Do you tumble your freshly made bullets

[P1ZombieKiller]

The bullets I am making seem to have a little "grease" on the tips. I am sure it is just excess lube build up. Should I just leave it be, or should I wipe them down (very time consuming) or can I just toss them in a thumbler tumbler for 30 mins or so with fine corn cob and walnut dry media?

[MIBULLETS]

I just rinse mine in acetone and dry. If they need polishing then I tumble them.

[P1ZombieKiller]

How do I go about cleaning out the excess lube? How often shoudl I clean my pointing die?

[MIBULLETS]

I don't clean them very often. You may want to clean them to get the excess out. You can clean them with solvent or just use and cleaning patch or Q-Tip. If you use solvent make sure to oil them and put a very light coating of lube on the inside to prevent a dry bullet getting stuck in the die next time. Also make sure you are not over lubing your bullets, you only need a very light coating.

[P1ZombieKiller]

Bullets are 30 cal 118 grain. I am using 3.7 grns lube per bucket.

So I can just place ricein my tumbler, and tumble? hmmmm.... that sounds pretty easy.

[P1ZombieKiller]

I use that much first off. Then core seat. Then wait 24 hours. Then point up.

Dies are Carbide.

[Mntngoat]

i toss them in a towel and work the towel up and down while letting the pile of bullets hang straight down in the middle between the ends. Seems to work well enough


George how does barrel solvent ruin a die?

ML

[ramos]

Mike, It leaches the colbalt out of carbide leaving a sand blasted look..:(



Now that, I NEVER would have guessed!

[Randy Robinett]

Mike, It leaches the colbalt out of carbide leaving a sand blasted look..:(

Many years ago, I ruined a perfectly good Niemi carbide point-up die, which I filled with Butch's Bore-shine, and "left to soak" for a few days . . . it was a total wreck - looked like a badly pitted road; the die was not salvageable, as lapping - enough to remove the pits - excessively enlarged the diameter. :eek: :( RG

[TinMan]

Not too detailed info about bore solvents, but might more general info about corrosion of tungsten carbides and the attack of the matrix alloys.

http://www.federalcarbide.com/corrosion_resistant_tungsten_carbide_grades.html

[TinMan]

Cemented carbides are pretty complicated materials. Nickel matrix carbides are generally more brittle than the same cobalt content, and the Ni makes the material gall more than cobalt does. Cr is added to the matrix of WC-Co for sprayed coatings for improved corrosion resistance, but I have not seen it use in cemented carbides, to the best of my knowledge. I think it affects the C content of the WC. It's been too long ago, George.