Lubing Pistol bullets

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  • Last Post 07 April 2023
MarkinEllensburg posted this 06 April 2023

I am soon to be back to casting pistol bullets and pistol caliber bullets for an AR. With .45 swc I have always filled one grease groove. However after my experiments with way less lube in my rifles I am going to rethink this. My father always advised that pistol bullets didn't need much lube. I wrestle with how little of NRA 50/50 formula is enough. Since I need to size anyway, at least for .45 acp, I will keep using my lubrisizers. I might try tumble lubing for the 450 Bushmaster and just load as cast... have to wait and see how they drop. 

I am interested in others experience. Has any done any controlled experiments with varying amounts of lube all else being equal. Any conclusions reached? Casting pistol bullets is what got me started in casting but lately has fallen by the wayside as I have concentrated on rifles. I confess that I did little in the way of experimenting. I found what worked "good enough" and ran with it.   

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Aaron posted this 06 April 2023

I apply Florida wisdom to it which is: If you can't lose it, tan it. Therefore if it's there, fill it.

I'm curious to see how this all pans out.

 

 

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

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Bud Hyett posted this 06 April 2023

Shooting a gas-checked 200 grain bullet in two Marlin 1894's in .44 Magnum, I found that lubing the gas check ring and the first lube ring was better. This was three decades ago when Tom Gray first espoused his "lube purge shot" theory which I believe to be true. I experimented with several calibers at that time and have minimized lubricant ever since. I fill two lube rings as a standard practice.  

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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Shuz posted this 06 April 2023

Mark-- Jump into powder coating! I have found it excellent for .44 mag at 1100 fps speed.

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MarkinEllensburg posted this 06 April 2023

Mark-- Jump into powder coating! I have found it excellent for .44 mag at 1100 fps speed.

Thanks but no thanks. I have neither the time nor the room to PC. I don't shoot high velocity in handguns with some exceptions. .41 have a GC mold. .45 Colt out of my Ruger with healthy charge of 2400 (if only I could find it) but not often. I am more into target loads. 45 auto and .45 Colt mostly. 

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.22-10-45 posted this 07 April 2023

I too have found using less lube in low velocity revolver loads improves accuracy....but I also  did a comparison between my commercial go to revolver lube and some home brewed Beeswax based lube with other natural ingredients that is quite a bit softer in consistancy.  Accuracy was better with the softer lube.

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dbarron posted this 07 April 2023

I’m with Shuz on this one Mark. Powder coat ‘em. It takes little extra time and virtually no extra space. Toaster ovens are available in thrift shops for chump change and the paint is, I think, less spendy than lube. Velocity is not an issue. Fast or slow, it works. ‘Course you’re not too surprised too hear this from me.

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