LL alox: can I do this ???

[milprileb]

I casted up some 228 gr RN 45acp boolits, BNH is 22.

These are not tumble lube boolits.

Can I use Lee Liquid Allox on them as lube or will the use of this lube not
prevent leading.

I am shooting 4.5 gr of Bullseye under these 228 gr RN boolits.

These boolits are all sized and if I can use LLA on them for lube, it would save me a ton of time

Pls advise , many thanks

[milprileb]

Now I am worried, I may have a real problem here if I use the LLA as no one wants to send me any bad news

[gasboffer]

Yep, you can use LLA. I have that bullet and use it more than any other in .45 ACP, and I have a lot of .45 molds. I tumble lube, size, then tumble lube in Johnson Paste wax. Let dry overnight. No problem with leading. Most of the time I load 4.5 gr. Bullseye. Oh, I thin the LLA with about half paint thinner. You may have a leading problem with a bullet that hard, I use wheelweights and soft lead, (about half and half).
clyde

[milprileb]

How do you tumble lube in Johnsons paste wax???

[sisiphunter]

I use LLA on a good number of my boolits, TL style and mostly not. For example, the closest I load to a pistol boolit 45cal is 44mag. One of my best loads is a 200gr RN, hard cast water quench over 6.2gr Unique for just over 800fps. I use a light-moderate coat of LLA and dont need to size this particular boolit and get great results all day in my Marlin.

I like LLA, think it works just fine, cant afford a lubesizer now so I have to make due with LLA. For heavier pressure rifle rounds I use 2 light coats. Best of luck, Matt

[milprileb]

sisiphunter

My issue is my mold is not a tumble lube design, it puts out regular boolits so the question was focused on whether I can use LLA as a final lube or not.

[Skipper488]

I use 45% LLA, 45% JPW and 10% mineral spirits. I cast then cull out the bad bullets and tumble lube with the preceding mixture. Lay them on wax paper over night and let them dry. Load em up and shoot em. I shoot as cast so I don't size them if I did a second coat after sizing would be the final lube. That mixture drys to a non-sticky finish.

[Keyston44]

sisiphunter

My issue is my mold is not a tumble lube design, it puts out regular boolits so the question was focused on whether I can use LLA as a final lube or not.

Yes, you can use LLA on non TL bullets. I do it all the time. Key

[runfiverun]

you can also melt some b-wax add the lla.
and use a cup to swirl a softened glop of this around in till the boolits are coated and the lube grooves will fill up this way too.
i do that with a non t/l boolit but with jpw instead of alox.
i mix it 3 parts jpw to 1 part b-wax.
it takes it a while to dry but it works excellently.

[foxtrapper]

I'm kinda new at casting and have been using straight LLA on all my bullets. None of them are tumble lube design. All have gaschecks and are sized using the Lee push through dies. No leading, all shoot well. . WW melt ,lubed before they are sized then then lubed again. I just started using mica powder at the end to help cut down on them being sticky.

[milprileb]

Can corn starch or talc be substituted for Mica ?

[foxtrapper]

I have read here folks using baby powder,flour and Gold Bond Powder with seemingly good results. Me I bought the Frankford Arsenal mica powder from Midway. Looks like it will last me a long.....time.

[mooman76]

How do you tumble lube in Johnsons paste wax???

Basically the same way as LLA.

[oscarflytyer]

Shooting a 200 LSWC in 45 acp with nothing but LLA. 5 grns Bullseye, about 900 fps. Doing fine.

I am, however, going to go with the 45/45/10 (LLA/Johnson Paste Wax/Mineral Spirits), to loose some of the stickyness of LLA.

[HammerMTB]

That's a mighty hard boolit for a .45 ACP. I don't know where/how you are getting hard lead (linotye? oven hardened?) but you'd be much better off with WW or even WW/pure in a 50/50 mix.
To your question, sure you can LLA those boolits. I prefer to use LLA for any and all uses I can, even tho I have a lubesizer. It is less labor to LLA lube than it is to lube-size them.

[HiVelocity]

Guys,

You're wasting your money by adding all the powders (cornstarch, etc.)

I use 50/50 Xlox & JPW. Try to pick one up with your fingertips using this formula.

Sssslick! Just my $.02 worth.

[Just think how many people are missing out by not being a member on this forum!] Lol!

HV8-)

[unclebill]

[Just think how many people are missing out by not being a member on this forum!] Lol!

HV8-)

the only time i disagreed with the advice i have gotten here
was the mule snot for lube.
1 my mule did NOT want to cooperate in the least.
2 it made a horrible mess.
you ever try to stick a boolit up a mules nose?
it aint as easy as it sounds....

[Charlie Two Tracks]

milprileb. Try this link
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654

[*Paladin*]

That's a mighty hard boolit for a .45 ACP. I don't know where/how you are getting hard lead (linotye? oven hardened?) but you'd be much better off with WW or even WW/pure in a 50/50 mix.To your question, sure you can LLA those boolits. I prefer to use LLA for any and all uses I can, even tho I have a lubesizer. It is less labor to LLA lube than it is to lube-size them.

I agree! I use the exact same mold for my .45's with 50/50 alloy and LLA. 22 BHN is pretty dang hard for .45 ACP. I get no leading with the above in any of my 1911's.

[MtGun44]

Alloy is unnecessarily hard for .45 ACP. It can work, but is much harder than needed and if
a bit too small, will lead and be inaccurate. Revolver or semi-auto? Semiauto will
be probably more forgiving of an undersized and hard boolit in this caliber. If it is
.452 or .453, may work, but you should either cut your alloy with some pure to save $$
or stop water dropping. Mule snot has it's adherents, and .45 ACP is fairly forgiving of
poor lubes, so it may work fine, again if the boolit is large enough. Revolvers in this
cal have throat sizes all over the map, boolit should be at or larger than throat size
for good accy.

Note that making a boolit harder is not the path to reduced leading that many folks
would seem to believe.

Bill

[steg]

I've been using mule snot on both my .360 and .460 (unsized) for quite a while now, none of my boolits are tumble lubed, great accuracy, and no leading at all, Ya gotta watch those hooves though, them mules can kick, LOL.......................steg

[milprileb]

Okay, Johnsons Paste Wax.... how do you measure it and how do you measure the LL allox?

Or is it trial and error swag ? Just put in a cup and mix it with a spoon and add 5% mineral spirits and try to get a slush ?

I use pure WW because no lead is for sale around here but I will stop water quenching per your recommendations of my bullets being overly hard.

Yes: I am shooting 45 acp in semi auto 1911 platforms.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

After the wax is cooked down, just measure equal amounts. That link I posted explains it quite well. I used a measuring cup when I made mine. You are going to be amazed at how soft a boolit you can shoot. Around here, they say that fit of the boolit is KING. They are correct. After all the years of hearing and reading about how hard a boolit has to be and how you shouldn't shoot lead over 1,000 ft. per second, I've got loads that are going over 1,300 fps and no leading with a boolit of 12 BHN. I'm sure I could speed it up more if I wanted but that's moving right along in a revolver. Have fun and read away! You're in for a great time.

[Gohon]

After the wax is cooked down, just measure equal amounts. That link I posted explains it quite well. I used a measuring cup when I made mine. You are going to be amazed at how soft a boolit you can shoot. Around here, they say that fit of the boolit is KING. They are correct. After all the years of hearing and reading about how hard a boolit has to be and how you shouldn't shoot lead over 1,000 ft. per second, I've got loads that are going over 1,300 fps and no leading with a boolit of 12 BHN. I'm sure I could speed it up more if I want

Exactly...............straight wheel weights with a little tin added for fill out and my bullets run 12-13 BHN. Plain base I've run them up to 1400 fps and gas checked I've pushed them up just shy of 2000 fps from my rifles. All this using nothing but LLA and JPW mixed 50/50 and sized .002-.003 over bore diameter, even .004 in some cases and my barrels don't lead. As stated above, the key is bullet fit. I know there will be those that disagree but it works for me.

As for mixing the JPW and LLA, just melt the JPW in the microwave, mix same amount of LLA, pour into bottles, cap and shake and your ready to go. I don't mess with mineral spirits because just smelling the JPW indicates to me there is already some kind of petroleum in the stuff.

[timkelley]

Milprileb, put a 100/150 boolits in a large butter tub or equivalent. Add a teaspoon of JPW to the top. Use a heat gun or blow dryer to heat the boolits and JPW until the wax starts to be runny then tumble. Dump the whole pile onto wax paper, or freezer paper, or a paper plate and allow to set up.

[mdi]

sisiphunter

My issue is my mold is not a tumble lube design, it puts out regular boolits so the question was focused on whether I can use LLA as a final lube or not.

Yes. Either thin the alox with mineral spirits or try 45-45-10 (see stickies). Swirl in tub as instructions, and I set the bullets on the base so excess runs off the nose and keeps seater die cleaner. Most new users put on too much alox, just a light film is needed. If you size the bullets, tumble lube them after sizing (and before if you like) 'cause alox needs to be on the bearing surfaces, not just in grooves.