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Thread: .455 / .38 special / .38 s&w lube

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold Waffenfabrik484's Avatar
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    .455 / .38 special / .38 s&w lube

    Dear all, I have about 500 boolits freshly cast for each of the 3 calibers and was going to try pan lubing. Was going to go with Ben's Red and have all the ingredients however a couple of friends have been enticing me to go an easier route with 40:40:10 lithium grease:beeswax:carnauba wax. Temperature wise we are sub tropical, similar to the southern states of USA, no snow ever.

    Your thoughts on the matter are most welcome

    Thanks
    Daniel

  2. #2
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    the lithium grease will let you down in high temps.
    stick to something more like 3 parts wax to 1 part lithium grease.
    you can add carnuba to the mix but 3% is all you need.
    if you want it to be a little softer add some Vaseline 1 tsp to 2 ozs of wax is actually a lot.
    it will make the lube flow easier and stay soft when cooled.
    your looking for a lube that is play dough like, it mushes and flows easily when worked but stays solid and doesn't give up oil easily just sitting in the heat.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    Ben's Red with an increase in the beeswax percentage to stiffen it up a bit will serve you very well. It's not really all that hard to make - slow increase in temperature over low heat with a lot of stirring is all it takes. My big innovation in the process was to cut the loop ends off a cheap kitchen whisk so I have a cluster of wires to beat up the grease lumps with.
    WWJMBD?

    In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.

  4. #4
    Boolit Mold Waffenfabrik484's Avatar
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    Thanks bigslug and fiver. Re. Ben's Red I cannot seem to track down Lucas red n tacky locally (Malta, tiny island), is there a reasonable substitute from another brand or any properties I may need to look for, for said substitute?

    Thanks
    Daniel

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

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    Since you're dealing with three very low intensity pistol cartridges that aren't going to tax the lube on any decent-fitting bullet, I wouldn't get to hyped up over one lube versus another. For your needs, there ain't much that won't serve. You might check out the "Just the facts: lube recipies" sticky thread which gives you a lot of options that will doubtless contain ingredients available to you.

    I hit upon Ben's Red early on and it's solved most of my needs (greasy in autoloading handguns and stinky on indoor ranges, but excellent in rifles). It may well be overkill for what you need to do. Prior to discovering Ben's, I was contemplated Glenn Fryxell's 50/50 beeswax / Sta-Lube Moly Graph grease mix. (If you haven't found the sticky to his book, here ya go:http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm ) I would probably start experimenting with this if my ingredient pool were limited.
    WWJMBD?

    In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I would assume by now that most of you know my opinions on Ben's Red.

    With that said, I also made some of Glen's Black Moly lube about a year ago. Some good stuff and shoots well in a wide variety of cast bullet cartridges for me.

    Ben

  7. #7
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    you can substitute another grease in for the lucas red and tacky.
    to make the lube tacky again you can add in some STP about a tsp should make up what the other tube grease is missing.
    the red and tacky has a compound called paratack in it, STP [Studebaker products] also has the paratack and is actually the company that discovered it's use in engines.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I've pan lube rifle bullets with 60-40 beeswax and Vaseline.
    Also Simple lube works well for me.
    I live in the tropical nth of Australia.
    I don't do pistols as such but works in my rifles well.
    I tend to like to pick up my bullets with tweezers and heat them using a flame and placing them on the lube and let it melt.
    Pick it back up and stand up on some greese proof paper to harden.
    I do that with my tapered bullets and heeled bullets.
    A small amount of lube goes a long way.
    Food for thought maybe?

  9. #9
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    you should be able to find the ingredients for simple lube.
    it's just bees wax, Vaseline, atf, and 2 stroke oil, lanolin is optional.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Try JPW. It has worked for over 30 years for me in those and similar cartridges. 45 Colt, 45 ACP 38 Special, 32 ACP, 32 H&R, 9mm, 44 Special

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    1:5 either ATF, olive oil or neatsfoot and beeswax works fine for low intensity revolver cartridges and black powder rifle cartridges. Not rocket science. In cold weather use 1:4.
    The ENEMY is listening.
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  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    I assume you can get beeswax, olive oil, and lanolin. Emmert's - and add a spoonful of oil soap to make it a little smoother. Go very light on the lanolin - it makes it very tacky. It is what I use on all my BP and pistol boolits.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben View Post
    I would assume by now that most of you know my opinions on Ben's Red.

    With that said, I also made some of Glen's Black Moly lube about a year ago. Some good stuff and shoots well in a wide variety of cast bullet cartridges for me.

    Ben
    I'll second Glen's Black Moly.
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
    Proverbs 1:7

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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
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