Over lubing?

[dubber123]

Whats the deal with over lubing a bullet? I have heard that lubing more grooves than necessary to prevent leading will affect accuracy. I was thinking about this again tonight while lubing some 454190's out of a new "to me" Ideal mold. This one's an old timer, no vent lines, and has 2 very wide and deep lube grooves. I thought about it for a minute, and decided to only lube the bottom one, as without a crimp groove, I doubt I'll be shooting them very fast. I would like some input, as I load for alot of other calibers that probably require less lube than I give them. Thanks.

[felix]

Yes, you can overlube/underlube as well as have the wrong formulation for your cartridge as to the ambient conditions you are shooting in. At any rate, you never want a build-up of lube in the barrel, because, for the most part, any build-up at all will not do so equally as to maintain current accuracy. Modifying the viscosity is the best way to tailor a lube for the application on hand, rather than changing the amount of lube on the boolit. Keep in mind, we are talking critical conditions here, and most of us cannot appreciate the difference in a revolter (revolver). So, if you are not seeing a problem in doing what you are doing, so be it. Just experiment when the whim hits, and come to your own conclusions for the particular circumstance. ... felix

[MT Gianni]

I have seen problems with wadcutters in the 38 special and overlubing. I think it is a balance between speed and lube, ie the slower the travel the more excess lube affects it. Just my 2 cents, Gianni.

[Dale53]

Years ago, Col E.H. Harrison, using a machine rest with a couple of different revolvers, determined by actual testing (important, ACTUAL testing) that WC's shot best in .38"s when ONLY one groove was lubed with NRA 50/50 Alox/Beeswax.

However, this depends on the lube. Alox/Beeswax was a lube superior to what most had used in the past. "Lesser" lubes require more of it. "Better" lubes require less.

The only way to really tell is to run the tests yourself (IF, and this is a big if, you have a proper testing method). As a for instance, if you can't shoot well, and try this offhand, you'll mostly learn nothing. If, on the other hand, a Ransom Rest, or equivalent, with some expertise (they don't shoot themselves) in operation, can give you valid results.

If you have some experience plus some ability a scoped handgun can give decent results, also. Generally, not as consistent, but can be pretty dern good. The higher the scope power and the better you shoot, the better the results.

I am satisfied that target wadcutters work best with one groove, only, lubed with a good lube. I have done the testing that convinces me (at least with MY revolvers and bullets). However, since what I do these days, cannot by any stretch of the imagination be considered "Critical":roll:, you may well consider me a bit AR (anal retentive):mrgreen:

Dale53

[dubber123]

Thanks for the replies, and it's interesting the last 2 guys mentioned wadcutters, as I shoot alot of them, and have been in the habit of lubing all the grooves. Many of my 38's will run around 1" at 25 yds. 1 gun a little better. Velocity never exceeds 800 fps. maybe I need to try some tests with less lube. I am using Verals Blue Soft, but have an easy to follow formula now for Felix lube I will soon try. (Thanks 44man).

[fecmech]

Dubber--I cut back to 1 lube groove filled on my .38 wc's and .45 auto swc's years ago when I had a machine rest for testing. There was a slight increase in accuracy in both cases but better than that, much less lube mess on the guns and cases.

[Freightman]

How about under lubing! I loaded some 9x18 Makarov boolits and forgot to lube, no lead in the bore after 100 rds.

[joeb33050]

I've experimented and with 311299, 314299 or 3114,1 lube in only the bottom grease groove works fine. I hoped for an accuracy improvement with less lube but didn't find it. In the 223, lube in only the gas check-band tiny groove above the gas check worked fine, no lead, but no accuracy improvement either.
Next to try the 30s with just the above-the-gas-check groove lubed.
Some pistol shooters claim that less lube = better accuracy as per Col. Harrison, but I shoot only 429421, so can't test this.
joe b.