First Time Making Ben's Red

[ultramag]

Well after almost a year of being certain I wasn't going to make my own lube I have now been drawn into that part of shooting cast as well. I've been reading and studying the threads on Ben's Red for the last week pretty hard and gave it a shot last night. It sure didn't come out perfect, but I did manage to make something usable I'm pretty sure at this point. I may need to add a little more beeswax but it's too early to be sure.

I did mess it up a little, however I'm pretty sure I know how. I followed the recipe precisely and mixed it according to the way several others had done as far as the order it's done in and "melting" the Red & Tacky first. My batch is more tan/light brown than red. I think I was expecting the grease to "melt" into more of a liquid than it was ever going to and in turn cooked it too long and possibly burned it a little, hence the brown color. Everything seemed to come together good and it feels good at this point though. Despite it's brown color and my over doing it on the grease melting it doesn't really smell burnt. I definitely smell the beeswax as much or more than anything.

I'll know more when I get it cut up this evening and see if everything came together like it appears to have. I guess now I need to decide if I want to make lube molds like I was never going to do either. Y'all just keep sucking me in deeper and deeper. :lovebooli

[ultramag]

Oops, forgot to add the pics. Fresh from the pot:

86659

After about eight hours including three in the freezer:

86660

[randy_68]

I just made my first batch last week too. Mine seems a little soft but not too bad. I tried pan lubing but it was a mess so I bought a Lyman 45 off Ebay and ordered a couple dies which should be in tomorrow. Mine smells a little burnt but looks good I think. I shot a few .44's thru my SBH that I pan lubed and had no leading at all. Just wiped out bore with a couple of patches.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h81/randy_68/IMG_20131026_210500_365_zpsfd290981.jpg (http://s62.photobucket.com/user/randy_68/media/IMG_20131026_210500_365_zpsfd290981.jpg.html)

[w5pv]

Shoot it and I don't think you will be disappointed,I have some brown and red ,they both seem to shoot very good.

[ultramag]

Shoot it and I don't think you will be disappointed,I have some brown and red ,they both seem to shoot very good.

That's the plan. I remember seeing several posts saying it had turned out brownish colored so I wasn't too concerned. It'll be a while before I get to test it I guess unless I boil out a sizer.

Those of you that melt the Red & Tacky first, what kind of consistency do you take it too before adding the JPW etc.?

[Bigslug]

I just threw everything in a pot at once on the hot plate and stirred a lot with a whisk over low heat. The candy thermometer indicated that the "come together" point was somewhere not far above 200 degrees - no noxious fumes or smoke to speak of, but I'd still do it outside.

I'm thinking the color variability has more to do with variations in the beeswax than anything else. Doesn't seem to make a difference in the lube's performance - I don't think the "sportscar effect" of bright red paint makes your bullets go faster.

The exact quantity of beeswax seems to be the one topic of debate with this lube. I personally thought the original formula was too gooey and upped the beeswax about 5% when I remelted the original puck to make more sticks. It'll still go through the sizer without heat at room temperature, but it no longer clings to everything like unbaked cookie dough.

[ultramag]

My brownish color most definitely came from melting the grease. It turned a brownish color while I was trying to melt it. Like I stated above, I think I was expecting a more liquidous grease than I was ever gonna get. First try and I learned a lot though.

I also remelted my batch after about 40 hours cooling and added more beeswax to it. It was right at 7% extra, I just added the last I had left. It's been cooling almost a day and is much easier to handle and I'm sure will flow good without heat as well.

[randy_68]

I ran into the same thing with my first batch of being too sticky. It clings to everything and is pretty soft so I am thinking of adding just a little more beeswax and see if that helps.

[ultramag]

I ran into the same thing with my first batch of being too sticky. It clings to everything and is pretty soft so I am thinking of adding just a little more beeswax and see if that helps.

I added just under 5 ozs. to mine and it's pretty close to how I want it I think. I hope to have my stick lube molds finished tomorrow and I'll know more. I'm pretty sure at this point I'm gonna make my batches with 2 lbs. of beeswax to the 14 oz. tube of Red & Tacky. I haven't sat down and done the math yet on what the percentages will be then but I think that will be close to 60% beeswax. I like a little firmer less tacky lube as long as it still performs well. The way it sets now I think it's getting close to the consistency of BAC. I'd like a little firmer if possible, however I didn't want to get too carried away changing it before testing it out.

[Ben]

I like a little firmer less tacky lube as long as it still performs well.

___________________________

A little bit like
" How would you like your steak cooked ? "

We all have slightly different taste. Nothing wrong with that at all.

If your bullets shoot well and offers you a clean barrel, you are good to go. Just write down the details and store them in a safe place so that you can come back later and duplicate it again.

Ben

[btroj]

I like a little firmer less tacky lube as long as it still performs well.

___________________________

A little bit like
" How would you like your steak cooked ? "

We all have slightly different taste. Nothing wrong with that at all.

If your bullets shoot well and offers you a clean barrel, you are good to go. Just write down the details and store them in a safe place so that you can come back later and duplicate it again.

Ben

I care far less about how a lube looks than I do how the target looks.

A lube either works or it doesn't. Period.

This stuff works.

[ultramag]

I like a little firmer less tacky lube as long as it still performs well.

___________________________

A little bit like
" How would you like your steak cooked ? "

We all have slightly different taste. Nothing wrong with that at all.

If your bullets shoot well and offers you a clean barrel, you are good to go. Just write down the details and store them in a safe place so that you can come back later and duplicate it again.

Ben

Thanks Ben. That's exactly why I'm trying to keep close tabs on what I add. I appreciate all the work that's been done by you and others making this lube so easy for a new guy like me to make for my first try at making my own.


I care far less about how a lube looks than I do how the target looks.

A lube either works or it doesn't. Period.

This stuff works.

I would agree with that 100%. No harm in trying to get it all if I can though. That was one of the big inspirations in making my own.

[typz2slo]

When making Bens Red is the percentages measured in volume or ounces?

[Ben]

typz2slo

It has been done both ways. There are explanations here on the forum ( hopefully a search would turn that info up for you ) about how to use volume or weight to measure your components prior to mixing.

Ben