joeb33050
04-23-2009, 11:26 AM
Lyman Alox Bullet Lube
I had problems with two guns I’m working with, a Savage Striker 308 and a 98 Mauser 308 built by Creighton Audette. After 2-3 fouling shots and 10 record shots in 2 five shot groups, both guns needed cleaning else groups got much larger.
This with 311299, 314299 and 31141; IMR4227, A#9 and A5744.
The trouble was well under way with the Striker in November 2008. After ~13 shots, there was a hard, granular-feeling fouling in the bore. A Lead Away patch allowed me to feel the fouling, it felt like lead feels with a Lead Away patch, but there was no lead on the patch. Cleaning with Marvel Mystery Oil, a Nynex brush and patches took a lot of time and patches.
I checked and cleaned and tried different sizing diameters and overall lengths, but the problem persisted. I noticed that the Lyman Alox Bullet Lube, which I have used exclusively for many years, was of different colors. After putting a new stick in the Lyman 450 Lubrisizer, I noticed that the lube grooves had mostly very dark lube, and some very light lube. Dark brown to tan. As I lubed/sized bullets, there was more light-tan lube in the grooves, and less dark brown lube.
I started working with the Audette rifle in April 2009, and soon found the same problem.
On 4-8-09, 100 yard 5-shot groups:
314299, 16/A#9 314299, 17/A#9
.95” 1.1”
1.5” 1.55”
2.75” clean
clean 1.2”
1.25” 2.35”
2.3” clean
1.3”
I found it hard to believe that the lube was the problem, but in mid-April I cleaned out the Lyman 450 and sizing dies, and later put in Lyman Super Moly.
I pan-lubed some 314299s with Darr lube, loaded them for the Striker and Audette Mauser, and shot them on 4/15/09.
The Striker fired 39 shots, and the four 100 yard 5-shot groups averaged 2.32” with NO cleaning during firing. Cleaning was easy.
The Mauser fired 40 shots, and the seven 100 yard 5 shot groups averaged 1.813”, with cleaning after the third and fifth groups. Cleaning was easy, with a few little lead flakes found.
On 4-22-09 my grandson Frank fired 34 shots with bullets lubed with Lyman Super Moly; without cleaning. Five 5-shot 100 yard groups averaged 2.045”, the gun cleaned easily.
Same day, I shot 34 shots, Moly lube, in the Striker, with no cleaning between groups. For five 5-shot groups, the average group size was 1.93”. Cleaning was easy.
Same day, same Moly lube, I shot 34 shots in a Competitor 30BR pistol. For five 5-shot 100 yard groups the average group size was 1.84” Cleaning was easy.
I certainly can’t prove that the Lyman Alox Bullet Lube was the problem, but so far substituting the Super Moly has made the cleaning/accuracy problem go away.
I’m mailing two tubes of Lyman Alox to Lyman, one dark brown-the other tan. It seems that the light, tan lube has been the problem.
I certainly don’t know that the Lyman Super Moly lube is “the answer”, but I’ll keep working with it.
joe b.
I had problems with two guns I’m working with, a Savage Striker 308 and a 98 Mauser 308 built by Creighton Audette. After 2-3 fouling shots and 10 record shots in 2 five shot groups, both guns needed cleaning else groups got much larger.
This with 311299, 314299 and 31141; IMR4227, A#9 and A5744.
The trouble was well under way with the Striker in November 2008. After ~13 shots, there was a hard, granular-feeling fouling in the bore. A Lead Away patch allowed me to feel the fouling, it felt like lead feels with a Lead Away patch, but there was no lead on the patch. Cleaning with Marvel Mystery Oil, a Nynex brush and patches took a lot of time and patches.
I checked and cleaned and tried different sizing diameters and overall lengths, but the problem persisted. I noticed that the Lyman Alox Bullet Lube, which I have used exclusively for many years, was of different colors. After putting a new stick in the Lyman 450 Lubrisizer, I noticed that the lube grooves had mostly very dark lube, and some very light lube. Dark brown to tan. As I lubed/sized bullets, there was more light-tan lube in the grooves, and less dark brown lube.
I started working with the Audette rifle in April 2009, and soon found the same problem.
On 4-8-09, 100 yard 5-shot groups:
314299, 16/A#9 314299, 17/A#9
.95” 1.1”
1.5” 1.55”
2.75” clean
clean 1.2”
1.25” 2.35”
2.3” clean
1.3”
I found it hard to believe that the lube was the problem, but in mid-April I cleaned out the Lyman 450 and sizing dies, and later put in Lyman Super Moly.
I pan-lubed some 314299s with Darr lube, loaded them for the Striker and Audette Mauser, and shot them on 4/15/09.
The Striker fired 39 shots, and the four 100 yard 5-shot groups averaged 2.32” with NO cleaning during firing. Cleaning was easy.
The Mauser fired 40 shots, and the seven 100 yard 5 shot groups averaged 1.813”, with cleaning after the third and fifth groups. Cleaning was easy, with a few little lead flakes found.
On 4-22-09 my grandson Frank fired 34 shots with bullets lubed with Lyman Super Moly; without cleaning. Five 5-shot 100 yard groups averaged 2.045”, the gun cleaned easily.
Same day, I shot 34 shots, Moly lube, in the Striker, with no cleaning between groups. For five 5-shot groups, the average group size was 1.93”. Cleaning was easy.
Same day, same Moly lube, I shot 34 shots in a Competitor 30BR pistol. For five 5-shot 100 yard groups the average group size was 1.84” Cleaning was easy.
I certainly can’t prove that the Lyman Alox Bullet Lube was the problem, but so far substituting the Super Moly has made the cleaning/accuracy problem go away.
I’m mailing two tubes of Lyman Alox to Lyman, one dark brown-the other tan. It seems that the light, tan lube has been the problem.
I certainly don’t know that the Lyman Super Moly lube is “the answer”, but I’ll keep working with it.
joe b.