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Thread: Removing wax from Minimags

  1. #11
    To be totally honest here, there's no way in hell that I'd tumble any rimfire ammo. The idea of the case rims bumping and buzzing around against each other makes me really uncomfortable. I do tumble loaded centerfire ammo, and always have without any incidents at all. As for stripping the wax bullet lube from the bullets, please remember that rimfire ammo is externally lubricated and that lube serves a real purpose as far as feeding and leading control go. If you must remove the bullet lube, the only safe way I can see is to wipe them down individually, one at a time.

  2. #12
    Member Wheeler's Avatar
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    I talked to a couple of semi-pro shooters to refresh my memory. Both have taken the Mini Mags and used a brush to remove excess wax. One uses a concoction to re-coat the bullets, the other runs them without further changes. Both run tens of thousands of rounds through their guns annually with no ill effects. The excess wax usually fouls the feeding process at the feed lips and ramp.

    If the bullets are copper washed, like Mini Mags, why do they need wax lubrication?
    Men freely believe that which they desire.
    Julius Caesar

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wheeler View Post
    I talked to a couple of semi-pro shooters to refresh my memory. Both have taken the Mini Mags and used a brush to remove excess wax. One uses a concoction to re-coat the bullets, the other runs them without further changes. Both run tens of thousands of rounds through their guns annually with no ill effects. The excess wax usually fouls the feeding process at the feed lips and ramp.

    If the bullets are copper washed, like Mini Mags, why do they need wax lubrication?
    Winchester about 70 years ago introduced copper plating called Lubaloy which they put on .22 rimfire ammo and on some centerfire lead bullets. I remember seeing .38 Spl lead bullets with this coating. The .22 ammo with the brass coating was always wax coated also. Perhaps this thin coating by itself did not prevent leading. That is my opinion. Another possibility for the coating is cosmetic in that it identified the brand.

  4. #14
    I think you need to ask yourself why your .22s are having issues with CCI Minimags, in my experience those are in the upper tier for .22 reliability. On the other hand, .22s are on the low end of the reliability spectrum in general, especially autoloaders. What's the issue? I know that every .22, even bolt guns, need the chamber cleaned on occasion, much more often than a centerfire.

  5. #15
    Member Wheeler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leroy View Post
    I think you need to ask yourself why your .22s are having issues with CCI Minimags, in my experience those are in the upper tier for .22 reliability. On the other hand, .22s are on the low end of the reliability spectrum in general, especially autoloaders. What's the issue? I know that every .22, even bolt guns, need the chamber cleaned on occasion, much more often than a centerfire.
    MiniMags are mid-tier at best. They are several steps above most of the bulk packaged offerings however. The Velocitors and Stingers are closer to upper tier for reliability.

    Now that I think about it, I can't recall ever seeing a Stinger nor Velocitor with a heavy coat of wax on the bullet.
    Men freely believe that which they desire.
    Julius Caesar

  6. #16
    Abducted by Aliens Borderland's Avatar
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    Put one in the oven at 250°. If it doesn't cook off, and it won't, there's your answer.

    Be sure to put a paper towel under it to absorb the wax.

    Pro tip. SV is your best bet for accuracy if you shoot CCI 22 LR ammo.

    I like it so much I bought 5k.
    Last edited by Borderland; 11-05-2021 at 07:42 PM.
    In the P-F basket of deplorables.

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Wheeler View Post
    I talked to a couple of semi-pro shooters to refresh my memory. Both have taken the Mini Mags and used a brush to remove excess wax. One uses a concoction to re-coat the bullets, the other runs them without further changes. Both run tens of thousands of rounds through their guns annually with no ill effects. The excess wax usually fouls the feeding process at the feed lips and ramp.

    If the bullets are copper washed, like Mini Mags, why do they need wax lubrication?
    The "concoction" is likely heavy USP Mineral oil from a decent drug store. It's been used in the past to clean dried up rimfire wax debris and provide enough decent lubrication for rimfire bullets.

  8. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Leroy View Post
    I think you need to ask yourself why your .22s are having issues with CCI Minimags, in my experience those are in the upper tier for .22 reliability. On the other hand, .22s are on the low end of the reliability spectrum in general, especially autoloaders. What's the issue? I know that every .22, even bolt guns, need the chamber cleaned on occasion, much more often than a centerfire.
    In my Ruger MkII, the wax builds up inside the magazines and will eventually cause feeding issues. Periodic cleaning keeps it from being a problem.

  9. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by peterb View Post
    In my Ruger MkII, the wax builds up inside the magazines and will eventually cause feeding issues. Periodic cleaning keeps it from being a problem.
    Same. I have a ton of bulk packed mini-mags and they all have a very heavy, visible wax coating. Oftentimes I can actually see a white blob of wax on the nose. I need to brush the interior of each mags at 50 rounds to avoid malfunctions. You can feel the following dragging as the wax build up is so bad.

  10. #20
    Hammertime
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    Desert Southwest
    Further testing proved that the wax wasn’t the issues. The 43c just kind of sucks. Thanks for the suggestions.

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