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I have some already cast and sized boolits, (.358), lubricated lightly with LLA. I want to remove the LLA and powder coat so I can resize them down slightly to .356. I have mineral spirits on hand. I tried looking this up and I only read that to remove LLA to apply powder coat they must be completely clean. I don't want to try resizing with LLA already on - I think the push through sizer might get a wee bit gummed up.
Suggestions?
This late in the game, I've learned not to make extra work for myself.
I've found that plenty of other people are more than glad to do that for me.
In a case like yours:
I'd go ahead and shoot 'em.
Then cast more and go the powder coat route with them.
I’d rinse them in mineral spirits and while still wet, size them. Then tumble again in Alox and shoot.
The solvent in Lee Liquid Alox is naphtha, it will dissolve and remove it. Personally, I prefer to use acetone for this purpose. Be cautious whichever one you use, their flashpoints are very low and they are, therefore, extremely flammable.
I had some like that, I found that putting them in the melt pot removed it just fine. Probably not what you wanted to hear. Sorry.
M.S. works great, but you'll likely need a final wash/rinse with dishsoap and hot water to remove the residue.
Many moons ago, I tried several different residential cleaner/degreaser solutions. Most will not cut alox. To my surprise, "LA's Awesome" from the dollar tree store worked quite well...soak overnight undiluted.
Why not size them in your push through die and then clean the die. Might even get a can of carb cleaner to clean the die every so often. Just make sure there is nothing around that the solvents will damage.
Great advice here ... Winger Ed's been around the block and knows .Quote:
Originally Posted by Winger Ed.
My advice : It sounds like you want to size them down and powder coat for , more than likely , a 9mm of some form .
Forget trying to clean all the alox off ... next to impossible ...do you really want to sit there with mineral spirits and a toothbrush and scrub every one ... that's what it will take ... it's not going to rinse off . Size to .357" and load them up ... the alox lube will work ... .356" for cast boolits in 9mm is TOO small ...Too Small = lead in the barrel . I size .357" but many size .358" in 9mm and it works just fine .
I have a sneaking suspicion you can load those boolits , .358" alox and all in your 9mm and make it work with a tweak or two ...If not a size down to .357" should fix it up ... Like Winger Ed says don't make extra work for yourself when you don't have too !
Gary
"I'd them in mineral spirits and while still wet, size them. Then tumble again in Alox and shoot".
Good advice.
Mark
Been using .356 sized boolits in 9mm for years without issue, powdercoated and no leading I tried some sized .358 and accuracy was terrible, but then it could have been me. I tried boiling as recommended by someone elsewhere, and powdercoated the dried off boolits. Seemed to work, so far.
BTW, I don't have any Alox - I went total powder coat some time ago.