greasy, sticky ammo

[targetshootr]

Along with the used equipment I bought when I got started was some blue and red Angel lube and about a dozen sticks of a light lime-colored lube in cardboard tubes. I tried some of the lime stuff tonight and it went on easily enough with not a lot of heat, but I got grease everywhere, on my hands, the bullets and the cases. Anybody know what brand it might be? I had the easiest time with the blue Angel till it ran out but the red stuff also wound up everywhere. I'm using a Star sizer with an unknown brand heater plate which I unplug once the lube will flow. So far I've only cast bunches of 429421, my only mold so far.

Just read about SPG(?) lube which I might try if it got good reviews here.

[Bucks Owin]

As much as I like Carnuba Red as far as the bore goes, it too leaves you feeling like you've handled pitchy pine all day at the end of a session, on your hands, on the sizer handle, oozing out of the tool because of the heat needed to soften it...
(It ends up all over my chrono too)

But the bore looks great!

Dennis

[9.3X62AL]

My size/lube work has all been done with the Lyman system. Yeah, they get lube on places you'd rather not have it, and leak a little. I've learned to live with it, and with the exposed lube grooves on some cartridges that are absolute dust and grit magnets. I use plastic cartridge boxes frequently, and during the reloading process I wipe down excess lube that gets on places it doesn't belong--whether that is on the sizer, the boolits, or the loaded rounds. A bit of a PITA, but it's a damn sight cheeper than buying J-words for the 9.3mm and 45 caliber rifles.

[targetshootr]

Yea, I need to wipe it off everything and it's soft enough that it may not need to be heated. Here's a pic of the mystery lube. As long as it doesn't melt before firing will it be ok in mild 44s?

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/targetshootr/Im002490.jpg

[fecmech]

As long as you have a heater try some of the Magma hard lube ($11./lb 9 sticks I think) or Rooster Zambini or HVR (more expensive). The Magma works fine for me at all Pistol velocities and fine in my .357 rifle at 1650 fps. No stickies on you or the gun. I gave up on the soft lubes for handguns years ago, just too darn messy. Nick

[targetshootr]

I just called Magna and ordered some. Can I melt this soft stuff and add something to it to make it useable?

[lovedogs]

Targetshootr... My advice would be to forget the SPG. Try some of LAR45's lube. He's a site member who makes really good lube and sells it for a very reasonable price. I won't use any other. Take a look at www.lsstuff.com/lube You'll like it.

As far as the mess I don't know what to tell ya. I use a Saeco luber and Larsen's lube and don't have what I'd call any mess. Whatever I do get into comes off with soap and water. Someone mentioned stickiness as with pine pitch. Some things like pine pitch and other plant-based things can easily be loosened with Crisco and then washed off with soap and water. Or you could use the one that covers most everything... Go-jo. You can buy good hand cleaners at most any parts or hardware store.

[fecmech]

I just called Magna and ordered some. Can I melt this soft stuff and add something to it to make it useable?

Targetshooter--If I were in your situation I'd use the lube in the cigar box for flux or give it to someone who would want it. My plan would be clean out the sizer, add the new Magma lube and go from there. Good luck whatever you choose to do. Nick

[cherok9878]

I second the use of LAR45's lube. I have pushed cast boolits (GC) to over 2000 fps and the bore looks like a mirror. As long as I can get this lube at the reasonable price I will use nothing else. Good product from a honest man.

[Thin Man]

targetshootr,

Are you sure that those tubes contain lube? Just looking at the color of the cases makes me wonder if they could be dynamite that has taken a "set" after getting exposed to changes in temperature. The guys around here would love to get some of those. We use them for fishing, call 'em the "Hercules Hookless".......

Thank Man

[targetshootr]

Hmm, it never occurred to me it could be TNT but since l made it home from the range today l must be ok. Coulda been an explosive discovery, eh. Reminds me of the guy carping about his fishing buddy using dynamite when a stick lands in his lap and his buddy says, 'you gonna fish or talk?'

The guy at Magma said l might be able to mix the soft stuff with some kind of candle wax to make it more useable but he seemed to be guessing.

[StarMetal]

targetshooter,

If I were going to harden it up I'd use beeswax. Not that paraffin wax wouldn't make it hard, I feel beeswax would add to the quality of the lube.

Joe

[targetshootr]

Thanks Joe. What percentage would you mix it, 50-50?

[slughammer]

Start lower when blending. Let it harden and then check it. You can always add more. I've used church candles to stiffen soft lube before, said beeswax on them, but no idea what the percentage was.

Or keep the soft stuff. I use the hard stuff in the star and the soft stuff in the Lyman 450. The Lyman is for rifle boolits and small runs of others. The star is for big runs of pistol boolits.

I use blue angel and red angel with equal results. With any lube once you go past a certain point of adding heat it runs all over and it takes a looong time to cool down.

[targetshootr]

Sounds like a plan. The blue Magma lube came today and it's working very well. I'll find some beeswax and mix it with the soft stuff one day soon.