How do I removing tar sealant from cases

[Abe Normal]

How in the h$#% do I remove the tar sealant from around inside the case mouth of the demiled cases I just got in?
I would prefer not to have to use a brush on each and every case as I'd be cleaning these cases for most of the rest of this
century. Is there a way to do this as a batch cleaning, chemically dissolving the stuff with gasoline or turpentine or some other
hardware store available solvent? Or can the stuff be boiled in water (like cosmoline) to be removed?

The overall flammability or volatility of a solvent is not a concern as I have more than enough room in the great outdoors to get
these cases cleaned up.
Or do I need to bother with this, and I should load them and shoot the stuff out (having a rather good time in the process).

Thanks to all that may reply,
Abe

 

[swifter...]

Abe,
I'd give 'em a soak in white gas, paint thinner, or whatever, with some agitation. Then spread 'em out to dry in the sun for a few hours, decap ( if not done already) and tumble in corn cob media for a couple hours.
If that didn't do it, I'd have to shoot it out, I guess...

------------------
Shoot carefully... swifter...

 

[Abe Normal]

Thanks Swifter,
Thats almost exactly what I did decapped and sized them. I then soaked them in Acetone over night, agitated some then tumbled the cases for about 4 hours.

That tar is tuff stuff I'm beginning to wonder if it will even shoot out!

I'm going to try tossing a small batch into boiling water, see if it will melt out. Will let you know how that fares.

Again many thanks for your thoughts on this matter,
Abe Normal

 

[James K]

FWIW, I loaded a lot of those cases and never worried about the sealant, just had to clean the expander plug from time to time. It goes away eventually.

Jim

 

[NJW]

I got rid of the Asphaltic sealant from some CAVIM ammo by wiping it off with Paint Thinner, took it right off.

NJW in AZ

 

[Bullmoose]

Kind of off topic, but not really: Many years ago I was living in Huntington Beach, Ca and a FIREMAN was using gasoline to clean some auto parts in his closed garage. When his water heater in the garage fired up, so did the house. Fortunately he wasn't hurt too badly as I remember. Bet he still has scars from the reaming he got from his fellow firemen though. One of our city's police officers, a rookie at the time, 'dry fired' a round through his tv. he says that is still the number one topic when he runs into any of his old dept buddies. He took a medical retirement many years ago after trying to bulldoze a 4000# car (at least that is his story). Stay safe, Jim

 

[Abe Normal]

Jim,
Thanks for the fire safety tip, however my shop has only a air conditioner going this time of year. As to the cold weather the gas heat is off when I need to use solvents.
As to your friend, well yes I know a few as well that always seem to be finding out how it is that the engineers are going to have to change their design so no one will get hurt, next time!
Abe

 

[Waterdog]

Put them in diesel, for a couple of days.

Waterdog

 

[Kit Barton]

Abe,
Chuck-up an old brass bore brush in an electric drill and make short work of the crud.

 

[Turk]

Can someone tell me what the sealant is and where can you purchase it. I've asked this for years and nobody seem to know.

Turk

 

[sricciardelli]

If you can get it, MEK, TCE or carbon-tet...

 

[Southla1]

Put them in a pan with acetone and let them soak outside for a few mins...........................acetone is as flamable as gasoline but it works................be careful.

 

[pahrumpcaveman]

I had the same problem when I bought 1000 rnds of de milled brass . I soaked it in gas all night and then sized and still had trouble . The stuff would build up in the die and change the shoulder angle . What a PAIN IN THE ASS it was having to clean the die out every 20 rnds or so . I loaded them as they were and fired em . Next time ill buy once fired .