bullet lube?

[45pro]

What bullet lube should i use? My kit came with Alox, but i hear its not very good. What do you all recommend?

[cbrick]

Well Pro, can't really recommend anything because we don't know things like, what type of firearm, what cartridge, what bullet, estimated velocity, conventional lube groove or LEE tumble lube bullet?

By "kit" I assume you mean the LEE tumble lube kit that comes with LLA (LEE Liquid Alox)? Is this right?

If your shooting a low pressure, low velocity cartridge such as the 45 ACP and not pushing it hard your "kit" and your alox should work fine, the way to find out is to shoot them.

Rick

[kbstenberg]

CBrick is spot on. I would allso ask if you have slugged your barrel to see exactly what size bullet you need.

[45pro]

Well Pro, can't really recommend anything because we don't know things like, what type of firearm, what cartridge, what bullet, estimated velocity, conventional lube groove or LEE tumble lube bullet?

By "kit" I assume you mean the LEE tumble lube kit that comes with LLA (LEE Liquid Alox)? Is this right?

If your shooting a low pressure, low velocity cartridge such as the 45 ACP and not pushing it hard your "kit" and your alox should work fine, the way to find out is to shoot them.

Rick

I'm using a taurus pt145., .45acp, Mold 452-228-1R 45 ACP

I'll be loading it as. 5.1g of w231, at an OAL of 1.256. (same as the MBC's bullets i use) The bullet i cast is the same weight and profile as the MBC ones that i use with good success.

[geargnasher]

Go here, read this: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654

If that doesn't work, go to the LASC dot US site and read the numerous articles by Glen Fryxell and others on lubing boolits, then you will be an informed experimenter.

Gear

[Larry Gibson]

Try the LLA straight as per the directions. Many find it very adequate for your intended use.

Larry Gibson

[mpmarty]

LLA works for me but I modify it by cutting with equal parts of Johnsons paste wax. I heat the LLA and melt the jpw into it. This mix dries harder, faster and shines a barrel like magic. I use that mix in all pistol and rifle boolits up to 2300fps in 308.

[donnis]

I've read on here that the Taurus bores are over-sized and you're going to need a fat 45 mold to get good results. Ranch dog is working on a mold with Taurus 45's in mind.

[williamwaco]

LLA is an excellent bullet lube.

I used the other system for 50 years and still have the lubrisizer and all the GHI dies.
I still use the lubrisizer for .30 caliber rifle bullets but I have converted completely to the Lee dies and LLA on all handguns.

You can see actually leading test results with 58 different loads using 15 different bullets at velocities from 700 to 1950 fps. here:

http://www.reloadingtips.com/pages/exp_111201a_lla_test.htm





.




.

[stubshaft]

I am not a big fan of LLA but have and still do use it occasionally and will say that it works fine.

[shredder]

I use it on all my rifle loads. For example: 30/06 160 gr rn lee @ 1650fps (on my chrongraph) and 8x57 180 gr rn lee at 1425 ( also chronographed) I use gas checks on both loads and both are cast from 50/50 ww and pure lead. Quite soft. I tumble lube and let dry overnight on wax paper. I size them next day while applying the gas check, then tumble lube a second time. Back out on the (clean) wax paper for another overnight dry and then into a (clean) wax paper lined box for future loading. The '06 load is hardly touched by the sizing die at all but the 8x57 bullets are being sized down .002 which is "supposed" to ruin accuracy. Not in my rifle at any rate, both loads are capable of shooting in the 1.5" range or less at 100 yds if I do my part. That is all these rifles are capable of with favorite jacketed bullet loads.

I have started diluting the LLA with varsol and am having the same results. The bullets are less sticky with the diluted mix for sure. Someone here suggested diluting to the point that the mixture looks straw colored. I have not gone that far yet but do not doubt that it would work. My mix is more like 60/40 - Varsol/LLA.

[captaint]

I used to use Lee's Alox and had no problems with it from a shooting standpoint. I did mix it with paint thinner and added some JPW also. Worked fine and left the barrel clean. enjoy Mike

[MtGun44]

There is a whole section on bullet lubes.
Spend some time there reading, lots and lots of info.

Bill

[1Shirt]

Like MtGun44 says, there are lots of them. I have formulas that recommended whale oil as a component. Some of the folks on this forum are as interested in developing the "ONE LUBE" that does everything, hot, cold, fast slow, soft, hard, etc. Kinda sorta like the quest for the better mouse trap. That however is part of what keeps us interested in the whole deal.
1Shirt!

[jonk]

I shoot equal amounts of bullets lubed with LLA and regular lube. Depends what I'm doing. For long barrel guns with a little frost in the bore, I find the LLA isn't adequate in amount; for anything else it does as well as any other lube I've tried.

[45pro]

Ok. i think i'll just stick with the LLA and see what happens. After it has been sized and lubed again, do i go ahead and load it, then wipe off the lube on the nose of the bullet? Or can i do it before and just keep lube in the lube grooves?

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Try the LLA straight as per the directions. Many find it very adequate for your intended use.

Larry Gibson

+1 just warm it up a bit under hot water , sometimes the bottles have been sitting a while and they get a bit firm.

i can get away with strait alox 2 coats on boolits in my 20 inch barreled 30-30 , it is all about fit

if it works you saved time and money if it doesn't , you spend 15 minutes scrubbing


i don't bother to wipe off the lube on the nose , just load them when dry

[noylj]

LLA is so bad, that it is all I have used for at least 15 years. Then again, I haven't sized a bullet in at least 30 years.
The only negative to LLA is it has a distinctive aroma and will, if too much is applied to the bullet, smoke.
However, even back in the IPSC days of late '70s and early '80s, I NEVER had any problem with smoke.
Why don't you start of easy:
Slug your barrel and determine the groove diameter of your barrel (or the diameters of the throats in your cylinder). You want the cast bullets, in all most all cases, to be at least 0.001" over barrel groove diameter or a tight, snug fit in the cylinder's throats. You have no idea how to size your bullets without at least one of those numbers.
Apply a light coating of LLA to your as-cast bullets and see how they perform. This eliminates sizing and is what I have been doing for over 30 years.
Then, if you don't like that, apply a light spray of case lube (Dillon or Frankford) to the bullets, size them, and apply a light coating of LLA to your as-cast bullets and see how they perform.
Then, you could try pan lubing with White Label BAC, 2600 (?), or Carnauba Red.
Then, you can try a Lubri-Sizer with BAC, 2600, or CR.
There is no one method for all guns, unlike the one ring to rule them all.

[Bullet Caster]

I've even gotten the smell used to and everything in reloading room smells like Alox. Of course, then I keep all my reloaded rounds, lube and loob grooves in there, too. Wife makes me keep door closed most of the time. I like Recluse lube of 45/45/10 which OP needs to read. It is a very good sticky to learn tumble lubing and made easy and I should add, and not messy. Recluse lube used in loob groove of all pistol boolits and modified Recluse lube made with 50% beeswas for ranch dipping rifle boolits. Works great and no leading if boolit matched to groove diameter. Enjoy and have fun! BC

[geargnasher]

LLA is a dry film lubricant and seems to help act as a cushion between the boolit and barrel to prevent abrasion leading, it works by a different mechanism than traditional lube, and there is NO NEED to try to fill the grooves with it. A light varnish coat is all that's required if all of your other ducks are in a row.

Gear

[curator]

LLA works great for .45ACP loads as long as the boolit is at least groove diameter + .001. Several Taurus .45s I have slugged were a bit large: .4525-.453 groove diameter. The good part is the chambers seem to take boolits sized to .454 no problem and these gave good accuracy. Boolits sized .451 were terrible, some actually key-holng at 50 ft. with lots of leading.

[noylj]

There will always be those that feel a need to fill the lube grooves.
It was one those things that, at least, shouldn't be causing them any problems (besides increased purchase of lube, smell, and smoke).
Pan lubing seems to be a better method for grease-groove fillers.
My son went out to a gun store and bought some cast .45 bullets. They were unlubed! Showed him how to tumble lube all 500 bullets in less then one minute with disposable casserole pan and LLA. I have never seen bullets in a store without lube before.

[44magLeo]

I think the problem with most people that use the LLA is that they use to much. If you can barelt tell it's there then you have the rigt amount. If you can easily see it, you have too much.
Been using it for years in light to full bore loads in all my casting. Great accuracy and very little to no leading.
Leo