 die set. In fact the die set cost about half what a box of 50 Nosler cases cost. Good loading!

[varanidguy]

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/10436

Besides, I have never found any accuracy advantage to stripping brass completely clean, in fact sonic cleaning will make the necks too clean so that a bit of inside neck lube is needed to seat bullets easily.

Also, if you want a set of dies, the RCBS seating die you mentioned is good, I use a set with one to load .204 Ruger because it's easier for me to drop the bullet in from the side rather than fumble with them from the top, less wind up on the floor with my big fingers that way. However, I tried an experiment with my last .308 Winchester rifle build, I bought a set of LEE dies:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/538030/lee-pacesetter-3-die-set-308-winchester

Made up loads that shot around .5" for 10 shots @ 100 yards. Not bad for a $27.97 die set. In fact the die set cost about half what a box of 50 Nosler cases cost. Good loading!

Thank you for the information!

I already dry tumble in walnut in a Frankfort Arsenal vibratory tumbler. I was just looking for an alternative to get them cleaner, especially the primer pockets. It's good to know that you found no accuracy advantages to having 100% stripped clean brass.

That Lee die set is the exact set that I use, and don't get me wrong, I don't feel like there's anything wrong with them. I just really liked the design of the seater die especially. Being able to insert the bullet from the side on the top, rather than awkwardly from the bottom, just like you said. Plus it seemed reasonable that, with the way it is designed, it would keep it more concentric because of the bushing system designed in the die that holds the bullet in place for you.

Again, thank you for the info! It seems a sonic cleaner might be more beneficial for deep cleaning of gun parts than brass, even though the brass might look prettier than from a vibratory tumbler.

Might still pick one up, but not nearly as gung-ho about it now. haha

[varanidguy]

I've got that same Harbor Freight cleaner and the FA stainless tumbler. For cleaning cases, the ultrasonic to the stainless tumbler is as the lowly worm is to the soaring eagle.

Seriously, it's just not in the same league. Doesn't do nearly as good a job, and you have to run it about 4 times on what's a maximum 8 minute timer to get a decent level of cleanliness from it. In that same amount of time, the tumbler has them practically spotless, and I didn't need to reset a timer every 8 minutes to get there.

For parts cleaning, it's a good choice. I wouldn't use one for cases unless it was the only choice I had.

Thank you for your input. Other than the timer issue, why would you put SS tumbling that far above ultrasonic cleaning? I have seen ultrasonic cleaning get the brass extremely, as close to perfectly as possible, clean.

The part about parts cleaning (and tools) is another appealing factor of the ultrasonic cleaner.

[OpenSightsOnly]

I already dry tumble in walnut in a Frankfort Arsenal vibratory tumbler. I was just looking for an alternative to get them cleaner, especially the primer pockets.

I use the dry tumble process. Have used NUFinish car polish and it works but this is what I have been using and I like it - https://www.ch4d.com/products/supplies/media-polish

Just add to media then dump the brass and GTG! I never bother to get the primer pockets clean. I just decap the cases before I tumble and so far so good.

['ol shooter]

Okay, why?

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Doesn't get the primer pockets or the inside of the case clean enough for me. My wet tumbler does it best for me, case insides and primer pockets clean, the outside sparkling is just icing on the cake.

[varanidguy]

I use the dry tumble process. Have used NUFinish car polish and it works but this is what I have been using and I like it - https://www.ch4d.com/products/supplies/media-polish

Just add to media then dump the brass and GTG! I never bother to get the primer pockets clean. I just decap the cases before I tumble and so far so good.

Thanks, I'll check it out!

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[varanidguy]

Doesn't get the primer pockets or the inside of the case clean enough for me. My wet tumbler does it best for me, case insides and primer pockets clean, the outside sparkling is just icing on the cake.

Awesome, good to know. Thanks for sharing!

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