Any homemade tumble lube recipes without Lee Liquid Alox?

[taiden]

Are there any decent tumble lube recipes that don't require LLA? It seems to be much more expensive by volume than just about any other ingredient I hear about.

I was thinking something along the lines of paste wax, beeswax and denatured alcohol.

[bhn22]

We went through this recently with another guy: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?225782-Need-LLA-Recipe

You can buy the liquid lube much cheaper from White Label, but you have to buy larger quantities. Lars doesn't sell it by the half-pint.

[jonas302]

some people have used just johnsons paste wax
It seems to me the 4 ounce bottle in the 45-45-10 mix will probably do 10,000 rounds seems cheaper than mixing a witches brew

[Bzcraig]

Here is a Sticky all about this from a member here who is well respected. I bought a 1/2 gallon from Lars that is a lifetime supply, really cost effective and time efficient.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?67654-Tumble-Lubing-Made-Easy-amp-Mess-Free&highlight=Recluse+%2BAlox

[taiden]

some people have used just johnsons paste wax
It seems to me the 4 ounce bottle in the 45-45-10 mix will probably do 10,000 rounds seems cheaper than mixing a witches brew

Do you really get that much out of it? I'm surprised. I'll probably just stick with it, then.

[jonas302]

I think so you use so very little like a glop on the end of a screwdriver for 100-200 bullets I use the lee sizers that come with LLA I dont think I will ever run out I always think when I get low I would order the premix from white label but don't think that will ever happen with all those little bottles of lla around

[fryboy]

various waxes ( including straight johnson's paste wax as well as floor waxes ) have been tried , the paint/powder coat coatings has also been done , as much as i dislike the smell of alox it's hard to see a "cheaper easier" alternative

[357maximum]

Closest I ever came to what I would call "good" homemade TL was a mix of 1/2bwax/1/2microwax and thinned with a good amount of turpentine....it worked but I would not call it as good as alox. It also made SWMBO not so happy, she hates the smell of turpentine offgassing.

I only TL the ultra slow stuff in certain designs, I have yet to find a homemade alternative that is as good as LLA that has been lightly dusted with motor mica after drying. Not saying it cannot be done as it likely can be, but I am not looking so I do not expect to find.

[myg30]

Read on tumble lubing with Bens red. I've not loaded my boolits but I did TL them with a thinned mix of BR and mineral spirits. Lots of different mixs to try when you get in the mood to brew your own.
After all the mess and testing and shooting you can buy the Lar's lube and compare.

Happy brewing, Mike

[williamwaco]

For a less expensive alternative to LLA try XLOX
I use it and it is EXACTLY the same lube

http://www.lsstuff.com/lsstuff-stuff


That said, for 300 158 grain .357 bullets in a zip lock bag I use a glob of LLA about twice the size of an asprin tablet.
It goes a really long way.

It costs a lot per ounce but not much per bullet.

[longbow]

You could always try "hot tumble lubing" which is what I am currently doing with my home made lube, but I think it would work with about any lube that thins to LLA consistency when melted and doesn't mind being remelted.

I take a small chink of lube then melt it in a cast iron frying pan so there is a thin film then add boolits, let them warm, roll them around then remove once they have a thin coating of lube on them. Works very similar to tumble lubing but no drying time.

With my lube I am heating until it just starts to smoke then rolling the heated boolits in it. Different lubes may react differently but it may be worth a try.

Longbow

[taiden]

Thanks all for the ideas. It looks like I need a 358 sizer anyway, so I'll probably grab the sizer & LLA combo

[chrissy4560]

why not just cut lee alox with som mineral sprits? it last for several thousand rounds for 5 bucks

[arunninghorsegoeswild]

I have found the most incredible lube for reloading. It is liquid lanolin oil and isopropyl alcohol. Mix one once oil to twelve ounces alcohol. I put it in a hand pump sprayer and you can spray hundreds of cases at a time!! IT IS EXCELLENT!!
check out this you tube videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0117UuXiSS4
this is a great video and truly the best mix I have found. Check out the guys spent primer count!! He reloads semi commercially

[taiden]

Hi, isn't that for case lube and not boolit lube?

[btroj]

Yep, case lube. Would be a lousy bullet lube, unless you are easing bullets thru a sizer.

[arunninghorsegoeswild]

Sorry I'm such a dumbazs!!! Ooops yup that's case lube I should wake up before I read:D:D

[btroj]

Hey, it happens to all of us. Just be sure which you grab when lubing bullets......

[dromia]

White Labels Xlox is very cost effective for low velocity rounds, it needs to be cut at least 50/50 with white spirit. The boolits should just have a light golden hue to them, less is more here and Xlox goes a long way, a few drops will do a couple of hundred boolits easily.

[Fishman]

Lars of white label lubes also sells 45-45-10, otherwise known as Recluse lube. I bought some and it works better than Lee alox, which I have used plenty of. It dries quicker and it's not as tacky.