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Thread: Uneven lube application

  1. 07-05-2012, 03:31 PM #1
    DrCaveman
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    Uneven lube application

    Hello, happy 4th. Hope some things went boom in your area, and no one got hurt.

    As I am refining my pan-lube technique, I am looking back at a bunch of 'ready to load' boolits and am a little dissatisfied with the lube application. My guess is that I twisted or tilted the boolits a bit much when pressing them out of the cake. No, I do not use a cake-cutter, but my lube blend works well when I do my part.

    Main observation (prob 1 out of 10 in this batch of 358-158 rf) is that the lube is nearly nonexistent for about 20% of lube groove. Generally, when I catch it, I can smear lube into the empty spot and feel OK about it. But I honestly don't always catch it.

    I have culled whole batches for re-lubing, but is this really necessary? My understanding is that the boolit will be out of balance and will hurt accuracy. But once things heat up (primer goes bang) I tend to think the lube will fill in gaps, finding the path of least resistance.

    Since I haven't marked the individual loaded cartridges with this problem, I will not be able to tell when shooting which is which.

    Thoughts?
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  2. 07-07-2012, 12:15 AM #2
    Dale53
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    If the lube grooves are deep they can collapse if there is no lube in certain areas and when fired adversely affecting the balance of the bullet.

    If your bullet is the Lee 358-158-RF, the lube groove is so shallow that I doubt you'll have a problem.

    However, the best thing to do, is make certain you load some with partially filled lube groove and some with fully filled lube groove then bench them with a good rest. If there is a material difference you will see it. Then, you can report back to us.

    Even with my Star lube/sizer I occasionally get a partially filled lube groove. It gets loaded and shot.

    However, if I were competing in an important match, then I would make sure to have the best bullets (including lube) possible.

    Just a thought or two...

    Dale53
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  3. 07-07-2012, 01:55 AM #3
    AR-15 Cowboy
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    When I take mine out of the pan if there is a spot missing in the grove I just fill it in and hand mold it. Works for me.
    :“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”
    ― Albert Einstein
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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