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Thread: Lyman Ideal Bullet Lube

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Jul 2019
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    Lyman Ideal Bullet Lube

    I just inherited my father's Lyman 450. So diving right in I mounted it and... started sizing some bullets I had around. I didn't give much thought to the lube that was inside it...
    Now that I do some reading, it seems to be "Lyman Ideal Bullet Lube". It's pitch black. This doesn't seem to be what one should choose for 44 mag. But I've lubed hundreds of them and loaded 100 rounds.....
    So, for anyone with direct experience with this lube, is this a "more cleaning needed" situation, or a "Don't shoot those!" situation? FWIW they are loaded on the light side -- for 44 mag anyhow. I'm inclined to try them, but...

    -Brian

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy glaciers's Avatar
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    Bang away. After 10 rounds check for leading.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Tom W.'s Avatar
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    As stated above. IMHO you can't beat Carnauba Red from White Label Lubes.....
    Tom
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    Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?

  4. #4
    Banned

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    I tried SPG lube and have never looked back!

  5. #5
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    georgerkahn's Avatar
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    fifteenfifthy -- After alllllmost fifty years of casting, my very first lub used was the "Lyman Ideal"! Through the years, I've tried/used many others, with most all being problem-free. However -- as I type this I have NINE wee boxed new hollow tubes of it; also Lyman Orange Magic, and my #1 "rifle bullet" choice, the blue lub purveyed by Magma Engineering (Star lub people).
    In my most humble opinion, the Lyman Ideal....WORKS!!!... and what might else be needed? I have this lub in three of my 450's at present -- testimony to it -- and YES, I cast, size, lub, and shoot .44 Rem Mag!
    geo

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    Not a thing wrong with the the old school black Lyman lube . I've used it for at least 40 years with 100% satisfaction . It smokes a little but it works.
    I use the Lyman Ideal lube , store bought , or a Lithi-Bee recipe I can mix up myself .
    These two different lubes and cast boolits are good from 32 acp up to and including 41 magnum and 30 cal. rifle boolit loads....no leading .
    Shoot the ammo you have loaded . Old school just might surprise you ! It was good enough for your Father .
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  7. #7
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    fifteenfifty Welcome to CB

    I got out of lubing my boolits years ago for the simplicity and cleanliness of coated boolits (powder and Hitek coated)

    You don't say where you live, but lube does have temperature constraints. some a better for hot weather and others for cold weather

  8. #8
    Boolit Mold
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    So I shot 30 rounds (a hefty dose of 44 mag, at least for me). They ran over the chrono at 1300fps. No leading. Maybe if I shot 100 things would be different, but that's not likely to happen in a single session with this caliber.
    I've read a lot of negative press on this lube, but I don't see any reason not to use up the rest of it. My father must have bought it quite a long time ago. The unused ones are wrapped in wax paper inside the old orange cardboard boxes.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fifteenfifty View Post
    So I shot 30 rounds (a hefty dose of 44 mag, at least for me). They ran over the chrono at 1300fps. No leading. Maybe if I shot 100 things would be different, but that's not likely to happen in a single session with this caliber.
    I've read a lot of negative press on this lube, but I don't see any reason not to use up the rest of it. My father must have bought it quite a long time ago. The unused ones are wrapped in wax paper inside the old orange cardboard boxes.
    See .... I told you the old school Lyman Ideal wasn't bad . Your Daddy knew what he was doing.
    Lots of negative press comes from folks who have never used it...the lube snobs .
    I actually like it because its a soft lube...soft lubes work better than hard ones . Use it , it works and you've proved it .... ATTABOY !

    Welcome to Cast Boolits from Louisiana !
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    I started out using the old Lyman (Ideal) black graphite lube back in the '60s with a 429421 in my 44 magnum, a 311-41 in my 30-30 and a 311410 in my 30 Carbine. It worked fine giving excellent accuracy and no leading. Except in cold (freezing or close to it) weather when the barrels were fouled and got cold the 1st shot out of the cold barrel would be quite a flier. Much more noticeable in the rifles at at 100+ yards than with the revolver at closer ranges. I switched to Javelina and was much, much happier with it. However, I still have come across bullets lubed with the Lyman/Ideal lube and don't hesitate shooting them. Also purchased a used 450 a few years back that was full of that lube and used it up w/o hesitation.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    I have been using that lube since I started casting in 72. never had a leading problem and that is in rifle and pistol. I use spg in bpc.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

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
GC Gas Check