Help! Got sand on my lubed boolits!

[famdoc2892]

Just got done lubing some some of my 311299s with MML last night, and left them sitting too close to the backdraft from some sandblasting I did today! One batch has some grit on some of the boolits. I'm worried about sand going down the barrel. Any ideas on wiping the off, or better to strip them down and start over with a fresh batch of lube?

[Sweetpea]

Boil them.

Better safe than sorry.

[375RUGER]

I'd start fresh if they were mine.

[famdoc2892]

No concerns for moisture under the gas check?

[crabo]

Firelap boolits!

[uscra112]

Boil them, then put 'em in a screen basket and run 'em through the dishwasher set as hot as it'll go. Best I can suggest. But if I cared a lot about the rifle, I'd melt 'em down.

[Lead Fred]

What in doupt, Punt!

I'd boil them down, and let them dry without the GCs on.

Then relube & GC

[justing]

i say put em back in the pot.

[GLL]

Melt (not in your casting pot), skim, and recast !
It only takes one grain of silica sand to ruin a barrel !
Jerry

[MT Gianni]

Don't worry, the sand will float to the top of the melter.

[bruce381]

If i drop a boolit during sizeing and it gets dog hair and dirt on it or if the base gets a dent in it it goes back in the pot.
i try to have the highest standards for my boolits, but even then some slip through.

[wallenba]

No concerns for moisture under the gas check?

Try putting them in an old toaster oven for an hour @ 200 with some paper towel under them. Use some kind of tray. The lube will melt off, no water. I do this sometimes, but not in the oven I cook with.

[whisler]

+1 on the above . The toaster oven and paper towels in a tray is great for removing lube, flows right off.

[ACrowe25]

I'd melt them to be safe... Start from scratch.

[btroj]

If it hits the floor it gets melted back down. This is a case where I would do the same.

[supv26]

I'd re-melt them for sure. I dropped about 200 freshly lubed boolits in the floor once and just didn't want to take any chances. DO NOT melt them in your casting pot! The ALox will bake to it and make a freaking mess. I'd do them in the pot you smelt in. Heck just mix them back in with you WW's or what ever your raw material is and start over.

[fcvan]

Baked or boiled, they will be fine. Baked would ensure there was no residual moisture issues. You could boil then bake to dry which would likely heat treat them as well. Relube and let 'me fly.

[famdoc2892]

OK, you guys don't know how this is killing me. I know you're right, but the idea of melting these beauties down is heartbreaking! We've bonded over the last few months. This was the first batch of cast boolits I hope to develop for hunting in the coming season...

Casting time is limited, almost as much as range time, but, when it comes down to it, I do like my rifle. It's put meat on the table these last few years. Thanks for the input, I appreciate having the benefit of your experience!

[runfiverun]

the oven at 200 won't change them any.

[murf205]

famdoc, I have a friend who used to carry his ammo in his truck floorboard under the seat and they rolled around in the mud and dust prolly once a day. Mucho sand and grit, He had a bunch of old lead Remington 44 mag ammo and he shot it through a beautiful pre-29 Smith&Wesson. One day I picked his gun up and opened the cyl. and looked through the barrel, and I swear it looked like the grooves were clawed by a cat. Amazingly, the old Smith still shot pretty well but it had begun to lead like the devil. If you give a hoot about that rifle, you can boil, bake, wash or whatever, but knowing what I know now, I'd put 'em in the smelt. My 2 cents worth.
Murf

[williamwaco]

Bake, Boil, Melt, Whatever.
I know it hurts.

If they were plain base I would just melt them no matter how many.

Since yo need to save the gas checks:

If it is 50 or so, I would remelt, if it is a couple of hundred, I would probably boil, then bake, then re-lube.

If you do decide to MELT. DO NOT MELT THEM IN YOUR casting pot.

Sand may or may not float. You cannot depend on that. Some of it will and some of it will not.
Do some research on "inclusions" to find some of the amazing stuff that does not float and passes through the valve and winds up in your bullets.


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