Getting less smoke with Alox possible?

Chainsaw. · February 18, 2017, 07:25 PM

Got a lee 124 grain TC TUMBLE LUBE mold that is making good bullets, using their Alox with good results, good accuracy but smoke seems a bit excessive.

Do you guys have any tricks to reducing the smoke some or am I dreaming? Again I am tumble lubing.

Master Blaster · February 18, 2017, 08:26 PM

What powder are you using? Some burn hotter and could cause the lube to smoke , some powders smoke more at low pressures. Different powder could be the answer try a faster powder or a slower powder.

condor bravo · February 18, 2017, 09:25 PM

When I used to lube with alox, kind of liked the odor and wasn't concerned about the smoking. Didn't notice any difference between variations of handgun powders but wasn't trying to do anything about it anyway. Not sure whatever happened to stick alox since haven't come across any in a long while.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · February 18, 2017, 10:56 PM

There is a tool used to remove excess stick lube applied melted in a pan. Requires the bullet standing on its base in the pan. Its dipping and allowing the bullet to cool and stiffen in the lube insures proper filling of the grease groves. Once cooled. The tool is then push down over the bullet and it strips away all stiffened excess lube from the bullet side area.

The tool is called a Cake Cutter. Such a tool can be ordered from the (link below.) A member of the site called Buckshot (a Super Moderator) lathe's those Cake Cutter on request with a small gratuity asked for his effort & mailing.

You can find Buckshot's name on the Forms Topics Page (Top of the page labeled >Community.
Member # 208.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com

To answer the question: I never heard of a trick to reduce the smoke Alox makes. Only those stick lubes for my use that don't excessively smoke..

shootniron · February 19, 2017, 01:05 AM

Powder coating will remedy the lube smoke problem.

Chainsaw. · February 19, 2017, 01:09 AM

Double post

Chainsaw. · February 19, 2017, 01:10 AM

Yeah Im very familiar with powdercoating but Im finding with my auto bullets (not revolver) the PC really decreases accuracy. Hence using OG lube. Accuracy is greatly improved over PC.

Sure shot Ill give that a look, thanks.

daboone · February 19, 2017, 08:41 AM

Thin the Alox with mineral spirits 50/50. Only coat till the mix is just barely perceptible.

Hoppy · February 19, 2017, 09:31 AM

I used to use straight alox. Too much apparently. It gummed up the seating die. I made a batch of 45/45/10. it is alox, paste wax, and thinner heated up together. I heat up the bullets and then put a little bit of the mixture on them and tumble them by hand for about a minute. They just get a dulled appearance. I dump then out on wax paper and they cool and are ready to handle. It seems as though there isn't enough lube, but by other accounts there is plenty. I believe there to be less smoke. Certainly easier handling and loading.

dahermit · February 19, 2017, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Yeah Im very familiar with powdercoating but Im finding with my auto bullets (not revolver) the PC really decreases accuracy. Hence using OG lube. Accuracy is greatly improved over PC.

The lessening of accuracy in auto cartridges when comparing powder coating to bullets lubed with Lee alox tumble lube has not been the experience of those on the Cast Lead Bullet web site. Their experiances with the issures you have having can be reviewed over there:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ Scroll down to "Coatings and Alternatives"

Chainsaw. · February 19, 2017, 10:46 AM

Hoppy, Ill try something along those lines.

Dahermit, I did some reading over there and found a few things that may be confirming some suspicions Ive had. Namely that my PC is going on to thick.

reddog81 · February 19, 2017, 11:17 AM

If you can cast and shoot good 9mm bullets using Alox and the only problem you get is a little extra smoke I'd stick with whatever it is you're are doing.

mikld · February 19, 2017, 11:41 AM

What is excessive smoke? Can you still see the target after 5 rounds?

If your alox lube is too smokey, there's prolly too much on the bullet. Ninety percent of new casters using alox use too much and it just needs a very thin coating. You can thin the alox like daboone says or just some Johnson's Paste wax mixed in with the alox (45-45-10, alox, JPW, mineral spirits). Some fellers use Johnson's Paste Wax alone, but I don't know how that would work with a 9mm...

Here's some lube recipes, and a couple tumble lube recipes...http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...8-Boolit-Lube-!

Smoke & Recoil · February 19, 2017, 05:51 PM

Hey, what's so bad about smoke with recoil ?

5whiskey · February 19, 2017, 07:34 PM

I agree with many others... Loading cast lubed bullets is kind of a compromise on some fronts. The most accurate bullets I have ever seen are cast... But that lube residue gets in the action and fouls a gun quicker than shooting jacketed. And... You get smoke. It is what it is.

I've no experience with powder coating, so i cant speak to that.

Chainsaw. · February 19, 2017, 08:41 PM

"What is excessive smoke?"

Thats a good question. Certainly subjective. Never had more than three shots on a target at once (idpa) and did notice some obscurity.

February 18, 2017, 07:25 PM	#1
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	Getting less smoke with Alox possible? Got a lee 124 grain TC TUMBLE LUBE mold that is making good bullets, using their Alox with good results, good accuracy but smoke seems a bit excessive. Do you guys have any tricks to reducing the smoke some or am I dreaming? Again I am tumble lubing. __________________ Just shoot the damn thing. Last edited by Chainsaw.; February 18, 2017 at 09:02 PM.

February 18, 2017, 09:25 PM	#3
condor bravo Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2014 Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA Posts: 1,753	When I used to lube with alox, kind of liked the odor and wasn't concerned about the smoking. Didn't notice any difference between variations of handgun powders but wasn't trying to do anything about it anyway. Not sure whatever happened to stick alox since haven't come across any in a long while. __________________ Ouch, the dreaded "M-1 thumb", you just know it will happen eventually, so why not do it now and get it over with??

February 19, 2017, 01:09 AM	#6
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	Double post __________________ Just shoot the damn thing.

February 19, 2017, 01:10 AM	#7
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	Yeah Im very familiar with powdercoating but Im finding with my auto bullets (not revolver) the PC really decreases accuracy. Hence using OG lube. Accuracy is greatly improved over PC. Sure shot Ill give that a look, thanks. __________________ Just shoot the damn thing.

February 19, 2017, 10:46 AM	#11
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	Hoppy, Ill try something along those lines. Dahermit, I did some reading over there and found a few things that may be confirming some suspicions Ive had. Namely that my PC is going on to thick. __________________ Just shoot the damn thing.

February 18, 2017, 08:26 PM	#2
Master Blaster Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 1999 Location: One of the original 13 Colonies Posts: 2,281	What powder are you using? Some burn hotter and could cause the lube to smoke , some powders smoke more at low pressures. Different powder could be the answer try a faster powder or a slower powder.

February 18, 2017, 10:56 PM	#4
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	There is a tool used to remove excess stick lube applied melted in a pan. Requires the bullet standing on its base in the pan. Its dipping and allowing the bullet to cool and stiffen in the lube insures proper filling of the grease groves. Once cooled. The tool is then push down over the bullet and it strips away all stiffened excess lube from the bullet side area. The tool is called a Cake Cutter. Such a tool can be ordered from the (link below.) A member of the site called Buckshot (a Super Moderator) lathe's those Cake Cutter on request with a small gratuity asked for his effort & mailing. You can find Buckshot's name on the Forms Topics Page (Top of the page labeled >Community. Member # 208. http://castboolits.gunloads.com To answer the question: I never heard of a trick to reduce the smoke Alox makes. Only those stick lubes for my use that don't excessively smoke..

February 19, 2017, 01:05 AM	#5
shootniron Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,599	Powder coating will remedy the lube smoke problem.

February 19, 2017, 08:41 AM	#8
daboone Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2011 Location: Phoenix AZ, Kealakekua HI Posts: 100	Thin the Alox with mineral spirits 50/50. Only coat till the mix is just barely perceptible.

February 19, 2017, 09:31 AM	#9
Hoppy Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2000 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 287	I used to use straight alox. Too much apparently. It gummed up the seating die. I made a batch of 45/45/10. it is alox, paste wax, and thinner heated up together. I heat up the bullets and then put a little bit of the mixture on them and tumble them by hand for about a minute. They just get a dulled appearance. I dump then out on wax paper and they cool and are ready to handle. It seems as though there isn't enough lube, but by other accounts there is plenty. I believe there to be less smoke. Certainly easier handling and loading.

February 19, 2017, 11:17 AM	#12
reddog81 Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2014 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,634	If you can cast and shoot good 9mm bullets using Alox and the only problem you get is a little extra smoke I'd stick with whatever it is you're are doing.

February 19, 2017, 11:41 AM	#13
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	What is excessive smoke? Can you still see the target after 5 rounds? If your alox lube is too smokey, there's prolly too much on the bullet. Ninety percent of new casters using alox use too much and it just needs a very thin coating. You can thin the alox like daboone says or just some Johnson's Paste wax mixed in with the alox (45-45-10, alox, JPW, mineral spirits). Some fellers use Johnson's Paste Wax alone, but I don't know how that would work with a 9mm... Here's some lube recipes, and a couple tumble lube recipes...http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...8-Boolit-Lube-! __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

February 19, 2017, 05:51 PM	#14
Smoke & Recoil Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: East shore of Lake Michigan. Posts: 714	Hey, what's so bad about smoke with recoil ? __________________ Sent from my Tandy 1000

February 19, 2017, 07:34 PM	#15
5whiskey Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,657	I agree with many others... Loading cast lubed bullets is kind of a compromise on some fronts. The most accurate bullets I have ever seen are cast... But that lube residue gets in the action and fouls a gun quicker than shooting jacketed. And... You get smoke. It is what it is. I've no experience with powder coating, so i cant speak to that.

February 19, 2017, 08:41 PM	#16
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	"What is excessive smoke?" Thats a good question. Certainly subjective. Never had more than three shots on a target at once (idpa) and did notice some obscurity. __________________ Just shoot the damn thing.