Removing Bullet lube

[Walks]

Wasn't sure exactly where to put this ? here or on Bullet Lube thread ? Searched the website for this, couldn't find it.

Ok,
I've heard that bullet lube can be removed by using Coleman fuel, in a glass jar. For Powder Coating.
How long does it take ?
Do you use fresh fuel for each batch ?
Rinse the bullets in hot/cold water after ?
Please help.

[mehavey]

Just simply boil once or twice it in a pot of water with a drop or two (no more) of of dishwashing soap.
Rinse with boiling water and let dry.
Done

[Winger Ed.]

Save your money: Coleman fuel is basically the cheapest no-Lead gasoline with no additives package.
As far as being bad for a lantern-- I've used nothing but cheap gasoline in mine since the 1970s.
Last week, the power went out for a few hours in a storm, and they still worked.

[oley55]

there are a lot of options for lube removal. I remove the bulk in boiling water and then filling to overflowing with boiling hot water so that the lube will float off the top and not recontaminate the lead. Then I do a rinse with acetone (which I save and reuse) and then a final hot dish soap wash and rinse.

do a search for "removing" and a handful of multipage posts about 'lube removal' will show up. Or click this link to my search: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/search.php?searchid=7860493

[FrankJD]

Naphtha (lighter fluid). Fast, easy, cheap.

[JSnover]

Another vote for boiling water.

[Froogal]

Be careful with the boiling water method. I tried it one time. Yes, the lube melted off quite nicely and then formed a "skin" on top, which trapped the steam, which then became quite violent trying to escape. Made a mess, and I even suffered a couple of mild burns while trying to alleviate the mini-volcano situation.

[bangerjim]

ALMOST boiling water bath until it all floats on the surface then skim off.....to prevent what #7 describes!
Let dry on a towel.
Then a quick rinse in Acetone.

Squeaky clean. :p

banger

[mehavey]

lube melted off quite nicely and then formed a "skin" on top,
which trapped the steam, which then became quite violent
trying to escape.That I've never seen/experienced. :dung_hits_fan:

I just boil til it floats, pour out (95% gone),
add water/a drop soap/boil, pour off (99.75% gone)
add water/a drop soap/boil again, pour off (99.99% gone)
Rinse Boiling....

Done

.

[Walks]

Thanks to all

[DCB]

let us know how it worked for you.
I have a few hundred 40cal to do and was thinking about boiling them.
Dave

[bdicki]

Brake cleaner.

[rsrocket1]

let us know how it worked for you.
I have a few hundred 40cal to do and was thinking about boiling them.
Dave

Few hundred? Cleaning off the lube would take more time than simply recasting them. I usually do about 1k in an hour and a half so a couple hundred more is not very much time.
I'd throw them in the pot.

https://images2.imgbox.com/30/0f/EH9lD75e_o.jpg

https://images2.imgbox.com/8b/08/Z3WMuUnT_o.jpg

[JimB..]

I have tried all of the above, plus ultrasonic cleaner, none have worked consistently for me. I’m firmly in the ‘recast them’ camp.

[dave 45-90]

Use acetone. Had whole bunch with regular lube. Put them in bowl with acetone and swirled them around. Dumped them in soft cloth and rolled and pressed them. Worked really well

[oley55]

I too am with the recast crowd except for gas checked bullets. they are way to pricey toss because I don’t want to put the effort into cleaning off old lube.

[pworley1]

+1 for throwing back in the pot and recast.

[Dinny]

I used Xylene and it worked quickly and I couldn't have been happier. Xylene is a strong paint and epoxy thinner that can be bought on Amazon or at Home Depot. I poured 300 bullets into 3 separate Mason jars, filled the jars with Xylene until all the bullets were covered and almost instantly the Xylene started to turn pinkish red, the lube was red. By the time I got the last jar filled the first one was done. I could easily see that all the bullets were shiny and the lube grooves were empty. After that I placed them all into a plastic tub and ran hot water over them. Now they're PC'd and I can't see any signs of the PC not taking. Easy Peasy!

Here's the video I watched that convinced me to use Xylene. https://youtu.be/QxbT5RB8Z-4

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-1-qt-Xylol-Xylene-QXY24/202310295

Thanks, Dinny

[Land Owner]

rsrocket1 - is the first picture the AFTER and the 2nd picture the BEFORE?

WALKS, et al - Why remove the PC? Head scratching here...

[reedap1]

There is another discussion on this subject in this thread

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?405531-Removing-lube-before-powder-coating&p=5094955#post5094955

Xylene is the solvent to use but do it outside

[oley55]

Without rereading the whole thread to see if someone actually mentioned removing PC, every question, comment and post title are about LUBE removal so bullets could be PC'd.

One of us, you or me may be experiencing a Brandon moment or two. LOL

[reedap1]

Oley55,

I think the entire thread is about removing lube (meaning traditional wax/grease-based) not removing powder coating. I'm sure there are strong solvents that would remove powder coating (paint stripper?) but I would ask why? Is that what you meant?

For me, PC has been a game-changer. With pistol bullets, I have essentially eliminated cleaning my guns especially if I use a clean-burning powder like American Select. I will stop and clean my revolvers after about 800 rounds only because I feel guilty, not because they arent shooting accurately. With my rifle calibers, I will clean a little sooner, especially if I am working up loads, but for plinking/practice loads, they can go 2-300 rounds and I see no accuracy degradation.

[oley55]

Oley55,

I think the entire thread is about removing lube (meaning traditional wax/grease-based) not removing powder coating. I'm sure there are strong solvents that would remove powder coating (paint stripper?) but I would ask why? Is that what you meant?

For me, PC has been a game-changer. With pistol bullets, I have essentially eliminated cleaning my guns especially if I use a clean-burning powder like American Select. I will stop and clean my revolvers after about 800 rounds only because I feel guilty, not because they arent shooting accurately. With my rifle calibers, I will clean a little sooner, especially if I am working up loads, but for plinking/practice loads, they can go 2-300 rounds and I see no accuracy degradation.

well yea, I was responding to post #19:


WALKS, et al - Why remove the PC? Head scratching here...

[uscra112]

Xylene is nasty stuff, and not cheap, either. I put 300 .32 caliber pistol bullets that had spilled onto a dirty floor in a large glass bowl, covered with water to a depth of about an inch, and microwaved it until the water just boiled. Skimmed off the floating lube, stirred vigorously, and did it again. Took me just a few minutes. Clean bullets, no dangerous fumes, no hazardous waste. Bowl cleaned up with ordinary liquid dish detergent.

[mehavey]

Xylene is nasty stuff, and not cheap, either. I put 300 .32 caliber pistol bullets ...in a large glass bowl, covered with water to a depth of about an inch,
and microwaved it until the water just boiled. I applaud the boiling water... but you microwaved a bowl full of conductive lead ?

[uscra112]

I applaud the boiling water... but you microwaved a bowl full of conductive lead ?

Yup. No problem at all when immersed in water.

[Walks]

rsrocket1 - is the first picture the AFTER and the 2nd picture the BEFORE?

WALKS, et al - Why remove the PC? Head scratching here...

Land Owner,

I'm not removing PC, I'm removing Lube from bullets that were Lubed with 50/50 many years back so I can Powder Coat them NOW.

[Shurshot2]

If you throw the lined bullet back in the pot does the lube act like wax flux and flare up?

[uscra112]

If you throw the lined bullet back in the pot does the lube act like wax flux and flare up?

Of course.

[Land Owner]

Land Owner,

I'm not removing PC, I'm removing Lube from bullets that were Lubed with 50/50 many years back so I can Powder Coat them NOW.

Yes, I see that, now, as you, oley55, and others have indicated. I made a mistake once, but I was wrong in that. It WAS an honest mistake and nothing back-handed about it. I'll shut up now...

[Rapier]

If you have a steel 3# coffee can, pour bullets in, shake level, pour just over top of bullets with Acetone, put plastic top on, let sit 30 minutes, stir by revolving can, pour off, refill to top of bullets, sit for 30 minutes, pour off, clean as a cat whisker. Done thousands, just that quick. if GCs, pop them off or they will bubble when baked with PC. I do use shake and bake, with a nose down hardware cloth box no GC needed with two coats.

[Geezer in NH]

I would just relube with lee alox and shoot them till gone why need to powder coat them anyway? Tons more work for what?

[uscra112]

I would just relube with lee alox and shoot them till gone why need to powder coat them anyway? Tons more work for what?

I agree. Don't understand this fad for powdercoating anyway.

[stevo1911]

I use minerals spirits in glass mason jar. Soak for 24hours rinse with hot water.

[JCM45]

I've used Coleman fuel for this purpose several times. Soak the bullets in a container overnight. Pour out the fuel in the morning and soak the bullets in water with a little Dawn added. Rinse with water after that. Works great.

[popper]

Just use some BLL and shoot. Did boil some 40sw with blue cracked stuff, skimmed it off. PCd with ES gun, worked fine. Had some undersized lazercast for 30/30. Recast them. Why use expensive solvent?

[Walks]

These bullets are for a Cowboy Shooter who prefers PC.

[nicholst55]

I've used Coleman fuel for this purpose several times. Soak the bullets in a container overnight. Pour out the fuel in the morning and soak the bullets in water with a little Dawn added. Rinse with water after that. Works great.

Coleman fuel was $14 a gallon at Walmart the other day. Think I'd find a less expensive method. Just saying.

[res45]

Only done it once, plain old hot boiling water removes the lube, at least in my case with no problems. I just boil the bullets in a pot for about 20 minutes twice and skimmed the lube off the top when the water cooled, the second time was just for good measure. I then gave the bullets an acetone wash and let them dry before coating, coated fine just like they never had any lube on them at all.

https://i.imgur.com/xluDdYy.jpg

[Firelock66]

I just did this with a bunch of aloxed bullets yesterday. Put lubed bullets in a glass pickle jar and fill with gasoline to cover them. The lube comes off in a couple minutes with a good shake, or let them soak about 1/2 hour, then drain. I then rinse them by spraying with carb. or brake cleaner. Ready for powder coating as soon as they dry.