Bullet lube

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  • Last Post 03 July 2010
Joe B. posted this 20 June 2010

In reading about using Lee's Alox bullet lube on their selected cast bullet designs it talks about “tumble lube"--This is only 4oz's & supposed to be enough for thousands of bullets. What is tumble lubing? My mind says put the cast bullets in a container and swish them around in the liquid lube, but my mind also says 4oz's isn't much for even 50 bullets--I know I'm on the wrong track but can someone clear this up for me?:shock::(

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John Boy posted this 20 June 2010

Joe, Alox lube is a thin coating. Put your bullets in a container - squirt some Alox onto the bullets and when all the bullets have a brownish color - that's it. Using Alox, you don't fill the grease grooves up to the GG band with the product. Then spead the bullets out on wax paper to dry.

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Joe B. posted this 21 June 2010

Thank you John Boy--not exactly what I was thinking but sounds like it will work nicely. Trying to decide on which lube to go with to start. I really like the looks of the Lee tumble lube type bullet design--decisions--decisions!!!

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CB posted this 21 June 2010

Tumble lubing is a messy affair.. I hear of guys using it, but for my dollar I would rather invest in a quality stick lube and run them through a lubersizer. You only put lube where it is needed instead of all over the place.

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mark1911 posted this 21 June 2010

I have done an extensive amount of tumble lube on lee .45ACP bullets. In answer to your question I just purchased a RCBS lube / sizer. Tumble lube works but good grief it makes a mess and smells like poo.

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Joe B. posted this 21 June 2010

Thanks Guys--The tumble lube moulds by Lee say they don't need resizing but do you need to run them thru a resizer to apply other types of lube. I really like the looks of the .45acp 230rn tl bullet. Will it lube satisfactorally with say carnuba red or other parafin based lubes or should I look for another design? Still asking & learning--will be up & running soon-just completed a deal with the local auto repair & tire shop for all his ww's when he has them--free for picking them up. Just need more understanding & some more equiptment to get started. !!!!!Look out bullet world here I come!!!!! :dude:

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jppr26 posted this 22 June 2010

a lubersizer would be great if you can drop the cash, but for what they are the lee TL aint that bad i have the TL .45 200gr swc and its a good plinken round in the 1911, the liquid loax is messy but for just getting started i would have to say it is the way to go if youre on a budget like some, as far as lubing the TL bullets with hard lube, it works but the bands arn't that deep on the bullets so they don't hold that great, at least when i did it by hand.

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Joe B. posted this 22 June 2010

jppr26 wrote: a lubersizer would be great if you can drop the cash, but for what they are the lee TL aint that bad i have the TL .45 200gr swc and its a good plinken round in the 1911, the liquid loax is messy but for just getting started i would have to say it is the way to go if youre on a budget like some, as far as lubing the TL bullets with hard lube, it works but the bands arn't that deep on the bullets so they don't hold that great, at least when i did it by hand.

So basically you are advising a different design of mould so the “other” lube's will hold better.  While on this subject I was noticeing my .50cal. muzzle loader Power Belts. Has anyone ever tried this belt with modern brass case cast bullets as a way to apply a bullet protector or if you will a “gas check"? Hmmmmmmm--

Joe B. 

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Ranch Dog posted this 24 June 2010

Tumbling lubing with alox and Lee's Micro Bands have done very well for me. I've designed twenty-one alox “tumble lube” bullets that perform. With these bullets, I personally take 25 to 35 big game animals a year and stand behind them with my self-defense needs. I received hundreds of pictures and reports each year from customers who successful in the field with these designs.

I personally don't consider “tumble lubing” messy. If it is, you are using too much. In that I cast about 20K bullets annually, I have refined my technique considerably. I actually dip my bullets and set them on cookie sheets. If they are gas checked bullets, they have the checks snapped on them before the dip. All my bullets are sized before they are used or stored, even plain base bullets. Sizing with the Lee dies “trues” up the bullet and removes excess wax. Bullets stored are dusted with mica which prevents them sticking.

I use a crock pot to store my alox and heat it prior to the application. Wax from the cookie sheet or the base of the sizing die is returned to the crock pot. I adjust the viscosity of the the Alox with mineral spirits.

Alox is performing in my various applications up through 2900 FPS and 52.0K PSI. My bullets are designed to fit my firearms, the most important step, but I would not use any other lube. I rarely clean my barrels, don't need to. The only way I would move to the traditional lube/sizer is to use bulk Alox which is available as a solid. I looked into this when I was considering marketing my bullets. I do buy my liquid alox in bulk and have expanded its use to protecting a number of items from corrosion here on the ranch.

http://www.marlinowners.coms/index.php/topic,27079.0.html>Dipping Alox

The photo is my of my 41 Mag plain base bullet after it has been dipped in the crock pot and sized through a Lee sizer. Nothing messy about it. The two bullets on the left had a single dip and the bullet on the right had a second dip an hour after the first.

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Joe B. posted this 24 June 2010

Thanks Ranch Dog--If I am not asking for a trade secret what is the proportions of Alox & wax & to what consistency is the melted lube--How much mineral spirits? Is this about tha same as olive oil or thinner & how hot before you dip--Sorry to ask so many questions but I would like it to work fairly good the first time. Like I said --if this is a trade secret I don't need to intrude.

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Ranch Dog posted this 24 June 2010

I use low heat on the crock pot and I like my alox at a consistency that barely drips, kind of thick. The consistency of the wax used on the bullets in the photo above was a little too thin.

I had not looked at the post I referenced in a while and the only thing that I don't do now is the pre-tumble. Not a necessary step. Snap the gas check on, dip, and size.

I buy my Alox from White Label Lubes.

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frank l jr posted this 24 June 2010

all of the above that ranch dog says.if you want to size after lubing. the lee sizer works well. one can also rub the sides uf the micro grove boolits with almost any lube, some times need to heat it as the alox is done. this process works on most of my needs,plinking etc. when going up in the higher velocities,a sizer such is a neat to tool to have, such as a star, or your other choices. just my 2 cents worth. see ya frank l jr

:D:):P

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tturner53 posted this 25 June 2010

jp, when you get your vacation check treat yourself to a Lyman 450. I understand being on a tight budget, I was there when I started casting long ago. Now I have a choice, sometimes I use the lube/sizer and sometimes the Lee method. Both work very well, it's just nice to have options. I'll bet 20 yrs. from now you'll have a cabinet full of moulds and a couple 450s. I probably TL more bullets than I run thru the Lyman, I shoot a lot as cast. Like RD says, if it fits right from the mould, why mess with it? When I do TL, it's with a mixture of LLA, Johnson's Paste Wax(for the carnuba and stickiness reduction) and mineral spirits. Very little MS goes a long way.

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stang68 posted this 03 July 2010

I'm a newbie at casting and the only lube I've tried so far I got from the Cast Boolits forum, user “Recluse's” recipe which is 45% Alox, 45% Johnsons paste wax, and 10% Mineral Spirits. After tumble lubing and drying, the boolits are not in the least bit sticky, I get no leading in my Marlin 1894 with MG or revolvers, and cleaning the gun is quick and easy.

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