Ultra Sonic Cleaners.

[tlay]

I bought an ultrasonic cleaner for my brass and gun parts and was wondering how people feel about theirs if they have one. I bought a Lyman. I had good cleaning with the Lyman solution for brass and then bought some off brand on Flea-bay. It does not work as well. The solution to clean metal such as gun parts and jewellery works good. I still keep my vibratory cleaner for some of the really bad stuff but I prefer this new cleaner, it not near as messy.

 

[CMD-KY]

I, too, have a Lyman. I use one TEAspoon of citric acid to each quart of water and the cases are clean inside and out, if not shiny. I have not used it for gun cleaning.

 

[SteveFi]

I have a hornady one & have been using hornady brass solution - works great for the brass - tried a pistol barrel once with hornady gun solution - not sure it did much but only ran it for 15-20 minutes - maybe it needs longer or perhaps I dont mind cleaning that much so if didnt take as long i didnt notice

 

[scooter123]

I have one from Harbor Freight. Yeah, that Harbor Freight. So far it's worked quite well and will heat the solution to 145 degrees which is plenty hot IMO. My solution is something I picked up watching Youtube and distinctly cheap, one part white vinegar, 2 parts water, and one tablespoon dishwashing soap. After the cleaning cycles the cases get bathed in a solution with baking powder to neutralize the acid in the vinegar, then a soap and water wash, a complete rinse, then some drying time in a warm oven. Once that is all done the casings get polished in my vibrating tumbler for 2 hours. End result after about 3 hours is a batch of casings that look very good.

BTW, I decided to try the ultrasonic because I found that tumbling 308 rifle and deep revolver casings didn't do a lot to clean the inside of the casings, even after 10 or 12 hours in the tumbler. Using the ultrasonic solved that issue and the polishing doesn't take to long and does produce a nicely shined up casing.

 

[tlay]

I like the fact that I can deprime and put the brass in and it will clean the primer pocket. If you try that with a tumbler and media you will be picking pieces out of the holes.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

CLEANERS

I ask around here and elsewhere. Lyman always seem to come to the top. I do have other methods, but thought something else might be in order so I chose Lyman. It has yet to arrive at Midway, but I have the cleaner, and may test some of my own. Best reason to acquire it was to clean some of Mama's silver jewelry. Other than that, I just thought cleaning the days firings would be a more simple taks. We will have to wait and see. Glad to hear all the glowing reports.

 

[Electraclyde]

I have the larger Hornady. I bought it primarily for cleaning motorcycle carb. bodies and parts. I use Dawn dishsoap and heat solution to 135 degrees. It makes the carb. bodies and parts look BRAND NEW!
It works just OK on gun parts. I use the Hornady brass solution to clean rifle brass AFTER it has been thru the tumbler and been resized and de-primed. Works really well that way.

 

[moxie]

That is a LOT of work!

 

[tlay]

I have found that I don't have to put most brass through the tumbler to clean them well. You have to make sure that you DO NOT use the heat on brass. This could tarnish them. It normally takes around 15 mins. to clean well.

 

[Engineer1911]

My group sizes seem to be a function of trigger control rather than brass luminosity. Long, long ago in a distant galaxy (Minnesota). I shot groups that I can't buy today with brass that was never tumbled. I didn't have the money for a tumbler and accepted the shine from an RCBS carbide sizer die for 38 spl or 357 mag brass. I definitely didn't clean primer pockets.

The last month I finally used my Harbor Freight sonic cleaner on stainless guns and was pleased with the results -- and no work on my part. My Thumler's Tumbler is the real deal at the same price as two Midway and two Harbor Freight machines. The Midway and HF are all dead.

 

[m657]

I have the HF u/s cleaner. It works well for gun parts using a concentrate cleaner from [insert mfg name here if you could recall it] that seems spends but really is a bargain once you figure out the actual recipe.

I've tried it with various brass....way more work than I need for what it accomplishes. Since I use Dillon press I don't deprime before cleaning cycle.

I like the u/s for what it did on some Holy Black cases.

The various recipes I've used on brass just ain't worth my extra time.

I'm please with the vibratory/walnut shell/Dillon blue stuff. 15 mins is not unusual, sometimes need 30-40 mins to get the way I like 'em.

The u/s for me is a useful but not all that necessary accessory. It was on major sale a couple years ago or I wouldn't have got it.

It did wonders for some heavily leaded barrels in an episode I went though.

 

[Riflemann]

I use my Hornady Sonic cleaner mostly for gun parts, and I still tumble my brass. I have been real happy with how good it cleans AR parts.

 

[REM 3200]

I use my Hornady Sonic cleaner mostly for gun parts, and I still tumble my brass. I have been real happy with how good it cleans AR parts.

Does it get the AR bolt tail clean?