Cleaning minie's

D

DeeDubya

New member
I pulled out a box of 505gr minie's that I had cast some years ago. Now they are totally white with oxide. Question is... should I try to clean them, or just shoot them as they are? I won't put them in the tumbler because it would most likely damage the skirts. I thought there might be something that dissolves the dusty white oxide. The minie's are hard to cast so I don't want to melt them down and start over.
 
I had some old Hornady balls that were covered with oxide. The protective wax coating had rubbed off. I cleaned them off and was careful not to breathe any of the powdery stuff. It's not good for you, and supposedly when heated enough, will make toxic lead fumes.

I chose to be cautious and wiped them off before using them. Didn't want to breathe any of the powdery floaty stuff in the smoke from shooting. I guess that I could have just held my breath. :D
 
I don't know why*you couldn't dump them in a pot, squirt some dishsoap on
top and run fast/warm tap water into them for a couple of minutes.

* (I'm sure the EPA could tell me....)









(Ordinarily I'd "just shoot`em". But since I bite the Minie out from top of the
plastic valve tube (N-SSA style) and hold between my teeth while pouring the
powder, probably not my most brilliant idea.)
 
Shoot them + 1

It's already been documented that there is no harm in shooting them. I know they look better all new and shiny but the target won't know the difference. .... :)

Be Safe !!!
 
The only lead in my head, was installed by a dentist. I wish it wasn't there....but I can't remember why. They say it will make you forgetful. :D
 
My only concern with shooting them was that it might be somewhat abrasive to the barrel. I shoot the 577 minie's in a Parker Hale 1861 Musketoon with progressive rifling. It's a very accurate gun with the 505 grainers and 70 grains FF.
Thanks for all the replies. I might try mehavey's idea and just wash them.
 
The only lead in my head, was installed by a dentist. I wish it wasn't there....but I can't remember why. They say it will make you forgetful.

I made myself really sick once when melting down a bunch of discarded plumbers lead (about 300 lbs) and poured it all into Lyman ingots. I guess breathing all the fumes for several hours was a bad idea. But then I drank a lot of Tecate with lime during the process. That could have contributed to my illness.
 
Texas born and Iowa raised !!!

But then I drank a lot of Tecate with lime during the process. That could have contributed to my illness.
Click to expand...
I doubt that as Tecate is very using friendly ....... ;)

Be thirsty my friend and;
Be Safe !!!
 
Lube the base and shoot 'em. I've even shot some original dug "dropped" minie balls. I had some that I cast up probably back in the 70's or so - I had sprayed them down and stored them. When I ran across them, they had a good start on the oxide. I just lubed the bases and rammed 'em home - they shot just fine.
 
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