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Thread: To lube or not to Lube

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Oct 2013
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    To lube or not to Lube

    I have a Harbor Freight powder coating gun, and in the past I have powder-coated some 420 grain slugs for my 45-70. I also got some lube, but never tried it on my 45-70. I will soon be casting some boolits from a mold I traded for. It is the NOE 360-230-RF. It has a nice wide meplat and should take deer nicely. I plan on shooting it out of a 358 Winchester, hoping for 2200-2300 fps. I am wondering if anybody has ever done a definitive accuracy test on traditional lube vs powder-coat. The lube I have on hand is White Label Carnauba Red 2700 in a custom purple color. I do not have a Lubrisizer, so I would probably attempt to pan lube. I thought I remember reading that traditional lubed bullets are easier to get to shoot well over powder-coat. But I could be wrong. In my limited powder-coating experience, it seemed to go ok. I could get the 45-70 to shoot 1 3/4 inch at 100 yards, but that was at only 1550 fps or so. It will probably be pretty close to season until I get my gun, and I will have limited time to make it work for this season.
    Wasn't sure where to put this so I put it in both Lube and Powder-coat section.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    Rcmaveric's Avatar
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    I have seen some target post that comared targets of PC vs Lube and there was no difference.

    For me i have noticed lubed bullets to be more consistent and tighter. I have been readying a lot of cast bullet books lately that talks about friction being a necessity for accuracy. If your lube is too slick there is nothing to bite and guide the bullet. PC is very slick stuff.

    My comparison of 30 cal and .270 cal and 9mm and .357 bullets is the difference wont make or break load. But traditional lube will make it a little tighter and more accurate.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
    "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
    ~Theodore Roosevelt~

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I have read online, so it must be true, that PC actually has more friction then lubed. It was thought at first that some were getting higher velocities with PC vs lubed with the same charge due to less friction of the pc. However some say the inverse would be true, more friction greater pressure, higher velocity. Unless the pressure can be tested it's an educated guess. If you are using black powder I would use SPG. It keeps the powder residue soft and accuracy seems to be better shot to shot.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master


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    I lube to me it is quicker, easier and way less handling. Lube shoots great.

    Painting or Powder coating has so many steps to me it is a why bother but if anyone wants all the trouble go for it. I won't be any time soon.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer in NH View Post
    I lube to me it is quicker, easier and way less handling. Lube shoots great.

    Painting or Powder coating has so many steps to me it is a why bother but if anyone wants all the trouble go for it. I won't be any time soon.
    This is the conclusion I have come to. The only reason I may still PC and Hitek is less smoke when shooting IDPA. Other then that I am going to lube, since I have a star and a couple of lyman sizers.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    GONRA suggests Jevyod get a lubrisizer to "lube/size right" (correctly!) for decent / meaningful comparison.
    UNFORTUNATELY cannot "cheap out" on this stuff....

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I'm the farthest thing from an authority on the subject, but I have yet to see someone shooting high velocity (2500+ FPS) rifles with powder coat with accuracy. The guys shooting to those extremes seem to universally be using a grease lube. 2500+, Canaruba Red, and BAC seem to be very popular. Lots of guys are shooting powder coat bullets to those velocities, often to cycle a semi-auto, and I've only seen mediocre accuracy.

    With handguns, or slow to moderate velocity rifles, it seems like a wash.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master


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    When I want to shoot 2200 or up I shoot Jacketed bullets.

    Paint or cast and lubed No.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer in NH View Post
    I lube to me it is quicker, easier and way less handling. Lube shoots great.

    Painting or Powder coating has so many steps to me it is a why bother but if anyone wants all the trouble go for it. I won't be any time soon.
    I agree...with one cycle of the 450 handle the boolit is sized , lubed and if desired a gas check is seated ...in , out, done...ready to shoot . It just doesn't get any faster or easier.
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    I PC and tumble lube, can't tell the difference. I push 308 to 2700. Proper cast the makes more difference.
    Whatever!

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub Bongo Boy's Avatar
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    Lately I've actually been wondering if there's any good reason for me to lube at all...of any kind. I wouldn't be surprised if it made no difference either way, or if I lubed or not, but I've had a hankering to do some experiments. Experimentation means I have to go to the range and shoot, and that's a good enough reason for me. As for powder coat, I have no experience, but I'm so confident all my other issues are so much more important than lube choice, I have to stick with addressing them. But the time I get that done, all my gear will belong to someone else and I won't care about Earthly matters any longer.
    If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner. T Bankhead

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Rick459's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mto7464 View Post
    I have read online, so it must be true, that PC actually has more friction then lubed. It was thought at first that some were getting higher velocities with PC vs lubed with the same charge due to less friction of the pc. However some say the inverse would be true, more friction greater pressure, higher velocity. Unless the pressure can be tested it's an educated guess. If you are using black powder I would use SPG. It keeps the powder residue soft and accuracy seems to be better shot to shot.
    mto7464,
    i am old school and still Moly Coat all my Jacketed bullets run through all my rifles and can verfiy that the slicker or less friction the bullet has the less velocity down the barrel so when coating with Moly or any other slick coating you have to bump up the charge a grain and a half to get published velocities because the bullet travels faster down the bore and loses pressure. so if PC is slicker then you would get lower velocities than a lubed bullet. rule of thumb... less friction,less velocity, less heat, less wear on the barrel. i have been using Moly since 1995 and have yet seen enough wear on any of my barrels to justify barrel replacement on any of my rifles and they are still Tack Drivers that was the main reason for using Moly back in the days of compeating less wear on the barrel, improved accuracy, and being able to fire longer strings before having to clean the barrel. HTH
    Rick

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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