Lube choosin

[Lance Boyle]

OK, I'm a newb here.

Today I melted out some old dust and dirt filled beeswax crud out of the used Lube a matic I picked up. I'm getting geared up to cast and lube!

My casting will include .45 230 RN for the 1911 and some 158 SWC for the .357 but do be driven at .38 speeds with trail boss for starters. I'm definitely not loading hardcast hot magnum loads.

I also will be casting .30 cal 311291's for the Krag rifle and my 1903.

At this point I don't want to make lube, I just want to buy reliable lube to work in the lube a matic without a heat plate.

I was looking at White Label lubes as they seem quite well regarded here. As I only have one lube machine, is there a lube that will do both the mid range pistol and rifle with a long 30" barrel?

I was looking at the 2500+ and the BAC (a softer version or their Red Carnuba).

Please tell me what you honestly think. Am I off base trying to get a rifle lube and pistol lube rolled into one? Sure would make life convenient.

thanks in advance!

[runfiverun]

either will work.
i make bac from two sticks of 50-50 and one carnuba red with a bit of lanolin in it.
it is a good lube.
it needs some heat to flow.
but that was my goal.
you most likely don't have a heater so need the softer lube.
there are ways around the heater though.

[Lance Boyle]

I have a dent steaming POJ clothes iron that needs a new cord (desperately) that I could use in a pinch but if I can skip that I will.

Anyone use 2500+ for pistol? Looks to be the bee's knees for rifle so if it works for pistol I just might try that one out.

[geargnasher]

BAC is all you need IMO, I don't know how much cold-weather shooting you do or how hot it really gets there in NY, but even the 50/50 would probably work fine for you in both guns. The more carnauba wax and hard paraffin that's in the lube the quirkier it can be in really cold weather. I haven't personally used the 50/50 or 2500+, but have used Carnauba Red and BAC for all sorts of things. I have no trouble with straight BAC in my Lyman sizers if the temps are above 70F.

A 50/50-ish blend of hard yellow beeswax and Vaseline is also tough to beat for what you're doing.

Gear

[Rex]

Boys, I hate to seem too cheap or simple but I have melted some wax given to me by a honey producer here and added enough ATF to get the stiffness I wanted. A little more ATF for winter time use, a little less for summer time. Darned if it doesn't work for my .38 Spec-357 loads.

By the way, I am cheap and simple.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Rex,

There's a reason Ed's Red and Carnauba Red are red in color. ATF is red too.

[ksriverrat]

For what ever it's worth....ATF makes a great lube for the inner works on most guns when grease is not called for.

[Lance Boyle]

As I"m a newb i really didn't want to get into the lube manufacturing at the moment.....baby steps and all.

That said, I do make my own Ed's Red and yep, nothing ever rusts with ATF on it.

[Lance Boyle]

As I"m a newb i really didn't want to get into the lube manufacturing at the moment.....baby steps and all.

That said, I do make my own Ed's Red and yep, nothing ever rusts with ATF on it.

ETA- I expect my temps to be mostly in the 55 to 95 deg F range. Much beyond those and I'll be doing something else like snowmobiling or swimming!