how to remove tumble lube...

[carbon_15]

After I load my tumble lubed bullets, I take a rag and a little acetone and clean the lee tumble lube from the exposed portion of the bullet. I know its an "un-neccisary" step, but I cant stand the look or mess of the lube all over the bullet.
My method works but is very slow and tedious. Does anyone else clean the lube off after loading, and if so what method do you use?

[missionary5155]

Good morning
NO. I just endevor to keep the dirt and crud off. I figure if the boolit picked up the lube swirling around then surely as it scoots down the barrel that lube will do some good. I have no love for mining lead out of a barrel.
God Bless you !

[Boerrancher]

I don't know if this will help but Lube with JPW instead of the Lee Mule Snot. If you insist on still using the Lee Mule Snot, the after it dries give it a coat of JPW and let that dry. It will dry to a hard shell over the Mule Snot and keep it form getting sticky. Then you won't have to worry about wiping them off. I got to the point where I quit using the Mule Snot altogether and just put on two heavy coats of JPW. Hopes this helps.

Best wishes form the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[mooman76]

I wouldn't call it an unneccissary step but rather a choice. I first started using LLA but didn't realise how bad it gets on everything. It gets all over your load dies and eventually has to be cleaned off or it causes problems. I first notised it when I was seating bullets and they kept getting seated deeper and deeper. The LLA was builing up in my die so it was causing it to seat deeper. There are several ways to handle it and some were already mentioned. I strted using JPW because it is less messy and appears to work as well.
Some have tossed their loaded bullets in the tumbler for a few minutes or coated them with some kind of fine powder, talkum or something. I am a bit leary of this because who knows what kind of wear this might cause. I think probubly the bes though is to avoid getting it on everything. It takes a little extra time but either way you will spend more time cleaning up the mess. Spread a little LLA on wax paper or something similar. Take a small piece of wood like a ruler or paint stirrer and rool the bullets through the LLA to coat and pick them up and stand on end to dry. This avoids getting the all over except where it is needed.

[jonk]

A cap of paint thinner in your tumbler will take it right off. Makes the brass shiny too.

I never bother. Either I use the lube sizer or live with the mess.

Never gets on anything either. I've never had tumbe lube that wouldn't dry sufficiently.

[guninhand]

First, don't have LLA any thicker on the bullets than necessary, then just add mica (not talcum powder) after they dry and swirl them around in a bucket to coat.

[Jim]

I sent a whole case of Lee lube, minus one bottle, to 357 Maximum. I got tired of cleaning "mule snot" out of my barrels. Now I just use JPW.

[trk]

I use the LLA thinnnnnned with mineral spirits and when almost dry toss in and tumble again with Motor Mica. When I load them the excess wipes right off with a shop rag. Cleaning of barrel - EASY. Leading - none if velocities aren't excessive. (.357 mag and 44 mag in handi rifles 30-30 in Martini Cadet).

[trk]

PS. I like the smell of but don't like smellling acetone. I use 90% methanol for cleaning when I need it.

[carbon_15]

pardon the stupid question, but what is JPW?

[Ricochet]

Johnson's Paste Wax

[wiljen]

pardon the stupid question, but what is JPW?

Johnson's Paste Wax

[Cloudpeak]

I'd use low oder mineral spirits instead of acetone. Acetone evaporates quickly and doesn't do as good of a job as mineral spirits. Wear gloves, especially with acetone.

Cloudpeak

[carbon_15]

johnsons paste wax...no wonder I couldnt find JPW at midway:mrgreen:

[odoh]

johnsons paste wax...no wonder I couldnt find JPW at midway:mrgreen:


Only place I could find it was @ Home Depot !

[jnovotny]

I personally don't like the lee tumble lube because it tends to gum up the inside of my seating die, and changes the depth of the boolit.

[TAWILDCATT]

any one try hand dipping in the tumble lube.I was thinking thin with mineral spirits and dip just the grooves and set upright on wax paper over night.
:coffee: [smilie=1:

[technetium-99m]

I tried dipping them into LLA and then setting them on wax paper overnight, I just don't have the patience for that. Life is too short.

[357maximum]

I sent a whole case of Lee lube, minus one bottle, to 357 Maximum. I got tired of cleaning "mule snot" out of my barrels. Now I just use JPW.

and I am slowly using it up on my 45acp 38spcl and 9mm rounds...I have "re-distributed" a few bottles of it though. There are better tumble lubes out there than liquid earwax. JPW is only one of the choices for a man that wants to experiement a little. Lately I have been tumbling hot/warm boolits in grated microwax..seems to work pretty good for gentle loads.