Did Some Mixing and Testing Of Lubes

[leadman]

I use alot of Carnuba Red and it works great. The problem is here in Phoenix in the summer the lube sticks if the boolits touch and when seperated one boolit will have a piece missing. Really bad if these get shipped in a box in the summer. So I thought I would try mixing the most heat resistant lube I know of, Magma Engineering's lube with the CR in various amounts to see what happens.
The first test is a mix of 26.4 grams of Carnuba Red and 13.7 grams of Magma lube
The second test is 21.4 grams of Carnuba Red and 21.4 grams of Magma lube
The third test is 100% Magma lube
Two guns were used, a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter in 41mag, 2X scope, and an old Savage 110 DL in 30-06, 3x9 Leupold scope.

The first gun fired is the Ruger with a 220gr Saeco TC GC, 17.8grs of LilGun, WLP. Range is 25 yards.

Lube Test 1, 6 shot average velocity is 1341 fps, group size is 1.332" , no leading, patch pushed easily thru the bore
Lube Test 2, 6 shot average velocity is 1353 fps, group size is 1.295", no leading, a little resistance from the patch
Lube Test 3, 6 shot avarage velocity is 1,300 fps, group size is 1.630", light leading, patch was stiff to push thru the bore.
Velocity with gun and the above load with straight CR is about 1,370 fps, groups about 1" or just a little more. I had fired all of my CR loads with me to get the scope sighted in.

Second Gun fired is the Savage 30-06, 311041, .309", WLR, 19grs SR4759, range is 100 yards.

Lube Test 1, 10 shot average velocity is 1,559 fps, group size is 2.162", no leading, patch pushed easily thru the bore
Lube Test 2, 10 shot average velocity is 1,576 fps, group size is 1.722", no leading, patch pushed with a little resistance thru the bore
Lube Test 3, 10 shot avarage velocity is 1,564 fps, group size is 3.209", light leading, almost couldn't push patch thru the bore.
I also fired 10 shots of the above except straight Carnuba Red, 9 shot avg vel is 1,592 fps, group is 1.714", patch was easy to push thru the bore, no leading.
I did notice with both guns that the Magma lube ammo seemed to have more recoil and a louder crack when fired. The lube for test 1 was much stiffer than straight CR and the second test batch was stiffer yet. I'm going to make some more of both to do more shooting with and also heat some boolits with both up to 100' or so and see what happens.
The Magma lube is very hard in the cold weather we have right now, also appears to be of a base other than beeswax.

I think the second lube mix might be a good choice for the summer here if the higher temp. tests work out.



L

[fecmech]

I have been mixing CR and Magma 50/50 to get rid of the stickies with straight CR and am glad to see your test. When the weather warms up here in Buffalo I plan on doing some serious lube testing in my lever guns. I plan on buying some of the CR commercial along with r5r's simple lube and Ben's red. Will post results then.

[leadman]

I used the White Label Commercial also. I think the mix of CR and Magma will work out better.
We are unusually cold here in Phx. today. The high was 42', overnight it might go down to 20'.

[geargnasher]

I think Magma lube is mostly microcrystalline wax.

Interesting test, I appreciate the posting.

Gear

[runfiverun]

magma is micro and carnuba and color.
carnuba red is 7 waxes including carnuba.
their flow points are 15-f apart.

[leadman]

I'll have to check the flow temp of the Magma but I know I can start to lube boolits with Carnuba Red at 75' and usually maintain temp. at about 85 to 90 degrees depending on the boolit. I use a DVOM with a temp probe on my main RCBS machine. Tracking the lube temperature makes it much easier to lube boolits without getting lube under the boolit and most of the time can get a good solid band of lube with one stroke of the ram.
The DVOM I bought from Walmart when my other dvom went south while in Wyoming just after the water heater quit working in the motorhome. Needed the dvom to check the circuits. A pretty good piece for around $20. Can check electrical circuits without hooking up wires also.

I have the magma in the spare RCBS so will swap this out and put it on the heater and check the flow temp. I used a heat gun to warm up the spare luber/sizer and to melt the magma to get it in as there is no center hole.

[runfiverun]

that would be good info to have.
i got 95-105 for the carnuba red and about 115-120 for the magma.
could be shop temp differences too,i run pretty high pressure on the squeeze handle.