Carnauba red vs. blue

[rhill]

I have always thought lube type does not matter much as long as it does its job. I was so wrong! I have been playing with cast loads for my m1a and tried quite a few lubes, including Hi-Tek coating. Never any leading, always a clean bore, but so-so accuracy. Until I tried a stick of carnauba red, then my groups shrank at least by half, consistantly. The only thing I don,t like is it is a bit sticky. I understand the blue is very similar but not so sticky. Has anyone tried both of these lubes with the same load otherwise? What was your results? Same accuracy or did one work better than the other? I need to place an order and do not want a bunch of blue if the red is better. I know I will probably just have to try it and see if it works for me. Let me know your results, thanks!

[Beagle333]

Neither I nor my friends that I cast for can tell the difference in red or blue, except that blue needs less heat to apply (none if you live in a warm area). I'm not a benchrest shooter though. But we don't have leading problems with either one. Haven't noticed the sticky aspect of them. I guess it's what temp you handle them that determines that.

[dannyd]

I like Blue because it not as sticky, but both have worked well

[JBinMN]

I have been considering trying out these two types of lube for my pan lubing and the topic is timely. Thanks for posting it!


I will be placing an order for one or the other or maybe even both, relatively soon & the comments on experience with them here are appreciated by more than just the OP, RHill, so Thanks! to any who share!

[Tom W.]

I called and asked. The owner said if the CR was working well don't bother to change.
Suits me.

[osteodoc08]

Consider the Carnauba Red 2500+ or 2800+. These are harder carnauba lubes and don't run or get sticky in the heat. I've found a touch of heat is necessary for smooth operation of my LAM2.

[White Oak]

I pan Lube with the Blue and a coated bread pan. When the lube cools I turn the pan over and bang it on the butcher block and it will drop out in a cake that the bullets will easily push out all at once.

[dragon813gt]

Consider the Carnauba Red 2500+ or 2800+. These are harder carnauba lubes and don't run or get sticky in the heat. I've found a touch of heat is necessary for smooth operation of my LAM2.

2500+ is a tacky lube in the heat. You can’t lead lubes bullets touch of they will stick together. Found this out when I had a mess in an ammo can that I used for bulk storage of lubed bullets. Area it was stored in reaches ambient which in the summer can be 95+. 2500+ is an excellent lube. But lubed bullets need to be stored so they don’t touch or loaded immediately. I found CR to still be tacky as well.

[pworley1]

I use blue for everything now.

[LenH]

I have never tried CR but have used the blue in .308 on a gas checked 165 gr FN bullet. I shot 44 a couple of weeks ago (reloading error nixed 6 rounds) Timed shots at 90 seconds between shots
with no leading and the bore was fairly clean. I was using ladder loads and some of the groups were spread out but a couple were about 1.5 MOA.

[megasupermagnum]

I never tried blue, but have gone to CR entirely. I tried a stick of all kinds of stuff, and like you, every problem be it leading, accuracy, melting, etc. went away with CR. I've found it to get a little sticky when it gets real hot, but I've never found it a problem. My house doesn't have air conditioning, and never did. Its not rare to have days that it gets 90-95 degrees inside my reloading room. I keep my lubed bullets in MTM cast bullet boxes, and that works good. I like knowing that my loaded rounds can sit in a hot car, and never worry about melting lube getting to the powder. It doesn't get that hot here in MN, but I'm sure cars can get up to 120 inside.

The only downside I've found with CR, is it can be a pain to pan lube with. It really sticks good, which is why it is so good. I have luck with putting the pan in the freezer for a few minutes to break it free of the pan, then i have to wait for the cake to get back to room temp, or you will never get the bullets out. Even still, some bullets just don't pan lube with the stuff. I've found the smaller groove bullets to work much better.

You can try blue, but I really think CR is the best lube out there unless you are using very light loads, or black powder.

[dkf]

A 50/50 mix of BAC and CR makes a good pan lube.

[bpimwheel]

Isn't BAC just a 50/50 mix of CR and 50/50?

A 50/50 mix of BAC and CR makes a good pan lube.

[lar45]

Yes,it is a half and half mix of my 50-50 and Carnauba Red lubes.

[pjames32]

I've switched from red to blue and do find blue less sticky.

[Static line]

I switched from BAC to the Blue just because I like the color.I just got my first small order of the CB yesterday from Glenn and glad I had some unsized 44mag bullets laying around to try it out on.I needed to plug in the base heater on the LAM2 in order to get the new stick flowing but unplugged it once it got going.We'll see how it performs in my 45-70 Guide Gun and in my 77/44.Kind a hard to believe anything is better then BAC though.It's way less tacky feeling then the BAC and it sure is a purdee color.I think I am going to like it.

[Tom W.]

I shot a bunch of 30 caliber loads this past weekend that were lubed with CR and when I cleaned both rifles I just had powder fouling, no leading. Tuesday I went to the range again and fired my two 9 mm pistols, both with the same loads and both with cast boolits lubed with CR . They weren't wimpy loads, either. I had the same results..... Just powder fouling.

I ain't changing lubes.

[dkf]

You also get hardly any smoke in my experience, rifle or pistol. With BAC or CR.

[Namerifrats]

I have some CR and CB I bought from them. Good experience with both so far. I ordered 10 sticks of each. I think that once I run our of the red, what I'm currently using, I'll prob just reorder more of the blue. I have noticed the red is more tacky. Also it needs a little heat to work well in my LAM2. Blue runs fine through it without any heat. Both work great thought! Can't go wrong with either.