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Thread: Ways to reduce the sticky-ness or tacky-ness of lube

  1. #1
    Boolit Master reed1911's Avatar
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    Ways to reduce the sticky-ness or tacky-ness of lube

    Oh how I love the performance of White Label on my pistol bullets. Oh how I hate the fact that EVERYTHING gets stuck to it (powder, dust, sand, cat and dog hair, lots and lots of cat and dog hair). I'm not overly excited to change from BAC....so what are the wonderfully inventive ways you all have come up with to reduce it? Mica seems a bit on the high side and pretty messy...

    As a side note, cat hair increases accuracy, and there is not much that is funnier than your cats fighting you to get to your brass and bullets. I think the copper smell from brass smells a lot like blood and is my assumption on why they love that. The lube, well, oil-of-catnip may just be the secret.
    Ron Reed
    Oklahoma City, OK

  2. #2
    Boolit Master



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    I'm going to try this as I have the same problem. I've got the stuff just not the time. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-L-Liquid-Lube

  3. #3
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    I also use BAC with the occasional addition of dog hair but I have two different dogs and one sheds more than the other so that produces a variable concerning the type of dog hair contamination.

    You're right about the sticky part and my only suggestion is to try to keep the lubed bullets protected in a container until you're ready to assemble cartridges.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master LAKEMASTER's Avatar
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    My bullets go straight from the lube tray to a dollar store container that has the locking tabs and O ring around the lid. Just for the reasons stated above
    Lake Havasu City... Born and raised

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Switch to PC.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master reed1911's Avatar
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    Nope, no PC here.

    The issue is broader than that, when we load them up, the lube gets into the die and onto the case, and the hands, and the box, etc...
    Ron Reed
    Oklahoma City, OK

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master
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    PC is Powder Coating.......not Politically Correct.

    Well that is one of the MANY reasons for Powder Coating instead of grease!.....it eliminates all the gooey sticky glumpy mess you describe above. What do you have against solving your problems?

    Hundreds if not thousands on here have switched from sticky grease to clean PC..no sticky boolits...no leading....no grease smoke.

    PC is totally clean and totally reliable!

    banger

  8. #8
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    At least a good part of this can be avoided by judicious handling of the bullets. Taking the bullets directly from the sizer die after sizing/lubing, and putting them in a box in neat rows CAN eliminate at least a good portion of the messiness. I try to use my left hand only, and a handy rag and a good washing after sizing/lubing, and things stay at least fairly clean. Keeping the bullets in boxes really helps a lot, too, with good covers so dust can't get to them.

    I guess I'm going to have to try and see how various types of dog hairs work!

  9. #9
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    On the alox bullets, I found a dash of talc to really help. The old style baby powder that was made from talc, not the newer stuff made from cornstarch.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    CATs I the loading area will always improve your shooting!!! That being said try a tumble in Ben's liquid lube followed by a 2 hour fan dry time after you favorite lube!

    That stuff seems to seals up a lot of sticky & tackiness
    " Associate with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation: for it is better to be alone than in bad company. " George Washington

  11. #11
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    No one asked about powder coat. It's irrelevant to the question at hand. Why people insist on mentioning it in conversations about conventional lube is beyond me.

    I had high hopes for BLL as a kind of hard shell over the bullet. It didn't work but it could have been because the lube had run and the entire bullet was tacky. I've been meaning to try it w/ a new batch of bullets to see how it works in this fashion.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by dragon813gt View Post
    No one asked about powder coat. It's irrelevant to the question at hand. Why people insist on mentioning it in conversations about conventional lube is beyond me.

    I had high hopes for BLL as a kind of hard shell over the bullet. It didn't work but it could have been because the lube had run and the entire bullet was tacky. I've been meaning to try it w/ a new batch of bullets to see how it works in this fashion.
    If I was new to casting and didn't know about PC yet, I might really appreciate someone sending me in that direction. The suggestions I've seen above might reduce stickiness in the hand but won't they still gum up the dies nearly as much?

  13. #13
    Boolit Master reed1911's Avatar
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    No PC here due to volume and space. I'm fully aware of what the process is, what it involves, and the pros and cons.
    Ron Reed
    Oklahoma City, OK

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by reed1911 View Post
    No PC here due to volume and space. I'm fully aware of what the process is, what it involves, and the pros and cons.
    Well, just put up with sticky, messy bullets....enjoy.

    And, just about forgot...enjoy the smoke, sooted guns and barrels, too.
    Last edited by shoot-n-lead; 09-20-2015 at 12:36 AM.

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Nuff said!

    I rest my case.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    We are a brotherhood of shooters, boolit casters and loobers. And generally we love to share what we think we've learned and now know about the craft. Unfortunately powder coating, as great as it CAN be, seems to create a tension in our ranks. And that is a shame.

    Some were shooting great groups without leading long before I ever read about powder coating boolits. Heck long before I was even born and I am 68 years old. What we term ''conventional lubes'' and ''powder coating boolits'' both have served us well through the years with the conventional lubes having a vastly longer record of service.

    I am certainly no expert in either arena, but I do know that we are much better as a brotherhood when we share ideas in genuine concern for our fellow brothers and sisters who are endeavoring to perfect their craft to meet their needs.

    I am known at times for being a least a little abrasive. And I have been known to make a case or two advocating different ideas. And if I don't self-govern and choose my words carefully, my presentations can devolve into being argumentative.

    Discussions are much better for finding the truths each of us seek. When the truth remains more important than personalities we all benefit. When we factionalize....the brotherhood is diminished.

    I would say there is another site that has dealt mostly with powder coating and everyone is welcome there. This site is most informative as well. I guess two sites were deemed advisable as those who advocate different lubes sometimes let personalities make it a little difficult to determine what truth best suits individual needs.

    A brotherhood.....obviously not in lock step with one another, yet very importantly, a brotherhood. One that I hope contains a goodly number of sisters. Yeah.....I just plain like women. They tend to civilize us brothers. grin...........Mike
    Last edited by Spector; 09-20-2015 at 11:25 AM.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Dust them with Motor Mica. Then stack in box, base down, side to side, one layer. Piece of thin cardboard on top and add another layer of boolits. Dumping them all loose into a container just encourages them to get all stuck together. Dust and stack neatly works.
    I don't PC either....too darn set in my ways to change.
    Gary

  18. #18
    Boolit Master reed1911's Avatar
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    And...Thank you! I did not think to look elsewhere for the mica, found some cosmetic grade for 20.00 a lb shipped. That will last me a while for sure. Did not know it was that cheap, then again I never thought to look at the alternative uses other than as a lubricant.
    Ron Reed
    Oklahoma City, OK

  19. #19
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    you could also try spritzing the lubed boolits with some rubbing alcohol.
    it works great on carnuba red.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Yodogsandman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by reed1911 View Post
    And...Thank you! I did not think to look elsewhere for the mica, found some cosmetic grade for 20.00 a lb shipped. That will last me a while for sure. Did not know it was that cheap, then again I never thought to look at the alternative uses other than as a lubricant.
    I've done this and it can get messy. Better to use it on your shooting bags to reduce friction. This is only $9...

    http://www.midwayusa.com/product/212...ProductFinding

    Ben's Liquid Lube should work very well for you. It sounds like you just used too much. It should dry completely in a few hours with no stickiness or slick feeling. Use just enough to coat the bullet, maybe 10 drops to about 50 bullets depending on bullet size.

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