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Anyone polishing bullets (projectiles)?

Danattherock

Testing out some Nosler 77 cc with thoughts of replacing my SMK moly 77. One small issue, but bothersome, these Noslers look like they got thrown off the back of the truck at highway speed. Dirty film, not shiny, almost greasy feeling. Bullets look like nothing I've seen before.

I'm interested in a tumbling of sorts but read where corn cob gets in hollow point. Anyway, I know it won't likely effect performance. But curious if anyone had polished bullets before. At $162/1000 I'm happy to take this one extra step if it will clean them up.



Dan
 
If it's only grease that you're concerned with, try washing them in a degreaser. I use a product from the local cheap car shop that's designed to dewax body panels before painting & dry them on old towelling.
 
I usually use brake cleaner and an old shop towel. Works like a charm. I've also used Kroil.

I tried tumbling once and the media does indeed get stuck in the points of the bullets. I don't do that anymore.

Terry
 
Are you saying that you want to "shine-up" your dull, moly coated, Nosler 77 cc bullets?
most solvent based options would probably remove a lot of the moly. You might try rotary tumbling ( or vibratory in small bottles) with some stainless steel jeweler's mix or pins. No idea how long. Do a sample first to make sure you aren't damaging the bullets.

I moly coat my own bullets with a small Harbor Freight rock tumbler using the wet process and the bullets come out quite shiny.
 
Soak them in common lighter fluid to degrease them. It shouldn't bother the moly at all.

But if they are as "dirty" as you describe, did they come from Nosler moly coated, or coated by someone after purchase (plain copper from Nosler)? If Nosler coated them, I'd want to talk to Nosler about the condition they're in - that doesn't sound normal.
 
I wet tumble the bullets I make in my tumbler with SS pin media with detergent and vinegar to get rid of the lanoline. But once I got some bullets from Hornadys that had a few ceramic beads inside the plastic bag, the white ones around 2mm diameter. Never had problem with precision of my tumbled bullets and they shine as.
 
Sorry guys. Had just got in from work and with my 2 year old son. Looks like some kind of weird ipad spellcheck, changing moly to only.


The bullets I'm asking about are non moly coated.


First line of this thread....

"Testing out some Nosler 77 cc with thoughts of replacing my SMK moly 77."


Sorry I confused anyone. Should have never mentioned my current bullet of choice, 77 SMK molys. I'm testing Nosler 77 grain Custom Competition bullets. Naked. Non moly. Greasy film of sorts, a first for me, covers these bullets. I took the earlier advice and sprayed the 30 I loaded this evening with carb cleaner and wiped in a terry cloth. They shined up nice with minimal effort. I'm interested in batch cleaning/polishing a box of 500 or 1000 at a time. Thought tumbling would be easiest. Not sure what media, the ceramic beads is interesting but not sure where to buy such a thing. Sounds like that is a method used by the factory perhaps.



Dan
 
I've had that with several brands of bullet makers. It seems to be a very light substance which mostly evaporates off/sets up with time. I assume it is either just residual from the production process (jacket lube to help forming), or an intentionally added coating to help prevent tarnish (which will happen if you spray them with brake cleaner and use anything but gloved hands to touch them).

Don't take this the wrong way, but you've come in here asking a million various questions about OCD things. I'm sure they don't hurt to dive into, but I think you're worrying too much about trivial details. I'd just load and shoot. Wipe off if you really feel the need...
 
I have tumbled many tarnished bullets in corncob with nufinish car wax polish and it works perfect everytime. I do it in a thumblers tumbler if that makes any difference. I use new media not stuff that has been used to polish brass.
 
On the bullets I make I wash in acetone after point-up to remove the lube. I then spread on a towel and let dry. Acetone evaporates quickly and does not leave a residue.
 
brians356 said:
Danattherock said:
Looks like some kind of weird ipad spellcheck
Click to expand...

Ipad, huh? There goes the neighborhood ...
Click to expand...


No kidding :)

Hated the idea of one till I got one. Convenient, but terrible for typing.


Thanks for the suggestions guys. Will cut up some wood blocks into 1/2" pieces and tumble. Saw similar idea online with oak. Might try some ceramic media. My main concern is gunking up my dies with these greasy bullets. And they look terrible too. Not sure the grease would effect accuracy, but will find a way to remove it or just stick with the more expensive SMK. Or try Bergers, the look like jewelry. Hah.



Dan
 
I'm circling the wagon back again. Your subject says "Anyone polishing bullets ...?" and I am just having trouble getting past that. You have brand new Nosler bullets, and something about them compels you polish them? That simply does not compute.

A somewhat greasy or waxy film would be shocking enough, but "look like they got thrown off the back of the truck at highway speed. Dirty film ... " does not sound like brand new bullets from a major manufacturer, and especially not Nosler.

Seriously, when you called Nosler, what did they have to say?
 
Not sure how to be more clear. I've stated a few times the issue. I didn't make the bullets, I just bought them, in a brand new sealed box from Cabelas. Box looked great, spiffy even. Contents not so spiffy. They are covered in a greasy film. Bad enough to make me pay $150/500 for SMK rather than $180/1000 for these Noslers.

That's why I'm trying to figure out an easy way to get the finish up to par. Taking the earlier advice I sprayed them with carb cleaner and wiped off with a terry cloth. Worked fine and film came off easy. But I don't want to have to do that every time. Just thought someone here might have a suggestion. A more rare issue than I first realized perhaps.

And I never said I called Nosler.


Dan
 
If it were me, I would put them in a clean 5 gallon bucket or plastic tote and dump denatured alcohol or acetone on them and stir them around by hand (rubber gloved hands). Scoop out by hand or put a colander in another bucket to catch bullets, dump bullets on old towels to dry.

Can lay another towel over them and work them over with that as well.

Dawn dish soap may work equally as well, besides being considerably safer. You will likely get water spots as they dry, so once clean, you may want to use 70-90% isopropyl alcohol (medicine cabinet) dunk to prevent that. Depending on your water, it could eventually cause some corrosion on the bullets, as it can on brass cases, too.

Good luck!
 
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