warmed bullets

[milprileb]

Colder weather here and using a Lyman 450 with White Label lube. Heat source is lamp to the 450. My son found a small hot plate for keeping coffee mugs warm so out of curiosity, I dumped a pile of bullets on it.

Found the bullets warmed seemed to fill better / faster that cold ones.

In a cool reloading area in the winter, if nothing else, the bullets will be
easy on my old fingers to handle in the cold.

I don't know ... maybe its nothing but they do seem to lube up better.

I will take all manner of rocks thrown now , aim well please.

[DLCTEX]

It sure works better to warm them when tumble lubing, so why not help the lube to flow in a lubsizer with a warm boolit.

[ku4hx]

Technically, bullet alloy is a crystalline "eutectic" substance and gets to the Liquidus point at one certain temperature for that particular mix of components. That being the case, the alloy has the same hardness at any temperature below the Liquidus point. Amorphous solids (no crystalline structure) soften gradually as temperature goes up. Things such as glass, certain plastics, wax, butter and etc. are amorphous.

I've experienced the same phenomena you have and always chalked it up to the amorphous lube simply being a better lubricant when it's warmer and softer.

[1Shirt]

Yep, warm is better than cold for sure as far as lube adherance. I blow a hot hair drier on them for a bit before lube/size in the winter.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

there was a thread sometime back about dip lubing,
and it was stated that pre-warmed boolits
aided in lube adhesion.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=96869
Jon

[JSnover]

:kidding:Pan lubers never knew there was a problem...

[Capn Jack]

I had some cold .459 bullets that I dipped and the lube pealed right off of them.:-?

Next time, I stood them up in a pie pan and let them heat along with the lube
and all was well.

After cooling , I cut them out, (with an old 45/70 case) then I just placed more bullets in the open holes and re-heated the lube.

I know, I'm probably just "re-inventing the wheel".

Jack...8-)

[mpmarty]

My Lyman 45 and Star are mounted on steel plates. When using either one I have an old iron sitting on the plate warming everything up nicely. Works for me.

[Walter Laich]

Agree the warmed ones do better in the lube/sizer for me. Usually just a problem in the cool of the fall and winter

[BAGTIC]

When I first came up with JPW as a bullet lube back in the 1970's I always warmed my bullets thoroughly before tumbling them. I still have some ammo loaded at least 20 years ago and the JPW is still as tight as ever, no flaking. I wonder if failure to preheat the bullets may be the reason some JPW experimenters report flaking or peeling and resort to all sort of exotic JPW mixtures in an attempt to prevent it.

[Mk42gunner]

I never really thought about it, but it makes sense that warmed boolits are easier to lube; especially when using a hard lube. We all know how waxes, oils and greases thicken up when cold, a cold boolit going into a sizing die acts just like a heat sink to cool the lube.

Robert

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Yup, if my boolits are cold they suck warmth out of my sizer die and can cause lack of filled lube grooves. This only happens when I get going really fast with the Star.

[milprileb]

This little coffee mug warmer hot plate,$3 at thrift store won't keep your molds hot
but it takes little space on the bench and a small tin holds a bunch of bullets nice and
warm for lubing. Initially, when my son gave this to me, I was thinking it was useless
but then I remembered some member here talking of warm bullets and tried it this week
using this little plate: for my purposes this little plate is perfect. Very much surprised
with results.

Like all things here on forum : IT Depends factor holds true. You might not need warm bullets and then, it might make a difference. Picking up warm bullets makes lubing far more
pleasant in winter than cold ones.... yeah that is a small thing but my fingers get numb in cold and warm bullets makes lubing much more enjoyable.

FYI: IT DEPENDS on what you need and circumstances. I would rather be lubing in Florida
this winter but.....

[adrians]

I had some cold .459 bullets that I dipped and the lube pealed right off of them.:-?

Next time, I stood them up in a pie pan and let them heat along with the lube
and all was well.

After cooling , I cut them out, (with an old 45/70 case) then I just placed more bullets in the open holes and re-heated the lube.

I know, I'm probably just "re-inventing the wheel".

Jack...8-)

hey i do that too,,,,,,
did your wheel end up being round?:kidding:

[Dale53]

I have a theory - cold bullets (depending entirely on how cold they are, of course) can cause lube adhering problems. I believe that hot lube on cold bullets can cause a microscopic layer of condensation on the bullets preventing good adherence. Heated bullets would eliminate this.

My use of pan lubing large quantities of bullets and lube in 9" pie pans for BPCR were always heated. I have had bullets lubed for several years without problems.

On the matter of the coffee cup warmer - I have long used one to melt Emmert's lube to refill my luber. It was suggested by J.S. and Pat Spence in their fine book, "Reloading Cartridges for the Original 45-70 Springfield Rifle & Carbine" available:

http://www.the45-70book.com/

The cup warmer is slow to heat but will NOT overheat the lube, even if left on all day. I was able to find an aluminum measuring cup. I would break up chunks of lube and drop in the cup. I have always refilled my sizer after lubing (I have a dedicated sizer for Emmert's - either a Lyman or RCBS). By the time I have used up a sizer full of lube and need more, the lube will be melted and ready to pour. It totally eliminates the need to make lube sticks. That saves a LOT of time when making your own lube. I have ALWAYS made my own black powder lube.

By the way, Emmert's is totally competitive with BPCR Silhouette, Long range, as well as pistol rounds. I shot all of them competitively for years.

FWIW
Dale53

[adrians]

if like me you have a trap 45-70 the wolf book is a must have ,great info and read .