pan lube

[csmopar]

Been reading through some posts here for the last couple of hours, but I can't seem to find an answer.

Looking for a lube for 45 acp that will work well as a pan lube, can be homemade, can be bought, just need someone to point this noob in the right direction, thanks

[geargnasher]

Just about anything will work for 45 ACP. If you want to buy it, check out White Label Lubes or member Randyrat's vendor page. Randy's TAC#1 is pan friendly, as is White Label BAC, NRA 50/50, and several others.

If you want to make it yourself, there are too many possibilities to list, just stay away from lube formulas containing wheel bearing or chassis grease because they're tough to melt and don't flow well in a pan. You could start with 50/50 beeswax and vaseline and work the proportions up or down to get the consistency that suits you.

If you want some tips, there's a sticky somewhere by Ben (I think the "hand tools" subforum) about how to pan lube and make a cookie cutter from a fired case, nail, and dowel rod.

There are two excellent threads on the second page of this forum on pan lubing, I don't know how many threads-per-page you're viewing but mine's set on 20 I think, so like 30 threads down, can't miss the titles. We REALLY need a how-to sticky on this but I don't do enough of it to make a proposal of my own.

Hope that helps.

Gear

edit: it was in the casting forum, Ben's thread on cake cutters: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=119056

[fryboy]

for 45 acp .... 'bout anything would work , i've even used darr and emmert's ( fairly easy to pan lube with but umm i have no idea where one would buy them already made ) i've also used several black powder designed lubes and they work fine , the 45 as gear stated isnt a hi demanding lube user , the lee liquid alox will work and work well ( no pan lubing needed ) much better IMHO is recluse's excellent recipe , please note that because the 45 isnt very demanding the choices are limitless ( almost ) if you just have to pan lube for it .... bac from white label lubes will work fine and i suppose if you wanted to make it at home it's a 50/50 blend of their carnuba red and 50/50 , merely buy the stix and combine [shrugz]

gear , usually a stikki is suggested by several members or garners enough replies to count that the staff agrees and stikki it , i agree there should be a pan lubing stikki in the lube section ( makes perfect sense and would be entirely appropriate IMHO ) the two i pointed out on other threads , while stikkki's , arent stikki's in this forum per say and my ummm writing style wouldnt be the best to scribe a new thread for such ( btw ? i love understatements lolz )

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've considered starting a well written and photo'd post on how I dip lube.
using a homemade cakecutter for my oversize rossi 44 spl (they need to be .435).
Luckily, my NOE keith style RG2 mold drops them that size...no sizing needed.
I use randyrat's tak #1 improved with lanolin as a lube.

I've tried pan lubing once, only ended up in a mess...but that's on me, not the lube.
Jon

[Ben]

Here is the link on pan lubing that Gear is referring to, I hope you find it helpful ?

You can take a fired .45 Long Colt case and make you a nice tool to remove your .45 ACP bullets from the solidified lube :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=119056

[Rick Hodges]

I use felix lube for just about everything. 45/70 smokeless, .45 colt, .45acp,.38sp/357 mag. Works for me.

[csmopar]

Here is the link on pan lubing that Gear is referring to, I hope you find it helpful ?

You can take a fired .45 Long Colt case and make you a nice tool to remove your .45 ACP bullets from the solidified lube :

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=119056

Yep, thats one of the ones I read yesterday, the thing I'm really looking for out of this thread is a good, homemade pan lube recipe. One that doesn't smoke a lot. I'd like to try it out, I've got a lubesizer setup but i like trying new things.

[geargnasher]

If you don't like smoke stay away from paraffin.

I'll make another recommendation, too, contact member Randyrat and tell him your needs, get him to make a bulk batch of his TAC #1 lube that's more suitable for pan lubing (less sticky). Adding some carnauba wax to the standard TAC formula should do it. No need to buy the sticks he makes if you just pan lube, he can probably sell you bulk lube cheaper but you'd need to contact him about your needs. I make a similar formula to his lube myself and it's very much NOT smokey, but I'll tell you also that it's tough to make it as cheaply as he sells the finished lube.

Gear

[zomby woof]

2500+

[turmech]

randyrat's Tac #1 kit works well for me pan lubing. The kit come with everything you need and it would cost more to assemble the ingredients your self than to buy from him. Have loaded 45 acp, 38 sw, 38/357 and 44 mag (to about 1400 fps). Has not produced leading in any guns I have. Still not tacky even on bullets stored in my shop with temps near 100 outside.

[autopilotmp]

A word of caution, don't make your own lube. It is a path that will consume more of your time. I made a batch of Felix and have been fighting the urge to make more just becuase it was a relaxing and interesting process, of course I have the same problem with boolits too. I have lots of boolits but for some reason have the urge to make more of them just for the shear relaxation and feeling I get from being self suficient.

On a more serious note I like the felix lube it works great in my .45acp loads and the more recently 9mm loads. I pan lube and had to add a little more parafin wax to stiffen the lube a little but that was easily mixed in after the whole batch was cooked. With the new info I have picked up from Gear and Randy I will be deleting the parafin and using more carnuba and beeswax to stiffen the lube with. I did try using the liquid Alox but didn't like the smell during the lubing and while shooting.

[mdi]

For low pressure stuff, 38 Spec, 45 ACP I've made up some easy-to-make lube; Beeswax softened to the consistancy you prefer, with Marvels Mystery oil, Olive Oil (not Ms. Oyl), crisco/vegetable oil, STP, or mineral oil. Warm the Beeswax to liquid (don't over heat) add some oil, a little at a time, and mix. You'll need to experiment to get the quantities/ratio right for the consistancy you need. I don't make a lot at first, 1/4 lb. Beeswax and mebbe a tablespoon of oil. I've always used this type lube by pan lubing...

But as a new caster/luber you can't go wrong with Randy's lubes (I use his Speed Green for my .44 Magnum loads) or White Lable Lubes.

[375RUGER]

I pan lube only and I use Lotak and FWFL (actually Gear's FWFL), both are easy to pan.
I use the cookie/cake cutter method to get the boolits out of the pan, I have better results with this method.