Old Cast Bullets?

[Mike45]

I have some old cast bullets that have been sitting around for 10-15 years, some in open boxes. The lube was blue but is now clear on some of them. Can I use these? Or has the lube accumulated too much dust to use or otherwise gone bad? They don't look that bad, better than I would've thought.

[Char-Gar]

I can't answer your question about your bullets as I can't see them, but I would share your concern.

I never store lubricated bullets open, but always have them covered in some way, to prevent bad stuff from attatching to them. I have some lubricated bullets far older than 15 years and the lube still look like it did when I put it there.

[C.F.Plinker]

You don't say how many you have, what caliber they are, or what velocities you intend to shoot them at. The easy way to get some piece of mind would be to tumble lube them in LLA or 45/45/10. Less easy would be to put them in a 200° oven, melt the lube off of them, and either pan lube them or run them through a lube sizer. This way you could put the lube of your choice on them.

[prs]

Place them on some paper towelling in a warm (not hot) oven to let the old lube melt away, then relube with fresh of your choice. If you choice is tumble lubem, then maybe a hot bath in detergent water will serve better than the over and towels so that the lube will adjere to the boolits.

prs

[Mike45]

I have some 38 wadcutters, 185 45 bullets, 300 gr. 429 bullets, and 205 gr. 429 bullets. The .429 would go in a 44 mag at some point, #9 or h110, the wadcutters would like to get up around 1000 fps., the 185 probably at about 5 to 5.4 231 for 800 or 850 fps.

I am not set up for casting bullets these are some I bought. Yeah it was pretty stupid to leave them like that. So far they seem ok, but thought I should ask before I damage something. Just wiped them off so far.

[popper]

Dump in boiling water and skim the crayon lube and junk off the top of the water. Don't use a pan that you will return to the kitchen. Worked for a couple hundred I had. Dish det. should get rid of any dirt and oils.

[Mike45]

That sounds like a really good idea that i could handle.

[Mike45]

Good to know I should still be able to use the ones in the closed boxes, too.

[MT Gianni]

I keep mine in zip lock bags to stay dust and dirt free.

[rintinglen]

Would you run sand paper through your barrel? If dust has accumulated and got in the lube, that's just about what these bullets will be if you shoot them as is, Buy a bottle Lee liquid alox, wash the bullets in hot soapy water, dry them in a lint free cloth--an old cotton/polyester dress shirt works well, plunk them in an empty, clean plastic jar and re-lube them with the Lee Liquid Alox. Let them dry and then store them in airtight containers.

[Shuz]

I keep mine in zip lock bags to stay dust and dirt free.

I keep mine in those nice square plastic canisters that I get with my Costco goodies like mixed nuts, parmesan cheese,etc. It is very easy to see what's in the jars, and the lids make them dust free and somewhat stackable---at least 2 high!

[remy3424]

Home made fire-lapping boolits!

[ku4hx]

Boil the old lube off (cleans the boolit and removes the questionable lube) then tumble lube, load 'em and shoot 'em.

When I store lubed boolits I do it like this. Stay clean; last a long time.

[MtGun44]

Ya know you can't use old lead boolits safely.

If you leave them too long the lead starts turning into uranium. . . . . . .

:kidding:

Bill

[1Shirt]

About once a year I take those that have dropped on the floor, or what ever, put them in a tin can about half flull of water, boil off the lube, and then relube then with clean, or with lee mule snot. Of course the other option is just to smelt them down and start over again.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Junior1942]

This very week I've been taking old cast bullets out of disintegrating plastic, yellow Speer jacketed bullet boxes probably 30 years old. I guess over the years UV light from windows hit the boxes. The lids and especially the hinges were affected the most. The yellow plastic turned in to a cornmeal-looking substance. I was able to hand brush it off the bullets, thankfully. The lube looks fine on all of the bullets. I now use plastic jars for bullet storage--and keep them away from windows.

[polara426sh]

Ya know you can't use old lead boolits safely.

If you leave them too long the lead starts turning into uranium. . . . . . .

:kidding:

Bill

Other way around, the Uranium turns into lead. It just takes about 9 billion years and decays 14 times before its stable.[smilie=l:

[Randy in Arizona]

I have used some of my boolits in the last year that were cast & lubed in the 1980s.

Alox & beeswax lubed 358156 & 457406 boolits stored in cardboard boxes & seegar boxes. Looked as if the lube had shrunk up a bit but they worked well.

59

[Centaur 1]

Boil the old lube off (cleans the boolit and removes the questionable lube) then tumble lube, load 'em and shoot 'em.

When I store lubed boolits I do it like this. Stay clean; last a long time.


Peanut butter and mayo jars are great for storing cast boolits.

[Huntducks]

I just loaded some 44's that I casted in 1969 the old Javelina lube was half way hard but they shot just fine and had the wonderful smell.