Removing OLD Dillon Case Lube

[emfour]

Hi guys,

I recently came across a box of about 400 5.56 cases that I had resized with Dillon Case Lube (lanolin and alcohol, I believe) and then *ahem* set aside for about a year. I tried washing them in hot water and Dawn dish detergent, lots of Dawn, but they still come out sticky. I know if I wash them soon after sizing it's not a problem and the Dawn works great, but apparently a YEAR was too long to wait.

Is there anything else I can use to get that old lanolin off of the cases without damaging the integrity of the brass?

Thanks!

Em

 

[seanhagerty]

I would try rubbing alcohol, if that doesnt work, try acetone. Or put them in your vibratory cleaner for a few hours...

Thats all I got.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I've done the same thing myself. Rubbing alcohol will take it off. Also, you can spray more Dillon lube on them, let them sit for a few minutes, and then wipe it all off with a rag. Not sure I'd want to do 400 of them though.

You can soak them in rubbing alcohol, rinse them in water, air dry them over night, then run them in a tumbler and they'll come out clean.

Just running them in a tumbler only will take several days. That stuff dries hard as truck bed spray in liner if you let it sit long enough.

 

[emfour]

Rubbing alcohol makes sense since that is the original carrier for the lube. I'll give it a try.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[markm87]

I always tumble it off. I think reactivating it with more lube and tumbling is a good idea.

When I used to use that horrible One Shot pump, I'd have to wipe it off manually, and that was absolute misery.

 

[emfour]

The alcohol reactivated it and I was able to then wash it off... and then on to the ultrasonic cleaning regimen detailed somewhere on this site. They came out pretty nice. I can't seem to get the carbon out of some of the necks, but overall a very nice job.

 

[williamwaco]

Lanolin is the culprit. I hate that stuff. NEVER use it.

the best lube and the easiest to remove are the waxes.

Hornady or Imperial:


http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=519525

or

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=758495

They are excellent and one tub of either one will last you a lifetime.