Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
Bob Hatfield
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 117
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:49 am
Location: Daniels, WV

Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by Bob Hatfield »

I am getting ready to mold some Lyman .401 bullets and load some 38-40 with black powder. My Lyman 4500 lubrisizer is half full of smokeless lube. My question is how do I get the lube out so I can put the SPG lube stick in?

Bob
User avatar
joepb
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 124
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:44 pm
Location: Wyoming

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by joepb »

I have an old pot that I put the sizer in and cover it water. Place on stove and bring water to boil. The lube will melt and come out. Because this is a mess I keep a pot for cleaning dies and sizer.......Joe
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

Warm it up and let it run out. A heat gun should get-er-done without burning the paint off. Some guys put it in a large pot of water and boil it out. The lube will float on the top of the water and can be removed in a cake to be used again later. Dry the metal parts real good to prevent rust.

That said, I have dug it out of mine using wooden spatulas and popsicle sticks. I don't like to do that. What a mess that is!
User avatar
Hawkeye2
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 712
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:46 pm
Location: Winchester, VA

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by Hawkeye2 »

Disassemble as much of the lubrisizer as you can and then place all the parts in an aluminum turkey roasting pan. put it on the stove or in the oven and bring the temperature up to just under a boil. Leave it there a half hour or more and most of the lube will float to the top. let it cool, take out all the parts, dry and assemble. I just did that to mine a couple of weeks ago. I have tried to clean it out before by digging out the lube but you can't get it all out and traces of the old lube will still show up for hundreds of bullets. The best solution is to buy another lubrisizer dedicated to black powder lube.
Lefty Dude
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1459
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:31 pm
Location: Arizona Territory

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by Lefty Dude »

The fastest way is with a heat gun. heat it up holding with a pair of Welders Gloves, and watch the lube run out. A hair drier might work also. I just happen to have a Commercial/ Industrial heat gun that I use for such a task.
SASS# 51223
Arizona Cowboy Shooter's Assoc.
Cowtown Cowboy Shooter's Assoc.

Uberti 73/44-40 carbine, Rossi 92/44-40,
Marlin 94CB/44 24" Limited, Winchester 94/30-30
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

I bought a heat gun from Harbor Freight. They are often on sale for about $10. Mine works great!!!
retmech
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 9:31 pm

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by retmech »

Take the size die out. Run the piston all the way to the bottom and lube will come out of the size die hole. Put the new lube in and run the piston down till new lube comes out size die hole. Replace die.
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

retmech wrote:Take the size die out. Run the piston all the way to the bottom and lube will come out of the size die hole. Put the new lube in and run the piston down till new lube comes out size die hole. Replace die.
OP is wanting to change types and to clean out all of the old smokeless lube out before switching to BP lube. I agree with your method and would do that way before going to all the trouble to completely clean it out. The die chamber area on my RCBS lubrisizer is a pain to clean but heat will get it cleaned out the easiest.
M. M. Wright
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 4296
Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:57 pm
Location: Vinita, I.T.

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by M. M. Wright »

Yep, I boil mine too.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Bob Hatfield
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 117
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:49 am
Location: Daniels, WV

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by Bob Hatfield »

Thanks guys

I have a Harbor freight heat gun. I'll give it a go first.

Bob
User avatar
cas
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1420
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:41 pm
Location: Under the giant W

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by cas »

The easiest and fastest way I found to switch from smokeless lube to SPG was to buy a second lube sizer. :D
Slow is just slow.
User avatar
Griff
Posting leader...
Posts: 21016
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:56 pm
Location: OH MY GAWD they installed a STOP light!!!

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by Griff »

cas wrote:The easiest and fastest way I found to switch from smokeless lube to SPG was to buy a second lube sizer. :D
Yeppers! By gosh & by golly this IS the easiest method! Since one lubri-sizer is a Lyman and the other is a SAECO, I have to have two dies for each size I lube with BP. :P Not the least inexpensive option, but the quickest and least messy.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93

There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
User avatar
marlinman93
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6639
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:40 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by marlinman93 »

retmech wrote:Take the size die out. Run the piston all the way to the bottom and lube will come out of the size die hole. Put the new lube in and run the piston down till new lube comes out size die hole. Replace die.

That's exactly how I do it! Simpler, faster, and no mess or smell.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
User avatar
vancelw
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 3950
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:56 pm
Location: 90% NE Texas and 10% SE Montana

Re: Removing bullet lube from a lubrisizer

Post by vancelw »

cas wrote:The easiest and fastest way I found to switch from smokeless lube to SPG was to buy a second lube sizer. :D
Yes. I do this for hard and soft lubes. Orange Magic needs a heater but SPG doesn't, so I grabbed an used Lyman 450 that uses the same dies and top punches as my Lyman 4500.
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
Post Reply