EXTREME TUMBLERS- Rebel 17 Tumbler Ammo Reloading Rotary Tumbler 110v

After deciding it was time to upgrade from my Frankford Arsenal vibratory tumbler, I looked for a more versatile solution for cleaning my brass. Enter the Extreme Tumbler Rebel 17. It excels in that it has the flexibility of two cleaning methods: precision tumbling with Nishiki rice and steel pins for pistol or rifle brass where MOA is not the primary consideration. When wet tumbling, I use Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Wash & Wax and Lemi Shine, along with 1/8" steel pins. The combination leaves my brass gleaming and free from residue. What can’t be ignored is how the steel pins clean the primer pockets or how quite the machine operates.The primary reason I chose the Rebel over Lyman, RCBS, or the F.A.R.T is that the Rebel is built with commodity parts. From upgraded bearings to enhanced feet, you have the freedom to tailor its performance to your exact needs. Prior to purchasing, I reached out to Extreme for clarification on some features, and their prompt response and thorough answers made the choice clear. Overall, my brass has never been cleaner.

This is a well built heavy duty machine. There was only a couple peices to assemble on this machine. It was just the drive belt system. Super simple to aline the rubber belt and pulleys. We’ve tumbled thousands of rounds now with absolutely no issues. We’ve even loaded it up to 20lbs instead of the recommended 17lbs. Did not affect it one bit! Would 100% buy again if I needed a second one.

I've had mine for almost a year now, and everything works great thus far.A year ago, I decided to go with wet tumbling as oppose to dry vibratory tumbling for 2 reasons, 1) I don't always have the greatest ventilation for dry media/dusts, and 2) I like the finish of wet SS tumbling. At that time, I was evaluating the options of building my own or buy a off the shelf unit, like Rebel 17 or Tumbler's Tumbler model B.Between the two off the shelf units, I like the Rebel 17 for its finishing touches, such as the large nylon lid knobs and the drum powder coating. As I was getting very busy last holiday season, I opted to buy the Rebel 17 so I can start cleaning right away instead of spending too much time on fitting parts, which I didn't have and had to purchase, together.When I received the Rebel 17, it felt very solid and well made right out of box. The motor and the belt fitted together with the base perfectly. The rollers spins freely with little resistance. The thick rubber lining is very heavy duty, and is very easy to pull out of the drum for easier cleaning. I've since cleaned a few thousand cases, and each cleaning resulted in some pretty impressive case appearance, which may not have much practical value but does put some smile on my face.There are a couple of shortcomings of the unit. 1) the motor on the unit is not very strong, which limits the load, and causes some worry on the motor longevity (so far no issue), 2) Rebel 17 is probably the most expensive option in my original research, and is on the pricey side, but I'm confident that this unit will last and keep me enjoyed for many years to come.

This is my first wet tumbler and I love it. I chose the Rebel 17 over the Thumlers Model B because this one looked to be of higher quality. The Rebel 17 uses pillow block sealed ball bearings and heavy duty shafts. The Thumlers Model B uses nylon like bushings that ride on stamped sheet metal grooves instead of bearings.I received my Rebel 17 a few days ago and it has been running almost constantly since it was delivered. The motor makes no strange noises and in fact I can't believe it's as quiet as it is. The tumbler drum rides on rubber pads on the shafts and really keeps the noise down. You can set right next to it and have a conversation no problems.The instructions said that I could tumble 4lbs of brass at a time so I filled it with 5lbs of SS pins and 4lbs of 223 that turned out to be 345 rounds. The motor started the drum rotating with no problems and ran for 9hrs before I came back the following day to check it. The motor does get warm to the touch but not hot. It was like Christmas when I opened the drum and saw all that shiny brass! Overall I am very satisfied with this tumbler and I'm glad I picked it before jumping on the Thumlers Model B wagon.

Motor won't start on its own, has to be "helped" and then hums loudly while running. Driven pulley wobbles some. Unit seems to be well made, and the drum is really heavy duty. I am returning this one and ordering again, I'll update the review when I get to try another one.11/17/2104I received my second tumbler. The factory box was badly damaged, as was the first one, but it was then inside an Amazon box which was fine. When I was assembling the unit I noticed one of the studs that the cover fits over was bent and I straightened it, more or less. Once assembled I turned it on, and like the first one it just hummed and needed assistance to get started. I went ahead and prepared a load of brass, 500 .223, according to the directions. I turned the unit on and again needed to assist it to start turning. I let let brass tumble for about four hours and I must say I am impressed. It came out shiny and clean and looking like brand new. I have updated my review from two stars to four. I think for the hefty price tag it should have a motor that doesn't need help to get turning, and they definitely have some issues with packaging, or handling, where this item comes from. But the end result is very good.