38 spl Smokers

[mulehead]

Many years ago I bought a bunch (7500) of 158 gr SWC cast boolits. They are lubricated with a blue lube of unknown make but at 20.00 per 1000 I couldn't complain. My problem is that they smoke like heck when firing. I am using Accurate No 5. I don't have the smoking issue with the same powder with 9mm jackets so that only leaves the lube as the culprit, unless there is something that i have not considered. I am amazed with the amounts of knowledge flowing on this site

Been out of the shooting business for many years and am trying to have fun again.
Anyone else have a similar problem.

[Char-Gar]

You are correct the smoke is coming from the bullet lube. It is only an issue if you think it is an issue. I don't think it is an issue so I don't try and do anything about it.

Shooting jacketed bullets and cast bullets are not the same and no amount of effort will make them so. My counsel to you is concentrate on the front sight and forget about the smoke.

[jonp]

Your going to have to be a little more specific when you say "smoke like heck". Big cloud you can't see the target through? Just smokier than jwords or other cast boolits? Unless there is so much lube that it is jamming your gun up I would not worry too much about it.
You probably could wipe off the excess with a rag and mineral spirits I guess if it was really bad.

[lwknight]

They even got a TV show named after smoking bullets. Gun Smoke. Haha.

[PS Paul]

Meh. Just part of the program, that's all. Provided you don't shoot these indoors much, it should not be a problem for YOU. Some fellas on the firing line at the range at my outdoor club make comments, but normally I try shoot when there aren't many others around, so it almost NEVER bothers me.

I've shot a few of these at indoor ranges and even snuck one or two in on the indoor range where lead boolits are officially "frowned on", but not necessarily forbidden.

At an indoor range in Puget Sound, they watch the firing line on CCTV in black & white. It makes a neat little "pixillated cloud" when the range master sees me shooting those. Fun.

When you start casting your own, the quest for the "smokeless lube" becomes just another part of the fun.

[oscarflytyer]

I will take all you want to get rid of. $25/K. That smoke can kill you...

[mulehead]

Shooting outdoors, the smoke does not really bother me but at the indoor range I get a few comments. I still have another 6000 that are lubed with the same stuff. Guess I can put them in a pot and boil away the lube and run them back through my sizer and relube them. TAC#1 by randyrat seems to get good reviews from others on the forum. However I'm open to suggestions from the more experienced shooter if they know of something better. Will wait until the Texas weather cools off a bit. Being 72 and getting over a bout with cancer kind of slows me down.

[Shiloh]

Bullseye with alox TL will smoke like heck. Stinks too.

Shiloh

[detox]

Bullseye with alox TL will smoke like heck. Stinks too.

Shiloh

I bet this load shoots good in your gun. Bullseye shoots good in my 686...who cares if it smokes...which i have not noticed BTW.

[jonp]

They even got a TV show named after smoking bullets. Gun Smoke. Haha.

booooo......:shock:

[jonp]

I will take all you want to get rid of. $25/K. That smoke can kill you...

$35 wait...is this the swappin and sellen?

[David2011]

Mulehead,

Welcome to Castboolits! I posted a similar question a few years ago and got many responses along the lines of 'who cares if it smokes as long as it doesn't lead?' and a few answers from people who understand the problem. I was shooting outdoor nighttime matches where the smoke was illuminated by the floodlights for the targets. We had six seconds to fire six rounds so the targets were often pretty hard to see after the third or fourth round. I also shoot steel plate and IPSC where the rounds go downrange far faster than one per second. Those matches can be a problem in light or no wind and when shooting into the sun. I understand the delimma but don't hve a good answer. I've been to some ranges that forbid shooting cast boolits. Light powder charges don't burn as cleanly as warmer loads and can contribute to the smoke. I've experimented with various powders as well as several lubes. Bullseye seems to make a little more smoke than some others. On the recommendation of peers years ago I started with Titegroup for my .40 and after trying several other powders found that they all seemed to smoke as much or more than TG. Every lube with Alox that I've tried smokes a lot and gunks up the feed area of autoloaders badly. I seldom shoot fewer than 150 rounds and often 300-400 per gun in a trip to the range so fouling matters. Harder lubes seem to be less problematic both for smoke and fouling but that's just a general observation. Will post immediately upon finding lube Nirvana.

David

[mulehead]

David
Thanks for your input. Those sound like very valid reasons to seek out a smokeless lube. For me it is just a minor annoyance but if it can be eliminated why not give things a try. The lube on my bullets is very soft and sticky. They won't last long as I have got my son interested in reloading and he is gung ho right now, especially when he seems to think dad's shop is a free shopping mall. I will try some of the TAC#1 lube and see how it works out.

[chuckbuster]

Tac1 working good for me, also BAC from White LAbel, both Vendor Sponsors.
KDK

[Leslie Sapp]

I'll vouch for the Tac1. I'm shooting it in several calibers, and haven't noticed anything but that great beeswax smell!

[TMenezes]

I really like White Label Lubes, great prices on great products. I use their 45-45-10 lube with great success and virtually no smoke or build up in my revolvers and lever guns. Before I was getting a tacky gooey built up from Lee Alox Tumble Lube.

Maybe you could try tumble lubing 45-45-10 right over the top of your smokey lube. If it reduces the smoke then it will save you all the work of removing the old lube and running each bullet through your lubri-sizer.