Can a tumble lube cast bullet be lubed with pan lube and/or Lyman 4500 Lube Sizer Bu

[Jim..47]

I like the looks of this bullet but I don't whether it can be pan lubed or with the lubrisizer.
If it can type of lube do you have to use? I've made up my own formula of Ben's Red, real close anyway.

This is the bullet mold.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/732706/lee-6-cavity-bullet-mold-tl452-230-tc-45-acp-45-auto-rim-45-colt-long-colt-452-diameter-230-grain-tumble-lube-truncated-cone

Looks like this http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/Primary/732/732706.jpg

[Motor]

I don't see why not. The multi grooves are there to catch and hold more of the liquid lube so they should fill with your lubrisizer just as well.

Send some through and post some photos. I think they should be fine.

Motor

[PS Paul]

I lube several TL boolits in my 450 with good results I have a Ranch Dog 300 gr 45 plain base with tumble lube grooves that is the most accurate mold in my BH ruger, a 358 wadcutter and a 9mm and they all get lubed and sized in the Lyman.
there are others on this forum who do the same, but I can't speak to their results.....

[GhostHawk]

IMO it works better to tumble lube traditional lube groove than it does to use traditional lube on TL boolits. But yes it works.

I have a few times heated some Ben's red and first tumble lubed with that, then a couple of light coats of Ben's Liquid Lube. Seemed to work well but takes some nose wiping to get the noses looking nice after.

[mdi]

Yes. I do it often. I have a Lee .44 cal. mold that I have used for 15 years and in that time I have tumbled in alox, tumbled in 45-45-10, sprayed with Catapillar Boom Lube, and pan lubed. Pan lubing with my Speed Green of Caranuba Red works quite well...

[Shiloh]

Depending on what size your boolits drop, there may not be enough groove to hold traditional lube.
I am also one who tumble lubes traditional lube groove boolits.

SHiloh

[lolbell]

I have only tried to lube one T/L boolit with the 450. It did not work out well for me. It was a 41 cal SWC. Accuracy was fair with no leading when tumble lubed with Ben's L/L. The same boolit lubed in the 450 with Lymans Alox formula had a good bit of leading.

[Jim..47]

Thanks for the helps guys. I'm going to get this mold ordered as soon as I can figure one other item I need. You guys are the greatest. Always reliable and always great info. :bigsmyl2:

[JohnH]

I've lubed lots of the 45-230-2R in my 4500 using Felix lube with excellent results in both 45 ACP and 45 Colt. Pistol boolits really don't take that much lube at or under 1000 fps adn Felix lube (WWFL) is most definately a premium lube. If you've never made any up, the recipe is here, do a search for it. Good stuff.

[Jim..47]

Thanks JohnH
I'll give a look see and try it one day. I've probably got enough of Red's to last almost my life, unless I live till 150 or so ;)

[MT Gianni]

I would stay as far away from that tl design as possible. No one I know of liked it, no one I know of that had one currently uses one. It was my first mold and I was very happy to see it go. I would stick with the conventional lubed molds in a 9mm.

[Fishman]

If you have a lubrisizer and plan to use it, there is no reason to purchase the tl design. As mentioned previously, just buy the non tl design and be happy. If you want to tl at a later date, they work just fine.

I have a couple of tl designs and they have their place, but not with your situation imho?

[Jim..47]

Its for 45acp. Does that matter? What mold would you suggest? I want to stay around 225-230 Gns. Yes I do have a 4500 lubesizer, but I also want to be able to pan lube if it works out.

Also, out of curiosity what problems did you guys experience with the above mold? I really like that design as it looks like a straight shooter and very accurate. Sorry for so many questions, but does it work well with pan lubing?

I know you guys are all more experienced at casting/lubing. So may I ask, is there any kind of tool one can make to pick the hot/lubed bullets out of the pan without burning yourself? I'm asking this because I have thought of just dipping them (using cold bullets, or hot , which ever is better) and then immediately picking them back out. I have never been able to develop a pan lube where you can just let it cool for the next day and pop out the bullets as if there encased in lube made to do that.

I may have more questions yet, I'm trying to learn the finer arts of lubing. I've been casting for at least 30 years but not with the same quality as you guys. Thanks for the help.

[dudel]

Its for 45acp. Does that matter? What mold would you suggest? I want to stay around 225-230 Gns. Yes I do have a 4500 lubesizer, but I also want to be able to pan lube if it works out.

Also, out of curiosity what problems did you guys experience with the above mold? I really like that design as it looks like a straight shooter and very accurate. Sorry for so many questions, but does it work well with pan lubing?


Not everyone hates that mold. I have it both 45 and 9mm. My experiences with it have been nothing short of stellar. Easy to cast, feed well, and they shoot great in my Colt 1911 and Ruger P90. No complaints whatsoever. I find it casts a bit on the heavy side with SOWW, but not a big problem. I just use the Lee liquid alox. They got shot as cast, until I thought I needed a sizer. Didn't do much for me, so I'm back to as cast.

[Jim..47]

Thanks for your reply Dudel.

I would still like to hear other replies for or against and your reasons or problems with this bullet. Thanks much.

[MT Gianni]

I found it to be undersized and it stripped at the "tl" portions causing significant leading down bbl and poor accuracy. I shoot a TL in the 40 and 32 long with good results but stay away from that bullet.

[Jim..47]

Thanks you Sir. Thats all I need. I'll pick another mold.

[Fishman]

My experience is that the truncated cone style molds give me the least trouble with casting as well as feeding from the magazine. The Lee 230 gr truncated cone with a single lube groove would be what I would choose if you want to stick with Lee and desire that weight design

[aspangler]

I have that mold and as has been stated it works great. I use it in my Hipoint 45 and in a 1911 without any problems. I tumble lube and shoot as cast form 50/50. Great accuracy and NO leading.

[ohiomadman]

I cast that boolit and it shoots great. I shoot them in a 1911 and a ruger 45 colt.

[Richnewcast]

Not sure if I’m getting this right it’s my first posting anywhere. I am not fond of the tumble lube and tried the modified darr lube I made on 44 special and 44 mag. Mostly 44 special to ck leading. Cleanup was normal and accuracy was darn good at 30 ft. If they work at 50 and a hundred yards with normal cleaning I’ll use it instead of the tl. The lee liquid alox smells like gunk and leaves that residue on fingers even when dry. I think keeping the 2 Tbls of stp and slightly higher Vaseline ratio made the wax lube softer. Bullets push out from nose easy and hold lube pretty well. I’ll report back after I shoot a larger test run and I’ll try the 9 mm. The tumble lube works great just don’t like the mess or smell. I used 3 bars of parrafin to 13 oz Vaseline which is a bit low on parrafin ratio but the lube stays in the grooves and seems to work well for pan lubing. One thing I’ve noted in looking at pan lube videos is people who have problems are using stp gas treatment instead of stp oil treatment. If your pan lube is brittle and breaks make sure its oil treatment not gas. Thanks for any replies
I like the looks of this bullet but I don't whether it can be pan lubed or with the lubrisizer.
If it can type of lube do you have to use? I've made up my own formula of Ben's Red, real close anyway.

This is the bullet mold.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/732706/lee-6-cavity-bullet-mold-tl452-230-tc-45-acp-45-auto-rim-45-colt-long-colt-452-diameter-230-grain-tumble-lube-truncated-cone

Looks like this http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/Primary/732/732706.jpg

[Kraschenbirn]

If it were me, I'd go with Lee's other version of that same boolit...with a single conventional lube groove. At 'standard' .45 ACP or .45 LC velocities, either lube will be quite adequate. I cast the RCBS 225 gr. TC for many years, sizing in a Lyman 450 then shifted to T/L and a Lee Push-Thru sizer before going to PC. For my purposes, there was no discernable difference in accuracy or function between T/L and conventional but the T/L was 'smokier' shooting on an indoor range.

Bill

[Wally]

I've had very good results with Lee TL bullets...in the .38, .41, .44, & .45 Calibers. When I first tried them I mistakenly coated my bullets too heavy, which caused a build up in my seating stems. I do find it best to keep to load them up to 1,100 FPS. I would guess that anyone who has tried them may not have had as good of results as I have. I have found them to also be quite accurate: just as good, if not better, then when using conventional lubed bullets.



I would stay as far away from that tl design as possible. No one I know of liked it, no one I know of that had one currently uses one. It was my first mold and I was very happy to see it go. I would stick with the conventional lubed molds in a 9mm.