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Thread: "Non-sticky" lube??

  1. #1
    Boolit Man larryw's Avatar
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    "Non-sticky" lube??

    Greetings, admittedly, I don't know much about cast boolits, I am a new-born to casting.
    I have looked in the archives & still don't have my answer, so, be forewarned, here
    comes another one. I have never seen a home cast boolit that "was not" lubed with a sticky,
    slimy lube. & what it is, I dont know?

    Every time I used to buy cast boolits off of who-ever, they were always lubed with a blue, red
    or green lube that was "Hard" None were ever sticky, At All, & no lube anywhere except
    for the lube grooves? Question is,
    What is that lube, & can I get the same stuff to use as a "soon to be" caster?
    I just don't like the sticky mess. I just read & saw the photo article by Recluse
    on 11/15/09 "Tumble lubing made easy & mess free" I have heard of this process before & will try,
    But I doubt commercial casters are using it?? Any info on that stuff they use would be greatly appreciated,
    I realize it will most likely be to expensive for me, & there has to be a reason everyone is not using it,
    Maybe, it is not the best lube, I don't have any idea, but sure do want to know. Thank's...

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
    btroj's Avatar
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    Look in the Midway catalog, lots of hard lubes there.

    Just realize that commercial casters use hard lubes because they size better, not because they work better. Most of us use a sticky, soft lube because they are superior in results. We aren't near as concerned with shipping or storage as we are with accuracy.
    You will learn far more at the casting, loading, and shooting bench than you ever will at a computer bench.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Yodogsandman's Avatar
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    Tumble lubing is the cheapest and easiest way for a new caster to start out. Lee Liquid Alox (LLA) is available for under $6 for 4 oz. and can be used alone if you don't need to size your cast bullet. The Lee push through sizer dies of various sizes come with a bottle of LLA in the kit for about $25-$30. They fit right on your regular loading press. You can shoot up to around 1800 ft/sec with tumble lubed bullets. This is all most pistol bullets will ever need, rifle bullets will need more consideration.

    Cast your bullets and let them cool.
    Place your bullets in a clean plastic container (ice cream, soft butter, whatever dish)
    Squirt about a teaspoon per 50 bullets in the container with the bullets.
    Swish them around and around gently until they're all covered, use your hand if you want.
    Lay them out to dry overnight on wax paper, butchers paper, poly sheet....non-stick whatever.
    If they don't need sizing, stop right here and load em up.
    If they do need to be sized, run them through the sizing die and re-lube as above again. Easy Peasy.

    Try the new Ben's Liquid Lube described in his new thread on it. Shows lots of promise and isn't supposed to be sticky after drying.

    Soft stick lubes can also be used with the Lee sizing die sets. Apply the lube in the grooves with your finger and run them up through the die. A good one to try would be the NRA 50/50 lube (beeswax/alox) made by Lee, Lyman or others. Good for bullets up to about 2100 ft/sec.

    The harder lubes will need to first be "pan lubed" to use the Lee sizing dies. Stand your bullets up in a small pan with sides at least as tall as your lube grooves. Heat the lube with a hair dryer or double boiler and pour it into your pan of bullets up to the top of your lube grooves. It will take a few sticks to do this depending on your pan size and amount of bullets. Use a fired case the same caliber as the bullet you cast to cut the bullets out of the pan once cooled and set up. First drill out the primer hole to accept some sort of plunger to push the cut out bullet from the case. Push the fired case over the pan lubed bullet, cutting it out and use some type of plunger to push the bullet back out. Size in the Lee sizer die as normal.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master 35 shooter's Avatar
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    The Ben's Liquid Lube mentioned above does dry non sticky and does a good job of locking whatever lube you use in the grooves. Haven't shot it yet, but Ben's been using it so that's good enough for me. I lubed some with it last night and they dried in a hurry.
    BTW...doesn't take much, a little goes a long way! Can't wait to shoot em!

  5. #5
    Boolit Man larryw's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by btroj View Post
    Just realize that commercial casters use hard lubes because they size better, not because they work better. Most of us use a sticky, soft lube because they are superior in results. We aren't near as concerned with shipping or storage as we are with accuracy.
    I might not like the mess but I knew there was a good reason
    you all use it, now that I know, it makes the mess OK with me!!
    I have seen regular LLA used a LOT by friends over the years &
    I have always been amazed at how well so little works & how simple it is?
    Thanks everyone...

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    The only attribute of the commercial hard lube is it's ability to stay in the lube grooves and for bullets not to stick together.

    I've had the most hellacious leading I've ever experienced with commercial hard cast hard lubed bullets.

    I like sticky gooey lubes because they prevent leading and produce top accuracy and they work well at low temps.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Yodogsandman's Avatar
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    larryw, I just saw this....Ben explains pan lubing better, check out his thread...it has photos, too.

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-a-Budget-quot
    Last edited by Yodogsandman; 11-22-2014 at 06:58 PM. Reason: Add Link

  8. #8
    Boolit Master


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    Use whatever sticky lube you want to use, then use Ben"s as a coating for no sticky mess.
    Check out this link

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-L-Liquid-Lube

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Lube that still stays in the lube grooves after firing didn't do much lubing or it would not still be there.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check