Cast boolits, Lube, and accuracy?

[ShooterAZ]

Still learning...do you guys get differing degrees of accuracy using the same bullets and different lubes? I realize that there are hundreds of different lubes out there...and even different methods of lubing. Still trying to wrap my arms around some of this....Thanks.

[cbrick]

Lube can effect accuracy yes. With the couple of dozen lubes that I made doing lube tests I found that it was pretty easy to make a lube that prevented leading, accuracy was effected to varying degrees. Lubes using synthetic greases gave the worst accuracy of everything I tested.

Rick

[stubshaft]

Yes it does affect accuracy. If the only criteria is to stop leading almost everything will work. But for peak accuracy you'll have to match the lube to the boolit/cartridge and even then maybe tweak it a bit. Case in point; I was having problems with vertical stringing in my K-hornet using FWFL. It only occurred when the barrel heated up (the barrel was free floated so it wasn't caused by pressure on the forend). After a couple of e-mails from Felix we decided that the lube was too slippery. Consequently I added more beeswax to the lube and it settled down to where every group was nice and round.

[runfiverun]

viscosity is the key difference.
you don't need the slippery so much, remember that lube is also a flexible gasket.
the harder you push it the more viscosity you need.
i use a lube that is more hard than soft but softer than a hard lube. [a bit softer than carnuba red]
i like it to smush and flow with heat/pressure, have tackyness and not break down.

[44man]

Good answers! After extensive lube tests, there is a larger affect on accuracy then most realize. It has had nothing to do with leading either because I toss a lube that leads, not worth a test.

[bobthenailer]

Although ive used many bullet lubes over the years , and for the past 20 + years only hard lubes that requires a heater . I have gotten excellent accuracy from all when the load was worked up with that lube and no leading , at least some of the time accuracy will be the same, it just depends how far you shoot and what your accuracy goals are .
My only experince was when i was using red rooster zambini red and switched to lbt commerical, both hard lubes. The bullets were cast & loaded at the same time with the only difference being the bullet lube . at 100 yards with 25 shot group with each lube, both were almost identical group size @2 1/2 inches with a RPM xl pistol in 357 mag .
The red rooster lube was a average of 67 fps faster than the lbt commercial lube but accuracy was the same . so the lbt lube did a better job of lubing creating less pressure therefore less velocity . causing me to hit low at 100 yard steel target.
But in every case of switching lubes they should be tested for accuracy & leading.

[geargnasher]

viscosity is the key difference.
you don't need the slippery so much, remember that lube is also a flexible gasket.
the harder you push it the more viscosity you need.
i use a lube that is more hard than soft but softer than a hard lube. [a bit softer than carnuba red]
i like it to smush and flow with heat/pressure, have tackyness and not break down.

Lots of wisdom there.

Gear

[Dthunter]

Hi guys!

Another thing that may be worth noting:

If you live in an area that has temperature extreams, the lube you worked with at 80 deg. F may not be worth a hoot at -5 deg. F.

[geargnasher]

Hi guys!

Another thing that may be worth noting:

If you live in an area that has temperature extreams, the lube you worked with at 80 deg. F may not be worth a hoot at -5 deg. F.

So very, very true. I have enough trouble between 105F and 35. It definetely requires two different lubes to maintain accuracy during long strings at any significant distance with a rifle. Also, some lubes are much better at minimizing the "cold barrel flyer" syndrome than others.

...And if you live in Texas as I do, your "Winter" lube might not work all season, like today, it's sunny and 75 with a few high mare's tale clouds, almost no wind. Good time for "Summer" lube, but I had to use my Winter formula last weekend when it was 40 outside, drizzly and overcast.

Gear

[cbrick]

the lube you worked with at 80 deg. F may not be worth a hoot at -5 deg. F.

I ain't worth a hoot at -5 either. :-(

Rick

[runfiverun]

viscosity rears it's head again.....
i have been chasing the winter/summer thing for a couple of years now.
my best suggestion is to soften your summer lube for winter use.
i use moly solids in my lube and atf as the modifier.
the moly is there to act as a heat sink. [this is not moly grease]

[geargnasher]

Yes, me too R5R. So have thousands of petroleum engineers. I've made some putty-like substances that were viscosity-stable from 120 to 10 degrees, but none of them worked like I wanted accuracy-wise, especially in a long string. One of them actually caused severe leading, never did figure it out for sure but I think the solids I put in it caused galling. There's always a fly in the ointment!

Gear

[runfiverun]

the best solution i have come up with so far truly has been multiple ingredients.
soy wax and b-wax carriers 60-40
lithium stearate grease,carnuba 25&5 %
lanolin,atf both under 5%
xlox, moly solids 5% and about 10%
and some plasticized parrafin. 5% again
it's a kind of yen and yang thing with everything in small amounts.
and the percentages based on the b-wax,soy wax volumne used
it seems to be half as much in ingredients as carriers but they are based on the b-wax volume.
with the moly and parrafin added last and based on the volume of the two carriers.
no atf in summer and atf in winter.
complex and simple all at once.