The more I use Lee Liquid Alox...

[armoredman]

...the more I think a nice thing to have would be a lubrisizer. I see Midway has them for $175 or so, too rich right now, but what is the general favorite here? Do I need a heated one? Most common lubes fit them?
Just curious at this point, I'll be using LLA for quite a while before I can afford a lubrisizer.
Thanks for any replies. :)

[dromia]

Firstly look for second hand ones that can save you a lot of dosh, the Lyman and the RCBS are both good but the RCBS warranty is cast iron. Good to have when buying second hand.

For most lubes you don't need a heater and you can use home sourced heat, light bulb, hair dryer, mount the siver on a metal plate with room at the back to sit a small iron.

I have 9 lubesizers and two have heat, the Carnauba Red one and the LBT Blue one.

Yes most common lubes will fit, to fill mine I prefer to melt the lube and pour it into the sizer.

Xlox is good but I shoot far more lubed than Xloxed boolits, I mainly shoot rifle. As well as giving you the options of using a wide variety of lubes I like the lubing, sizing, gascheck fitting in one operation that lubesizers give you.

If you are shooting lots of boolits of one calibre and one size then you may want to consider a Star, for volume sizing and lubing there is no peer. However of you are sizing lubing small batches (2-300 boolits) for muliple calibres and sizes then the RCBS and Lymans are easier to swap. or you can go my route and buy multiple sizers. You will get quiete a few RCBS and Lyman sizers at second hand prices for the cost of a Star, obviously bench space is a consideration here.

[Bret4207]

The only reason I need any heat on my 3 sizers is because my gun room is unheated! I simply point and old blow drier at the sizer, keeps my hands from going numb too.

My choices would be RCBS, Lyman 45, Lyman 450, Lyman 4500 in that order. I have little experience with the SAECO/Redding but most guys stick with the far more avaialble RCBS/Lyman.

[Recluse]

Dromia said it pretty much word for word what I was planning on offering.

Only thing I'd add, however, is I'd urge you to do a little experimenting with adding JPW to your LLA. As you're in Arizona where viscosity isn't a problem, try either a 50/50 blend (after you've cooked off some of the JPW solvents), or I'd even try a 40% LLA / 60% JPW blend.

I'll virtually guarantee you that you'll be far happier with this blend than you will be using LLA straight out of the bottle.

:coffee:

[skimmerhead]

i have 2 lyman 45's one with carnuba red, the other with bac, all told i think i paid 110.00 for em. one i bought on this site the other i bought on e-bay, they have em on e-bay for sale.

skimmerhead :cbpour:

[fatelk]

Recluse is absolutely right. I use the JPW/Alox lube on the few bullets I still tumble lube. It works so much better for me.

I load .40 S&W for my Glock. My Lee molds drop way too big, so I size them in a push through sizer. Sizing from .405 to .401 nearly wipes out the grooves, so I can't lube them in my Lyman 45. I apply a very thin layer of JPW/LLA, size them, then apply another thin layer, and they work great. No die build-up, no barrel leading. If I had it to do over again, though, I would just get the regular non-TL mold so I could lube-size in the Lyman.

Tumble lubing works great for a lot of folks, and that's the only way I did it for many years until I found an old used lube-sizer. I personally prefer the lube-sizer method. It just seems cleaner and neater; more precise.

Watch around at gun shops, shows, ebay, or the trader here. You often see older used sizers for well under $100, if not half that occasionally. My Lyman 45 was cheap because it had a broken shaft. After some pathetic attempts at welding it, I found out that replacement parts from Lyman are actually pretty cheap.:)

[Recluse]

Tumble lubing works great for a lot of folks, and that's the only way I did it for many years until I found an old used lube-sizer. I personally prefer the lube-sizer method. It just seems cleaner and neater; more precise.

Yep, I agree.

I have some boolits that I just flat prefer to tumble lube regardless of what kind of lube grooves they have. My .38 Special 148gr WCs are a good example as are my Lee 105SWC in .358. My numero uno boolit, however, is a true TL design and it comes from my Lee two-banger .358 TL158SWC.

DANG! I cast that boolit with just a bit extra tin for fillout on the bands, water-drop it for the extra hardness as I often load it to +P velocities (and it's not a g/c boolit), run it through the .358 Lee push-through sizer and lemme tell ya, it's a beautiful thing to shoot.

I also picked up another Lyman 45 from Jeff (Madcaster) a couple of years before he passed away. He sold it to me for something ridiculous like $45 including shipping and, for those who remember Jeff, he tossed in a bunch of extra stuff that I use every single time I'm at my bench--and one of the tools he tossed in makes me think of him every single time I touch it. We lost a good one in Jeff. God rest his soul. . .

Point is, you can pick up a Lyman 45 relatively cheap. If you're handy, they're easy to clean up and refurbish. Cheese up in South Dakota has done several of the things and he's an artist. Shoot him a PM and he'll send you pictures. Great stuff.

I like the Lyman 45. It's simple, sturdy, easy to change dies and top punches and I made a heater for it. I simply cut out a rectangle from a tin cookie sheet I got from The Dollar Store and bolted it down on my bench. I then went to Walmart and found a cheap ten-dollar iron. I plug the iron in, set it on the tin strip that is bolted underneath the Lyman 45 and in half an hour, everything is nice and toasty and the lube flows with ease.

But in the meantime, seriously, try blending a little JPW in with that LLA. I think you'll instantly note a significant difference.

:coffee:

[armoredman]

"JPW" I use the LLA pretty lightly as is.
Hmm, gonna have to start squirreling away some pennies here and there for a lubrisizer, as the LLA is messy and long, but very easy. Probably end up buying one here - I trust you guys more than my local gunshop!

[mooman76]

What is your problem with LLA? Not trying to talk you out of it but there are some better ways to apply and use. I Use both. I bought a 450 because I got tired of LLA but I find myself still using LLA at times as it suits me.

[armoredman]

The only issue I have is setting them out to dry all night. I have to use gloves, stuff take GoJo to get off! I'd like to be done with it in one fell swoop.

[Bret4207]

Set them in front of a fan, I've lubed and shot them within an hour. If they're still tacky dust them with mica or graphite or cornstarch.

[mooman76]

The only issue I have is setting them out to dry all night. I have to use gloves, stuff take GoJo to get off! I'd like to be done with it in one fell swoop.

If this is your issue then you are best off getting a sizer. Save some money and start watching for a good used one here or at a gunshow.

[94Doug]

...and if you keep your eyes open, (or put up a "wanted" ad) you can still pick up a nice old 45 Lyman for around $50. They are good for a starter, and if you start changing lubes, you may end up with 3 or 4 of them.

Doug

[Cowboy T]

I tumble-lube all of my boolits, and most of 'em are the traditional lube groove type. So far, it's worked very well for me, all the way from powder-puff .38 Special loads all the way to Magnum-level .45 Long Colts. Among the boolits I use is that 358-105gr SWC mentioned earlier--great little boolit.

My method for TL'ing a bunch of boolits (I do batches of 1,000 to 2000 at a time) is to put about 300-400 boolits into an empty 5-qt plastic ice-cream tub. You know, the one that's shaped like a pail? Put on some latex gloves like you get in 150-packs from your local drugstore. Drizzle some liquid Alox over your boolits and start mixin' like you're mixin' bread dough. Spread on wax paper to let dry overnight. Next morning, I have 1000-2000 boolits ready to load up and go shootin' with! Life is good. :-)

BTW, those latex gloves are pretty cheap, and I usually get a couple of uses out of them.

[Mark Daiute]

I smile every time I use my Lyman 45 lubrisizer. I paid 5 bucks for it and I like it better than my 450. The 450, by the way, cost me the princely sum of 40 bucks. my first used 450 cost me 20 bucks. I passed it on to my buddy.

I just love those used lubriszers!

[armoredman]

I have a quesrtion, then, I have been carefully placing my LLA lubed boolits upright to dry overnight on the wax paper, that is what kills the back - I know, I need to rais the platform, working on it. :)
Do others who use LLA not do this?

[lawhetzel]

I tumble-lube all of my boolits, and most of 'em are the traditional lube groove type. So far, it's worked very well for me, all the way from powder-puff .38 Special loads all the way to Magnum-level .45 Long Colts. Among the boolits I use is that 358-105gr SWC mentioned earlier--great little boolit.

My method for TL'ing a bunch of boolits (I do batches of 1,000 to 2000 at a time) is to put about 300-400 boolits into an empty 5-qt plastic ice-cream tub. You know, the one that's shaped like a pail? Put on some latex gloves like you get in 150-packs from your local drugstore. Drizzle some liquid Alox over your boolits and start mixin' like you're mixin' bread dough. Spread on wax paper to let dry overnight. Next morning, I have 1000-2000 boolits ready to load up and go shootin' with! Life is good. :-)

BTW, those latex gloves are pretty cheap, and I usually get a couple of uses out of them.

I have never found it necessary to stand my bullets up to dry. The alox seems to cling pretty evenly on its own. I do admit that run most all of my bullets through the Lee sizer (the ones with checks), but not most of my plain ones unless the application has proven to require a particular sized bullet. I also apply a second coat of alox after sizing. I do not run such large batches as Cowboy T so I never get the alox on my hands. I do not think that it is messy at all. After they are dry, I sprinkle talc on them and give them another tumble and there is no stickiness at all.

[fryboy]

i was ummm fortunate , i got a lubrasizer first and while i did give the LLA more than ye olde college try i really didnt care for it ( even when it worked ) the mess and stickiness combined with the way it ummm uglified my pretty new boolits combined with the dry time .... fast forward a few years and a couple of more lubrasizers in the stable and the ever growing collection of LLA that came with the sizing dies and then i found this site ...more specifically recluse's recipe for 45/45/10 .... it's a good thing that my prior experience with it didnt close my mind to it or i'd of never tried it , better by way !! the pro's and con's of course are left for us to decide , as for standing up ....i do ( that's my con ) many dont but i found if i have a lil too much then it puddles on the down side ( see that pretty boolit part lolz ) Recluse's recipe and warm boolits dries really quick even on our humid days , much faster than the 24+ hrs (around here) it took the LLA straight to ( and often not even then - and yes it was thin ) some guys have had good luck with JPW straight but IMHO the mix has the best of both without all the bad and yes sir it works ( and has also impressed a couple of fellow loaders ! gotta be a reason why ;) )

[liljohnnie]

There is always pan lubing. Call Lars,i bet he would ship you some lube in block form if you asked him real nice. :bigsmyl2:

[les265]

I put an ad on Craig's List under that wanted section asking for a lube/sizer. Got a response from a guy who had a lyman 450. I got the 450 with a .452 sizing die plus 60 lbs of lead ingots for $90.00.

Since that time, I picked up a used Star. It is nice, but I am still on the learning curve with it.

As far as lubes go, I bought Lar's BAC which works well with no heat, but I think I am going to switch to Carnauba Red in the Star because I just ordered a heater. I like the BAC, but it is a little sticky. I still use the Alox on one Ranch Dog mould that I have. It works well, but it is a little bit messy and time consuming.

[Bret4207]

I have a quesrtion, then, I have been carefully placing my LLA lubed boolits upright to dry overnight on the wax paper, that is what kills the back - I know, I need to rais the platform, working on it. :)
Do others who use LLA not do this?

I've never even tried that. I just dump them on a sheet of newspaper of something and leave them. I'm sizing them usually and the excess is gone before seating. If shooting as cast and no over sized sizer available it's more of a mess. Rolling them helps.

[timkelley]

Armoredman, Dump your boolits in/on a paper plate. Rattle them around after a couple hours (I use a putty knife) to help them dry.
You can accelerate the drying process with a little heat, a blow dryer or heat gun works nicely.

[armoredman]

Hmm, no wonder it's been a PITA. I'll try that next.

[82nd airborne]

You can do ALOT to make LLA work well, even at considerable velocities. Dont give up yet.

[nes4ever69]

only one caliber i stand up, but usually is around 20-30 bullets. my 9mm rounds, no way. having 100-300 will take up to much room and way to much time. lube'em up, toss'em on wax paper, try to level out the heaping pile call it good.

[Cowboy T]

@Iawhetzel: agreed, I don't stand up my boolits to dry, either. I just let 'em lie flat as they are. Haven't used the talc powder, but heard about it from plenty of others. Letting them sit out on a warm, sunny day also helps.

[armoredman]

I've been swirling them in an old Tuperware bowl, (my sainted mother would gasp at what I did with her old bowl), and then letting them dry upright, usually 50-75 at a time. I thought they had to be stood up to allow the liquid alox to gather in the lube bands, and not run off to one side while drying.
I'll try this other method soon, thanks, guys.

[fryboy]

u have to recall that the liquid lubes ( no matter the brand ) cover the whole boolit quite often with a hard lube what isnt used will still be in the groove with regular lubes , it's the bearing points that need the lube and IMHO this is where the liquid and coated lubes shine ( by coated think barnes blue and the various moly's and paints ) this is also partly why lee made the tumble lubes , and the various liquid lubes work just as well on the TL designs as the conventional lube groove designs

[cattleskinner]

I feel like the lazy one around here. I just size the boolits through a push through die, and place about 50-60 in a ziplock sandwich baggy. Drizzle some LLA on top, seal the bag and knead it. Once they are coated, I open the bag to let air get to it and set the bag off to the side. About an hour later, I'll close the bag up and knead for a little longer, open and set off to the side. I do about 3 times of kneading, and then leave it open to dry for a few hours. Just as a note, I knead the bag a couple times just so it will rub any of the "pooled" up stuff on some boolits onto the rest of them for an even finished coat. I agree though, that Lubrisizer is tempting at times.

[CiDirkona]

I tumble most of my boolits in JPW/LLA in a square plastic tub and then pour them onto a plastic grocery bag on the table. They're dry in about 15 minutes, so I size and tumble lube them again. The only time they're sticky and wet is while they're tumbling or drying -- and only the bin and bag touch them wet. I don't bother standing them up, and with the way the JPW/LLA coats the boolits consistently, I haven't found a need to.

Granted, I'd still love to get a lubrisizer some day...

Btw, I do 700-1000 this way at a time.

[Markbo]

....I have 9 lubesizers and two have heat, the Carnauba Red one and the LBT Blue one....

Yessir, anyone with that many of one thing has tipped a little over the edge! I'd sure like to see some pics of that reloading room (barn?) to see how many multiples of anything else you have too! :smile:

[Yosemite Sam]

If you have a used Lyman 45, etc. w/o a heater, try using a flexible heater (Grainger part #4GY26) currently on sale for about $12. You can fit it right under the lube sizer when you bolt it to the bench. You will also have to wire a cord and plug onto it, but that's easy enough.

[Artful]

Markbo - I just have 3 sizers but it can be handy if you use multiple lube's - I have RCBS and Lyman 450 and a star - the Star is for production pistol bullet use - RCBS is pistol and rifle with different lube than the Lyman which is also psitol or rifle. I also have a few lee push thru dies for when I don't think I'm going to be doing a lot of a certain size.

[7of7]

When I use LLA, I have a small 1 qt container.. I fill half way with boolits, then warm with a heat gun, add some LLA, and just roll it in my hands for a few minutes...
Then they go in a tub, and I use the exhaust from my shopvac to cool them,,, does a great job.
I am getting a lubrisizer though... getting tired of the additional stuff for the LLA use.

[1bluehorse]

Boy I sure don't see where dumping a bunch of bullets into a baggie or container, squirt in some alox, swirl around, dump out on wax paper and wait to dry is any where near as hard or time consuming as using a sizer..especially if you're going to do more than one caliber. Alox is about as easy as it gets.

[lawhetzel]

I am getting a lubrisizer though... getting tired of the additional stuff for the LLA use.

Like 1bluehorse says, tumble lubing is about as easy as it gets. I am not sure what "additional stuff" you are talking about. A sizer or two, expensive sizing dies, top punches, a half a dozen different lubes, heaters, etc. Now, that sounds like a lot of unnecessary money and "additional stuff" to me.

[patsher]

armoredman, under the Boolit Lube ! section is a GREAT "sticky" entitled Tumble Lubing--Made Easy & Mess-Free. It explains how to make and use this mixture using JPW (Johnson's Paste Wax) and mineral spirits and Lee Liquid Alox. It is really well written, and has lots of photos explaining everything. (And then lots of other folks' variations on the same theme).

All I know is, it sure saved MY bacon regarding tumble lubing. Now it is so fast and easy, and they dry MUCH, MUCH faster than using LLA straight. AND, the bullets aren't sticky anymore!

And no, I don't stand my bullets up on end. Just swirl around like it shows, dump em out on wax paper, and let em dry. Oh, I kind of spread them out a little so they lay in a single layer, and have a little space around them somewhere, but that's it. The secret is to not use too much lube. If you want a heavier layer, give them a second coat. I'm WAY too lazy to fiddle with them very much. And they shoot great!

Just my two cents worth. Anyway, thought you might want to check out the "sticky".

Best wishes,
Pat

[dromia]

Yessir, anyone with that many of one thing has tipped a little over the edge! I'd sure like to see some pics of that reloading room (barn?) to see how many multiples of anything else you have too! :smile:


Sad isn't it.

:castmine:

[cajun shooter]

Alox may work for your type of shooting but don't give the impression that it is the best way. It will not work at all with black powder in any form. You will also never see a national champion rifle shooter saying that he got there by using it. It is a way for some to lube bullets and it works for them. My Star is my answer but I even resort to pan lubing my large bullets over 400 grs.

[toddrod]

There is a Lyman 45 on ebay right now for $50.

[rintinglen]

I have had a couple of Lyman sizers, currently just one 450, and just about every bullet I fire is tumble lubed, even the ones I size. JPW/LLA as described in the afore-mentioned is so neat and works so well, I see little reason to struggle with the vagaries of sizer lubes.

Unless you have your heart set on 2700 FPS, are addicted to the rolling boom of black powder, or just have never heard of Liquid Alox and love your old cake cutter too much to give it up, why sweat getting a Lubrisizer?

[Markbo]

Rin, do you size your bullets at all? if so, how?

[mustanggt]

I've done LLA initially but got tired of the mess. Using gloves and waiting. Always wiping off the bullets with mineral spirits after being loaded. I liked using a 450 I got off ebay for 65. It was almost new. Very well cared for. I use it for black powder as it only needs me running a heat gun over it for a few minutes and I'm lubing. I have a 4500 I bought new, won't do that again. Too much money. I use it for smokeless loads. I made my own lube from this forum with my own twist. I'm very happy and have no leading issues as everything has come together for me. Besides I'm a tool collector and just love a good tool that works well.