Barry Darr Lube : I have the ingredients ( think I spelled that right ) but i`m not sure how to cook it. Any pointers ?
Burch
Barry Darr Lube : I have the ingredients ( think I spelled that right ) but i`m not sure how to cook it. Any pointers ?
Burch
buzzard`s gotta eat, same as the worms
Josey Wales
Did you give up on Felix Lube?
Gear
I've made and used Darr's lube before. It's not really "cooked" so to speak, but just melted together. It was good lube, BUT, it didn't like the summer heat here in Texas at all. I made a very large batch of Felix lube, It is more trouble, and it is "cooked" and stirred for about 30 minutes, or anyway I did, but it is FAR better for my uses here in Texas.
Cast Boolits, Where lead balloons go over....
I made up a batch and forgot the STP, the guys here said no problem. I did notice like some others that it is still very soft so I took their advice and remelted it and doubled the paraffin, it seems to work OK but I haven't used very much of it yet.
There are several versions of Barry's formula, starting with straight 50-50 paraffin and Vaseline. Then adding a teaspoon of RCBS brand case lube (IIRC to a pound of each of the others.) Either of those can be made by simply melting the paraffin and mixing in the rest by stirring. The late Charlie Dell, who was the latter-day godfather of bullet lubricant research, was highly predjudiced against this lube as he said that because it used petroleum based components, it encouraged leading (from observation of a single such event, more than anything else.) Barry maintained it would work fine just like that. What other people have done to "improve" his original formula (or even what Barry may have experimented with along the way) I can't speak about, but the above is based on conversations with both of the folks in question.
Froggie
I just need a pan lube that`ll work in the Florida heat and not stick to you fingers. I`m using a simple set up of a silicone pan and then sizing with the Lee push through die. I need a lube that`ll stick to the groove and then dry out some. The Felix lube works o.k. but it`s so dang sticky it gums up my die and I also have to keep wiping the bullet base because it sticks to the bullet punch. I now have about 500 finished bullets ready to load and they are all stuck together like one big lump of lead and lube. Now, i`ll still use `em and i`m sure they`ll be fine but it`s just a nasty job loading `em.
Burch
buzzard`s gotta eat, same as the worms
Josey Wales
Double boiler is the easiest, stirring regularly. If you try to "cook" them directly over a flame or hot plate keep it under 375 degrees as both paraffin and petroleum jelly have a flash point in the 380 - 400 degree range. I have hardened my version for warm weather with a very small amount (1/2 teaspoon I think) of shredded Ivory bar soap stirred in.
I have used Darr lube for years, in very hot weather, with no problems and no leading so far.
Vaseline comes in 12 oz. plastic bottles. Gulf canning wax parrafin comes in pound boxes of 4 1/4 pound pieces.
I melt it together in a small cake pan sitting in water in a big iron frying pan. I always melt it in the frying pan, acts like a double boiler. 1 jar vaseline and 3 of the Gulf parrafin pieces = 50/50 mix Darr lube. Add the RCBS case lube if you wish, I don't. I put in the 4th Gulf parrafin piece and a little Marvel Mystery Oil, this makes a little harder lube.
I use a pie pan in the frying pan with water to pan lube.
I THINK that heating up the lube over and over makes it not work as well, I THINK. Thus, every year or so I spring the $4 for a new batch.
joe b.
This is the formula I used, and wasn't real happy with it for the load I am working up. Don't get me wrong, I am not throwing it out because it might be great for something else, but I had more lead in the bore than I thought I should. I just finished making a batch of Felix lube, and pan lubing a batch of 400g, .480 boolits, hope to get them loaded up this week, and unload them this weekend.
I had to make a cookie cutter, but the Felix worked pretty good in a pan, as long as I cut out the boolits while it was still a little warm.
Someone here recommended using the appropriate-sized section from a stepped golf club shaft to make a cutter for harder pan lubes. Felix lube can be a bit tough when cooled. Whoever's idea that was, step up for credit! It workes very well!
Let us know how your shooting goes.
Gear
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 |