Removing Moly from Bullets -- Photos

[ckaberna]

I know y’all have discussed this many times since the fad of “moly” coated projectiles came about, but search as I may I can find NO pics of removing the moly. Well, here ya go
Factory hornady 17 cal. 20 grain v-max
Before and after
With this and hot water (about 5 minutes)

 

[bobm]

Tumbled or what? Please explain your process.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Wet tumbling with pins will make them right too

 

[ckaberna]

Tumbled or what? Please explain your process.

I took a plastic maxwell house coffee container and sprinkled about 3 tablespoons of the “bar friends Keeper” in it, then put about 1” of water in it. Pour bullets into solution, and softly “swish” around every minute for 5 minutes. Then poured out into wife’s colander (have to buy new now) rinsed and dried.
FYIW I actually spread out on cookie sheet and stuck in oven for 2 minutes at 170f to dry them. (Buying new cookie sheet also)
Haven’t shot any yet, but that sticky black crap is gone.
I hope this helps someone that doesn’t want to fire the moly.

 

[bobm]

Thanks. Never a fan of moly, always ignore pre owned moly bullets for sale. Yep, I own previous kitchen utensils, too.

 

[ben lurkin]

Ah man, the collateral damage to the cookie sheet & collenser. I have an old 6br I used to shoot moly bullets in. I wonder how that stuff would work in the barrel?

 

[Ccrider]

Will it hurt to just shoot them without taking the moly off?

 

[Walt Krafft]

Will it hurt to just shoot them without taking the moly off?

NO. I don't purposely shoot moly bullets anymore as I have never seen the advantages that have been claimed. But, I have never seen any disadvantage to them. When cleaning the barrel after shooting moly is the black coming out moly or carbon? No way to tell.

 

[jonbearman]

Just shoot them as usual and make sure you clean the barrel.

 

[ckaberna]

Will it hurt to just shoot them without taking the moly off?

I don’t know, a friend that got me into this “lifestyle” of reloading said you have to really watch for moly build up in the throat . His recommendation was shoot them and try it as other have said and I may do that with some?

 

[Sparky 141]

I just load them , shoot them and then clean the barrel .

 

[Gary in MD]

This post reminded me that I had a few hundred bullets left that I had “polluted” with moly back in the early 90s when it was in vogue. Shot them for a few years. Didn’t make my rifles any more accurate, still had to clean them, and the wife wasn’t any more attracted to me either (as it was often reported LOL).
Basically got rid of most of them, either sold or thrown out.
Decided to try some of that Bar keeper stuff.
Put about 300 bullets into a plastic cup with a squirt of that stuff and some warm water. Shake around a few times over 15 minutes and drain. Most of the moly was indeed removed. Dumped them into a tumbler with some old walnut media for 10 minutes.
Before and after pics, pretty pleased with the results!
PS - No moly was allowed to touch the wife’s counter tops!
Gary

 

[bobm]

Nice work, Gary. You guys sold me on this process.

Now you guys with 7mm moly bullets for sale put them up now. Gotta be priced cheap still knowing the work that has to be done, and keep the Mrs. happy not wrecking her kitchen stuff, too.

I'm looking for cheap moly seven bullets at this time.

 

[AckAck]

I wonder if this would work for removing HBN as well. I coated a bunch of bullets with HBN a while back and now regret it.

 

[Jeff Porter]

NO. I don't purposely shoot moly bullets anymore as I have never seen the advantages that have been claimed. But, I have never seen any disadvantage to them. When cleaning the barrel after shooting moly is the black coming out moly or carbon? No way to tell.

It was the orange hiding under the black that got me off of moly. It seemed to suck moisture to it and rust the bore under the moly if you quit too soon, even in a safe with a golden rod in it.

 

[spencerhenry]

Good info. A friend bought a bunch of bullets at a yard sale for me years ago, whomever had the yard sale must have had a moly fetish. Everything was moly coated, .17 caliber, all the way up through .338, EVERYTHING was moly coated. I wish I knew this method back then.

 

[Joe Maisto]

I know y’all have discussed this many times since the fad of “moly” coated projectiles came about, but search as I may I can find NO pics of removing the moly. Well, here ya go
Factory hornady 17 cal. 20 grain v-max
Before and after
View attachment 1312025View attachment 1312026View attachment 1312027With this and hot water (about 5 minutes)
View attachment 1312029

We used to have a product years ago called TSP tri-sodium phosphate. They took it off the market. It would actually remove paint from hinges, ( and burn your hands as well ) It probably would have removed the moly too....

 

[rijndael]

We used to have a product years ago called TSP tri-sodium phosphate. They took it off the market. It would actually remove paint from hinges, ( and burn your hands as well ) It probably would have removed the moly too....

TSP is still on the market. Are you referring to one particular product?

 

[ckaberna]

We used to have a product years ago called TSP tri-sodium phosphate. They took it off the market. It would actually remove paint from hinges, ( and burn your hands as well ) It probably would have removed the moly too....

I remember selling it when I worked in a hardware store back in the 80’s. I thought you could still get it?? Haven’t looked in quite some time.

 

[smoooth]

We used to have a product years ago called TSP tri-sodium phosphate. They took it off the market. It would actually remove paint from hinges, ( and burn your hands as well ) It probably would have removed the moly too....

Pretty sure Trichloroethylene is the solvent you are thinking of.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) | Toxic Substances | Toxic Substance Portal | ATSDR

wwwn.cdc.gov