What solution to dissolve lube off ammo?

[20nickels]

When dialing in my Star sizer for the 1st time I ended up with a substantial pile of .38's and .45's with LARS 50/50 coating the noses (I'm a slow learner :violin:). This makes for sticky ammunition that gums up the chambers. Since ammo is more or less submersible, is there anything that I could wash the completed rds in that won't harm my brass, yet will take the excess lube right off? I'm not sure soap & water is up to the task.

[GabbyM]

Never tried it myself buy you might try a hair dryer. That's what I use to clean up my machine and work bench. Just heat it up then wipe with a paper towel. You'd probably need to wear a glove on the hand you hold the round in. Blocking the hot air from the brass with a finger wraped around the case.

In the 38 I believe I'd just shoot it off.

[Ricochet]

If I could handle them so they didn't pick up dirt, I'd just shoot 'em and wipe any excess out of the guns. You've got to clean 'em anyway.

Actually, I've been dipping the noses of completed rifle loads in molten lube so the whole ogive's coated with lube. Gives good results in some 2000+ FPS loads in long barrels. Some does rub off on the loading ramps and fall into the magazine.

[markinalpine]

Try turpentine or mineral spirits with a piece of old bluejean. I use turps/jean rags to clean up the lube I get on the floor under my lube/sizer.

Good luck,
Mark :coffeecom

[Gerry N.]

Deodorized paint thinner on a cotton rag. I don't think immersing your cartridges in any liquid is a good idea in any case.

In my dotage I have taken to wearing nitrile gloves when handling petroleum solvents. I know, it's the mark of a sissy, but my fingers dry and crack to the point of bleeding otherwise and I am getting old and weak, no longer enjoying the pain as I did as a youth.

I hate to make the obvious obvious, but rags with paint thinner on them must be disposed of carefully. I toss mine in the fireplace and light 'em. If you wish to re-use 'em just spread 'em out to let them dry. Wadding 'em up and tossing into an open container is not a good plan, spontaneous combustion and all that, don't you know?

As long as I'm discussing raggage, I was at the fabric store recently buying some fabric. Strange coincidence there, what? I saw a 2 1/2 yard piece of 100% cotton flannel, printed with delightful pink and blue teddy bears, in the remnant bin priced at a pittance. I now have sufficient soft cotton wiping rag material to last several years for less than $5.

Gerry N.

[Freightman]

If I could handle them so they didn't pick up dirt, I'd just shoot 'em and wipe any excess out of the guns. You've got to clean 'em anyway.

Actually, I've been dipping the noses of completed rifle loads in molten lube so the whole ogive's coated with lube. Gives good results in some 2000+ FPS loads in long barrels. Some does rub off on the loading ramps and fall into the magazine.
10-4 to this

[357maximum]

Any of the eco orange based cleaners on a rag will do what you seek. I use de-solv-it for such things. It even smells nice:bigsmyl2:

[20nickels]

Actually that was my intention to just shoot them. Then I thought, if I could just submerge them in some solution, then pour it off for air drying it would certainly be worth my time. I've shot water drenched reloads before.

Then again, a day of clearing the occasional turpentine filled squib load doesn't sound fun either. This one may fall under "potentially dangerous/dumb".

[Cherokee]

I have tumbled loaded ammo with media and some thinner. 10-15 minutes seemed to do it for me. Some will say no, others have also done it, up to you.

[20nickels]

I have tumbled loaded ammo with media and some thinner. 10-15 minutes seemed to do it for me. Some will say no, others have also done it, up to you.

Hmmm.. now that's interesting. How much thinner give or take?

[R.C. Hatter]

:violin:I don't think it's a good idea to immerse ammunition in any liquid. I remove lube from ammunition, if present, with plain old rubbing alcohol and a shop rag. The alcohol is cheap and removes lube residue easily. I've used this method for over 40 years with no problems.

[Echo]

I use mineral spirits, AKA paint thinner. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on an old towel, place the loaded rounds in the center of the towel, grasp the ends so the rounds won't come out, and see-saw up and down for about a MINUTE! They will come out looking marvelous!

[Wayne Smith]

:violin:I don't think it's a good idea to immerse ammunition in any liquid. I remove lube from ammunition, if present, with plain old rubbing alcohol and a shop rag. The alcohol is cheap and removes lube residue easily. I've used this method for over 40 years with no problems.

Back before the turn of the last century a bark was sailing with a load of UMC ammo to Russia. The story is in the book The Rifle in America under the Remington section. Anyway, this bark ran into a major artic storm and foundered. She floated, decks awash, for two weeks before being towed back to New York. The ammo was returned to UMC. They dried it out and tested it - 100% of it fired!

While I agree with RC on general principles I tend not to be overly paranoid. Yes, those were sealed primers and sealed boolits, but I don't think ours are that much less secure. I've dumped a loaded round in my ceramic media, lead boolit and black powder, and it was vibrated for several hours with the media almost covered in soapy water. The round fired! I did this accidentally, I don't plan on doing it again. Yes, an N=1 experiment. Doesn't prove much, other than that round survived. But it did survive.

[snowtigger]

The wiping method sounds like the best idea. Solvents will go through spaces that water won't penetrate.
My BIL, acertified welder, was called to fix a custom fuel tank that had been built in a local shop. It was tested with water and passed. When the customer put heating fuel in it, it leaked in several places.

[Ricochet]

Diesel fuel makes a pretty good penetrating oil. Home heating oil's about the same.

[Ron]

I put my loaded rounds in a calico bag, direct a short spray of brake cleaner into the bag. Tumble the boolits in the bag. By the time you reach the range the cases a clean and free from lube.

Alternatively, put them in a vibrating case cleaner for ten minutes. Does the same job, clean cases and no lube.

[crabo]

I use mineral spirits, AKA paint thinner. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on an old towel, place the loaded rounds in the center of the towel, grasp the ends so the rounds won't come out, and see-saw up and down for about a MINUTE! They will come out looking marvelous!

This is very quick and really works well.

[Cherokee]

20nickles - to answer your ?
I use enough to wet the media in a gallon can half full of walnut shell media, can't say exact amount.

[20nickels]

I use mineral spirits, AKA paint thinner. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on an old towel, place the loaded rounds in the center of the towel, grasp the ends so the rounds won't come out, and see-saw up and down for about a MINUTE! They will come out looking marvelous!

This is what I ended up doing and it works amazingly well. They went from PITA goobery to shiny competition ready in just two minutes. [smilie=p: Just shine like a bowling ball. Tks for all the great responses.

[ETG]

I use mineral spirits, AKA paint thinner. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on an old towel, place the loaded rounds in the center of the towel, grasp the ends so the rounds won't come out, and see-saw up and down for about a MINUTE! They will come out looking marvelous!


I use this method with lacqure thinner or acetone - just make sure there is no open flames around. Couple of minutes and you can clean 500 rounds real nice - I like to use a cheap beach towel.