bullet lube

CBA Regional Director

MarkinEllensburg posted this 17 September 2023

The jury is still out. There is no consensus on best. Even if you break it down to caliber or cartridge there is no best. AS with some other things less is more until it is not. There are many who have found a lube that works for them.

Define best. Also which cartridge and what velocity, ambient temperature, and alloy. Plain base or gas checked?

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Aaron posted this 17 September 2023

The same as the best ice cream. Ask 5000 shooters, get 5000 answers. Like Mark said above, define best. Narrow it down to 3000 answers.

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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Larry Gibson posted this 17 September 2023

If not using BP but only smokeless powder, I've found a quality NRA formula 50/50 lube will give excellent performance from 400 fps upwards of 3000 fps in whatever cartridge using whatever cast bullet you use. Of course, that cast bullets designed to be lubed including those with tumble lube grooves. I've been using the 50/50 lube [currently available from White Label Lubes] since '68 with complete satisfaction. Over the years i have tested numerous other commercial offerings and a few homemade concoctions. Always went back to the 50/50 lube.

I ran an extensive test of 13 different lubes for high velocity cast bullet shooting [2500 - 3000 fps] and found old Javelina (a 50/50 lube), 2500+ and 2700+ lubes work best in that range. Since then, I 've done a lot of shooting 2500+ (because it flows through an unheated lubrasizer) with handgun and rifle bullets in the 800 to 2000 fps range and have gotten excellent results with no leading and excellent accuracy.

As mentioned, "best" can be very subjective but the above is what I've found to work the best for me across a broad spectrum of cast bullet use.

LMG

Concealment is not cover.........

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gnoahhh posted this 17 September 2023

I side wholeheartedly with Larry Gibson. MY personal favorite is Javelina 50/50, been using it for 54 years and have plenty of it hoarded to see me through to the end. 99% of my cast shooting (and about 85% of all my shooting) is 600-2000fps and it fills the bill - for me. Above 2000fps and I reach for (hush my mouth) jacketed bullets anyway.

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lotech posted this 17 September 2023

In agreement. I've tried just about everything in the last fifty years. Often there is little or no difference and a half & half lube always seems to work, but I don't shoot over about 1800 - 2,000 fps. White Label's 2500+ so far seems to be as versatile as a half & half lube.

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Wilderness posted this 17 September 2023

"Best" will depend on intended use.

My interest is mostly in cast rifle bullet loads at 2000 fps plus for hunting. The most important shot I fire may be the one that goes down a cold clean barrel. In other circles, this might normally be disregarded as a "fouler" when reporting the group.

Larry's test report included what happened to the fouling shots (groups). At least one lube put the first shot off the paper altogether, whilst performing OK/well after the fouling group. I recall Lyman Super Moly being reported as putting the fist shot bang on average POI, which led me to keep on using LSM for a few years.

In doing my testing of hunting loads I certainly record where the fouler went - I fire only one fouler.

I started with Javelina about 1970, and just recently bought a block of 2500+. I am also very partial to Lyman Orange Magic for reasons I won't go into now.

You are only as good as your library.

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Aaron posted this 17 September 2023

I wonder if back in the day, say 1877, gunslingers posted on the town bulletin board queries regarding what made the best bullet lube.

Black Bart: I use beezwax, axil greese, and bacca joose.

Deadly Dan: Whoa pard. I use pine pitch, horse pee, kerroseen, and jimson weed when I want the best.

Saloon Keeper: Idiots! Everyone knows the rangers use Sperm Oil, and that newfangled paraffin wax for canning vegetables. For high velocity stuff, say above the length of main street in one second, add witch hazel to it for purity and speed. And it smells good too!

I wonder if the Apache lubed their arrows?

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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358156hp posted this 18 September 2023

Pump grease and beeswax.

Just kidding, I think Elmer Keith mentioned that at one point.

Bob

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RicinYakima posted this 18 September 2023

Virgin lamb tallow with bear grease and raw beeswax was another concoction Elmer liked.

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Shuz posted this 18 September 2023

Many years ago the NRA conducted a series of tests on bullet lubes. Their conclusion was that the best all around lube was a 50% mixture of beeswax and 50% ALOX 2138F.

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OU812 posted this 18 September 2023

I have learned that grease cookies work better at softening hard fouling. Especially 4 to 6 inches in front of chamber. Getting best accuracy requires lots of testing for small calibers such as 22 or 30 calibers. I have used LBT soft lube melted then poured over wax paper to cool then cut out using case mouth before seating bullet. Lots of trouble, but will keep fouling soft for many shots.

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Glenn R. Latham posted this 18 September 2023

I have found both the lube and the bore cleaner to affect first-shot reliability. For my hot hunting loads I found LBT Blue and Shooter's Choice to be a reliable combination.

Glenn

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