The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What is the best $-value tumbler?

Gerry · December 21, 2012, 05:05 PM

$-value can be somewhat subjective. I bought one of those light plastic Frankford Arsenals and when it arrived I compared it to my Ultra Vibe UV18 industrial I had already, and I couldn't believe how cheap it looked. It didn't take a lot of media, and the cases don't circulate the way they should but instead go very slowly, mostly lying on the bottom and making a heck of a noise against that brittle plastic. Since I bought it as a precleaner for the dirtiest brass I picked up at the outside range, I put up with it anyway where I ran it in the garage. It lasted only a year and a half and I ran it only about 30 times in total. I did probably overload it with 9mm from time-to-time when it failed to circulate at all. It seems to only like a two or three hundred at a time.

My UV18 on the other hand can easily take a couple thousand cases and circulate them like crazy. I had it for more than 15 years. I probably load it 30 to 40 times a year. In runs when my garage is -10 degrees to 90 degrees. To me, this $150 spent was much better $-value. I might be passing this down to my son someday.

December 21, 2012, 05:05 PM	#67
Gerry Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 382	$-value can be somewhat subjective. I bought one of those light plastic Frankford Arsenals and when it arrived I compared it to my Ultra Vibe UV18 industrial I had already, and I couldn't believe how cheap it looked. It didn't take a lot of media, and the cases don't circulate the way they should but instead go very slowly, mostly lying on the bottom and making a heck of a noise against that brittle plastic. Since I bought it as a precleaner for the dirtiest brass I picked up at the outside range, I put up with it anyway where I ran it in the garage. It lasted only a year and a half and I ran it only about 30 times in total. I did probably overload it with 9mm from time-to-time when it failed to circulate at all. It seems to only like a two or three hundred at a time. My UV18 on the other hand can easily take a couple thousand cases and circulate them like crazy. I had it for more than 15 years. I probably load it 30 to 40 times a year. In runs when my garage is -10 degrees to 90 degrees. To me, this $150 spent was much better $-value. I might be passing this down to my son someday.