How do you remove the sizing lube?

[AbitNutz]

I use Hi-Tek and it made me a convert to coating bullets. I would lube the bullets with some Corbin bullet sizing lube, mostly because I have a bunch of it, it really works and a little goes a long way. I didn't used to bother removing it until I went to seat the bullet. That was before I started using a Dillon XL750 press and an MR Bullet Feeder.

What's the best way to remove the lube from a pile of sized bullets? I'm thinking about throwing them in my tumbler with just some Dawn dish soap for 15 minutes. Or would banging around in there start to remove the coating? I'm open to ideas. I don't think just throwing them in a tub with some Dawn and letting them soak will do it. This sizing lube is pretty aggressive, which is what I like about it.

I also have an ultrasonic cleaner. Maybe some Simple Green and hot water? Corbin says the lube can be removed with soap and hot water or most any organic solvent and leaves no residue.

[mike_kaleigh]

Not sure about the lube you are using, but I use hitek and lube the boolits with hornady one shoot while sizing hard boolits, i just leave it on and load them. Never had a problem. Maybe try that since defiantly easier than trying to clean other lubes off.

[Hick]

Have you tried just sizing without lube? Once my bullets have PC they go through the sizer just fine without lube. I might be misunderstanding what you are asking.

Hick

[Winger Ed.]

Some folks have had good luck boiling them and depending on the lube, it'll float off & float, or dissolve.
I would think in a tumbler, they'd bounce around and ding each other up.

[challenger_i]

Corbin's website recommends hot soapy water. I have generally used trisodium phosphate and hot water, which is my go-to cleaner when processing brass, as well.
I do not see why Dawn and hot water would not work for your purpose, as well.
I agree with Winger Ed as to tumbling: too much chance of dinging the bullets. Soak and shake, rinse, repeat as necessary.

[mehavey]

- Boil 1X with a couple drops dishwater soap to break the surface tension. (5 min)
- Discard water/soap solution
- Boil 1X with clean water (5 min)

- Dry

.

[Baltimoreed]

I don’t remember lubing pc boolits when I tried it. I would shake and bake and then when cooled run them through my sizer die.

[charlie b]

I do the same, dry sizing, even when sizing before PC.

There were some PD'd .358 bullets I sized for my 9mm that I had to work at. Those were lubed with Hornady One Shot. I did not remove the lube before firing.

[AbitNutz]

I think the boil water with Dawn is what I'll try. I use a NOE sizing die in a LEE APP press and whiz through them. I adapted the SOCAL bullet tube to work with it. That is the best bullet magazine short of Mr Bullet Feeder. It is far, far superior to the Lee Mini Mr Bullet Feeder.
I find that if I have to size the bullets more than the absolute minimum it really requires the bullets to be lubricated. Corbin seems to be the best you can get. It's probably more than I need but it makes sizing easy and I never size the coating off the bullet.

[jsizemore]

I size the same day I cast and coat. Cuts out lubing to go through the sizer. Depending on the bullet it can be reduced in diameter .003". Coating is intact with a high shine on the surface. It does make for a long afternoon. Like 4-5 hours.

[Springfield]

I thought the Hi-Tek WAS lube? So why lube lubed bullets to size? If you have to lube them then why use it all, just use the regular lube and save yourself a lot of work.

[AbitNutz]

I thought the Hi-Tek WAS lube? So why lube lubed bullets to size? If you have to lube them then why use it all, just use the regular lube and save yourself a lot of work.
Yeah, well when you're squeezing a bullet down a couple of thou you need a bullet lube, no matter what the coating is.

[mike_kaleigh]

I thought the Hi-Tek WAS lube? So why lube lubed bullets to size? If you have to lube them then why use it all, just use the regular lube and save yourself a lot of work.

if i use soft lead no lube, if i have hard lead it just make it a lot easier.

[kevin c]

HiTek makes a spray on sizing lube that doesn’t need to be removed. It can even be applied between HiTek coats.

And, yes, I use lube even though the HiTek doesn’t need it. Easier on the arm.

[BamaNapper]

I see the Corbin swage lube calls for hot water and soap. It mentions lanolin in the description. If this is the stuff being used, I found that the Purple Power degreaser removes lanolin easily.

I've never used it on bullets, but I found that a splash of it in the water when I tumble cases removes the lanolin I use for resizing. I tried other solvents, Simple Green was a bust, but Purple Power (WalMart) proved to be the best in my application.

[fredj338]

I just dont think the effort is worth it unless talking 1000s. I would melt them all down & go from scratch. I can cast 1000 bullets in a 6cav Lee in less than 90m.

[gnappi]

I have a bunch of bullets my Dad ordered before he passed away and I'm torn between just using them up or removing the wax lube and then powder coating.

I've done the boil thing and it's not fun, so even though they're smokier than PC I'll likely use them as is.

[delftshooter]

trichlorethelyne would get the crap off fast.

methylethelketone would work ok

[sierra1911]

Have you considered using Dawn as sizing lube? It’ll rinse off easily.

[rockshooter]

When I need to take the lube off of rifle brass, I just toss them into corncob/walnut mix in my dry tumbler- you might try that with the PC lubed ones. The mix would prevent the bullets from dinging each other as they tumble
Loren

[firefly1957]

Depends! If I am doing loads one at a time I wipe it off before priming . If I am cleaning /sizing a large batch of brass the cases are run in a Ultra sonic cleaner with a bit of soap & citric acid and it gets rid of lube as well .

[gnappi]

trichlorethelyne would get the crap off fast.

methylethelketone would work ok


Where in the U.S can I get it? When I was a FSR at 3M and IBM I used tyrichlorethelyne only to clean rubber rollers of all sorts but it worked miracles on driveway oil!

[mehavey]

Good Lord -- stay way from either one of those chemicals where not absolutely needed -- and then only infrequently.

FWIW:
If lube is needed on sizing bullets --shoot as-is.
No need (or benefit) to clean off.

Ditto rifle brass.
(No, it doesn't cause more effective bolt thrust than a squeaky clean/polished chamber)
But it does dramatically minimize case growth.
See
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4792365&postcount=7
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4793270&postcount=9
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4798332&postcount=20
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5597457&postcount=5

[Rapier]

With commercial lubes on a bullet stye I want to PC and use. I put the bullets in a 3# steel coffee can then pour acetone over the top layer, allow them to soak over night with a sealed lid. Shake well in the morning, then dip out the bullets with a slotted spoon, wiping the bullets off as they are removed from the acetone bath with a shop rag. Acetone and rag are then added to the burn pile.
You should always wear chemical resistant neoprene gloves, they are available from Brownells. Acetone penetrates the skin, so do not use bare hands handling acetone.

If the lube on the bullets is adaquate for the intended velocity, just shoot them. I only change lube on bullets if I want to go over the velocity capability of the lube as applied.