A bullet lube I have been using the last few years.

[Harry O]

I thought I would mention a lube I have been using for the last 3 or 4 years now that seems to work very well for me. It was concocted for mid-range handgun loads (approx. 900 to 1150fps). I originally used straight Tamarack NRA 50-50 lube for all loads over 900fps. I used (and still use) SPG lube for lower velocity loads (below 900fps). I mainly use these with BP or with target wadcutter loads.

The problem is that neither one is perfect for mid-range loads, which I shoot a lot of. “Thinning” the NRA lube with Vaseline made it a little more accurate, but lowered the melting point so much that I had to be careful on how I carried the loads in hot weather (in chilled, insulated boxes). Of course, the SPG is accurate at mid-range speeds, but it is just as prone to melting in hot weather.

I inherited some steam-pipe grease lube from my father (along with a basement of other stuff) many years ago. The Heat-Pruf grease was close to the consistency of Vaseline. I melted some in a double boiler. It was difficult to do that. I later learned that it is supposed to have a 260 degree melting point. No wonder it was hard to melt. Once it was melted I added some NRA 50-50 lube. They mixed together well. I later learned that it is a simple calcium stearate grease, which is compatible with the calcium-based Alox.

The main goal to have a softer, more accurate lube that did not melt easily at high summer temperatures is a success. I don’t need to carry it around in chilled, insulated containers like I had to do with the SPG or Vaselined NRA lube. Secondly, it is more accurate (slightly, at 10% to 15% smaller groups) than the straight NRA lube. It has taken over all the mid-range loads I use.

I tried it on higher velocity loads with less success. In .357 Magnum loads, it will scatter small bits of lube all the way down the range, including sticking on the paper target at close ranges. The pattern of lube bits is pretty uniform on the target, but the loads are slightly less accurate than straight NRA lube at high velocity. I am still using straight NRA lube on them. My new lube is still not quite as accurate as the SPG for low-speed wadcutter loads (of course, with Alox, it will not work at all with BP). So I am still using SPG for those loads.

For what it is worth.

[35 shooter]

Glad you found something that's working for you. It's interesting to read about all the different lube mixes everyone uses and the their success or failures.

[james nicholson]

I learned something today, I didn't know alox and bp did not go together.

[vzerone]

They changed the Vaseline we use today. The one to make the lube from was the old kind of brown Vaseline. The new white Vaseline isn't any good for it. Even the one that is just a tint of yellowish is no good either. You can buy the old brown stuff in volume, but most of it is foreign and bulk is expensive.