45 45 10

[MR CHEN]

I have looked at Hi Tek, Powder Coat, and now 45 45 10 from White Label Lubes.

The 45 45 10 looks to be a more simple process. Of those that have used it or still do, what are your findings? I've read some post that say "it's not tacky when dry." and "it's not as tacky as ALox." I don't want tacky.

I'll be using it for standard loads in 38spl and 45acp. at moderate velocity's.

[RP]

I think if your going with a lube your ? would be better asked in the boolit lube section. PC and Hi Teck is just another choice to protect your barrel from leading.

[MR CHEN]

Got it.

[Burnt Fingers]

I tried 45-45-10 ONCE. My barrel leaded up so bad after 12 shots that it took me over an hour to get all the lead out. The same exact bullet from the same batch when coated with Hi-Tek left no leading after over 300 rounds.

[rubinschmidt]

I don't like tacky either, so I've moved away from Alox based lubes, although I do consider 45-45-10 an improvement over straight Lee Liquid Alox.

45-45-10 has worked for me in low velocity applications that you are using - in fact exactly the same applications. I just have found other ways more to my preference.

[popper]

Too much smoke!!

[jaysouth]

I followed the evolution of tumble lubing from Alox to 45-45-10 to BLL. Of the three, BLL is clearly superior and easier to apply and has less smoke than the other two. However, they make enough smoke that I have been banned from shooting BLL coated bullets in my local indoor range. I went to two coats of Hitek which gives good coverage and does not smoke any more than copper.

For loads OUTDOORS the BLL cannot be beat. Go to the lube thread and read a couple of hundred posts on making and using it.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I shot several thousand boolits lubed with 45/45/10 before I switched to powder coat. There was a bit of a learning curve, but powder coating has been well worth the effort. Coating fixed a 9mm that still leaded the barrel after all the other tricks had been tried, and a SP101 the fouled the cylinder gap/face and cylinder pivot rapidly. And yes, the 45/45/10 is a bit tacky.

I like to keep things simple, here is how I powder coat:

Let freshly cast cool until I can handle them with a bare hand. Any hotter and they will turn the PC to goo
Place 6-7 lbs of boolits in a #5 plastic container (polypropylene)
Add a teaspoon or so of quality powder. Get a proven powder!
Roll boolits around for a minute or so.
Pour boolits and excess powder into metal mesh tray and sift off excess powder. I use a tray from Bed Bath and Beyond. Boolits end up layered 4-5 deep.
Bake for 20 minutes at 400F (verified with a thermometer) in a toaster oven.
Dump hot boolits on a tray, knock them down to a single layer deep and allow to cool.
Break apart any boolits stuck together. Usually less than 10 or so.
Size and load.

I do end up with a few small bare spots on my boolits, but it doesn't seem to affect accuracy. I powder coat outdoors on rainy days with no issues. I attribute this to the warm boolits driving off excess humidity. I've never needed Airsoft BBs.

[Markopolo]

I actually like the 45-45-10.. in a cooler damp climate, it works great for me....

[fredj338]

Too much smoke!!

Exactly. The primary reason I went from lubes to coatings was smoke & sludge the lube/carbon made in the guns internals.