Rooster Red Zambini Lube

[johnly]

I built a lube heater for my Lyman 450, so I loaded it with a stick of Zambini lube.
What is the optimum temperature? It seems to flow OK at 100F, but that's well below the 220F melting point. I checked their website, and didn't spot a reccomendation, but a few few customer comments on commercial machines running the lube temperature in the 140 to 150 range.

So if you're running this lube in a 450 sizer, or something similar, I'd like to know what temperature you found optimal.

John in Oregon

[Morgan Astorbilt]

John, I'm using it in my 450, with a Midway heater. This heater doesn't sit right under the sizer like a Lyman, the unit is on a 1/4" aluminum plate that's under the sizer. At optimum temperature, the front of the sizer in the die area, is only warm to the touch, nothing resembling "Hot". At this temp., if I leave it for too long with pressure on the reservoir piston, lube will leak up into the sizing die. I turn the ratchet over and crank it back a bit after use to prevent this.
Morgan

[Bass Ackward]

I built a lube heater for my Lyman 450, so I loaded it with a stick of Zambini lube.
What is the optimum temperature? It seems to flow OK at 100F, but that's well below the 220F melting point. I checked their website, and didn't spot a reccomendation, but a few few customer comments on commercial machines running the lube temperature in the 140 to 150 range.

So if you're running this lube in a 450 sizer, or something similar, I'd like to know what temperature you found optimal.

John in Oregon


John,

The ideal temperature is going to depend on many variables. Change bullet design to narrow grooves and you could need more temp. Then how well your hydraulic system functions on your lubrisizer makes a difference, so as always, the key word is "depends" on your situation. And then there can be other side effects that you don't really think of.

What you want to do is make sure that it not only fills, but that it fills evenly without trapping any air that you can't see. Many guys will go to extra steps for perfect bullets, like weighing to 1/2 grain and marking and sorting by cavity only to produce outta balance bullets if the lube isn't consistent all the way around from the front groove to the back. A lot of designs can carry 1 grain or more of lube, so it does make a difference.

For high velocity use, I size in a nose first sizer, then lube in a lubrisizer with a larger die, only to come back to the nose first sizer of the same diameter as the first sizing. This is to distribute the lube evenly, remove any trapped air bubbles, and remove excess that would be caught up in my seater die and end up changing my seating depth anyway.

The harder or stiffer the lube, the more problems it can cause. That's how much difference it can make for me.

[Dale53]

I have used NRA Alox for many, many years. Then I used home made Emmert's with satisfaction except it is just a bit softer than I prefer. I have just recently changed over to Lars' Carnauba Red. I have a reostat on my Lyman Heater (Star luber) and set it at minimum temperature to flow properly. The base of the Star is barely warm to the touch. Really fills nicely but will not fill without heat (I understood that when I bought Lars' lube). Works really well. It doesn't seem to have that "sticky, icky" feel to it. It is harder and more pleasant to use, in general. I'm not knocking NRA Alox as it has done really well for me but just hunting for something that shoots as well with less of the "sticky-icky" characteristics.

As to accuracy, well, that will have to wait until I shoot some more. I expect it to do well.

Dale5

[monadnock#5]

I use a Lyman 450, with Lyman heater and Lars "C" Red. I would guesstimate that max temp runs about 140°.

The lube seems to move best when the unit is around 100°, and uniformly heated. If I try to lube before it's uniformly heated, I put too much pressure on the reservoir, so that when the unit comes up to full heat it wants to squirt lube out of places I didn't know it had.

So, plug your unit in with no pressure on the reservoir, and walk away for half an hour. When you come back you'll be able to start lubing immediately, with enough pressure on the lube so that when it starts to get too runny, to can turn the heat off and keep right on going. When the lube gets too stiff, turn the heat on again.

With an inside the house temperature differential of about 30° between winter and summer, it has taken me a couple of years to get this far. Patience and heat go a long way in taming the 450.

[Lee W]

I have a Star with Zambini. I set it to 115F and it runs fine. I have a PID control and PT100 sensor.
Any higher and it starts to leave blobs on the noses.