How much liquid Alox?

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  • Last Post 16 June 2009
Notlwonk posted this 04 September 2008

I recently obtained a Lyman 311467 mold, 9 groove 178 gr bullet, alloy is app. 15 Brinel and the vel. is 1870 fps. I've been useing the 50/50 lube and splattered lube all over the chronograph, so I thought I'd try the tumble lube method. Well, the individual grooves vary anywhere from no lube to lube all the way around. How much is enough?

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Duane Mellenbruch posted this 04 September 2008

From your description of the lube application, I suspect that you used the LLA full strength and did not dilute by half with mineral spirits.  If you thin the LLA, it will do a much better job of leaving a light honey colored coating on your bullets.  Your LLA will last longer, the die buildup will be less, and you will find out of your load combination likes the lube.  Is there a reason that the lube has to be in the bottom of the lube grooves?  Probably not, but if it makes you feel better.....  Duane   Topeka, KS

 

 

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303PV posted this 04 September 2008

If you put the bottle in hot water it also flows much better. Diluting with mineral spirits like Duane suggested works even better.

PV

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linoww posted this 04 September 2008

I've been useing the 50/50 lube and splattered lube all over the chronograph with the 311467.

 

I lube just the bottom two groove with 50/50 NRA and haven't had any accuracy problems.My loads are with 12.0 of Unique in a7.65 Argentine with the 311467 out of Lino/WW mix at approx.1500 fps.Not an answer to your question,but hope it helps.I have shot the 308241 lubed in thinned (as mention by Duane) L.L.A. and even though it is a very light film it works well at about 1300 in the 30-06 and 30-30's.I don't even stand them up after i tumble them.I just lay them on wax paper and though they look unevenly lubed i cant tell the difference in accuracy.Though all am asking for is a 2.0 to 2.5 MOA plinking load in open sighted guns.

 

George Damron

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Notlwonk posted this 04 September 2008

It sounds like I've been wasting a lot of lube over the years, thought that the grooves should be filled. I did warm the bottle, but 50% mineral spirits sounds even better. I lubed 50 with the full strength LLA, and will try another batch thinned then compare.

Just a little more info on the load I'm shooting, The 311467 weighs 178 and am using 31 grs of powder from delinked LC69 30-06 ball ammo. I tried .309, .310 and .311 dias and found that the vel. went from 1870 fps to 1977 to 2049 respectively, I didn't expect that much change!. Oh yeh, in a 30-06 rifle. 

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pascalp posted this 06 September 2008

A light, really light coat of LLA.

When weather is cold, I heat LLA bottle  with hot water to thin it a little.

Usuallly, I apply 2 coats, one before resizing, one after, as avdvised by Lee.

After overnight drying, I apply a light, really light, coat of talcum (could be mica) to get rid of the messy touch.

LLA Coated: (one isn't home cast !)  

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Notlwonk posted this 07 September 2008

A picture is worth a thousand words! Thanks

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CB posted this 08 September 2008

I follow the Ranch Dog method for using Alox on bullets: here is a post about how RD does his bullets with Alox:

http://www.marlinowners.coms/index.php/topic,27078.0.html>http://www.marlinowners.coms/index.php/topic,27078.0.html

 

It works well for me, many of my non tumble lube bullets I use my Star or RCBS sizer and my home made lube, but I have tried the RD method of Alox lubing on more traditional bullets and had a great deal of success with them. The Mica is a big help.

Jerry

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pascalp posted this 08 September 2008

Too much LLA for my taste, with this method.

For talcum/mica I use an old tshirt. Drop some talcum on one side, add a handfull of bullets, roll bullets like playing yo-yo.

. If not enough talcum, add more, roll again.

An uniform light coat of talcum is needed, the tips: reverse tshirt, roll again, excess of talcum stay on “clean” tshirt. 

A light LLA/talcum coating give a bullet which is usable with a L.E. Wilson seater. For those who don't know the bore of the tool is .002” over caliber. My bullets are sized .001” over caliber, coating need to be no more than .001"

(Diameter is good also for Redding competition seater) 

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codarnall posted this 15 September 2008

ALOX, an acronym for aluminum oxide.  What is liquid alox in the reloaders context? Charlie

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JimmyDee posted this 16 September 2008

When I first read this, I thought, “Google is your friend -- look it up."  Having done that before,  I googled “alox” -- and didn't find the links I had found in the past.  Hmm...

Alox is, IIRC, the name of a company and a product they produce.  It's made from (and I'm stretching my memory, here) calcium and is something like wax and was used as a protective metal coating.

Lee Precision sells it as a liquid, dry-on bullet lubricant.  For tumble lubing -- just drizzle a little on some bullets and tumble them until they're all coated -- it's usually mixed 1:1 with mineral spirits.

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lordgroom posted this 23 September 2008

I am pretty sure I overused LLA on some bullets for 300 grain RNFP for 45-70.  I probably applied too much baby powder.  Is there any draw back other than wasted material when using too much LLA or too much talc?  Any negative effects of Talc because it is an abraisive?

Thanks in advance

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Ed Harris posted this 24 September 2008

codarnall wrote: ALOX, an acronym for aluminum oxide.  What is liquid alox in the reloaders context? Lee Liquid Alox is 55% solids of calcium soap dissolved in 45% aliphatic mineral spirits.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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pascalp posted this 24 September 2008

Talc isn't an abrasive. Search for “tribology” you will find  solid lubricant.

 

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NoDakJak posted this 26 September 2008

I have wondered for a number of years now whether or not LLA wasn't the same or slightly altered “Perakatone” that we used as a preseravative on aircraft when I was in the Navy.  Looks, feels and smells similar!  Neil

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Rumplestiltskin posted this 02 May 2009

So the grooves don't need to be filled, with LLA or any other lube at all? Is it enough to lube with LLA, size, lube again lightly, and begin loading?

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muley posted this 02 May 2009

Rumple, as i load with lla , i first size and seat the gc without lla. I then prepare and load my cases. I apply lla to the gc bullet with thumb and forefinger, full strenth, as I l seat the bullet. I then wipe off excess lla from nose of bullet. I may waste some lla, but some other fellow may need a job making the lla. This works for me, and may save you some time. also fills the grooves.

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Rumplestiltskin posted this 03 May 2009

What if the grooves aren't completely filled, like in the pics above? Still okay to shoot?

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Rumplestiltskin posted this 03 May 2009

Also, is it better to seat the gas checks before or after lubing?

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pascalp posted this 03 May 2009

You need light coating Grooves doesn't need to be filled Follow Lee advice; lube, size/seat, lube

Let dry overnight, apply a light coat of mica/talcum to get ride of the messy touch.

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Notlwonk posted this 03 May 2009

Going back to my original question, taking posted advice plus some SWAG I've been sizing in a RCBS to size and fill the first 3 grooves with 50/50 and then LLA. The amount of LLA I use is slightly more than what Pascalp shows in his Feb 7 2008 posting. My current load is 21 grs of 5744 in an '06'. I'm quite pleased with the results and probably won't mess with it.

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X-Wrench3 posted this 14 June 2009

I AM BRAND NEW TO CASTING BULLETS. IN FACT, I HAVE YET TO CAST A SINGLE ONE. I JUST RECIEVED THE LAST OF WHAT I NEEDED YESTERDAY, AND WITH 2 LITTLE KIDS, IT WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE BUSY WITH SOMETHING ELSE. BUT, I HAVE BEEN SHOOTING BOUGHTEN CAST BULLETS FOR ROUGHLY 6-8 MONTHS NOW. SOMETIMES, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH LEADING THE BORE OF MY PISTOLS. THE LLA SEEMS TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM RATHER NICELY. I PUT THE BULLETS IN A LARGE PLASTIC PEANUT BUTTER JAR, FILL IT 2/3RDS OF THE WAY UP WITH BULLETS. THEN I SQUIRT IN WHAT I THINK WILL BE ALMOST ENOUGH TO DO THE JOB, AND TUMBLE AND ROTATE THE JAR AT THE SAME TIME. MOST OF THE TIME, I GET A NICE EVEN THIN COATING ALL OVER THE BULLETS THIS WAY. IF NOT, I ADD A LITLE MORE, AND REPEAT. THE FIRST ONES I DID I GOT SO MUCH ON THEM THERE WERE PUDDLES UNDER THE BULLETS WHEN THEY FINALY DRIED. BUT THERE WAS NO LEADING ISSUE EITHER. I JUST ADDED SOME LYMAN MOLY SPRAY LUBE TO SOME LLA AND MIXED IT TOGETHER. WHEN I CAST MY FIRST BULLETS, I WILL USE THIS CONCOCTION AND SEE HOW IT WORKS.

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Ed Harris posted this 16 June 2009

Please turn your caps lock off. It's hard to read.

You need no more LLA than needed to turn your bullets a uniform “brassy” color. The grooves don't need to be full. Too much lube will enlarge groups. Use no more lube than necessary to prevent leading. In higher velocity GC loads two thin coats are better than one heavy one.

For plainbase bullets I use 1 Chock Full O Nuts coffee scoop of LLA per 1000 .38 wadcutters. If you have trouble getting a uniform coat on the bullets try diluting the lube 50-50 with clear mineral spirits so they get just a light wash all over.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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