Alox issues

[kealil]

Hello All,

Can someone tell me the best way to apply alox? I usually just put my casts into an empty ice cream container, spread some alox in there, swish it about for a little bit and let them dry on wax paper for 48 hours. When they are done, they usually have a very light film on them and usually some minor tackiness. Despite using variable amounts of alox from very little to a lot, I am still getting leading in my 9mm and occasionally in my 45(very rare).

I know my bullets are the correct size, and I'm fairly sure I'm not sending them too fast(I don't have a chrony, yet, but I'm using close to minimum loads that according to the manual should give less than 1000fps recipe will be posted at the bottom)

So I'm pretty sure that I'm down to my lubrication as far as the causes are concerned. I do not mix my alox because I honestly haven't needed to. I never really had leading from my 45 or my 38 so I never changed the process. Once I started casting for my 9mm, my leading spiked to such a level that I am now open to other options.

So here are my questions:
Is there a better way to apply alox? Should there be a considerable amount in the lube groove? If yes to the previous question. Is "painting" the lube groove full of alox a feasible option? And finally, are there any other bullet lubes that are fairly easy to apply that would be more effective for 9mm?

Thanks all and sorry for the super duper long winded post!

--------- MinOAL - Bbl ----- Primer --- Powder -- Max ----- (fps) ---- (psi)
115 FMJ -1.12 ---- 4 ------- CCI --- Red Dot -- 4.5 ----- 1,150 --- 32,600
125 FMJ -1.15 ---- 4 --------CCI --- Red Dot -- 4.6 ----- 1,145 --- 33,000
125 L --- 1.15 ---- 4 ------- CCI --- Red Dot -- 4.5 ----- 1,145 --- 32,000

I am using 3.3gns under a 124gn LRN with CCI Small Pistol Primers.

Being shot out of a Springfield XDM 9.

[Poodleshooter]

Where is the leading occurring in the bore?

My best guess is that red dot is a fairly fast powder, and 9mm pressures are a bit higher than what your bullets have previously handled in the .45 and .38. Perhaps hardening them (water dropping or heat treating) might help?

If you drop the velocity/pressure and the leading disappears, then likely it's the bullet hardness rather than the lube to blame. If it doesn't go away at even slower velocities, then the lube or size are likely to blame.

[grumpa72]

I use Rooster Jacket which is essentially the same thing. I take a 1/2 gallon plastic milk container that has been rinsed out and pour two or three handfuls of cast bullets into and enough RJ. Doesn't take much. Put the cap on it and roll it around and around on its side, slowly. I then turn the jug end over end a couple of times, strain out the unused RJ and spread the bullets on a small piece of screen material to dry. This usually takes overnight. I use the screen so that the excess RJ can drip off onto my plastic work bend top. I scrape off the dried RJ that is on my workbench and put it back into the bottle.

I use this for 9mm and .45 acp without any significant leading and both calibers use Win 231/HP 38.

I hope this helps.

[mikld]

I usually thin alox when it is used by itself. I thin about 25% with mineral spirits and swish. Alox works in most calibers for me, but I'm sure there are situations that it doesn't. So far it has worked in my .38 and .44 Specials and both .357 and .44 Magnums at magnum velocities. Another easy tumble lube is Recluse's 45-45-10 (45% alox-45% Johnson's Paste Wax-10% mineral spirits) which has worked in every application I've tried.

[totaldla]

Warm your loads up a bit. The issue isn't lubrication, rather it is about sealing. Alox helps, but bullet fit and obturation are best. Get the pressure up using a slower powder and you'll get better sealing.

[chris in va]

I switched to Johnsons Paste Wax and mineral spirits. Dries in three hours under a fan.

[hk33ka1]

What size are the bores (groove) in your barrels?
What size are your cast bullets?

If your .45ACP for example has a normal .451" bore and shoots .451" jacketed bullets. You would want a .452-453" cast lead bullet at minimum .356/.357 for 9mm, .358-.359 for .38/357mag. Usually at least .001" over groove diameter of barrel is standard and up to whatever will still chamber easily. Many people slug their barrel to get a measurement of what they are working with by driving a soft lead slug or ball through it with a brass rod and oil.

More often than not too small of a cast bullet is the problem over, lube, velocity, lead hardness etc. These other things are all factors too, but bullet diameter is the major one.

Check out the Cast Boolits forum for more than you want to know about casting lube etc.

[Elkins45]

The issue isn't lubrication, rather it is about sealing.

That would be my guess as well. Your bullets are probably undersized for the bore and that causes leading regardless of how much lube you have or how good it is. You either need to bump up your powder charge enough to fully obturate your bullet or switch to a bullet that's a better fit for your bore.