Things I learned

[sdelam]

A few weeks ago I finally used up all of my lyman 50/50 lube sticks. Not wanting to spend $5 a stick again I decieded to go with some white label. I ordered some samples of C-Red and BAC to play with wanting to cut down on the smoke and mess of the 50/50. I was hoping I could get the C-Red to work since I dont run a heater, so the BAC was a JIC I couldnt get the C-Red to flow with a heat light. I also figured I could do some smoke test to see if the BAC would be good enough for my 45 loads and Then I wouldnt have to mess with the lamp.

Now while I was waiting for the samples (turned out to be only two days) I decided to fix the seal on the bottom plug of the old 450, it had been leaking pretty bad for awhile. Of course once I got it apart and cleaned out, it took another week to get the replacement parts from lyman. All the while the lube samples glared at me in thier little baggies.

So I finally got the parts and slapped it together, stuck the heat lamp on it and got the temp up to about 85 degrees and inserted my third stick of BAC and ran the pressure srew all the way down without ever getting a speck of lube on the bullet. So I thought well, **** It wasnt enough to fill the 450 so I stuck my third of C-Red in also and cranked er down...

At this point I was getting lube again so i was excited. The first few came out with the Lyman lube on it but since I had cleaned it out, I figured it would switch shortly.

After 50 bullets I was getting a half 50/50 half BAC lube ring.:( it took just over 100 to finally stop getting 50/50 in my lube ring. Of course, by then I was getting a C-Red / BAC lube ring on those rounds hmmmm. Needless to say my smoke test will be less than ideal. But at least I know the C-Red will work with just a heat lamp.

So what did I learn...

1. White label ships fast!
2. Lyman dosent.
3. Cleaning out a 450 is a PIA
4. BAC flows nice at 85 degrees
5. C-Red flows nice at 95 degrees

and lastly......

6. If you want to compare small batches of lube.......Pan Lube :)

[RobS]

You can also compare lubes by rubbing the lube stick along the boolit's lube groove then mold the lube a bit with your finger and finish by running it through your sizing die. It's a bit messy but for 10 or so rounds it's not bad.

[geargnasher]

You can warm the stick up a bit to soften the end, it helps the "hand-lube" process Rob mentioned. I also pan lube for small batches, but usually have more than just a couple of sticks worth to work with. If you only have a small quantity of lube the hand-lube method works fine, the sizer die will squeegee it into the grooves and wipe off the excess for you.

Gear

[btroj]

I find that kneading the lube in my fingers for a minute or so softens it up and makes it easy to get into the lube grooves. I have done this but more than 20 or 30 bullets and your fingers get sore.

[357maximum]

I had several really really tiny batches of the same lube ( MML ) that were all different colors. I basically mooooshed all the chunks into a turd and crammed it in a lyman 45. It made "SUPERMAN ICECREAM" boolits for a loooong time. 2+ years has passed and nothing but hot and melted deep purple MML lube has gone into that machine since and I still get an occassional colorful streak. Apparently there are alot of hidey holes in that 3 OZ or so reservior.

I say that lubesizers are just like politicians..........no matter how hard you try ( or how long you hold them underwater) :shock: you ain't never gonna get one totally clean. [smilie=s:

[geargnasher]

Mike, if you boil it in a pot of water with about a tablespoon of Dawn you'll get it clean! I've had neopolitan lube before, too.

Gear

[Springfield]

To empty out a sizer I like to put it in the oven on a cookie sheet lined with lots of paper towels. Set the oven on 170 and let it all melt out. Less messy than boiling, no pot to clean. You do lose the leftover lube, though.

[leadman]

A $10 Harbor Freight heat gun works great for preheating the lubersizer or emptying it.

[357maximum]

Mike, if you boil it in a pot of water with about a tablespoon of Dawn you'll get it clean! Gear


But will this approach work on politicians? ;)



I actually was not trying too hard to clean that sizer as the recipe was essentially the same it was just different colors. The different colors did not seem to confuse my boolits so I guess all is well. :lol:

[geargnasher]

But will this approach work on politicians? ;)



I actually was not trying too hard to clean that sizer as the recipe was essentially the same it was just different colors. The different colors did not seem to confuse my boolits so I guess all is well. :lol:

Ha! I think tar and feathers are for politicians!

Gear

[nanuk]

But will this approach work on politicians? ;)



only if you hold them UNDER the water while bringing it up to boiling

or if your water is already at a rolling boil, then treat them like lobster, dunk them in headfirst