Mica for lube...

[Land Owner]

I didn't search this topic. Maybe i should. Probably has been kicked around in here from time to time.

I have a box of circa 1970's Hornady 357 Mag x 158 gr. Match grade SWC's that are mica coated for their lube. I have mica and a good deal of cast bullets (made today). I also have pan lube too, as an alternate, but feel that I can mica coat much more reliably than pan (as I have not pan lubed before).

[nighthunter]

I'm not a scientist by any means but I don't think that just plain mica will be sufficient as a bullet lube. I have dusted bullets with mica that were already sized and lubricated in my 450 sizer. It does eliminate the mess of lube transfer from bullet to bullet contact during storage. I don't think you could get enough plain mica to adhere to the bullet to be successful. I'd bet those old bullets have some sort of lubricant under the mica.

Nighthunter

[Rocky Raab]

I use LLA or a JPW/LLA mix as my only bullet lube, and I always dust the nearly dried bullets with mica. It not only does as nighthunter describes, but may also add a bit of its own lubricity during firing. My Makarov certainly cycles and feeds better with mica-dusted bullets.

I also suspect that your Hornady ammo has a waxy film lube under the mica. I have a box of Speer swaged bullets that have a waxy lube and a graphite dusting. Mica would be a bit "cleaner" than graphite, but serve the same purpose.

[MtGun44]

Actually, I believe that they have a thin wax coating with the mica to keep them from sticking
to each other and pulling and rubbing off the very thin lube with a secondary effect of adding
a touch more lube.

Bill