Tumbling Cast bullets . . .

glassparman

"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
Ok, can't remember if I asked this already or not.

I have a big box of cast bullets that were in a bucket with other stuff.

They are all dirty and some greasy.

Can I tumble these in something like I do my brass or wipe them down one by one or scrap them?

Mike
 

Ian

Notorious member
Put them in a metal can with some acetone and tumble/swish the can gently by hand. I'd just remelt them if it were me.

Cob/walnut just sticks to the goo. SS pins will shred them.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
try swishing around in some mineral spirits, then giving them a quick swipe with a rag.
it's a bunch cheaper than acetone.
 
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RBHarter

West Central AR
I boiled a bunch once . I got enough lube off them ot make the clean up mostly just a wipe down . The wax and oil float so you can just scoop it out when it cools . It wasn't completely successful but I didn't really use what I should have and I was impatient .
 

Matt

Active Member
I’ve used untreated corn cob to clean up cast and swaged lead bullets before. Works well with little or no dimension change. Got them in shape to tumble lube them. I’ve tried acetone in the past and ended with a slimy mess from the semi dissolved hard commercial lube the bullets came with.
 

glassparman

"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
Thanks for all the advice.

Maybe this weekend I'll try a little of each in separate batches. Whatever works best, I'll do the rest.

I'll take some before and after pics.

Stupid phone, why on earth did it change the title to "Castro" when I posted??

Mike
 
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Dimner

Named Man
I recently just went through this exercise on a small scale. I usually just re-melt any that are lubed, but these were some samples of a mold I do not own.

I needed to get these 30 bullets clean for powder coating, which means they need to be well degreased. I first started with acetone that worked for about 80% of the lube. Then I scrubbed with dawn dishsoap, very hot water, and a toothbrush. That got nearly all the rest. Then i used a tshirt to get the rest out.

I would only do this again, if I couldn't melt the bullets in question. Just too much hassle.
 

Walks

Well-Known Member
Soaking in Coleman fuel will clean any lube within an hour. Just pour the fuel through a coffee filter into an old mayonnaise jar, and reuse it. Give the bullets a rinse in hot tap water. Let dry and powder coat.
Coleman fuel is expensive, $22 a gal. But it does work.
 

glassparman

"OK, OK, I'm going as fast as I don't want to go!"
Well, I finally did it . . . I tumbled some of these cruddy cast bullets in a normal wet tumbler with the same stuff I do for cleaning brass.

They actually turned out nice!

It did not remove the old lube from the .30 cal bullets but all in all I'm happy.

I use Hornady One Shot brass cleaner, distilled water and stainless steel pins.

Take a gander at these . . .

Compress_20221007_151650_0772.jpg
 
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Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
You guys have expensive taste when it comes to solvents. I’ve got a few gallons of old mower gasoline that is slowing getting used up for cleaning bicycle chains. It’ll dissolve bullet lube also. And it’s basically free, it’s so old I ain’t ever gonna run it in any of my mowers.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Life is full of ironies. Today I thinking that Joshua hasn't been posting in quite a while.

Good to hear from you, Joshua!
 

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
"Stupid phone, why on earth did it change the title to "Castro" when I posted??"
And here I thought was another word like "projos".

And when I think about it, you wouldn't tumble Castro bullets. You'd be more apt to dodge them.
 
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richhodg66

Well-Known Member
Boiling them is the best way. I stir them with a wooden stick to help break loose the old lube. I tried adding some dish soap to the water a few times and it really didn't seem to make any difference.

I usually do need to slosh them a little while in some kind of solvent, gasoline or mineral spirits, after boiling to get them really clean. Dried and liquid alox and shoot. No problems. Cleaning them is less time and trouble than casting new ones if they are otherwise shootable bullets.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
I've removed old lube using a hairdryer/heat gun. Just spread bullets out on paper towels, with old bath towel underneath, have at it. Pick up the old bath towel to roll them around. Change paper towels if need be. They're clean enough to rerun though lube sizer.
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I've removed old lube using a hairdryer/heat gun. Just spread bullets out on paper towels, with old bath towel underneath, have at it. Pick up the old bath towel to roll them around. Change paper towels if need be. They're clean enough to rerun though lube sizer.
I've tried several techniques.
Now, I do as John mentions, Heatgun.
and if there is a slight residue of lube left on them, that I just want cleaned off, I will swirl them in a few ounces of MS while the bullets are still warm...or I add more heat.

One technique I used in the past for a large batch of Alox tumble lubed bullets, was an overnight soaking using a Dollar Store cleaner L.A.'s Awesome (it has more of a chemical smell than other household cleaners). Two bucks worth of cleaner liquid in a container with 500+ bullets, they just needed to be rinsed with water in the morning, then air dried in the sun during the afternoon. Basically no work at all, just takes time. AND Yes, I did this all outside.
 
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