I purchased a tumbler and a sonic cleaner last fall, after 6 years of cleaning cases by hand with steel wool and brushes. I reached the point where i realized that i was no longer loading 50-100 rounds per year for hunting and practice, but loading to shoot for fun. I still get a lot of practice out of it. Cleaning hundreds of cases by hand with brushes and steel wool was no longer fun.
I load 500-1000 rounds each of .223 and 45-70 every winter.
I use the tumbler with walnut media if the cases are picked from the range or if they are really dirty or tarnished. Corn cob media works well, but the walnut media is much better. Polishing juice to pour in the tumbler is sold in bottles. If cases go from by ammo box into rifle and back to ammo box, i don't need to tumble every time. I just use "3 in 1" oil on a rag to wipe cases, same oil on a mop to lube the inside of the neck, and run them in the sizing die.
The sonic cleaner is very good for removing sizing lubricant and carbon from the cases. They do come out very clean after about 20-30 minutes in the cleaner. But you also have to wash them in water and dry them. I use a bucket and plastic 50 round cartridge holders from pistol ammo boxes found at the range. The sonic cleaner (mine is a small Hornady) has a timer function and it stops automatically after 480 seconds. I found out that if i want clean primer pockets and no carbon and oil inside the neck of cases i need to 1) scrape the primer pocket with the appropriate tool, 2) brush the necks with a wire brush (i should do this anyway before sizing but i just run a grease mop inside there), and 3) run the sonic cleaner at least 3 x 480 seconds. Hence, i do other stuff while it is cleaning. I must be there because it stops after each 480 seconds.
If you are loading 100 rounds per year, it's probably not worth it. You can use brushes and steel wool and soapy water, etc. If you are loading 100s, it's good investment.
