Lars "Carnuba Red"....WOW!

[Bucks Owin]

Hi gang,

With the arrival of my long backordered .430" size die for the ol' 450 recently, I went on a handloading extravaganza with some various cast boolits. Lee 310 GC, RCBS 250K PB and 225 GC....

Since I could now use my lubrisizer with .44 loads, I also had the opportunity to lube boolits with some "Carnuba Red" that I had ordered from Lars. My main .44 test vehicle is my old 10" Ruger Flattop who's bore is best described as "not quite match quality" in regard to roughness. (eg machine marks) It has never appreciated unsized and LLA lubed boolits (nor does my M29-2 for that matter) and though it grouped them accurately, (unlike the 8.375" M29-2!!!) it retaliated by leaving me with a long and difficult "deleading" after a couple dozen rounds.....

I'm here to say that Lars "C. Red" is a superb lube! After yesterday's marathon of 150 rds at velocities from 1150 to 1550 fps, I couldn't find a SINGLE TRACE of lead in ol' Betsy's bore even though I saved the 50 rds of PB boolits for last....

So here's my public endorsment (FWIW) of Lars lube. Excellent stuff!

Dennis

(If I have one teeny tiny gripe about it I would say it's the somewhat sticky film residue that eventually worked it's way into the base pin and made the cylinder slightly "sluggish" to turn. No biggie, I'll trade that for a lead free bore in a heartbeat!)

[swampmaster]

Did you have to use a heater with the red?

[Bucks Owin]

Did you have to use a heater with the red?

Yes I did pal. It's pretty "heavy" stuff, at least at around 65 degrees which is as warm as we've had so far.....

Dennis

[Johnch]

I also use Lars Carnuba Red .
I love it .

I have to use a heater .

Johnch

[David R]

OK, I have been using the stuff for a while. I do it different. I mix 2 sticks red with one stick of his 50/50 for a softer but still red lube. I use it in everything from 38s, 44s, 45s, 308, 30'06 at 2200 and 22-250s at 2684 fps. NO LEAD. Service is excellent.

That is all I need to say.

David

[357maximum]

Lars carnuba red is in my opinion THEE BEST lube for demanding velocities that I have ever used. I have tried to duplicate it, but after MANY attemps I still fall just short of it in the velocity ceiling. He has some wicked voodoo there folks. I even tried talking him into changing the name to voodoo, but he did not bite. YET

[jballs918]

where do you all get this stuff from. i looked it up on the internet no luck. thanks guys

[Johnch]

where do you all get this stuff from. i looked it up on the internet no luck. thanks guys
Here is the Link (http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/) to his site I have saved .

Johnch

[motorcycle_dan]

While on the topic of Lube and what it has and does.,,,, I purchased a bunch of casting equipment used. In a box of stuff I found a bunch of this hollow stick lube. See picture. I use a Star Luber sizer so don't need the hollow tubes. Any of the old timers recognize the name brand?
Micro-Lube of Micro Enterprises, Akela and or Deming, New Mexico

[Buckshot]

..................Yup, that's good lube. Another that has disappeared that was the darling of many is Lithi-Bee, which was lithium grease based stuff.

..................Buckshot

[krems]

Hello,
I'm interested in this "Carnuba Red" lube. Can anyone compare its performance to LBT blue soft lube. I've been fighting a slight leading problem with a 500 linebaugh at 900-1000 fps loads. Bullets are .512" which is a tight fit in the cylinder and 1-2 thou oversiz to the barrel. Bullets are cast w/ WW. I may have to experiment w/ different lubes. Thanks in advance

Krems

[waksupi]

Hello,
I'm interested in this "Carnuba Red" lube. Can anyone compare its performance to LBT blue soft lube. I've been fighting a slight leading problem with a 500 linebaugh at 900-1000 fps loads. Bullets are .512" which is a tight fit in the cylinder and 1-2 thou oversiz to the barrel. Bullets are cast w/ WW. I may have to experiment w/ different lubes. Thanks in advance

Krems

Welcome aboard, Krems. I wonder how hard your bullets are? You shouldn't be having leading problems at that velocity, with your bullet fit.

[MT Gianni]

For me the question remains accuracy. I have tried several lubes that don't lead but lube affects accuracy. I am still using FWFL aqnd have supplies to do so for the next 1/2 million rounds or so. How is Lars lube at high velocity accuracy is what I believe you should be asking. I hear it's good, but that is what you should test for rather than lack of leading. My 2 cents. Gianni.

[Bass Ackward]

Hello,
I'm interested in this "Carnuba Red" lube. Can anyone compare its performance to LBT blue soft lube. I've been fighting a slight leading problem with a 500 linebaugh at 900-1000 fps loads. Bullets are .512" which is a tight fit in the cylinder and 1-2 thou oversiz to the barrel. Bullets are cast w/ WW. I may have to experiment w/ different lubes. Thanks in advance

Krems


Krems,

LBT Blue Soft is a lanolin based lube that is probably much more slipery than the Carnuba Red that is an Alox based. I consider the LBT BLue soft to be a very good hot weather lube, and not for crap in cold / freezing weather.

From all your dimensions and information on lube to mix, I would say that you have something mechanical as an issue. Has the gun been broken in with several hundred jacketed first?

[krems]

Hello again.......(sorry to hijack the post)
I've been shooting WW mix bullets for most of my handguns for many years. I've owned this Linebaugh 500 for 9 years or so and it has never fired a jacketed bullet. I did notice that I'm getting a slight bit of leading in the cylinder throats. I also have been firing bullets cast within a week so hardness could be less than expected. I'm using an expander die of .510" but w/ springback the dimension at the mouth is about .509" (starline brass). With a .512" bullet the accuracy is good to excellent but I have gotten some unusual heavy leading at times. I've eliminated the ww231, Tightgroup, powders because of leading and lead smearing on the front of the cylinder. The best powders so far have been unique and IMR 4756. The leading in the breach end is very difficult to get out.

I may have discovered a cause for the leading. I pulled a couple of bullets from the case and noticed after seating/pulling that the diameter has been squeezed down from .512" to .511"/.5105" so I may actually be firing a smaller diameter bullet than planned.

What do you guys think.....Should I try a new lube, .513" bullet, harder bullet, or slower powder. Any help would be appreciated. I'll keep you posted. Thanks!!

Krems

[Bass Ackward]

What do you guys think.....Should I try a new lube, .513" bullet, harder bullet, or slower powder. Any help would be appreciated. I'll keep you posted. Thanks!!

Krems

Krems,

Well it sounds like you can answer your own question by the variables you list.

From my testing of lubes, they are a means to an end and not a panacea.

You need a harder bullet to stop sizing when seating that's for sure. Because unless you just want to shoot soft bullets, I would not changing my expander die setup to lessen neck tension in case the day comes when you need it.

And a slower powder is going to create less pressure putting less requirements on your lube.

And it simply could be that your brass is work hardening too much now or is not properly annealed. This should also be looked at. Older / harder brass can cause you problems with softer bullets.

So you have a few ways to go that the path is your choice.

[JudgeBAC]

I just received my shipment of Carnuba Red and 50/50. Not sure which to use first. But my initial question is What tricks do yall use to get all of the old lube out of my Lyman 450? I know the first step is to remove the stick of lube in the sizer but what about all the other lube? Any thoughts will be appreciated.

[Denver]

I just received my shipment of Carnuba Red and 50/50. Not sure which to use first. But my initial question is What tricks do yall use to get all of the old lube out of my Lyman 450? I know the first step is to remove the stick of lube in the sizer but what about all the other lube? Any thoughts will be appreciated.

Judge;

Best way I found was to disassemble the sizer, put the whole thing in a pot of water and boil the crap out of it. The old lube will float to the top and will reharden when the water cools. Skim it off and recover your now "squeaky clean" parts. :Fire:

[JudgeBAC]

Thanks Denver. Never would of thought of doing that. I will definately try it out.

[Dale53]

Denver has suggested a good way to clean a lube/sizer of old lube. Another way is to put the lube/sizer in a throw-away box and use a hair driyer on it. It will melt all lube into the box (you need to first remove the die).

Then, using either method, you can start fresh.

Dale53

[Bucks Owin]

I stripped mine down to the bare casting and threw it in the woodstove overnight! Fished it out next morning, blew it off with compressed air and gave it a new paintjob. New O-rings and it's now like new again....

Dennis

BTW, I found out that O-rings from the hardware store are a little too "fat". The genuine Lyman rings are cheap and service is fast...

[lar45]

Krems,

LBT Blue Soft is a lanolin based lube that is probably much more slipery than the Carnuba Red that is an Alox based.

Correction here. Carnauba Red does not have any Alox in it. It is 100% non-toxic and smells pretty good also. Carnauba Red is a semi-hard lube that needs to be around 90-100 F to flow.
It's $1.10 per stick in zip lock bags or $1.35 per stick in clear plastic tubes.

http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/pics/hs-02.jpg

An easy way to clean out your luber, is take it apart to get the plastic or rubber parts off of it. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and set the luber body on it, blocked up so everything will run out. Put in the oven at around 200 F and come back in 30 min. The old lube will harden and can be peeled off the tin foil.
I use a thrift store Iron on a longer steel mounting plate to warm the luber. (read $3.50 lube heater)

I don't get over here as often as I'd like to and just found this thread.
If anyone would like a sample of lube to try, just email me your address to sales@lsstuff.com with an informative subject line so it doesn't get passed over.

I'm now makeing 4 different lubes. The Carnauba Red for high velocity, needs heat to around 90-100 F. A regular 50-50 Alox lube and a stiffer Alox lube, Alox 2500+, and now I have my Black Powder lube going, BPCR Supreme.

Any comments or suggestions, good or bad are much appreciated.

When time permits, I'm going to be working on a softer, no-heat, version of the Carnauba Red. I may be borrowing some ideas from 357 Max for a self cleaning lube if possible.

Thank you for your kind words and financial support.
Glenn.
www.lsstuff.com/lube or whitelabellube on ebay
If you buy from ebay, let me know your from the cast boolit site as I tend to send extra to board members if I recognize your handle.