Best Case Tumbler: Top 6 Options for Reloading [2024]

Here’s our take on BLUF: the best case tumbler is the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Case Tumbler. What most of us like about this particular rotary tumbler is its ease of use, value, durability, and quality of the cleaning process. (We say most of us, because there are always a few members of a crew that disagree – but this is a good overview.)

Although the Frankford Arsenal Rotary model sits at the top of our list, that doesn’t mean you should stop reading. There are multiple types of tumblers (and media options for that matter) that might work better for your specific reloading bench. Do a little digging and figure out which one’s right for your needs.

Read on to learn more.

What is a case tumbler?

Simply put, it’s a device that automatically cleans and prepares your used brass casings. There are two types of machines: rotary and vibratory.

Adding one to your reloading workspace brings convenience, efficiency, and high-quality brass cleaning. I’m sure you already know that casings differ from bullets, but I just want to cover all my bases. We’re not tumbling bullets here.

Every reloader must decide on a cleaning media type when using a tumbler. Cleaning media is what comes into contact with the brass casings inside the tumblers. Media is either categorized as wet media or dry media. Each tumbler is compatible with specific media types.

What’s the difference between wet and dry tumbling? The main difference between the two is that wet tumbling uses water in its cleaning process, while dry tumbling does not.

• Dry tumbling includes corn cob media and walnut shell media, but no water. You can’t use these with wet tumblers. Dry media are the primary cleaning media for vibratory case tumblers.
• Wet tumbling uses water and stainless steel media or ceramic media.

What is the best media to use with your reloading tumbler? I recommend stainless steel as the best media to use when wet tumbling. When it comes to dry tumbling, corn cob leaves a polished shine for dry tumbling action, but walnut cleans better overall.

Rotary vs. Vibratory Tumbler

Rotary Case Tumbler

• Uses a barrel and roller with cleaning media to clean brass cases
• Can utilize wet media or dry media
• More expensive than vibratory tumblers
• Quicker than vibrating tumblers
• Often uses heavy-duty stainless steel pins as cleaning media
• Typically includes a media separator or sifter

Vibratory Case Tumbler

• More popular than rotary case tumblers
• Cheaper than rotary case tumblers
• Only compatible with dry media
• Uses a unique bowl, vibration, and dry cleaning media to clean brass cartridges
• Longer cleaning process than rotary case tumblers
• Doesn’t always clean the primer pockets of the brass casings as effectively as a rotary case tumbler

Best Case Tumblers

1. Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Tumbler		Rotary tumbler 7-Liter capacity Dual-layer drum	On Amazon
2. Dillon CV-750 Case Cleaner		Vibratory tumbler One 1 foot in height Designed for dry media only	On Amazon
3. Lyman Pro 1200 Tumbler		Vibratory tumbler 115-Volt Least expensive option	On Amazon
4. 7631550 Cyclone Rotary Tumbler		Rotary tumbler 115-Volt Includes 5 lbs stainless steel tumbling media	On Amazon
5. Hornady M-1 Case Tumbler		Vibratory tumbler 6-Liter case capacity Uses corn cob or stainless steel medica	On Amazon
6. Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ 110V Case Tumbler Kit		Rotary tumbler 10-Volt Dry media recommended	On Amazon

Best Case Tumblers

1. Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Tumbler
2. Dillon CV-750 Case Cleaner
3. Lyman Pro 1200 Tumbler
4. Lyman 7631550 Cyclone Rotary Tumbler
5. Hornady M-1 Case Tumbler
6. Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ 11V Case Tumbler Kit

Individual Tumbler Reviews

We’ve taken an overview look at our list. Now we’ll take the time to review each one individually. In this section, we’ll be looking at the tumbler, including its pros and cons.

Hornady M-1 Case Tumbler Review

The Hornady M-1 Case Tumbler may not be as fancy as the Hornady 050220 Rotary Brass Tumbler, but it packs in more bang for your buck.

Hornady’s tumbler efficiently polishes brass cases at a fraction of the cost of other tumblers.

• Can hold up to 400 special .38 brass cases
• Performs dry tumbling and wet tumbling
• Includes a sifter for cleaning media
• Designed with a large-capacity bowl

Hornady M-1 Pros and Cons

Hornady M-1 Deals

Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Kit Review

Coming in as the second-cheapest option listed on Amazon, the Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ 110V Kit features reloader-friendly ease of use, convenience, and a low price point.

• Holds up to 600 9mm cases
• Only accepts dry media
• Includes 3 pounds of cleaning media
• Noisy cleaning process
• Consumes more time than other tumblers
• Comes with brass polish and media sifter

Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Kit Pros and Cons

Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Kit Deals

5 Frequently Asked Questions about Reloading Tumblers

What does a tumbler do? A tumbler provides a quick and effective cleaning solution for you and your brass cases. Tumblers remove any particles or contamination that may drastically affect the rest of the reloading process. Unclean casings can lead to dangerous situations on the range.

What are the benefits of a tumbler? The main benefit of a tumbler is an effective and efficient case-cleaning process with minimal effort. Cleaning your casings is critical to reloading your own ammo.

What is a brass tumbler? A brass tumbler is just another name for a case tumbler. They are referred to as brass case tumblers. These are all tumblers that clean the brass casings during the reloading process.

What is a tumbling tray? A tumbling tray is another name for a sifter in the cleaning process for reloading ammo. Its purpose is to separate the cleaning media from the brass cartridges. This ensures you have a residue-free casing once the process is complete.

Is a tumbler like this necessary? A tumbler is typically necessary for every reloading workspace, along with a press, die, scale, and dial caliper. They efficiently clean your brass cases, which is vital to handloading.

Some argue that the reloading process can go without one, but manually cleaning each individual brass casing would take an unbelievable amount of time. If you plan on high-volume reloading, a reloading tumbler prevents you from cleaning thousands of individual cases by hand.

So: what is the best model?

In our estimation, the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Rotary Tumbler is the best brass tumbler, even compared to the highest-quality brass case cleaners on the market.

Remember, the reloading process is not one-size-fits-all. Some handloaders prefer vibratory vs. rotary tumblers. There’s no correct answer that applies to everyone.

Do you have everything you need to reload?

The reloading process can be a very complex one to grasp at first. Hopefully, this article was able to help you decide on a specific tumbler for your reloading efforts.

If you’re looking to find out more about guns, pistols, rifles, reloading presses, and even giveaways, we’ve got you covered.

If you want to learn more about case trimming, reloading, and firearm basics, start with Gun 101.