Made some bullet lube today...

[ubetcha]

Well I retryed Ben's Red this morning using the correct ingredeneces and measurements.It came out great and no odor. I can stick my nose dang near into it and only smell beeswax.I used a double boiler and worked slow.One thing that I think made a big difference was I had NO lumps because I used a whisk to blend everything together.No need for filtering.Thanks for everyone's help and advise.Now to cast up some boolits and lube and size.Everthing was measured in liquid form except the R&T.That was plopped into the measuring cup until I had about 300ml

[Ben]

ubetcha

I'm glad " that you got the train back up on the tracks "....now give us a range report when you have an opportunity to test the lube.

Thanks,

Ben

[midnight]

I made about 40 sticks of Ben's Red last week and it gave me an idea (always a dangerous thing). I had a whole bunch of "muffins" of what was called Barry Darr's formula lube. It was just 50% parafin & 50% vaselene. I used it like the parafin was the beeswax, vaselene was the Lucas red & tacky and then added the appropriate amounts of Johnson's paste wax, ATF, & STP. Of course it came out pink. I'll have to call it Bob's Pink. I hope it works cuz I've got 42 sticks of it. At least the mold I made with PVC and steel rods let me make 6 sticks at a time.

Bob

[gwpercle]

I wanted to make a batch using one 14 0z. tube of Lucas Red " N " Tacky, cause thats the way it's sold. Got my calculator and measuring cups out and worked out the following recipe.

Everything is measured in its liquid state, shown in liquid ounces and cup or tablespoon measure. I melt the ingredient and measure with Pyrex measuring cups ( not the wife's but dedicated lube measures )

BEN'S RED

24 ozs. = 3 cups - melted beeswax
14 ozs. = 1 3/4 cups - Lucas Red " N " Tacky grease ( 1- 14 oz. tube )
4.6 ozs. = 2/3 cup - Johnson Paste Wax - melted
2.3 ozs. = 1/3 cup - S. T. P. Oil Treatment
2.3 ozs. = 1/3 cup - Dexron II or III Automatic Trans. Fluid

Note : 1/3 cup is equal to 5-tablespoons + 1 teaspoon. ATF and STP can be measured with spoons easier than than cup.
If you want a larger batch simply double all measurements.

Hope this helps you fellow lube makers.. and a big THANK YOU to Ben for sharing his majic formula with us.....gary
P. S. this is the original formula based on 50% / 30% / 10% / 5% / 5%.

[41 mag fan]

i'm gonna throw this in here just so the next guy's that come along know.

don't use the wifes utensils/appliances to make lube,i don't care who payed for them they are her's.

I found out RFR...to use the wifes utensils.....you do one thing.

YOU BUY A REPLACEMENT THATS MORE EXPENSIVE!!!!

I capitalized all that for fellow members to head off a disaster in the making.
Don't ask how I know this one.
I still have the goose eggs on my head from the pot I used to clean my 223 brass in.....it happened once....I'll never do it again

[gwpercle]

Sounds like 41 mag fan speaks from the voice of experience. I asked my wife if she would like some NEW pyrex measuring cups cause her old ones were a bit chipped and worn BEFORE I used them, and she said yes , then I asked for the old ones and she gave them to me....I didn't get in trouble... us old dogs can learn.

I'm a 41 mag. fan also... got a S & W model 58 that I enjoy more than any other gun I own...... gary

[Ben]

Gary :

Thanks for sharing.

That is great.

Ben

[DeanWinchester]

This is by far the best lube I've ever used. Been using it since just before Christmas in everything from bunny fart loads to some that make me flinch. Zero leading. The only thing I notice is a greasy residue on the cylinder of my revolver. Its pretty thick after a hundred rounds or so. Its cool though, it wipes right off and leaves it nice and shinny.

[41 mag fan]

Sounds like 41 mag fan speaks from the voice of experience. I asked my wife if she would like some NEW pyrex measuring cups cause her old ones were a bit chipped and worn BEFORE I used them, and she said yes , then I asked for the old ones and she gave them to me....I didn't get in trouble... us old dogs can learn.

I'm a 41 mag. fan also... got a S & W model 58 that I enjoy more than any other gun I own...... gary

Gary...I still got the goose eggs on my head still...and that was from last fall!!
That cheap $20 pot, cost me $60 and 3 lumps.
Now when I go thru her kitchen to the shop in her garage, I keep my eyes down and my hands at my sides. I don't dare look up and look her in the eyes.
Last time I did that was 10 yrs ago, it scared me so bad, I peed right down my leg.

I have to say though, I'm thankful for the lumps, it reminds me whose the boss and wears the pants around here. I get a reminder every morning, when she lets me out of my cage for the day and I go comb my hair, in her bathroom!!

The 41 mag is an awesome caliber. You have a wide range of velocities, that'll mirror the 44 mag, without the recoil. I've got 3 pistols in this caliber, but no mold..yet, to try using Bens Red with them.

[Ben]

DeanWinchester :

I've also noticed that, I used some mineral spirits on an old T- Shirt, cleans up in seconds. No problems.

Thanks for your kind remarks about Ben's Red.

Ben

[DeanWinchester]

DeanWinchester :

I've also noticed that, I used some mineral spirits on an old T- Shirt, cleans up in seconds. No problems.

Thanks for your kind remarks about Ben's Red.

Ben

Yeah, I figure if it works as well as it does and that's it's biggest detriment, boo hoo cry me a river. Funny, I just put a load in the toaster oven to melt. I'm pan lubing 358429's all day. Ain't they purty?

[Ben]

You'll have some fun shooting those 429's. A great bullet.

I bet if you remove them while they are still slightly warm to the touch, they come out of the lube real easy.

Since you enjoy pan lubing, have you read my article on CastPics ?

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/How...a%20Budget.pdf

Ben

[DeanWinchester]

That's pretty close to how I do it. I use an old shell casing too, but I use a 30/06 with the base cut off and then I open up the mouth to the needed diameter. Then as you cut them out, they come out the top. Run them through my Lee sizer and they're perfect.

One thing I do is GENTLY cut out the boolits and not disturb the lube as a whole. Then there's fifty little holes in the pan of lube so just stick more boolits in the empty spaces, toss a small sliver of lube in one corner and pop them back in my toaster oven on 275 for a few minutes. Open the door and set my manicurist fan up to cool them quickly.


That's a great article Ben. I actually PREFER to do it this way. I've had a few lubrizers and I sold them and pan lube now. Maybe it ain't as fast, but I'm happy. I just like it better. Of course, I shoot so I can reload. Most people reload so they can shoot. I'm nothing if not assbackwards.

[Ben]

You have a nice , reliable , low tech , lube / size system that works flawlessly.

That's Great , thanks for sharing ! !

I shoot a " cousin " to your bullet made by Mountain Molds and Hp'd by Buckshot :















I'll be shooting a lot of these in my 1894 Marlin, 38 Spec. CBC ( with Ballard rifling ) :

[41 mag fan]

BEN....that's a nice looking rifle you got there.


DeanWinchester......That's a very nifty idea using a toaster oven to warm up Bens Red. I've been thinking of trying pan lubing with some. The 30-06 cartridge and the toaster oven esp are really good ideas.

That's pretty close to how I do it. I use an old shell casing too, but I use a 30/06 with the base cut off and then I open up the mouth to the needed diameter. Then as you cut them out, they come out the top. Run them through my Lee sizer and they're perfect.

One thing I do is GENTLY cut out the boolits and not disturb the lube as a whole. Then there's fifty little holes in the pan of lube so just stick more boolits in the empty spaces, toss a small sliver of lube in one corner and pop them back in my toaster oven on 275 for a few minutes. Open the door and set my manicurist fan up to cool them quickly.


That's a great article Ben. I actually PREFER to do it this way. I've had a few lubrizers and I sold them and pan lube now. Maybe it ain't as fast, but I'm happy. I just like it better. Of course, I shoot so I can reload. Most people reload so they can shoot. I'm nothing if not assbackwards.

[DeanWinchester]

Nice Ben, very nice. I hate to complain because mine throws such a nice boolit, but the 358429 is supposed to be 170g. Mine fall a VERY consistent 161g. They are within 1g of each other after the mold is hot. I have to pressure cast these too or they will NOT fill out, so they're slow going.

[Ben]

DeanWinchester


My Mountain Molds Keith Style 170 gr. mikes full diameter on all the bands , a lot of Lyman's won't do that. That is one of the reasons that I sold my 358429 molds. The front band on mine ran about .355 " Have you ever miked the front band and compared that reading with the rest of the drive bands ?

Ben

[DeanWinchester]

Oh you're spot on Ben, I size mine .358 and the die just barely kisses the rear and middle. The portion forward of the crimp groove runs .354

This is the reason I cast them dead soft in the hopes they swell when fired. I run them about 1050fps out of an SP101 with no leading. They were pretty accurate but that load in that pistol was not very pleasant. I sold the pistol.

I'm trying these 38's out in a Blackhawk this weekend. If they work, I may come home with it. You know you like reloading when you load for .38 but you don't even own one anymore!!!

[Ben]

Can't go wrong shooting a nice accurate 38 Special.

Ben

[joe4711]

I've just read thru all 9 pages of this thread, funny how people complain the lube does'nt work when they make all kinds of changes to the recipe.
Ben I take my hat of to you for staying cool, calm and collected through all of this time and explaining the same thing over and over.
I will be making my first batch of" Bens Red" soon.
Joe M