cleaning store boxed boolits

[Navy80to04]

I have 3000 hunters supply / Suter's choice, hard cast lead boolits, 45 acp 180 gr and 200 gr, all waxed and greased up in box ready to load. BUT I want to PC them, Do I use clean them up with what? before I PC them?

[igolfat8]

Soak them over night or for several hours in a sealed container, bullets fully submerged / covered in paint thinner / mineral spirits. Next day, shake mixture and drain off mineral spirits. This should remove all of the wax from the lube grooves. Pore a bit of acetone in container and shake then pore off. Repeat acetone process. Drain acetone off. Pore bullets on old towel and roll bullets around inside towel. Let bullets air dry for a few minutes and then they will be ready to PC. I've done this several times so I know it works.

[JSnover]

I cleaned a box of factory cast boolits just by boiling them in water. Reddish dried-up waxy loob melted right off.
Might want to boil them twice or rinse with some solvent if you need them clean enough to PC.

[wallenba]

If you plan to PC them, use the oven, (I assume you will use an old toaster oven), to melt the wax. Line a tray with some paper towels, use low heat. Most of it will get soaked up in the towels. Then wash in acetone.

[Dragonheart]

I don't know if you have checked the price of thinner's, but gasoline works and a lot cheaper. Soak, change it out, soak and a rinse in acetone.

[woody290]

I don't know if you have checked the price of thinner's, but gasoline works and a lot cheaper. Soak, change it out, soak and a rinse in acetone.

DON'T USE GAS!!!!! The risk of fire or explosion (if you get the mix with air right) is too great. As a firefighter I have seen what gas can do. Stay away from it!!!!!!!!!!!

[runfiverun]

the wax should melt at about 120-f.
you can boil it off and let it solidify on top of the water after it cools off or melt it out in an oven.
if you only have an oven in your kitchen I would advise against using it.
I would also advise against using your wife's pot to boil them in, they sell pots at the second hand store cheap.

[country gent]

Boil it off putting the bullets in a strainer or sieve thats fits down in the pot can help alot getting them out. Boil not just until the lube melts but to warm the bullets up to a little past melting point of lube, this helps the lube completley float off of them. Let cool and lift the lube cake of with an old spatula and remove the bullets. You can boil a second time to remove any that didnt come off or solvent clean. SOmetimes a drop or 2 of dish soap helps raise the lube faster as it acts as an emulsifier for oils and greases. Boil for 10-15 mins and bullets should be hot lube on top and pretty much ready to go. Youve got a big pile of lead there and small spaces for the water to work thru them.

[wallenba]

I've been considering buying one of the case dryers sold at Midway. Would they make enough heat to melt the wax? Anyone have one? I have molds that haven't worked out, and need to 'unlube' them and re-cast.

[merlin101]

DON'T USE GAS!!!!! The risk of fire or explosion (if you get the mix with air right) is too great. As a firefighter I have seen what gas can do. Stay away from it!!!!!!!!!!!

Same can be said about thinner. Boiling them will clean them just as well and a lot safer and cheaper too!

[Dragonheart]

DON'T USE GAS!!!!! The risk of fire or explosion (if you get the mix with air right) is too great. As a firefighter I have seen what gas can do. Stay away from it!!!!!!!!!!!

I wasn't suggesting you do this in your living room.

And you are right some people shouldn't drive or use a lawnmower, but as you know any flammable fuel is capable of igniting under the right conditions.

[DerekP Houston]

I wasn't suggesting you do this in your living room.

And you are right some people shouldn't drive or use a lawnmower, but as you know any flammable fuel is capable of igniting under the right conditions.

Any time I use gasoline for anything it is outside on my 12x12 slab with a stiff breeze. I don't even fuel up in the garage since we have a gas water heater in there. :knock on wood: no issues yet. My patio is covered and I still use a fan to ensure good air flow when using acetone mixes for hitek.

unless there was a reason the boolits don't work as is...I'd just shoot them and cast more. But Im lazy like that. The boiling trick seems to work for a number of people.

[Dragonheart]

I've been considering buying one of the case dryers sold at Midway. Would they make enough heat to melt the wax? Anyone have one? I have molds that haven't worked out, and need to 'unlube' them and re-cast.

Just put them into the melting pot, the lube will act as a flux and cook off.

[tzzler44]

the wax should melt at about 120-f.
you can boil it off and let it solidify on top of the water after it cools off or melt it out in an oven.

This is what i did. I had a lot of old 38 cal bullets I wanted to de-lube and PC. I used a hot plate and a coffee tin. Add bullets to tin, add water until water is approximately 2-3" above the bullets and boil for around 5 minutes, then set aside overnight or until completely cool. The lube will form a solid layer on top of the water that can be removed. The bullets will still have some residue so pour off the water, towel dry the bullets a little then tumbling with some acetone to remove the residue. From that point PC as normal.

[6622729]

the wax should melt at about 120-f.
you can boil it off and let it solidify on top of the water after it cools off or melt it out in an oven.
if you only have an oven in your kitchen I would advise against using it.
I would also advise against using your wife's pot to boil them in, they sell pots at the second hand store cheap.

I tried to boil off some Recluse 45/45/10 from the pan and spoon involved in making the tumble lube and it didn't come off. It took solvent to cut the lube.

[Dragonheart]

I tried to boil off some Recluse 45/45/10 from the pan and spoon involved in making the tumble lube and it didn't come off. It took solvent to cut the lube.

That was the same result I had back several years ago when I tried cleaning the lube off a couple thousand commercial bullets. It is going to take a solvent, and every solvent I am aware of is flammable, whether you chose gasoline of acetone. If you check acetone is just as flammable as gasoline, maybe more so.

I suggested gasoline because I know it works, it's cheap, it takes little to get the job done and I assumed, maybe wrongly, that if one can safely cast bullets they are capable of safely handling a small container of gasoline.