Tumble lube causing FTE's??

[zanemoseley]

I think I posted something about this a bit before but looking for some more feedback. I'm using the 45/45/10 tumble lube on my 200 grain swc boolits in my Lee Baer 1911, sized through a Lee push through sizer. It seems that it starts the FTE's after about 75 rounds, I suspect it may be the tumble lube building up on the feed ramp but I'm not sure. I'm willing to go with a lube sizer but don't wanna spend some cash for nothing.

[shultz]

New guy here so...

When you say FTE, is it extract or eject? I'm assuming extract. Can you describe the failure better? Tumble lube shouldn't cause extraction issues unless your using way to much, if it's leaving a residue on the feed ramp is it's safe to assume it's in the chamber as well? A little Lube on the feed ramp shouldn't be an issue, in the chamber it certainly could be.

John

[runfiverun]

good first post...
you 'might be' [are] using too much, all you need is a wash of the stuff.

[daniel lawecki]

When lubed right there are never any feed or eject issues. I shoot a couple thousand rounds before cleaning my 1911's. More lube or thick coverage is always a problem. If FTF is happening are primers seated deep enough? Do they fire after second try?

[bangerjim]

TL if done too thick will be like glue! I had eject problems back in my mule snot daze. Got in/on everything.

45/45/10 helped but still can build up.

PC solved all those problems and many more for me! Check it out B4 taking a bank load out for a lubra-matic and all it's necessary parts.

bangerjim

[daniel lawecki]

My comment was wrong FTF was written when FTE was problem.

[blikseme300]

Zanemoseley, do you have any sooty discoloration on the case mouths? Dirty burning powders and/or too light a powder charge could be the cause as carbon fouling of the chamber could be the culprit. Care to share the load you are using?

Too many nay-sayers around posting negative comments regarding traditional lubes, including tumble lubes, when these have served thousands of people with millions of rounds down range with great success and results. PC might be the answer but I consider it a band-aid covering up a multitude of bad reloading practices.

[gwpercle]

I think I posted something about this a bit before but looking for some more feedback. I'm using the 45/45/10 tumble lube on my 200 grain swc boolits in my Lee Baer 1911, sized through a Lee push through sizer. It seems that it starts the FTE's after about 75 rounds, I suspect it may be the tumble lube building up on the feed ramp but I'm not sure. I'm willing to go with a lube sizer but don't wanna spend some cash for nothing.

Spend the cash. I tried every method under the sun because I'm a tight wad....having similar problems, got disgusted, broke open piggy bank and bought a then new, Lyman 450 lubri/sizer.
BEST thing I ever spent money on...I love this puppy! Pull the handle down, push it up...TA-DA a sized , lubricated and gas check seated boolit every time....just don't get no quicker, better or cleaner way to get a boolit done. Just buy one , Call it a Christmas present...you deserve it!

Gary

[Budzilla 19]

If you don't want to PC your boolits, there is another alternative. Hi-Tek boolit coating. Simple ,easy to do, and like powder coating, no lube build up!! OR,look up BLL (Ben's Liquid Lube)on this site, and read the whole post and then decide for your self the best way to solve your problem. For pistol rounds, BLL is the easiest . Just my .02 cents. Good shooting to you.

[Motor]

The OP never clarified failure to extract or failure to eject. It very well could be too much lube.

I have found the 45acp very easy to cast for. I use nothing but Lee A-Lox and will continue to until I at least run out. Then very likely will go with 45/45/10

The Les Bear my have a tighter chamber than my old Combat Commander but I've never had any lube related problems with my Colt. Or any of my other semiautomatic pistols.

Motor

[zanemoseley]

It's a failure to eject. I shot a bullseye tournament today am only had one failure out of 180 rounds but I ran a bore snake through every 10 rounds. So that tells me there is a high chance it has something to do with the tumble lube.

My load is 4.0 grain bullseye powder. Cci primer, .469 crimp, 200 lswc sized to .452.

I'll look into powder coating again but last I looked it seemed like a lot of work.

[Ben]

Depending on your recoil spring, that load could be marginal for 100% functioning of the pistol ?

[runfiverun]

I think 4 grs of bulls eye is about a grain below the equivalent to 230gr ball ammo.

either way it's pretty light for a 200 swc.
it wouldn't even begin to work my mil-spec 1911's half way reliably.

[runfiverun]

whoops hit the post button before I was done.

anyway I know that bulls-eye shooting is for score and that recoil can affect those scores.
so going to less amounts of powder has it's advantages.
but over lubing a boolit is also going to have a negative affect on your scoring potential.

I would try a couple of things.
first open that taper crimp .001 and use the least amount of lube you can.
those 2 things should help.
but your gonna have to test for yourself.

[shultz]

It's a failure to eject. I shot a bullseye tournament today am only had one failure out of 180 rounds but I ran a bore snake through every 10 rounds. So that tells me there is a high chance it has something to do with the tumble lube.

My load is 4.0 grain bullseye powder. Cci primer, .469 crimp, 200 lswc sized to .452.

I'll look into powder coating again but last I looked it seemed like a lot of work.


My load data shows 4.2gr of bullseye as starting for this boolit. Les guns tend to be on the tight side and have tighter chambers as well. The light load, a little powder fouling in the chamber after a few rounds and probably a little to much recoil spring for this load too begin with would explain the fail to eject. I'd bump up the load a bit at a time until you can shoot as much as needed before cleaning, a lighter recoil spring would help as well.

I really don't think the TL has a thing to do with your failure nor do I think PC is a solution.

Good luck,

John

[sdcitizen]

I'm with schultz on this one. That load sounds pretty light. If I want to shoot the light stuff I put in a 15 lb recoil spring. PC will typically reduce the pressure of a load and in this case is likely to exacerbate the problem.

[Ben]

Many bullseye shooters shoot 4.4 of B'eye with the 200 gr. cast.
A long time favorite load.

I still believe that if the load were increased, the FTE problem would disappear.

If the slide isn't moving with the correct momentum, it won't matter what kind of lube you're using on the bullet, you'll continue to have FTE's.

[Motor]

I'm with schultz on this one. That load sounds pretty light. If I want to shoot the light stuff I put in a 15 lb recoil spring. PC will typically reduce the pressure of a load and in this case is likely to exacerbate the problem.

Yep. +3

Motor

[zanemoseley]

I was running about 4.5 grains to start with and had the same issues. I dropped to 4.0 to help with recoil. I might try a lighter spring though. I'm also thinking of going down to a 185 grain boolit to further help with recoil. Rapid fire with a .45 is tricky enough, I need all the help I can get.

Also just looked up the hi-tek coating on youtube and it looks pretty easy and would work well with my existing Lee push through sizer.

[Grump]

I was running about 4.5 grains to start with and had the same issues. I dropped to 4.0 to help with recoil. I might try a lighter spring though. I'm also thinking of going down to a 185 grain boolit to further help with recoil. Rapid fire with a .45 is tricky enough, I need all the help I can get.

Also just looked up the hi-tek coating on youtube and it looks pretty easy and would work well with my existing Lee push through sizer.
If you're going to play the Bullseye game with those light loads, you cannot escape ALSO playing the swapping springs game.

THAT part of the rocket science was well-established by the late 1950s. Colt even milled out parts of the original Gold Cup slides to reduce weight and increase reliability with...light SWC loads.

Suspend all judgment regarding your lube until AFTER you have measured your current spring (you NEED a baseline) and replaced it with one appropriate for your load.

[mold maker]

Ya might also try the BLL in light coats. It drys harder and holds down the leading with less mess.