.223 with BLL & Ben's Red

[detroitcharlie]

Made up some hardened GC'd 55gr SP .223's today lubed with BLL and Ben's Red slightly modified for better flow for pan lubing (less beeswax). Going to test for leading this weekend and see how the combination of the two lubes works out. Pray for me I don't mirror my barrel :P

[Yodogsandman]

Sounds like a good plan! I don't think you'll be disappointed by the combo. What velocities are you reaching for?

[Stonecrusher]

I don't think you will be disappointed either. I just started my journey with .22 using an older Model 70 in .222 and NOE 225-37-FN and 225-55-FN and Gator checks for now. I am using Ben's Red without the topcoat of BLL and while accuracy is not all I want yet, the 225-37-FN keeps about the same accuracy from 1800 to 2900 fps with no leading. Groups run from 1.5"-1.75". Bore is mirror bright. The 225-55-FN seems to top out at about 2100 fps.

I am using IMR 4064 for the high velocity, 19-22 grns. The 2900fps was 23 grns Varget.

Ben's lubes are good stuff! Have fun.

[JWFilips]

I'm interested in that you lowered the Ben's Original Formula by reducing the bee's wax! It Has to be like snot when you kake cut it! It is the lucas red & tacky that stops the flow in the pan lube situation! (I know: I have pan lubed with Ben's Red from the start) The Lucas has the higher melt point over Bee's wax that is why it will not self level. if you do get it to self level by heat you burned it!!! You need low heat and some shaking of the pan to level the lube if you really want to call it "using Ben's Red"

[detroitcharlie]

Sounds like a good plan! I don't think you'll be disappointed by the combo. What velocities are you reaching for?

I'm starting low and working up from 2100 fps, I'm not sure if it will cycle the next round much lower than that. If I can get to 2500-2600 with no leading, I'd be a happy camper.

[detroitcharlie]

I don't think you will be disappointed either. I just started my journey with .22 using an older Model 70 in .222 and NOE 225-37-FN and 225-55-FN and Gator checks for now. I am using Ben's Red without the topcoat of BLL and while accuracy is not all I want yet, the 225-37-FN keeps about the same accuracy from 1800 to 2900 fps with no leading. Groups run from 1.5"-1.75". Bore is mirror bright. The 225-55-FN seems to top out at about 2100 fps.

I am using IMR 4064 for the high velocity, 19-22 grns. The 2900fps was 23 grns Varget.

Ben's lubes are good stuff! Have fun.

That's very encouraging!

[detroitcharlie]

I'm interested in that you lowered the Ben's Original Formula by reducing the bee's wax! It Has to be like snot when you kake cut it! It is the lucas red & tacky that stops the flow in the pan lube situation! (I know: I have pan lubed with Ben's Red from the start) The Lucas has the higher melt point over Bee's wax that is why it will not self level. if you do get it to self level by heat you burned it!!! You need low heat and some shaking of the pan to level the lube if you really want to call it "using Ben's Red"

Yeah. I cut the beeswax by 25% of the original ratio and actually added about 25% more Oil Treatment, hoping to build up the viscosity a bit while cutting back on the firmness so it would flow around those lube channels. The RCBS SP 55 GR 223 is small as hell, obviously, and doesn't leave much room to get the lube in the channels. So, cutting back on the wax really helps when siphoning the lube into the pan. When everything firmed up in they deep freeze the popped out great, no problemo.

[35 shooter]

I don't think you will be disappointed either. I just started my journey with .22 using an older Model 70 in .222 and NOE 225-37-FN and 225-55-FN and Gator checks for now. I am using Ben's Red without the topcoat of BLL and while accuracy is not all I want yet, the 225-37-FN keeps about the same accuracy from 1800 to 2900 fps with no leading. Groups run from 1.5"-1.75". Bore is mirror bright. The 225-55-FN seems to top out at about 2100 fps.

I am using IMR 4064 for the high velocity, 19-22 grns. The 2900fps was 23 grns Varget.

Ben's lubes are good stuff! Have fun.

That's the fastest report(2900 fps.) i've read with using Ben's Red. While i had no doubts it would handle those speeds, about 2600 fps. is the fastest i've tried so far in a 35 whelen.
Good to hear your running it at those speeds with good accuracy imho.

[detroitcharlie]

If anyone is interested, my results for using BLL in conjunction with Ben's Red with 22-55-SP can be found here. Thread: Follow-up and results to ".223 with BLL & Ben's Red"