Tumbling Cases vs. Ultrasonic | Cleaning Cases the RCBS Way

RCBS is the 800-pound gorilla in the world of reloading. The company has been around for decades, under a few different owners. I found it interesting that the acronym “RCBS” stands for Rock Chuck Bullet Swage, the company’s very first product. Fred Huntington was annoyed that, in 1943, during WWII, he couldn’t find varmint bullets to load, so he designed a swage to craft his own from spent .22LR cases. He did this in a back room of his father’s laundromat in Oroville, California. The swage caught on with other shooters, and pretty soon, he had a business that he named RCBS.

Without turning this into a history lesson, suffice it to say that swage blossomed into a full-blown reloading empire that is today owned by the Hodgdon family. Talk about having a great “parent”! Hodgdon Powder Company gets reloading. 

One question I’ve been asked a few times is, “Why polish your brass? Pretty brass doesn’t shoot any better than grungy brass!”

Technically, maybe that’s true unless your brass is SO dirty that it could possibly harm your sizing die. But here are a few points in favor of case cleaning…

You can remove case lube if it was used, primer pockets can be cleaned, and shiny brass just looks better and is easier to find after being shot. Another final thought is that, if you are using an ultrasonic cleaner, the inside of the case will be clean, as well as the outside. You could end up with brass that looks new.

For now, we’ll look at two pieces of equipment that RCBS sells to help get your cartridge cases ready to load or to otherwise clean them. Those items are vibratory and ultrasonic cleaners.

Some reloaders tumble or otherwise clean every piece of brass, and even run their loaded rounds in a (dry) tumbler. You’re on your own on that last bit, although I’ve talked to some heavy-duty reloaders who tumble their loaded brass. But, as I said, I am not recommending it as most case cleaner manufacturers tell you not to do that in their owner’s manuals.

I chose a vibratory tumbler and an ultrasonic cleaner to demonstrate the cleaning process. First, let’s look at the Vibratory Case Polisher, $135. 

RCBS Vibratory Case Polisher

Here is what the site has to say about it…

• 120 VAC
• 14-pound capacity
• Quiet motor; aggressive vibrating action
• Limited Two-Year Warranty

Ground walnut shell media is an option, as well. I just now did a test run of a small amount of some dirty range brass that a good friend had given me, and in 3 hours, I had it cleaned and polished to a remarkable degree. Obviously, leaving it in longer will make it shinier. Some folks go overnight with the polish job… That’s up to you. 

Here’s a note from my experience… if you use a vibratory cleaner, you need to be aware that if you deprime the cases before tumbling, you will end up with media in the flash hole. I know some guys who tumble twice – first time to get the cases mostly clean before sizing and a second time after sizing/depriming to remove any case lube or die residue, even though they have to poke media out of the flash holes. 

As I said, I’ve owned a few of these devices, and every manufacturer does things a bit differently. Many makers sell a rotating separator that removes the media from the cases. Typically, those fancy strainers cost extra. (RCBS sells one for $45.) RCBS helps you in that regard by including a flat, slotted round piece that fits between the body and the lid. You can use this as you screw it down over the opening and invert the unit, shaking the media into a pan as the cases remain inside the drum. What takes time in the cleaning process with a vibratory cleaner is separating the cases from the media, and this flat piece helps, at no additional cost. This cleaner is large, holds a bunch of brass, and is not very loud. I like it a lot.

RCBS Ultrasonic Case Cleaner

The RCBS Ultrasonic Case Cleaner ($185) that we have here is one of two such cleaners that RCBS sells. The other one, the Ultrasonic Case Cleaner 2 ($400), is about twice as big and has stainless steel trays. Consider the larger Ultrasonic Case Cleaner 2 if you need the additional capacity. All of RCBS cleaners come in a 240V version for international use at a slightly higher cost. 

As for the one I received, here are its highlights from the RCBS site…

• Rapidly removes tarnish, carbon buildup and metal oxides from brass cases
• Features a 60W transducer, 100W ceramic heater, 36kHz ultrasonic frequency and a sensor that indicates when to change out solution
• Select from five preset temperature settings and set the timer from 1 to 30 minutes
• 3.2-quart stainless steel tank
• Limited One Year Warranty

The plastic tray (tub) that comes with it holds a lot of brass. It will not hold as much as the vibratory cleaner, but it will suffice for most purposes. As I said above, if you need more room you can order the more expensive updated unit. 

I was impressed with the control you have over the cleaner. You can set the time in 5-minute increments, up tp 30 minutes, and you have five different heat settings. I used the 130F degree setting. After the internal clock registers about 9 hours, it rerminds you to change the solution. That gets darker as you use it. The nice part is that the solution that is needed is very concentrated and only needs one part to forty parts water for normal cleaning.

So, you want to clean gun parts and not just brass? RCBS has you covered. For $25, you can buy Weapons Cleaning Solution concentrate (again, a 40:1 solution) that will clean and protect your parts. Nice touch!

The fill line is visible at the rear of the tank, just above my fluid level. The control panel is intuitive and easy to use. The master power switch is on the back of both units. 

Which Cleaner Is Better?

Hoboy, that’s a question to ponder. I’ve used them both and can state that each has its good points. I tend to go with the dry media vibrator, simply because I’m more familiar with the type but the ultrasonic has its draw, as well. Here’s what I’m thinking about each one.

Vibratory Cleaner 

Pros

• Holds more cases
• No water/solution – cases don’t need to be dried
• There are different types of media, such as corn cob and walnut
• By placing less media in the drum, you can add more cases – it just takes longer

Cons

• You need to really work to get all the media out of the cases, especially the bottleneck cases
• Media is easily spilled as you empty the drum and separate the cases from it
• This one is quiet, but not as quiet as the ultrasonic
• The inside of the cases may not get as clean as the ultrasonic can do
• It takes at least a few hours to really clean cases and get them shiny

Ultrasonic Cleaner

Pros

• Typically will clean cases in as little as 30 minutes. More time equals shinier brass
• Doesn’t take up much room on the bench
• Quieter then the vibratory cleaner
• This method has a greater chance of cleaning the inside of the case, although it’s not guaranteed
• Buying weapon cleaning solution allows you to clean gun parts
• You have control over time, temperature, method, etc.

Cons

• Holds fewer cases than the vibratory cleaner. Even the more expensive 6.3-qt unit can’t match the 14-pound capacity of the vibratory cleaner, and that unit is more expensive
• Cases need to be dried, either by air or in a dryer, before use

Here are a couple of photos…

Again, vibratory, left, and ultrasonic, right. The camera focused on the case mouth,  but you get the idea. To be totally fair, these results are not necessarily typical for either… both methods cleaned some cases on the inside and not others. The ultrasonic method has a greater chance of getting the inside clean, if that matters to you. The ultrasonic method recommends you deprime the cases first to avoid staining from spent priming compound that can happen if you leave the cases wet for a while, which I did. However, it didn’t clean primer pockets with any regularity. 

I’d say you buy whichever one of these will fulfill your case cleaning needs. They both work; they just work differently. If time is your main crunch factor, the ultrasonic method is best as it works faster. Again, it’s your call.

Live Inventory Price Checker

	RCBS - Ultrasonic Non-Toxic Weapons Cleaner Concentrate - 87059	Palmetto State Armory	$ 29.99 $ 26.99
	RCBS - Ultrasonic Non-Toxic Weapons Cleaner Concentrate - 87059	Palmetto State Armory	$ 36.99 $ 25.69
	Rcbs Ultrasonic Case Cleaner - 2 120vac	Ammunition Depot	$ 432.99
	Rcbs Ultrasonic Case Cleaner	Ammunition Depot	$ 199.99

Conclusion

Getting cases clean and shiny before reloading is easier than it has ever been. RCBS sells some really great products that will accomplish that task. You need to decide if you want to go “wet or dry” in terms of the method of cleaning. Both styles work. You just have to pick the one that appeals most to you, or do as some reloaders do – have one of each on your bench! Either way, RCBS has you covered. 

About Mike Hardesty

With experience spanning over 45 years, Mike Hardesty has long enjoyed shooting and reloading. An inveterate reloader, he casts bullets and reloads for a diverse array of firearms, each handled with long-practiced precision. Living in rural Indiana, his homestead boasts a personal 100-yard range where he shares his love for guns to his four sons, their wives, and eleven grandchildren. As a recognized author, his writings have been featured in notable platforms like Sniper Country, Bear Creek Arsenal Blog, Pew Pew Tactical, TTAG, Dillon Precision’s Blue Press, and Gun Made, revealing his ongoing passion for firearms at the age of 72.