Hornady Ultra sonic 2L cleaner..paging Dr. Mike? Or anyone

[300WSM]

Just picked up a Hornady Sonic Cleaner 2L....

My question is this....in your first hand experience what made up solution has worked the best for you. (what are you mixing together of what)
If you haven't tried anything other than same brand one shot then fine.

Also if you need a quick dry time what method could you share on that.

Thanks in advance to all

 

[300WSM]

Nobody using their own recipe with a sonic cleaner?

This one has a heat function and is anyone using the heat function on brass cases or not?

 

[FOTIS]

I am not but very interested in any findings.

 

[big rifle man]

I use my own concoction. half gallon of "Hot" water, cup of white vinegar and one ounce of dawn. I pop the primers out before cleaning and usually run the cases through 4-5 cycles. The insides look like they've just come from the factory and the primer pockets are spotless.

 

[SJB358]

I use my own concoction. half gallon of "Hot" water, cup of white vinegar and one ounce of dawn. I pop the primers out before cleaning and usually run the cases through 4-5 cycles. The insides look like they've just come from the factory and the primer pockets are spotless.

That is the only reason I am kinda looking as I hate cleaning primer pockets. Goes with the territory, but it would be nice if it was a little easier..

 

[300WSM]

Here is the recipe I've been using.

http://www.6mmbr.com/ultrasonic.html

I wanted to really test the unit good so I used 300wsm cases that had never been cleaned in any fashion. Saying they were filthy would have been generous. Two cycles of 30 mins with about 40-50 cases of 300 's with this recipe worked. Cases inside and out come clean for sure! Some water spots as I do not include the Birchwood Casey case cleaner in the process....so the cases laying under the other cases will get water spots on them. Primer pockets included do get super clean.

Now on the other hand....

I just cleanded 223 brass and I cleaned almost 300 cases each time at once. (It says the capacity is 200) and I only did these with two cycles. I should have ran this two more cycles. Either that or I needed to add more vinegar and soap because of the extra amount of cases.
The 223 did come out cleaner than they went in.

All this was done without using the heat function. I've been reluctant to use the heat function because one of my first runs I tried this...
Using water...Dishwasher soap...dish soap...and heat. I think that was it. I only did about 30 cases of magnum stuff on this run.
Well they didn't come very clean but I later realized unless I run the vinegar they won't come clean...... But the concerning thing was the cases got the rainbow effect to them from the heat.

Maybe they will still be ok but I haven't tried loading and shooting these cases yet as I'm concerned the heat broke down too many of the properties of the brass.
So I'm curious on the heat function. Would Hornady put their name on a cleaner with a heat function yet using the heat for brass cases is a no-no? :roll:
Here is what the manual says on heat
See what I mean?

This is what I can confirm so far.
It does clean pockets. It will clean the the inside to back to brand new. Especially that region on the inside at the bottom of the case. Where the greatest deposit of carbon lies. It will even clean that.

I can also confirm if your cases are very dirty...filthy....it will get those clean but know this....you will have to scale down how many you clean at once or add the number of cycles. That equates to the same thing.

Running to capacity with this recipe on only a couple cycles might not get them perfect clean. 100 pieces 223 cases and cut the cycle time to 15 mins or something like that might be perfect. I will experiment more on this.

If you follow the link and that recipe you would come out with cases real sheen and clean using the Birchwood casey. Brasso or something like that mixed with water may work too. If you tumble the brass after this it would work as well but I got this to eliminate a few steps in the million that we take in getting our cases ready. So for right now I rough it with the water spots but the carbon is virtually all gone.

You could actually reuse the cheap vinegar recipe if you could generate a way to put it back in a container straining it through cheese cloth or the like. Carbon is just too small for a screen to be effective. But this makes the home recipe even cheaper.

You could also get 20 cases done in about 3-5 mins total time if they aren't that bad. (Only shot two or three times)

 

[big rifle man]

scotty, I've been using the aforementioned cleaner for a long time. Make sure the water is hot. After cycling the cases I place them in a bucket of warm water, agitate and then let them dry on a towel after wiping the excess water off. Living in Florida I usually lay them in the sun. Dries fast.

 

[300WSM]

scotty, I've been using the aforementioned cleaner for a long time. Make sure the water is hot. After cycling the cases I place them in a bucket of warm water, agitate and then let them dry on a towel after wiping the excess water off. Living in Florida I usually lay them in the sun. Dries fast.

BRM, how many have you done at once?

 

[muleman]

I'm using the new Lyman sonic cleaner. I've cleaned about 700 .223 and about 400 other pieces. I'm using Hornaday's cleaning solution - a little goes along way. This cleaner has a heat element as well, it'll warm the solution up to "bath" temp.. I prewarm the solution then add the brass and run it for two eight minute cycles. It cleans the brass perfectly including the primer pockets. I use it after sizing and depriming - it cleans off the lube and any grime. I dry them off after rinsing with clean water and either air dry for 24 hrs or in an oven set to warm only. That way they are never to hot to handle. I found the solution to last through 1/2 dozen cleanings and I make sure I use distilled water for the solution. The system works great. I think the cases will only need to be polished every 4-5 cleanings.

Scott

 

[big rifle man]

.300WSM, it's based on the case size, I've run 20-30 .338RUM cases or 50 .38 or .357 cases. Same applies to .45's. The solution is cheap so I change it out frequently.