New guy with Alox question

[doubledown]

I love this Forum, I have been reading for weeks and learned enough to be dangerous. I have been reloading since 1982, but have never cast a single bullet. I have been bit by the bug...bad. I have (in the mail as we speak) a 20 pound Lee pot, a Lee lube and size die in .430 and a two bullet mold from Accurate. I am going to start out with a ladle and work up to a bottom pour when my credit card cools off.

My question is if I use liquid Alox for lube do I need to also use a hard lube for the grease grooves, or is the Alox all I need. I will be loading 320 grain WFN with GC's in my Marlin 1894 .44 mag at about 1250-1350fps.

[btroj]

Which Alox? There is liquid Alox and 50/50 Alox beeswax. One is a tumble lube the other is a stick that is generally applied with a lubrsizer.

I would prefer a stick lube to go in the grooves although some have good results with the tumble lube. You might search for Rwcluses 45/45/10 lube, seems it gets good reviews.

Which lube to use and how to apply it is an area where there are as many opinions here as there are people. In the end it will be your needs, budget, expectations, and what the gun wants that will make up tour mind on how to proceed.

Brad

[doubledown]

btroj, I was going to use the Alox from Lee. What I am hoping for is low or no leading, I have no idea what to expect for accuracy with the cast bullets. My 1894 shoots 3"-4" groups at 100 yards off a rest with Hornady 300 grain XTP's. If what I have been reading is correct, bullet lube for cast bullets plays a pretty big part in accuracy.

I will be getting started in a couple of weeks, one thing is for sure, I will have my hands full.

[btroj]

I would start with lower velocity loads. Lube can play a huge part in preventing leading. Main thing to do is use a big enough bullet. Is your rifle micro groove? If so, and even if not, you most likely want a fat bullet, .432 or so. Possibly even fatter.
I would suggest searching here for info on the 45/45/10 lube. I have heard good things about it.
What alloy do you plan on using? I would go with wheel weight.

You have begun on a path that will have many ups and downs. Don't be discouraged by a few bad results. We may not advertise it here but we have all leaded a barrel or two. The learning curve at times can be steep but the rewards are well worth it.

Start with lower velocities and work up. Keep good records of group size and barrel condition after the shots are fired. You may find the barrel needs fire lapping but wait til the barrel says it wants it to do that.

Good luck to you. Keep us posted on how it goes.

Brad

[Recluse]

btroj, I was going to use the Alox from Lee. What I am hoping for is low or no leading, I have no idea what to expect for accuracy with the cast bullets. My 1894 shoots 3"-4" groups at 100 yards off a rest with Hornady 300 grain XTP's. If what I have been reading is correct, bullet lube for cast bullets plays a pretty big part in accuracy.

I will be getting started in a couple of weeks, one thing is for sure, I will have my hands full.

If you're gas-checking the boolits, I'd go with the 45/45/10--and I'd experiment and try it two ways.

First way, tumble lube. Gas check, lube, size, lube, load. I install all gas checks with a push-through sizer. I've also done my first coat of tumble-lubing, then the gas check and sizing in one step, then lubed again. I've yet to ever have a gas check fall off doing it this way.

You could also try dip-lubing. Ranch Dog does this with straight LLA (Lee Liquid Alox) with good results. Others, however, have tried it and said it's messy and slow as hell. To each their own, I reckon.

I gave up using straight LLA a long time ago when I finally got a good blend of LLA, JPW and mineral spirits down. I've never looked back.

:coffee:

[btroj]

Thanks Recluse, knew it was best coming straight from the horses mouth.

Brad

[noylj]

As I will always recommend, try as-cast and tumble lubed with LLA first. This is adequate up to 1200fps. You can tumble lube at least 500 bullets in about a minute and let them "dry" for 24 hours.
Along about 1985 or so, I retired my Lubrisizer and took up pan lubing. About a year ago, I cranked out about 10k bullets in different calibers and tumble lubed them all in LLA. I plan on making Recluse's 45/45/10 next time.
I have no need to size any of my bullets for .32-20, .32 S&W Long, .38 Special, .357 Mag, 9x19, .38 Super, .44 Mag, .45 Auto, or .45 Win Mag. YMMV, but try as-cast first.
For a revolver, see if your as-cast bullets are a snug fit in the throats of your cylinder. Ideally, if your cylinder throats are 0.431", you will want your bullets to be 0.4309". Then, you need to slug your barrel. Again, ideally if your bullets are 0.4309", then your barrel's groove diameter should be no more than 0.04299".
Knowing these numbers will tell you the minimum size your bullets will probably need to be to not lead.

[doubledown]

Thank you, Recluse I will be useing your 45/45/10, great sticky (pics) and your lubeing/ sizing advice also

btroj, my 1894 is ballard rifling with the famous 1 in 38" twist.