Favorite lyman 4500 lube for 44 mag and 357 mag

[Tom_in_AZ]

So I am relatively new to casting. I have done some tumble lubing for my 357 mag with the Alex, Johnson's paste wax, and mineral spirits. I just purchased a lyman 4500 and wanted your opinions on what lube to make/buy for it. I am looking to push a 44 mag 250ish keith bullet, plain base to 1200-1300 fps. Also a 170 keith style plain base bullet in my 357 to 1100-1200 fps.

Should I just buy a certain commercial stick lube and slap it in there or make my own?

Thanks in advance!!!

[Beagle333]

Under 1600 fps, any reasonable lube will work if you have a boolit big enough to seal the throat. You can buy some sticks of any lube that you want to try, or you can experiment with making some of your own, if you like.
You aren't pushing the limits. :cool:

[Tom_in_AZ]

Yeah, not doing anything crazy yet. Saw a lot of good things about ben's red. Anyone know if I can make this and then mold it into a stick for for the 4500?

[Sweetpea]

Yes, that's been done. If you search, you will find threads, or youtube videos about making your own sticks.

Of course, you could always just melt it, and pour in the sizer...

[Tom_in_AZ]

Anybody have a favorite stick recipe that they use? There are so many on here that I don't know where to start!

[Tom_in_AZ]

I also haven't used the 4500 yet, still in the mail. I see the sticks have to be hollow? So I can't just make a batch of lube and spoon it in there? I have to mold it into a hollow stick?

[RobS]

Just put the lube into a pot and use a hotplate to melt it down. Some have used a glass beaker and have melted lube in the microwave etc. In the AZ heat you may be looking for a lube that won't purge the barrel meaning one that runs and give you fliers. I don't know how Ben's Red is in the heat as I've never tried it. White Label Lube has some decent ones and for the price it's hard to beat if you don't want to make your own. Maybe the 2500 or Carnauba Red for the hot weather. There are also plenty of good homemade lubes for hot weather as well.

white label lube: http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/

[Tom_in_AZ]

Thanks, yeah I definitely need a formula that can hold up to 90 degrees for the summer

[mpbarry1]

i melt my Felix lube with a candle wax melter. just refill it after every session. that way you won't scorch the lube.

[h8dirt]

So I am relatively new to casting. I have done some tumble lubing for my 357 mag with the Alex, Johnson's paste wax, and mineral spirits. I just purchased a lyman 4500 and wanted your opinions on what lube to make/buy for it. I am looking to push a 44 mag 250ish keith bullet, plain base to 1200-1300 fps. Also a 170 keith style plain base bullet in my 357 to 1100-1200 fps.

Should I just buy a certain commercial stick lube and slap it in there or make my own?

Thanks in advance!!!

I'd recommend that you go to the website for White's lube (lsstuff.com, I think), read the product descriptions and make a choice (I'd recommend BAC unless you have a heater -- if you do, I'd suggest C-red). At one time or another, I've used most commercially available lubes; in my experience (all handgun), I have found none better than those sold by White. And, at under $2 a stick, I don't see much point in making my own.

[TXGunNut]

I'm using NRA's 50/50 in one of my 4500's for now but will be changing over to BAC as soon as I run out. Lots of good info on the lsstuff site if you're not ready to dive into making your own lube.

[Tom_in_AZ]

Thanks everyone! I think I'll buy some carnuba red sticks and make some of my own ben's red and see how they work for me in the summer heat

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm going to toss in another shameless plug for White label: http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/
The two bullets I cast/size/lube the most are for 38 specials & 44 Mag. I use a Lyman 4500 to size & lube those bullets. I played around with a few different lubes but I really think White label BAC will do the trick. I settled on that lube for everything and it made my logistics much simpler. White Label 50/50 would also work and I tried that but I feel the BAC is just a little easier to work with in warm temperatures. Before you start playing around with a lot of different combinations and formulas; you owe it to yourself to try BAC. I'm willing to bet you'll stop there.

it's not Arizona hot here in Virginia but it's hot enough. BAC worked for me .

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm using NRA's 50/50 in one of my 4500's for now but will be changing over to BAC as soon as I run out.........

I did the same thing and it's BAC from here on out.

[gwpercle]

Tom,
If you have purchased a new 4500 it will come with a hollow stick of Lyman Super Moly Lube, drop it in and try it, it's perfect for your application. If not, just to get you started, buy a hollow stick made by any of the companies to get started. Any of the Lyman , Redding, Saeco lubes will do fine. Personally I prefer soft lubes that don't require a heater to get them to flow, which Lyman Super Moly and Saeco Traditional and Saeco Gold Cast Bullet Lubricants are. When buying be sure to get hollow sticks, solid sticks will not work in the Lyman.
Once you get your feet wet you can do the make it myself thing. Just use the Ben's Red formula, use a slow-cooker to get it blended without scorching and save yourself a lot of work. Ben's Red formula is the best. Welcome to the club.
Gary

[detox]

The Lyman Super Moly is a good soft lube that flows well thru that sizer. RNFP bullets usually shoot better than SWC style bullets in my guns.

[Tom_in_AZ]

Thanks Gary

[40-82 hiker]

The Lyman Super Moly is a good soft lube that flows well thru that sizer. RNFP bullets usually shoot better than SWC style bullets in my guns.

Detox and gwpercle speak for me. Lyman Super Moly works great in my BP guns with smokeless powder (sic, 1100 to 1300 or so fps with 1:20). I really like it! I'm not using it in my .45ACP target loads at this time, straight COWW plus 2% tin, but will be when I run out of what i have sized and lubed. Not worth switching over anymore.

[Grump]

Thanks, yeah I definitely need a formula that can hold up to 90 degrees for the summer

Are you *REALLY* in Arizona, or just above 7,000 feet above sea level there?

I'm sure you mean 90°F, which we LAUGH AT here in So Utah and below 5,000 feet ASL. 90°C just ain't survivable by any life form I know of.

I'm going into my second summer using RandyRat's Tac#1 lube and I see no need to even try anything else. It flows best through the Lyman if the system is at least 80°F, and stays in the boolit grooves, and gives me better than 3-inch groups at 50 yards in both .45 and .38s...and 2 inches at 25 yards with a few .357s I tested last year too.

[texassako]

I will throw in another vote for TAC 1 vote. It held up to a Texas summer last year, and winter this year. I use it in pretty much everything now including .357 Magnum at the speeds you stated. Flows well with no heat for me except when the garage was a bit chilly in the winter. Randyrat is a vendor sponsor here as well.

[Bigslug]

My experience with Ben's Red in temperate SoCal has been that it's a very soft lube that still flows just fine through a Lyman even after adding an additional 5% beeswax - which should also help in hot climes.

I've also found that it's better to just let Ben's Red solidify in its pan for remelting and pouring directly into the lube sizer. Pop and I tried making hollow-center molds, which worked well enough, but still left two problems:

1. There seems to be more potential for air pockets in your lube, which translates to bubbles in the lube band on the bullet.

2. You can't easily get as much lube in the sizer as you can by pouring. Not really an issue for pistol stuff, but Dad's into heavy .458's with large grooves and lots of them. They suck lube like a '68 Charger sucks gas!

[Tom_in_AZ]

Thanks for the input. Since it's between 90 and 100 every day I will add extra beeswax.

[h8dirt]

Duplicate

[canyon-ghost]

I'm heavy into Carnuba Red with my Lyman 4500. I use the pin style heater and like the results. It's a pretty good hard lube from White Label Lubes. I used the Super Moly that came with it, also have some 50/50 and alox lubes. The scent of Carnuba Red is great, smells like cherry candy. I load pistol rounds for the most part.

[NuJudge]

I like NRA 50/50 formula lube. It can be smokey in lower pressure loads, but you are not talking about lower pressure.

The cheapest source is probably Lars. He'll even send you a sample.