Quinetics Corp Bullet Removal Hammer Cleaner?

I have an old "Lyman Products" bullet removal hammer made by the Quinetics Corp. with a screw-on plastic hammer cap that is getting the threads all filled up with some sort of debris, so that the cap is hard to screw on. Of course, when it was new 30 years ago it probably screwed right on. But now I can't get it all the way tight to "hammer out" a bullet loaded in a cartridge. Anybody have any suggestions on something that will clean out this debris? I have tried scraping it out with a pick, but the stuff is real hard. Some flaked off though. Maybe some sort of solvent?

I have a similar thing happen once in a while. I use the shell holders instead of the unit that came with it. I simply tap the top nut on a board(piece of 2x4) or on the concrete floor of my basement to clear it up. It doesn't take a hard tap either. Works for me. james

You might try something like Simple Green to soak it in. That might soften it enough to remove the debris.

Hope this helps.

Fred

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Originally Posted by ReloaderFred

You might try something like Simple Green to soak it in. That might soften it enough to remove the debris.

Hope this helps.

Fred

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What is "Simple Green" and where might I purchase it? I don't know what it is?

It's a water based solvent. Around here, it's sold at hardware stores, dry goods stores, Costco, etc. They used in to help clean up from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. I use it to clean guns, clean oil from concrete, etc. It's available in spray bottles, by the gallon, or the 55 gallon drum.

https://simplegreen.com/products/all-purpose-cleaner/

Hope this helps.

Fred

After washing with a detergent and brush, let dry and coat with a silicone spray.

Kroil? Or would it dissolve the plastic?

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Originally Posted by nccaster77

Kroil? Or would it dissolve the plastic?

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I thought of trying something else that seems to be a pretty strong cleaner. I am in the process of cleaning splattered concrete from a slab pour off of the adjoining brick wall with Muriatic Acid. It comes in a plastic jug and I have been putting it in a plastic food container without them melting. But some of the brushes have melted and others don't until the bristles wear out. So, since this ballistic hammer is plastic, is it the type that melts in Muriatic Acid?

If you have a dishwasher, try running the cap through there. Probably won't hurt anything and may just clean it up nicely.

What you have in the cap is powder guys. It should not have a grease or other matter. A simple tap on something hard with the mouth down has always cleared the powder out of the grooves for me. I have been doing it for over 25 years and have never had to wash or scrub anything out and never had anything but powder get in the threads. If I am missing something here, please explain. I am always open to learn.

Perhaps a stiff bristle tooth brush would work to remove the detritus

I use a 12 ga cleaning brush to clean the threads.

I would try a simple cleaning with dish soap and water really work up a lather as this floats the crud out, do both the male and female threads several times. Rinse and dry well. If you dont clean both threads one will contaminate the other quickly. A little lube on the threads helps also bar soap, dish soap, wax one of the better and easy to apply is lee sizing die wax the water soluble. It brushes on dries to a resilient film and being water soluble in washes off easily with the next cleaning.

More than likely the debris is powder and perhaps a bit of lube (bullet or case). A lot of suggestions offered above but the only thing I would not use is chlorinated brake clean. Any mild detergent, or mineral spirits and a brush (even a bore brush wiped around the ID) will do the job.

FWIW; I worked for a large city water and power department which was very "environmentally aware" (mostly for political reasons). We used Simple Green by the 55 gal. drum for everything from engine cleaning to window washing. When the area salesman first pitched the detergent to the dept., he would drink a shot of Simple Green to show it was harmless. Don't know what happened to him after the promotion...

Okay, I'll be the bad guy! Maybe it's time to hang that one on the wall and buy a new one! I am all for using what you have and making it work, but there comes a time...….

I like old equipment use a lot of it, but it is 30 years old.

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Originally Posted by TNsailorman

What you have in the cap is powder guys. It should not have a grease or other matter. A simple tap on something hard with the mouth down has always cleared the powder out of the grooves for me. I have been doing it for over 25 years and have never had to wash or scrub anything out and never had anything but powder get in the threads. If I am missing something here, please explain. I am always open to learn.

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I tried soaking the cap with powder solvent, and scraping it out with a pick. It was probably hard packed powder and bullet lube packed in there, and it didn't even want to be scraped out with the hard tip of a small pick. but anyway, after soaking and cleaning for a couple of days, I finally got it cleaned enough to unload a small batch of 44 MAG rounds with just a little too much H110 and a 300 grain LBT large flat nosed bullet I have the mold for. So, tonight its going into the dishwasher for a trial and then some Johnson's Car wax along with cleaning may keep it clean and easy to use. I thank all of you for your help.

I like old tools and tools that work. You are having quite a bit of trouble getting your impact puller to work freely again, but how much time are you willing to spend on a tool that costs less than $15.00?
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Ars.../dp/B001B7ZB4Q

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Originally Posted by 45workhorse

Okay, I'll be the bad guy! Maybe it's time to hang that one on the wall and buy a new one! I am all for using what you have and making it work, but there comes a time...….

I like old equipment use a lot of it, but it is 30 years old.

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You said what we all were thinking. But we must be PC. Well. To a point anyway. But yes. Agreed. Time to buy a new one.

I had the same bullet puller you describe bought probably about the same time and read a thread here not to long ago about someone who broke the one they had.
I thought he must have really been pounding that bullet puller for it to break mine still works like new. Yup you guessed it next time I used mine it exploded

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