Let's talk about bullet lubes.

PunchinPaper · July 25, 2011, 08:01 AM

I use Alox liquid 85% of the time (mostly light target loads).
It's sticky and can get messy,but it's inexpensive & quick too!!
I also use a RCBS Lube press with RCBS pistol lube, it works pretty good!!
I am about to start loading some cast hunting loads for 454 and 44, and i am thinking of trying a new lube. Any ideas??
For all you casters out there:
What's your favorite bullet lube ?
Please share the "why's and what fors"

reloader28 · July 25, 2011, 08:14 AM

I used to use Jakes 50/50 alox lube.
Then I bought some alox ( not the liquid form) from him and mixed in 50% beeswax. It worked fine in most guns, but leaded the last inch of the muzzle on 9mm.
I added 10% parafin wax to it to thicken it a little, and it worked great.

Now I use 50/50/10 (beeswax/alox/parafin) in everything and really like it. Plus the alox was cheap and the beeswax was about $1/lb.

hornady · July 25, 2011, 10:04 AM

If me I would shoot an e-mail out to WWW.lsstuff.com/lube
Great guy with good prices, tell him in your e-mail the weight of the bullet and the charge you want too push it at and he will give you some good advice.

I buy all my rifle and pistol lube from him.

snuffy · July 25, 2011, 11:40 AM

WWW.lsstuff.com/lube

I've just started using carnuba red, or lars red. It's a hard lube at room temps, has to be heated to apply. You'll need a lube heater available from Lyman or midway. It's pre-drilled for the RCBS and Lyman. So far, it beats 50/50 alox/beeswax in preventing leading and is not sticky to handle the boolits when loading.

mikld · July 25, 2011, 11:54 AM

If you cut your alox/xlox with mineral spirits, 30% to 50% (some use naptha, lighter fluid), the alox will dry quicker and less sticky. For my .44 magnum loads I pan lube with Carnuba Red, or Speed Green (I've used Carnuba Red on Lyman 429421 bullets loaded to near max. with no leading. Speed green has proven simple to make and effective on my .38 Spec and .44 Special loads (I haven't tried it yet on my "hot" .357 or .44 mag. loads.). Another good tumble lube is Recluse's 45-45-10, which is 45% alox, 45% Johnson's Paste wax, and 10% mineral spirits. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654

PawPaw · July 25, 2011, 12:04 PM

All I use anymore is liquid alox. I've been tumble lubing for many years and that's all I use. Rifle, pistol, BPCR, you name it adn I'll tumble lube it. You can buy the little bottles from Lee, or the big bottle from White Label Lube. Either way works.

zippy13 · July 25, 2011, 12:05 PM

For black powder, I use a home brew of beeswax, paraffin and lamb tallow; but, for smokeless cast bullets I use a heated Lyman sizer and Blue Angel lube.

Mike / Tx · July 25, 2011, 12:30 PM

Well I have just recently gotten into casting so I am not all that familiar with this that and the other lube.

I can share my experiences so far, for what it's worth.

I begin this quest to feed the appetite of my 454. Since I have a TON of other things that need the extra cash we can scrape up I went the Lee route on the molds and got the C452 300 RF. I poured up just over a hundred of them, half air cooled and half water quenched. The initial 50 were split between the two AC and WQ. I had the LLA on hand so I tumbled them in it and let it dry, After drying I installed the GC's and sized to .452", then I tumbled them a second time in the 45/45/10 mix. Th initial loads pushed them to an average of 1540fps with only one smear of leading in one groove about an inch long.

The second batch I loaded I used Felix Lube, the directions for which can be found here, Directions for Felix Lube

I chose this one due to all of the reports I read about it being shot to pretty high velocities with no issues noted with leading. This was just what I was looking for.

So far I have shot it up to just over 1500fps and noted no leading what so ever from the Lee 300gr. In fact I finally shot it for groups this past Wednesday and was very pleased with the 25yd offhand groups I ended up with.

I guess it might be a pain for some to mix up, but for me it was well worth the effort not to have to clean out the lead from the grooves of that 8.375" barrel. I can also highly recommend the Lubes section at the CB's site,
Boolit Lube

I can also second the recommendation of White Label Lubes as well. Great folks and great service.

TXGunNut · July 25, 2011, 07:36 PM

I've only been loading for a few years, so far using SPG lube in a Lyman Lubesizer on boolits designed with big lube grooves and have recently been using Lee Liquid Alox in Lee tumble lube designs. I'm using these methods as a benchmark or starting place and have been very pleased with the results. I don't push cast boolits very hard, haven't seen the need.

res45 · August 3, 2011, 03:57 PM

I use the Lee Alox/JPW lube I mix myself and leave the MS out so it's a 50/50 mix. I use it to TL low velocity loads and Ranch dip the high pressure high velocity bullets after applying the gas check.

It's worked great so far with ever rifle and pistol caliber I load for and leave my bore nice and clean. Here are three of my favorite Lee bullets I dip and size.
L Lee 170 gr. GC RNFP .310 M Lee 160 gr. GC TL RN .314 R Lee 158 gr. GC SWC .359

5 shot 50 yd. group I shot with my Mosin M44 and the Lee TL bullet a couple weeks ago.

zxcvbob · August 3, 2011, 04:52 PM

I'm using a mixture of Lee Alox and Minwax paste wax. I didn't measure either one, just heated and stirred in a glass pimento jar and poured it into an empty Alox squeze bottle. I've lubed at least a thousand bullets with the 2 ounces or so that I mixed up, and I still have quite a bit left. The wax eliminates the stickiness and also makes it cheaper to use. I do get a little leading when I use it in .357 Magnum or .41 Magnum with "tumble lube" microgroove bullets, but the leading seems to be self-limiting and it's not all that hard to clean out.

Edward429451 · August 3, 2011, 09:15 PM

I have some Red Rooster hard lube in one sizer, and some of my homemade Felix Lube with an extra crayon in it to harden it up in my other sizer. Seems to be a good lube.

If you don't have a heater for your sizer then Alox is your best bet for most target loads.

AlaskaMike · August 4, 2011, 12:40 PM

I like the Carnauba Red from www.lsstuff.com. Since I bought my batch several years ago he came up with a new version that doesn't require any heat. I haven't tried it though. The straight Carnauba Red I've used in everything from po-dunk .38 special loads all the way up to 2400+ fps .30-06 loads with zero leading a great accuracy.

When I first started bullet casting I tried a couple different kinds of RCBS, the black moly stuff and their orange stuff, and neither even comes close to Carnauba Red.

chris in va · August 5, 2011, 10:06 PM

Johnson's Paste Wax and mineral spirits.

TXGunNut · August 6, 2011, 09:10 AM

Just loaded some Lee 200gr SWC TL boolits lubed with Rooster Jacket. I like that it's not sticky like the Lee lube but some excess RJ lube seems to be shaving off and making a bit of a mess on my Dillon's shell plate. Wish it had some color so I could tell when the boolits were coated. I may have applied too much but it's hard to say. I like the Lee lube as is but someone around here suggested the RJ so I'm finally trying it. I'm headed for the range for a short test session after I run a few errands.

Wag · August 6, 2011, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris in va

Johnson's Paste Wax and mineral spirits.

I thought that stuff had an abrasive component to it? ??

--Wag--

TXGunNut · August 6, 2011, 09:15 PM

Not too impressed with the Rooster Jacket lube but it wasn't a great day @ the range, next stop Brownells.

Bore is a bit fouled, LLA left next to nothing with same boolits.

Ideal Tool · August 6, 2011, 09:22 PM

Hello, PunchinPaper. I like Lyman Super Moly for high velocity rifle loads.

Mac1 · August 9, 2011, 11:08 PM

All my molds are with the large lube groove. Can I tumble these with Alox or would I need to change molds to the new tumble groove style? I want to try the tumble method rather than the Lyman 450. Thanks, Mac.

snuffy · August 10, 2011, 10:47 AM

Mac, you most certainly CAN use Lee Liquid Alox to lube conventional lube groove boolits. The lube groove does NOT have to be filled with lube. As long as the driving bands have a coating of LLA on them, they will perform well.

These are 175 grain 401 boolits that I coated with LLA. Then loaded them in 40 S&W to shoot in my OEM glock M-22! Hoorors, ya cain't do dat!

The heck I can't, no leading or overpressure!

TXGunNut · August 14, 2011, 10:15 AM

FWIW I load my .45 Colt hunting loads as I would my BPCR loads and run the boolits thru my Lyman to lube and size them. If I hunted with a .44 mag or .454 I'd likely do the same. If LLA isn't up to the pressures of your hunting loads I'd try SPG or a harder lube in a lubricating sizer. For normal pistol boolits, especially with high volume production, I think LLA is pretty tough to beat for an off-the-shelf lube.
Nice pics, Snuffy!

July 25, 2011, 08:01 AM	#1
PunchinPaper Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2011 Posts: 148	Let's talk about bullet lubes. I use Alox liquid 85% of the time (mostly light target loads). It's sticky and can get messy,but it's inexpensive & quick too!! I also use a RCBS Lube press with RCBS pistol lube, it works pretty good!! I am about to start loading some cast hunting loads for 454 and 44, and i am thinking of trying a new lube. Any ideas?? For all you casters out there: What's your favorite bullet lube ? Please share the "why's and what fors"

July 25, 2011, 11:40 AM	#4
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	WWW.lsstuff.com/lube I've just started using carnuba red, or lars red. It's a hard lube at room temps, has to be heated to apply. You'll need a lube heater available from Lyman or midway. It's pre-drilled for the RCBS and Lyman. So far, it beats 50/50 alox/beeswax in preventing leading and is not sticky to handle the boolits when loading. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

July 25, 2011, 11:54 AM	#5
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	If you cut your alox/xlox with mineral spirits, 30% to 50% (some use naptha, lighter fluid), the alox will dry quicker and less sticky. For my .44 magnum loads I pan lube with Carnuba Red, or Speed Green (I've used Carnuba Red on Lyman 429421 bullets loaded to near max. with no leading. Speed green has proven simple to make and effective on my .38 Spec and .44 Special loads (I haven't tried it yet on my "hot" .357 or .44 mag. loads.). Another good tumble lube is Recluse's 45-45-10, which is 45% alox, 45% Johnson's Paste wax, and 10% mineral spirits. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654 __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees... Last edited by mikld; July 25, 2011 at 12:00 PM.

July 25, 2011, 12:04 PM	#6
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 3,137	All I use anymore is liquid alox. I've been tumble lubing for many years and that's all I use. Rifle, pistol, BPCR, you name it adn I'll tumble lube it. You can buy the little bottles from Lee, or the big bottle from White Label Lube. Either way works. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

July 25, 2011, 07:36 PM	#9
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	I've only been loading for a few years, so far using SPG lube in a Lyman Lubesizer on boolits designed with big lube grooves and have recently been using Lee Liquid Alox in Lee tumble lube designs. I'm using these methods as a benchmark or starting place and have been very pleased with the results. I don't push cast boolits very hard, haven't seen the need. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights. Last edited by TXGunNut; July 25, 2011 at 08:39 PM.

July 25, 2011, 08:14 AM	#2
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	I used to use Jakes 50/50 alox lube. Then I bought some alox ( not the liquid form) from him and mixed in 50% beeswax. It worked fine in most guns, but leaded the last inch of the muzzle on 9mm. I added 10% parafin wax to it to thicken it a little, and it worked great. Now I use 50/50/10 (beeswax/alox/parafin) in everything and really like it. Plus the alox was cheap and the beeswax was about $1/lb.

July 25, 2011, 10:04 AM	#3
hornady Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2009 Location: SWPA Posts: 428	If me I would shoot an e-mail out to WWW.lsstuff.com/lube Great guy with good prices, tell him in your e-mail the weight of the bullet and the charge you want too push it at and he will give you some good advice. I buy all my rifle and pistol lube from him.

July 25, 2011, 12:05 PM	#7
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	For black powder, I use a home brew of beeswax, paraffin and lamb tallow; but, for smokeless cast bullets I use a heated Lyman sizer and Blue Angel lube.

July 25, 2011, 12:30 PM	#8
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Well I have just recently gotten into casting so I am not all that familiar with this that and the other lube. I can share my experiences so far, for what it's worth. I begin this quest to feed the appetite of my 454. Since I have a TON of other things that need the extra cash we can scrape up I went the Lee route on the molds and got the C452 300 RF. I poured up just over a hundred of them, half air cooled and half water quenched. The initial 50 were split between the two AC and WQ. I had the LLA on hand so I tumbled them in it and let it dry, After drying I installed the GC's and sized to .452", then I tumbled them a second time in the 45/45/10 mix. Th initial loads pushed them to an average of 1540fps with only one smear of leading in one groove about an inch long. The second batch I loaded I used Felix Lube, the directions for which can be found here, Directions for Felix Lube I chose this one due to all of the reports I read about it being shot to pretty high velocities with no issues noted with leading. This was just what I was looking for. So far I have shot it up to just over 1500fps and noted no leading what so ever from the Lee 300gr. In fact I finally shot it for groups this past Wednesday and was very pleased with the 25yd offhand groups I ended up with. I guess it might be a pain for some to mix up, but for me it was well worth the effort not to have to clean out the lead from the grooves of that 8.375" barrel. I can also highly recommend the Lubes section at the CB's site, Boolit Lube I can also second the recommendation of White Label Lubes as well. Great folks and great service.

August 3, 2011, 03:57 PM	#10
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	I use the Lee Alox/JPW lube I mix myself and leave the MS out so it's a 50/50 mix. I use it to TL low velocity loads and Ranch dip the high pressure high velocity bullets after applying the gas check. It's worked great so far with ever rifle and pistol caliber I load for and leave my bore nice and clean. Here are three of my favorite Lee bullets I dip and size. L Lee 170 gr. GC RNFP .310 M Lee 160 gr. GC TL RN .314 R Lee 158 gr. GC SWC .359 5 shot 50 yd. group I shot with my Mosin M44 and the Lee TL bullet a couple weeks ago.

August 3, 2011, 04:52 PM	#11
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	I'm using a mixture of Lee Alox and Minwax paste wax. I didn't measure either one, just heated and stirred in a glass pimento jar and poured it into an empty Alox squeze bottle. I've lubed at least a thousand bullets with the 2 ounces or so that I mixed up, and I still have quite a bit left. The wax eliminates the stickiness and also makes it cheaper to use. I do get a little leading when I use it in .357 Magnum or .41 Magnum with "tumble lube" microgroove bullets, but the leading seems to be self-limiting and it's not all that hard to clean out. __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

August 3, 2011, 09:15 PM	#12
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	I have some Red Rooster hard lube in one sizer, and some of my homemade Felix Lube with an extra crayon in it to harden it up in my other sizer. Seems to be a good lube. If you don't have a heater for your sizer then Alox is your best bet for most target loads.

August 4, 2011, 12:40 PM	#13
AlaskaMike Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Posts: 941	I like the Carnauba Red from www.lsstuff.com. Since I bought my batch several years ago he came up with a new version that doesn't require any heat. I haven't tried it though. The straight Carnauba Red I've used in everything from po-dunk .38 special loads all the way up to 2400+ fps .30-06 loads with zero leading a great accuracy. When I first started bullet casting I tried a couple different kinds of RCBS, the black moly stuff and their orange stuff, and neither even comes close to Carnauba Red.

August 5, 2011, 10:06 PM	#14
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Johnson's Paste Wax and mineral spirits.

August 6, 2011, 09:10 AM	#15
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	Just loaded some Lee 200gr SWC TL boolits lubed with Rooster Jacket. I like that it's not sticky like the Lee lube but some excess RJ lube seems to be shaving off and making a bit of a mess on my Dillon's shell plate. Wish it had some color so I could tell when the boolits were coated. I may have applied too much but it's hard to say. I like the Lee lube as is but someone around here suggested the RJ so I'm finally trying it. I'm headed for the range for a *short* test session after I run a few errands. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

August 6, 2011, 09:15 PM	#17
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	Not too impressed with the Rooster Jacket lube but it wasn't a great day @ the range, next stop Brownells. Bore is a bit fouled, LLA left next to nothing with same boolits. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

August 6, 2011, 09:22 PM	#18
Ideal Tool Junior member Join Date: October 6, 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,080	Hello, PunchinPaper. I like Lyman Super Moly for high velocity rifle loads.

August 9, 2011, 11:08 PM	#19
Mac1 Member Join Date: April 10, 2010 Location: Western NC Posts: 75	All my molds are with the large lube groove. Can I tumble these with Alox or would I need to change molds to the new tumble groove style? I want to try the tumble method rather than the Lyman 450. Thanks, Mac. __________________ When there's no time for 911, I'll use 1911.

August 10, 2011, 10:47 AM	#20
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	Mac, you most certainly CAN use Lee Liquid Alox to lube conventional lube groove boolits. The lube groove does NOT have to be filled with lube. As long as the driving bands have a coating of LLA on them, they will perform well. These are 175 grain 401 boolits that I coated with LLA. Then loaded them in 40 S&W to shoot in my OEM glock M-22! Hoorors, ya cain't do dat! The heck I can't, no leading or overpressure! __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

August 14, 2011, 10:15 AM	#21
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	FWIW I load my .45 Colt hunting loads as I would my BPCR loads and run the boolits thru my Lyman to lube and size them. If I hunted with a .44 mag or .454 I'd likely do the same. If LLA isn't up to the pressures of your hunting loads I'd try SPG or a harder lube in a lubricating sizer. For normal pistol boolits, especially with high volume production, I think LLA is pretty tough to beat for an off-the-shelf lube. Nice pics, Snuffy! __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.