Pyrodex Cleanup

[jednorris]

I just got 200 rounds of .40/65 loaded with Pyrodex and I am trying to break it down for the cases. The Pyrodex is packed solid in the cases, and I am having a difficult time digging it out. Shooting them off is not an option. Is there something I can soak them in to soften the powder?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Unusual that the powder would be packed in that tightly. You can't dig it out with a little screwdriver or some other small tool? Most likely anything you try soaking them in will kill the primers.

DG

[farmbif]

pyrodex is some nasty stuff if not used shortly after it is loaded, that's been my experience anyway. if it is solidified in case maybe try using a drill bit hand held to cut the crud out. I'm not sure what kind of solution to soak them in that will clean it up but might start soaking with something mild like dawn soap hot water solution.
forget about the primers it might be a battle just to clean up the brass.

[hpbear101]

Tumble it for a bit in an empty tumbler see if that breaks it loose.

[Hickok]

The best clean-up for pyrodex is throw it in the garbage. I hate that stuff.

Seriously, those 40/65 cases are worth the hard effort to save them. I would try a soak in water and soap detergent overnight.

[shootinfox2]

Dawn, vinegar, water mix. Let sit overnight.

[country gent]

What should work is find a long lag screw. ct the head off and epoxy it into a file handle. file or grind the point off to a flat that wont start in the flash hole. Make sure its long enough to reach the bottom of the case.

To use simply screw into powder to bottom of case and keep turning it will break up and pull the powder out.

[Gtek]

Patch worm on a short section of rod with a battery drill?

[cwtebay]

I recently broke some old unknown 45-90 loads that sound similar.
I tried drilling and soaking - both to no avail. I then placed the case (bullet extracted) against the side of my vibratory / oscillating saw - I wrapped the thin saw blade in leather thong first. Very little effort or time required to get the cake of powder out of them.
Perhaps the lag screw technique first would assist in this to create some non -compacted space.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[ScrapMetal]

What should work is find a long lag screw. ct the head off and epoxy it into a file handle. file or grind the point off to a flat that wont start in the flash hole. Make sure its long enough to reach the bottom of the case.

To use simply screw into powder to bottom of case and keep turning it will break up and pull the powder out.

I thought of that as well. The only problem might be if the tip of screw comes in hard contact with the primer. Actually, that might clean it out right quick but lead to some other problems...

-Ron

[Castaway]

I’d use a screwdriver to scrape and soften as much as possible before soaking. Stay away from an overnight vinegar soak or you’ll end up leaching a lot of zinc from the brass

[Sasquatch-1]

If you have a Swiss Army Knife that has the leather awl, try using that. You can take a 3.5" deck screw, cut the head off and screw it into a small piece of wood to use as a handle. No matter what I think it will be time consuming.

[country gent]

If you flatten the point on the screw to .100 dia od so it cant get thru the flash hole to the primer. Flash holes are only .060 dia. But the screw will auger the powder out quickly. On tightly compacted loads the screw may need to bottom out before really pulling the powder.

[waksupi]

Dawn, vinegar, water mix. Let sit overnight.

Vinegar would cause copper precipitation used that long.

[T-Bird]

try a few in hot soapy water for a while. That stuff is water soluable. I've used it for years (like since the '80's) . I don't seem to have the problems I read about.