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On a much earlier thread someone mentioned that Johnson's paste wax makes a suitable bullet lube. Well I got a can and it certainly is much less expensive than regular bullet lube.
Any recommendations on how to use it?
Any limitations on speed?
Can I mix it with beeswax? Will it make any difference?
Heat bullets in a clean can or jar until they are uncomfortable to hold and add about a tablespoon of wax to five pounds of bullets. Tumble gently, coated bullets will be a light gray. Set the bullets on their bases on wax paper or aluminum foil if you are a neat freak or just pour them into a single layer. They'll be dry in about an hour.
This treatment has always worked for me with plain base bullets. I would not expect it to work much past 1400 fps, but I don't shoot PB any faster than that.
If I remember correctly this was covered at some length on the Handloads.com Cast Bullets forum. The first thing I would warn you is that all who have used it agreed that Johnson's Paste Wax SHOULD NOT be run through a Lube-Sizer.
It was used as a "tumble lube" in a similar fashion to Lee Liquid Alox. As I remember the proceedure was as follows.
Place the boolits to be lubed in a glass or clear plastic jar with a secure lid. Scoop about 1/4 cup or so out of the can and dump it in the jar with the boolits. Let the jar with the boolits and Johnson's Paste Wax sit in the sun and get good and warm until the wax gets runny. Shake/rotate the jar until all of the boolits are evenly coated with the Johnson's Paste Wax.
Then, remove the boolits from the jar and set them on wax paper to dry overnight.
After they are dry the boolits will be ready to shoot.
I would suggest that you go to the Handloads.com cast bullets forum and do a search on "Johnsons Paste Wax" so that you can read about it for yourself. I have not used Johnson's Paste Wax as bullet lube myself, so I can't testify as to it's effectiveness as a cast bullet lube or whether or not the stuff is safe/unsafe in this application.
Good luck,
Johnson's paste wax is OK with light boolits at low velocities in .38spec & .357mag. (120-160gr, with 158: under 800fps in spec, under 1000fps in mag, with UNQ, alloy: 1/2 pure & 1/2 lino). I did not find it more accurate than Liquid Alox, but the differences in group sizes in the two revolvers I tested with were not great. They became pronounced as pressures increased, however, and the wax ones began to lead up badly while the alox were fine up to listed max for the powder. I had some on hand for use as a protective coating on my table saw and joiner tables and figured I'd see if it worked. I did not test it with any rifle or larger handgun boolits, so I have no idea of how it works with them.
One thing about tumble lubing, though, the size and shape of the container make a big difference. I use a round bottomed margarine tub (the brand with the little ears of corn on it, can't remember the name). I put in no more than 100 small boolits or 50 longer rifle boolits at a time and swirl them gently until there is a uniform coating. Hurrying, shaking, or rough handling causes dents and dings and often poor coverage in the lube grooves. If you have to put the top on the container when you do it to keep them all in, you are not doing it right - too many, too rough, or both. Even containers with a flat radiused bottom bounce them around too much, and I would never, ever use a hard glass jar - the bases get damaged, especially plain based but even gas checked ones, and swc hollowpoints can get nose damage.
This post reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask - is JPW basically carnuba wax, and if so, can I add a little to my lube to get that polished bore effect? Haven't tried any carnuba yet, and was just wondering.
I routinely add a tblspn of JPW to my batches of Felix lube. Seems to mix fine and can't be sure if it makes the lube better or not but it gives me a good feeling and the bullets don't seem to dislike it as far as the shooting is concerned. Works fine.
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