Drying bullets dipped in 45-45-10 or LLA

[Ben]

My friend Nick doesn't have a lube sizer and may not be buying one. He takes regular 148 gr. RCBS 38 / 357 Wadcutters and rolls them in thinned LLA and sets them on wax paper to dry.

His groups that he has been firing along with the ease of cleaning his revolvers has him impressed with the process.

Obviously , there is a smaller cash out lay with this system vs. a lube-sizer.

I told him if that was his plans for the immediate future, that I needed to make him a " drying basket " to speed up the drying process.

Size the bullets to .358" in a Lee " Push Thru " sizer, coat the bullets in LLA and pour them out onto the wire of the drying basket . Pretty simple.

I have no idea how many 148 gr. .38 wad cutters this will hold, but it would be a fairly large number. The wire grid has openings that will not allow a wad cutter to fall through. It has 2 " high legs to allow for good air flow from the underside for drying of the bullets.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Great idea, Ben.

Now if a baker's thin plastic sheet for pie rolling was placed underneath the wire grid to collect the drips, they could be scraped up and reused to make the thinned alox for the next batch of boolits.

BvT

[clodhopper]

I had been giving something like that some thought, but stacking 3 or 4 smaller drying racks to save space.
How long does it take to dry thinned lube in your climate?
Here it is very dry, drying on waxed paper it takes a couple days in the summer and another day or so in the winter.

[Czech_too]

Now why didn't I think of that? I have the hardware cloth and I'm sure that I could scrounge up some scrap lumber. I've been standing the boolits upright on a cookie sheet to dry, then I scrape the 'leftovers' up for reuse the next time.

[Ben]

I had been giving something like that some thought, but stacking 3 or 4 smaller drying racks to save space.
How long does it take to dry thinned lube in your climate?
Here it is very dry, drying on waxed paper it takes a couple days in the summer and another day or so in the winter.

Put a cheap fan about 18 " from them and let it run on low and they will be dry in 5 hours.

[375RUGER]

You mean you DON'T put tumble lube in the clothes dryer to tumble dry? OOPS!

[Ben]

You mean you DON'T put tumble lube in the clothes dryer to tumble dry? OOPS!

Wow.......Now that's a neat way to dry them also.

Ben

[runfiveslittlegirl]

use a hair dryer to heat them and the lube up before applying.
also cutting the lube with mineral spirits will speed up the whole process.
my dad's version of 45/45/10 lube will dry solid in about 45 minutes.

[DBH45]

Perhaps a dumb question, how about using a Kitchen Oven for drying ? Any one figured out how to lube them without getting the head coated?

[mikeym1a]

Perhaps a dumb question, how about using a Kitchen Oven for drying ? Any one figured out how to lube them without getting the head coated?

Tried it. Made the whole house stink................

[runfiverun]

Perhaps a dumb question, how about using a Kitchen Oven for drying ? Any one figured out how to lube them without getting the head coated?

running them through a star works very well at not getting lube anywhere but the lube grooves.

[Recluse]

use a hair dryer to heat them and the lube up before applying.

also cutting the lube with mineral spirits will speed up the whole process.
my dad's version of 45/45/10 lube will dry solid in about 45 minutes.

Yep, heating the boolits before applying that first coat of lube will have them basically dry by the time the boolit resumes ambient temperature. Afterward, I size and then tumble-lube again except that I don't heat the boolits for the second coating of lube. With a good coat already on, they seem to dry fairly quick at room temperature, especially under a ceiling fan.

I haven't used straight alox for anything other than rust prevention in years. I have some tools I applied it on, lightly, several years ago and it is STILL tacky to the touch. That was the whole reason I started playing around with adding JPW and mineral spirits to alox.

Perhaps a dumb question, how about using a Kitchen Oven for drying ? Any one figured out how to lube them without getting the head coated?

Air, as in from a fan or ceiling fan, will dry the boolits far better than will confined heat. As far as having the entire boolit coated, the only thing that hurts is the ego of a beginning caster because in the beginning, we all want our boolits to be nice and shiny. Most of us got over that pretty quick.

But as Run says, a lubesizer will mostly eliminate that, but even then, a Star is about the only one that will eliminate it completely. Even with the RCBS and Lyman sizers, the lube can get spread to the top punch and you'll have some messy boolits now and then. Just wipe them off, load, shoot and be happy.

[Ben]

Well spoken , Recluse !

[Airman Basic]

Been experimenting with a spray of WD-40 to get them slick enough to slide through the Lee sizer, then tumbling with 45-45-10. Any caveats?

[Goatwhiskers]

I'm gonna try some 45-45-10 real soon, in the meantime since I have plenty of time I use Ranch Dog's method of warming some LLA a little to thin it, then hold each boolit by the nose with pliers, dip to cover the top groove (TL style boolits) and set on wax paper to dry. A few hours under the AC, or wait till next day. I then use a fired case with the head cut off as a cookie cutter to remove the excess which goes back into the pot. The boolits are still slightly tacky, so I roll them across a cloth with cornstarch on it, presto, no tacky. Shoot just fine, no leading. GW

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

Using only what I've read, I must conclude that you are using too much lube. A thin coat, and I do mean thin, is all that is needed. When so applied, it dries quite quickly in about 25 - 30 minutes to a very slightly tacky surface. As to a "drying rack", not necessary. I simply spread my bullets on wax paper and set them out under a ceiling fan. Within 20 min or so, ready to pack/ship. I use and follow RECLUSE thread on 45/45/10 religiously, specially his recommended application amount. Anything more than that takes too long to dry properly and does not add any value.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[sundog]

I've done the 'dip loob ala Ranch Dog' thing with several different boolits, and it works well with 45-45-10. Dip, set on base to dry, run thru a Lee sizer, and dip/dry one more time. Productive activity while keeping Mrs Sundog company while the boob toob is on.

[Recluse]

Been experimenting with a spray of WD-40 to get them slick enough to slide through the Lee sizer, then tumbling with 45-45-10. Any caveats?

The alox binds to the lead (boolit) better if the lead is basically clean. I "lube, size, lube, load" and that first coat of lube is all I need to easily run the boolits through the push-through sizer. I then apply a second coat, let dry, and all is good. I'd be concerned about the WD40 adversely affecting how well the 45/45/10 adheres to and stays on the boolit.

A bigger concern would be having the WD40 residue on the boolit itself. WD40 is a confirmed primer and powder contaminant and killer. I don't want WD40 near ANYTHING I have that's even remotely firearms or ammunition related.