Randy Rats TAC X mini review

[tomme boy]

I had a few minutes this afternoon so I cleaned out my RCBS LAM II sizer. I take a torch to melt the majority of the lube out. Then I boil it for about 1/2 an hour. Put it back together and inserted a tube of Randy's lube. First of all if you have used Randy's lube you know it smells like honey. This lube is the same smell as the TAC1 lube. I sized a few 452374 HP's to just see what they look like. Later after the press cools down to room temperature I will add more about if you have to use heat or not. I have this in my basement and it is about 65* down there. So, Here is a Picture to show the difference in the color of the lube.

TAC1 on left, TACX on right

[tomme boy]

I am going to try both of these this weekend if I can. They will be shot out of a 1911.

The load will be 5.0 grs of Hodgdon Tightgroup with winchester standard primers. If I get a chance to load some 308win and 7.62x54r I will I would like to try 9mm as well, but I would have to cast some bullets for that. I don't think I have any of those laying around not lubed.

[Elkins45]

I'm one of the people that Randy sent two free sticks of TAC-X to try out. I was going to start a thread but sine you have started this one I will just grab onto your coattails.

I also emptied out my LAM2 this weekend, and I cast some boolets to test. I cast some 311407, MP H&G 68 HP clones, Lee 8mm and some NOE .378 hollow points. My basement is around 70° and the TAC-X would flow through the sizer with just a little effort, but no heat was needed. The lube has the same pleasant honey smell that Randy's beeswax has and the color is a nice dark pine. I also lubed up some 125 grain .358 hollow points that I cast a couple of years ago but hadn't lubed. As a test I didn't stack them but just tossed them into a jar together to see how they handle bulk storage.

I will try to load some and hopefully shoot one day this week. It's supposed to be hot one day so I will try to store them in the car trunk and give them as much of a high temperature test as I can.

[daniel lawecki]

He sent me some as well my reloading is on the only floor of my ranch house. No heat was needed house inside temp is 76. I like the smell never use any of Randy's lube before. This is going to be tested in my .44mag 250gr SWC H110 mag primer. The lube I used before was pretty hard and a dark blue made by a friend of mine. I know how the gun groups and smokes so I have a platform to work off.

[tomme boy]

OK, made it to the range today to try out some of the pistols. I was able to bring my 45 1911 and a CZ 75 Clone in the compact polymer version. I set up a target at 15 yds to try these out. It was 82* and very humid. Rain was on and off all day.

Here are some pics of the groups I shot real quick between the down pours. These are recycled targets that I was shooting my 223 at. So there are other holes here also.

9mm old TAC1


9mm New TACx


45acp old TAC1


45acp new TACx



Now, I never said I was the greatest pistol shot. These were shot just resting my hands on the bench. The 9mm had considerably less smoke with the new lube than the old Tac1.

The 45acp for some reason seemed to smoke more with the new TACx. But the cases were cleaner with it. That was one of my main things I did not like with the TAC1. It would leave a waxy residue all over the cases. This did not happen at all with the 9mm or the 45acp with the TACx.

Hopefully this weekend I will be able to get out to shoot the rifles. I just have to load them yet.

[tomme boy]

Got out today to test the lube with a couple rifles. Rifle one is a Savage 10 in 308 win with a Shilen SS 26" barrel. Gun two is a 1943 Russian 91-30 in 7.62x54r.

It was 87* right before the rain came thundering in. Both rifles were shot at 100 yds. I do not have any targets today as the rain came fast and hard. I was unable to get them.

The Savage was shot with a Lee 200 gr boolit with a Hornady GC and sized at 0.311" I normally tumble lube all of my rifle bullets in a thinned alox, but today I did not as I wanted to see how the rifle performed with just Randy's new lube. Both rifles the boolits are this way. NO Alox. I tried two loads that have always proven to shoot extremely well in this rifle. 18.1 grs of 2400 and 21 grs of 5744. Both the boolit is seated right to the crimp groove.

I had a first round flier with both loads. Both went to the right and a little low about 1" away. The rest of the 9 shots of each load went into less than a 1" group. I don't think the fliers were me as I do a little warm up dry firing at the targets to help get situated.

The rifle was shot off of a bipod on the front and my left hand under the butt. The muzzle had a nice lube star so it is ejecting the lube at the muzzle. The bore is nice and shiny and NO leading anywhere that I can see. I could not see the amount of smoke that it was making. But my buddy said it was less than normal.

Now the 91-30. This one has an absolutely perfect barrel on it. No pitting and you can still see reamer marks on the throat a little. Nice sharp square rifling. I am using a boolit that I designed for the 91-30 throat. It has fit well in several rifles. http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=31-215B-D.png Just seat it to the crimp groove. Same thing NO Alox. Hornady gas check and sized to 0.314" with Randy's new lube. I used the same amount of the same powders from the 308 win. 18.1 of 2400 and 21 gr of 5744. I have a 2.5 power scope on the rifle that is attached to the rear sight base. It is not the best for precision work but it works well. I was able to hold a 2.25" group with both loads. I shot the first round into the dirt mound so I can not say if it had the first round flier. I probably should have shot it at the target.

The barrel is shiney as can be and NO leading whatsoever. Lube was on the muzzle so it was ejecting like on the 308 win. Smoke was less again according to my buddy. I shot some other loads with the Tac 1 lube to make sure in both rifles to see the difference.

I really like this new lube and want some more! Hint!, Hint! I think people will like it. I will be ordering some when Randy has it available. I have two other friends that want some also. I let them try my 45 and 9mm today with the old and the new lube and they really liked how clean the new lube was. with the barrel and the smoke. The 45 seemed to smoke less today also. I wonder if the humidity had anything to due to the extra smoke the other day. It was on a completely clean and oiled barrel also the other day. The oil in the barrel may have had something to due with the extra smoke.????

[Beagle333]

As noted, it's a bit darker than the regular TAC#1 (the big block on the bottom). It also seems slightly less tacky, at least when handing with fingers. Nice smell though, as always.


So I lubed up a variety of weights and styles with it. Some in 30 cal and some 35 and only one in 45, because all I have in 45 is a Peacemaker and I could pretty much just rub some Chapstick on a boolit to shoot in that. It does go through the Lyman 45 sizer pretty much just like the other. It was 70° in here today (95° outside), so I went with a little heat on the luber. I always use heat though, even with BAC, so don't take it that you have to. After lubing, it does feel like the boolits are a little cleaner to handle than most stick lubes, so I already like it.



Now to load them and run em past the Chrony. My new loading bench is under construction though. I have it all cut to lengths and just have to screw it together. Here is my project engineer giving it a final look. I hope to get it assembled tomorrow and be back to reloading. The 30 cals are going in my H&R 30-30. I don't know if I can really test out the .35's in a pistol, so I'm going to load those into the 1894C and the .35 Whelen. That oughta put some speed on em.

[randyrat]

I found that also with humidity you'll have more smoke and , of course, some powders will smoke more..I think the first round fliers will stop once that lube has been used in that gun...In other words, if you take that gun and shoot tomorrow (cold) the first round flier won't be there. It worked that way for me at least.
TAC X leaves an ever so light coating in the barrel and it wasn't there the first time.. I found that with a couple guns, as long as I stayed with a very similar lube , no first round fliers showed up. Your mileage may very.
Thanks a bunch tomme boy.

Beagle333 I see your project engineer is really a picky one, checking each board for flaws

[tomme boy]

Everyone is going to like this lube. Try it guys. You'll like it.

[daniel lawecki]

Today I shot randyrat lube in my 45lc. No smoke to speak of temp was 83 200swc 231 Max charge. Groups at 50 yards were great might have been a little smaller than normal. Forgot to take pics as camera was left home. No leading as gun was clean this lube works and will go out later to try this in my other guns and calibers. 100 rounds went down the tube today I will buy more and say this lube works. Next will be the 44mags but today was not the day for that. Lube was in the groove and stayed there no problems to report. I would like to THANK RANDY as he didn't know me when I got into this. My loads for the 44mag are above max a will not be posted by me. Winner winner chicken dinner this lube is my new choice as I hat no hat in the ring. I will chorno the loads and post more detail info, Again thanks goes out to Randy Lee.

[osteodoc08]

This is is using Randy's TacX today in 92*F heat and almost 100% humidity.

That is a six shot group at 30 yards via laser ranger out of my Redhawk 45 colt with 7-1/2" barrel.

MP 454-297 penta HP LFNGC design that drops right at 305gr sitting on top a near max dose of 296. 50 yard soda can hits are easy. I'm gonna load up another 100 for some more testing but will likely use this hunting this year.

Nice star of lube at the muzzle and no leading. Very satisfied with this stuff and will switch everything over to TacX as soon as it's readily available.

the single hole to the right was a flyer from a different group.

[Iowa Fox]

Anyone get a chace to run any of the tacX thru a Star yet? Just wondering how it flows in it.

[osteodoc08]

Anyone get a chace to run any of the tacX thru a Star yet? Just wondering how it flows in it.

I havent used it personally in a Star, but my LAM2 requires no heat, but flows much better with heat. Itll flow perfectly in the high 90's low 100's and make it super easy to use. A star would have no issues with this lube with or without heat.

[Elkins45]

Temps have been in the 90's here all week. I have been out of town for the last three days but before I left I loaded up a bunch of ammo (rifle and pistol) and left it in the floorboard of my car sitting in the sun. So the test ammo will have gotten a good heat soak before firing.

[Beagle333]

I loaded up several varieties of boolits in the .357 and ran em through the GP100 and the Blackhawk. I had left some of them loaded all week and out in the truck. I haven't ever had any trouble with lube contamination though, and this didn't produce any squibs either. Weights ranged from 145 to 180gr and they were all pushed with Unique at speeds varying from 1100-1385 fps. No problems with leading. The only thing left in the barrel was the usual Unique dust and some light antimony wash (streaking) which wiped right out. But I get that streaking with every lube I have. 'Must be my alloy.
I like this TacX. It has the nice smell, a better color, and isn't as tacky to the feel. It didn't gum up the seating die and one of the best differences is that I had a bunch of lubed boolits stored (as usual) in ziplock bags and the lube didn't stick to the bags and pull out of the grooves when tumbled around before I got around to loading them. That has always been a problem for me with my boolits, since I tend to lube in large batches and then store in tubs or bags until I load them and sometimes I have to run em through the sizer again before loading, just to refill all the grooves.
Not with this lube.
Rifle tests upcoming. It was a little rainy today and also it was Football Saturday in the South!

[randyrat]

Here is a pic.. I have one more test with it and it will be for sale...I'll put it up here;

I have my test gun at the gun smiths adding a new barrel. He is slow but very particular and i don't mind, wouldn't matter if i did.
Here is a pic
Attachment 115227
A nice dark green so the lube shows up in the lube grooves.

[edctexas]

Just received TAC X from Randy. I am trying pan lubing. Some frustration as I have not really tried this method. The boolits need to be warm to "take the lube. You can force lube into the grooves by hand although I would not recommend this unless you wreck the lube and want to fix one or two boolits. The time / temperature of the lube in the pan is critical to easily getting the boolits out with lube in the grooves. If you freeze this lube it is really hard to cut and snapping the boolits from the lube matrix does poorly. You need to catch the lube when it is not too firmly set up. This lube is the best smelling lube I have ever smelled. Sort of clean cinnamon tinge. The lube is a nice dark green and stays in the grooves better than some.

I will probably buy a lubrisizer and not continue with pan lubing. I doo a few batches. I did a Lee 358 158gr SWC, a NOE 401 RN 180, and a Lee 429 240 SWC. These all worked well but the pan lubing required slightly more steps and work. So I need to buy a lubrisizer eventually.

I like Randy's TAC X and the beeswax works well in fluxing/reducing the melt in the pot. Kudos to Randy Lee. I'll be buying more in the future from him.

EdC

[randyrat]

Dip lubing is an art form..
Use a needle noose pliers. Heat your boolits to about 150 Deg F so not too much lube sticks to them. I still dip lube for some odd calibers that I don't have an H&I die.
Also, only dip part of the boolit in the lube and if not enough lube sticks, just cool them a bit and more will stick. Wipe the base off after dipping and place on wax paper.

[Grump]

Anyone test this stuff yet to the standards of Bullseye Pistol and in calibers commonly used in BE? 3-inch groups at 50 yards is the bare minimum acceptable accuracy level, 5- to 10-round strings.

I am impressed with Osteodoc08's results at 30 using that Ruger SA revolver. I hope that translates well to the .45 ACP performance.

[osteodoc08]

Anyone test this stuff yet to the standards of Bullseye Pistol and in calibers commonly used in BE? 3-inch groups at 50 yards is the bare minimum acceptable accuracy level, 5- to 10-round strings.

I am impressed with Osteodoc08's results at 30 using that Ruger SA revolver. I hope that translates well to the .45 ACP performance.

Grump, it was actually a Redhawk. It's had the cylinders opened to .4525 by cylinder smith years ago and was wearing either a 1.5x or 2x Burris. That was only a brief outing with one load. That gun is capable of less than 2" 5 shot groups at 50 yards if I do my part. No reason to expect it wouldn't do it for 2 cylinders worth if I do my part. The group I showed was average for that gun so I know it could do considerably better with load development.