Getting ready to tumble with Allox

[ghh3rd]

I have a bottle of Lee Allox that says it will lubricate approx. 1000 boolits. I've read about mixing it (50/50?) with something, but don't know what. Is the advantage of mixing financial or other?

Thanks,

Randy

[Ole]

Mineral spirits/paint thinner is what you want to mix it with.

RE: the lube itself: Less is better. I used way too much lube on my first batch of bullets. I used about 1/3rd as much on my second batch, and they came out a lot better.

You'll need to put the tube of lube in a glass of hot water to thin it, even if you don't cut it with paint thinner.

[Shiloh]

Mineral Spirits.

It dries better thinned. Flows better and seems to coat more consistanly also.
A thin coat is all that is needed. Problems arise when it goes on to thick.

Shiloh

[ghh3rd]

So would something like an old dinner plate be good? Do you spread a layer of lube out and just roll the bullets back and forth until it's in all of the grooves? What's the best way to tell that you are doing it correctly?

Thanks

[supv26]

I use a plastic coffee jug and roll them around in it. I put a handful of boolits in it and a couple of drops of LLA and tumble. I keep adding boolits and a few drops of LLA and do that until I am finished. I lubed about 1500 boolits and only used about a half a bottle of LLA.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e300/supv26/GUNS/100_2092.jpg
The one's on the left have no lube, the ones on the right got two coats. I let them dry for 24 hours between coats.

[Tweaker]

between coats.

How many coats?

I thought it was a one and dun deal.

[snaggdit]

I only do one coat. I use a ice cream bucket. Add the boolits, add the LLA and swirl them around. I look for even coating (not necessarily filling) in the lube grooves. I add more LLA in small increments until this seems coated then call it good. I spread them out on wax paper so they aren't touching each other and let them dry overnight. I asked this forum a few weeks ago if after loading you can wipe off the exposed radius of the boolit, and most said they do. I do now as well. I just use a rag with lacuer thinner. Shines back up the brass, too, and removes any stickiness after loading.

[Sprue]

Just put your fresh boolits into a plastic bowl (100-150). Add 15 drops or so and swirl them around till they all look coated.

Either leave them in the bowl (my choice) or dump 'em out on wax paper or something. Give 'em a couple tosses with in 24 hours and load them up. Don't worry about standing them up, just leave them lay till dry. Actually they won't dry all the way, they will be a tad tacky but nothing to haggle about.

I handle them as least as possible.

These are the bowls that I use. They are take home Salad Bowls from a restaurant the little women gets somewhere 'round here.

Again, only lube 100-150 at a time (works good for me). I never cut the Alox with anything. Just heat it up in hot water till thinned and apply.

Everyone does things differently. You'll develope your own methods once you get hang of it. Good Luck!

One more thing, lube them in a well ventilated area. I do mine in the garage.


http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh266/spilihp_2007/IMG_1980.jpg

[jdgabbard]

I've never heated alox up. Of course I tend to use more then these guys. I kinda drizzle my close the lid and swirl.

I use a tuperware bowl with lid.

[snaggdit]

I don't heat either, and I am a drizzler.

[mooman76]

I use a plastic 1# butter tub. Then I keep the lid on it til next time I use it and the new LLA added will mix with the dried and that way I get no waist.

[Cloudpeak]

And another tip: I size with a Lee push through sizer first and then tumble lube. I spray a very light coat of Hornady One Shot case lube on a "Cool Whip" container full of bullets and swirl around then size and then tumble lube (warmed LLA mixe with 10% low odor mineral spririts) and pour out on wax paper taped to the work bench to dry. I did three, 3 lb. coffee cans of 45 200gr SWC this am:D

Cloudpeak

[Sprue]

You know the ole saying about cleanliness......


http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh266/spilihp_2007/38BulletsandLoadedAmmo2crop.jpg

[jdgabbard]

Sprue...quit giving me envy...

[44mag1]

I put my bullets in a gallon ziploc add LLA then close it and squish in my hands. this way I feel like I got lube on all of them and dont get it all over my hands.

[Critr]

I shoot Cowboy Action almost every week, and so shoot several thousand rounds each year:Fire:. I was putting one thin coat on my bullets, and started getting leading in my Rugers (guess I was being a bit stingy with the alox[smilie=1:). Started putting on 2 thin coats, and voila, no more leading.:mrgreen:

I don't know how many bullets a bottle will do, but it goes a long ways and beats any other way of lubing (fast, no equipment involved). As to number of bullets, it sure takes a lot more to do 45 Colt bullets than it does 38s.

:castmine:

[Cloudpeak]

I tried to keep an accurate count of primers used (by the thousand count) over the last 5 or 6 years since I started actively shooting pistols and reloading again. I've loaded around 27,000 rounds of lead bullets in 9, 40 & 45 and have around 18,000 9mm and 45 bullets lubed. For these bullets, I used the four, 4 oz containers of LLA that came with the four push through sizing dies.

I ran out and just received two, 32 oz jugs of White Label Lube "Liquid Xlox". Hmmmm, that should last me awhile[smilie=1:

Cloudpeak