40 S&W Boolits and lube

[claudester]

I cast my first 40 S&W using Lees 401-175-TC mold and they did come out right on the money and weights at an ave. of 179 gr. My question is, Is using the Lee alox enough of a lube and what about that lube or wax grove. The ones I have bought always have that ring filled so I was wondering if it mattered. The 9x18 Makarov boolits I lubed with the alox left no leading at all. Just making sure.
Thanks

[garym1a2]

I have not having luck tumble lubing anything. My recomendation for a high preformance round is pan lube or a lubesizer. 50/50 beeswax/alox is a good start and run clean in my Glock 9mm.

[prs]

In general, many folks have reported good results with tumble lube on non TL boolits. My 40S&W boolits are the Lee TL type and they certainly function well with the TL and the JPW/TL/mineral spirits mix.

prs

[noylj]

I tumble lube .40 bullets all the time and they work just fine. Be sure the bullets are large enough (at least 0.001" larger than the barrel's groove diameter). I find that my as-cast bullets at 0.402" work just fine and they are regular lube-groove bullets. If you HAVE to size the bullets (I stopped that about 30 years ago), then get a Star sizer or spray the bullets with case lube, run 'em through the correct Lee sizer, and pan lube.
I still have my 40 years old RCBS Lubri-Sizer and I like to say disparaging things to it on a regular basis.
You can run 2 coats of LLA or you can follow the LLA with Rooster Jacket or you can look up Recluse's formula for mixing LLA/Johnson Paste Wax/Mineral Spirits. The .40 is NOT a magnum and you aren't shooting a 20" barrel.

[NuJudge]

If the bullets are a little on the large side, Tumble Lubing seems to work well for me in many barrels. Sometimes a barrel will only like really hard bullets, such as a Beretta .40 of mine.

NRA formula (50% Beeswax/50% Alox 2138F), a greasy stuff put in grooves and very different from Lee Liquid Alox, always works, regardless of hardness.

[HammerMTB]

I use the same boolit. I size mine to .401 as they come out of the mold .404-.405"
They are sized thru a Lee sizer that I honed out ot .401" That left the sizer so smooth it needs no lube to size boolits.
2 coats of 45/45/10 works well in all my .40's and 10MMs. No need to fill that lube groove, it's for the wax style lubes.
At one time I used straight LLA and later thinned LLA, but those smoke quite a bit more than 45/45/10.

[Moonie]

I use only 45/45/10 tumble lube in my .400 Cor-Bon, I don't size, no leading at all.

[claudester]

Thanks much for the replies!




I use the same boolit. I size mine to .401 as they come out of the mold .404-.405"
They are sized thru a Lee sizer that I honed out ot .401" That left the sizer so smooth it needs no lube to size boolits.
2 coats of 45/45/10 works well in all my .40's and 10MMs. No need to fill that lube groove, it's for the wax style lubes.
At one time I used straight LLA and later thinned LLA, but those smoke quite a bit more than 45/45/10.


What is the 45/45/10 mix and how is put together? Do you have a link.
Thanks

[Maximumbob54]

I'm dipping mine in a crock pot on warm filled with half alox and half Johnsons Paste Wax. I shoot mine in a SW Sigma. No leading at all.

[HORNET]

Details on making and using 45/45/10 are in the lube forum. See here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654
Lots of favorable reviews by users on this board. Good luck.

[geargnasher]

+1 on 45/45/10 (Recluse lube) if you choose to go the TL route. I tried and tried to get it to work well with my .40, finally gave up and solved all my problems with White Label BAC and Carnauba Red mixed 50/50 and put in the groove like doG intended. The tumble lube worked so-so with this high-pressure round, slight lead wash with the high end loads, but the ash streaks left behind in the barrel were the big annoyance. Smoke was high and accuracy was low, just my experience. I use lots of 45/45/10 to excellent effect in my .38s and 45s.

Gear

[claudester]

Details on making and using 45/45/10 are in the lube forum. See here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654
Lots of favorable reviews by users on this board. Good luck.


DaHHH! I never even seen the LUBE thread. Thanks alot.

Can Ya tell I'm new to this? :lol:

[geargnasher]

That's why we're here!

Gear

[mongo]

I just loaded up the last of my 175 LeeTC tonight. I also use 45/45/10 and size to .401 with no leading at all. Last cast was about 1500 boolits, had only 400 left tonight to load. I sure love casting my own. I had that Glock 23 for about 7 years and only put about 400 factory rounds through it. Put twice that amount of cast boolits threw it in last two weeks, LOL Tommy