Lyman vs. RCBS Media Seperator

R

RileyMartin

New member
Hi all,

All of these media separators look basically alike. I want one to help with removing steel pins from inside rifle and pistol cases. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of which one is better?

Thanks
 
a 5 gallon can and a dollar store plastic colander does the same thing. Cut a hole in the can lid slightly smaller than the colander to support it, pour the brass and media into the colander and have at it then collect the media with a Frankfort Arsenal magnet from the bottom of the can
 
I have the RCBS and a Cabelas unit, Essentially identical. Probably both made by Berrys.
The Lyman looks a bit different but I doubt that makes it function differently. The interlocking tabs that hold the lid and base together at the back on mine are a bit fragile but really doesn't affect function.

I also have the colander type separators. They will work but they suck compared to using a rotary separator.

You need to tumble the brass while it is suspended in a water bath to really shake out stainless steel pins. Using a colander means you will need to individually shake out each case, especially rifle brass with a small neck.

Add the car wash and wax to the water in the rotary separator (doesn't use it in the cleaning tumbler itself) and the reduced surface tension and increased lubricity really helps the pins glide out of the cases.
 
Last edited:
@draggon - I have not had to tumble them in the separator while sitting in water. I rinse the cases inside the rotary tumbler until water is clean, dump all the excess water then tumble the brass in the separator. 99% of the pins come out in this step. Then i dry them in the oven, and give them a quick tumble again to shake out any pins that may have stuck when wet.
 
Last edited:
The Dillon separator works perfectly, just dump brass and pins in, give it a few spins, and all the pins are in the tub. I use it for wet and dry separating.
 
Not sure why a colander would suck. I dump drum into it then rattle the cases around for a minute, place the cases colander and all in the dryer and give each another shake while checking to make sure there is not a pin stuck in the flash hole. Then I do the magnet in the bucket and drop those pins into the dryer to get dried as well. I leave the pins in the dryer until next use

It takes maybe 5 minutes once the rinse cycle is completed
 
Last edited:
I have a rcbs one which looks like a berrys mfg one, clamshell, with the top on it I got to try for wet tumbling. I also have a Dillon I use for dry tumbling.

After a few uses with the rcbs one the plastic on the hinged part broke a peice, it is still usable.

As far as ease of use and loading and durability and construction the Dillon is superior.

For light duty and a small footprint on the bench and when a top is wanted the rcbs works, but the split basket design is a lot more fragile and wont lock in position to load.

If I could only have 1 it would be the dillon.
 
Hydroponic stores sell "mesh pots" that fit a 3 or 5 gallon bucket. Counting the bucket the cost is no more than $10.
I add water to the bucket and agitate with my hand, alternating with raising the mesh pot at an angle and turning it to roll the brass. Drain most of the water from the bucket and repeat.
I have owned a Franklin arsenal separator, that cost $30 and was cheap plastic that broke rather soon. I still use the halves as strainers.
 
I have the Lyman separator. Happy with quality. Heavy plastic construction. The metal pins fall through. I drain the water off and collect pins with magnet. Satisfied with process.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I’ve had the RCBS one for 3years and use pins. It is a bit flimsy but it gets used several times a month and several hundred case each time of 38/357 or 44 magnum. I’ve had no issues with it and don’t know about the Lyman one.
I’ve been to,d the Dillon is much better but haven’t seen one. If the RCBS does break then I will be looking at the Dillon.
 
hounddawg said:
Not sure why a colander would suck. I dump drum into it then rattle the cases around for a minute, place the cases colander and all in the dryer and give each another shake while checking to make sure there is not a pin stuck in the flash hole. Then I do the magnet in the bucket and drop those pins into the dryer to get dried as well. I leave the pins in the dryer until next use

It takes maybe 5 minutes once the rinse cycle is completed
Click to expand...
It sucks because to get pins out of cases you need to upend them. Sloshing them around in a colander setup really doesn't work that well and I've tried.

I have the Lyman and Cabelas sifter pans and made my own as well. None work as well as a rotary separator.

I expect to get virtually 100% of the pins out using a rotary separator.
 
.why a colander would suck..." Holes are too big.
Click to expand...

perhaps you do not know what a collander is. I have two on the other side of the shop. They resemble these two, the metal one was a garage sale quarter item and the other acquired at the dollar store. Cases stay inside while the pins fall through the bottom.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colander

a sieve on the other hand would trap both the pins and the cases

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sieve

which for this purpose is not what I want
 
I decided to buy the Lyman media separator because it was one of the few made in the USA.

I used it for the first time last night and no problems.

I still emptied my brass first in a plastic shell sorter (shellsorter.com) which allows me to first get rid of that nasty water, catching the steel pins in a 5 gallon bucket. A little rinsing and some shaking and that got rid of around 99% of the pins.

Then into the Lyman media separator. I filled up the bottom half with water as someone here suggested and when I removed the cases one by one there was not a single pin in any of the cases!

I did have one case with a couple of pins wedged in the flash hole but hat was it!

Very happy, thanks!
 
I do the same as draggon and locknloader. Then dump cases with most of the pins in the RCBS separator with the bottom filled with clean water and a dozen or so turns each way and all the pins on in the bottom. Shake the excess water out of the cage then put them on a big towel, rub them then on a big baker pan in the oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees and all good.
Frankfort magnet puts pins back in tumbler for next load.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top