Delubing rounds after running through a progressive

[1slow01z71]

Ive been loading on my rock chucker while I was doing load development but Im pretty well set on most of my loads so Im going to transfer them to the Dillon and start cranking them out. Ive done a little loading so far on the Dillon and have used non chlorinated brake cleaner to clean the finished rounds as well as just wiping them down. Wiping them down really doesn't get them perfectly clean, atleast the way Im doing it and the brake cleaner works great but smells to high heaven. After it dries its not too bad but leaves a faint smell. Is there any better way to clean the lube off finished rounds? I will be stockpiling quite a bit of pistol rounds and 223 so Id rather not have my ammo cans smell like brake clean forever since theyre stored in my office in the house. On the rock chucker I tumble for a little while then decap and size, then just toss em back in the tumbler for 3-4 hours and finish them but obviously that's not possible on the Dillon.

 

[lightman]

There are a few other solvents that will work, and may have less odor. Mineral spirits works good, but has some odor, and any number of electrical contact cleaners will work. If you can find a place that sells bulk alcohol, that would probably leave the least odor. I usually tumble mine again, after I resize them and before loading. This seems to work the best, if I have the time. Lightman

 

[1slow01z71]

Yeah I don't care about them staying pretty, I just want them to be free of case lube so it doesn't attract dirt. Interesting about running loaded ammo through the tumbler, I guess since I crimp everything that goes through the Dillon it should be fine. How long do yall run loaded cartridges through the tumbler for? And is it a stainless tumbler or regular media?

 

[CK_32]

I just retubmle (SS media) for another half hour or hour.

 

[Iamironman]

I retumble mine also when I go strait from lubed cases to the progressive. I use my Lyman tumbler with untreated corncob. Obviously the loaded rounds are heavier than just brass, so just put in as many rounds as you feel your tumbler can handle.

 

[1slow01z71]

Ive only got a stainless tumbler. I wondering how the polymer and lead tipped bullets would fair with the stainless media.

 

[rjacobs]

I wouldnt put loaded ammo into a wet stainless tumbler.

Why not lube your cases and do your case prep and then tumble and then you can load on clean, dry, non-lubed cases? I think you will find a lot of people do that. I hate trying to do anything with case lube all over my hands.

 

[wchartz]

I use a vibratory tumbler with corn cob media. I put about 2 tablespoons of mineral spirits on the media and tumble for 5-10 minutes. It removes all of the lube. You can use the media for many cycles, just add a little mineral spirits from time to time. This also works well with soft lube on cast bullet loads but you have to increase the time to about 15-20 minutes.

 

[427Cobra]

I use One Shot, it does not require removal.

 

[1slow01z71]

I use a vibratory tumbler with corn cob media. I put about 2 tablespoons of mineral spirits on the media and tumble for 5-10 minutes. It removes all of the lube. You can use the media for many cycles, just add a little mineral spirits from time to time. This also works well with soft lube on cast bullet loads but you have to increase the time to about 15-20 minutes.

May have to go this route and get a dry tumbler just for finished rounds. Taking the sized cases out and tumbling then priming and running it through the stations totally defeats the purpose of a progressive IMO.

I use One Shot, it does not require removal.

I use one shot for my singke stage stuff and it leaves a film that attracts dirt. Its definitwly less sticky than traditional case lube but not something I leave on my cases.

So far I'm thinking dry tumbling or mineral spirits bath.

 

[Pinecone]

1) For pistol rounds, I use a carbide die and don't lube. So no problems.

2) For rifle rounds, I tumble for 15 - 20 minutes in a VIBRATORY tumbler with corn cob media (KayKob from PetSmart works well) with a bit of Dillon Polish. Removes the lube and finger prints.

 

[308boltgun]

For my larger caliber rifle rounds I do a 2 step process using 2 tool heads.

The first head has
station 1 heavy duty decapping die (from LEE)
station 2 RCBS lube die
station 3 standard sizing die with the decaping pin removed (not the rod, just the pin)

I run all the brass through this, then into the tumbler

2nd tool head
station 1 neck sizing die backed out quite a bit. The primary purpose of this is to have a decapping pin to make sure any left over tumbling media is knocked out of the flash hole
station 2 powder
station 3 bullet seat

This also makes the actual loading process smoother and therefore gives more consistent powder charges

 

[samnev]

I use a vibratory tumbler with corn cob media. I put about 2 tablespoons of mineral spirits on the media and tumble for 5-10 minutes. It removes all of the lube. You can use the media for many cycles, just add a little mineral spirits from time to time. This also works well with soft lube on cast bullet loads but you have to increase the time to about 15-20 minutes.

I do it the same way except I tumble for 30 minutes.