Unbelievable!

[oldblinddog]

Just saw a guy on Edge of Alaska (Discovery Channel) loading .45 Colt for a RBH with no lube at all on the cast boolits! And laughing about how he hoped they didn't "blow up" in his face!

[kennyz]

i dont know,they looked like they had tumble lube on them

[fishhawk]

Wasn't real impressed with his casting technique either.

[bedbugbilly]

Haven't seen it so am just curious . . .

What was he loading - smokeless? If so, what were his charges as that's going to have a lot to do with his ending fps. Or . . was he loading BP?

While I much prefer a lubed boolit - and all I do is TL mine . . . I have loaded unloved boolits and used them in my 38s with no problems at all . . . and they shot just fine and never had a problem with leading.

The same with BP charges . . it could easily be done but not advisable. The lube primary purpose isn't to "make things slippery" but rather to keep the BP fouling soft. I've loaded and fired thousands of lead minie balls in rifled muskets with nary a problem. The only lube I've ever used on them is a small dab of Criscoe in the hollow base to act as a lube to keep fouling soft.

I haven't seen the show but judging from the two replies so far, I'm guessing it wasn't that impressive. But nevertheless, without knowing what he was loading as far as powder type and charge weight, what his boolit was (and it appears it may have been tumble lubed?), and how fast his load would be pushing it . . . it's kind of hard to pass judgement IMHO.

In fact, I'm casting my 45 Colt boolits out of soft lead and tumble lubing them. The other day, while shooting some load lots I'm trying out in my Uberti Cattleman, I had a half dozen "un-lubed" cartridges that I tried out. While again, I prefer a good lubed boolit . . . they presented no problem at all out of my revolver . . .. and they all flew down range nice and straight.

[fishhawk]

He was loading for a 45 Colt don't remember the charge but was using a lee 2 cav. mold one of the real cheap lee alum presses was using a scoop for powder but did look like he was checking the charge weight with a scale.

[dudel]

Could have sworn there was the hue of alox on them.

[Jupiter7]

They were Alox covered, the load mentioned was a Ruger only load by the looks of the powder it was an IMR canister. Not impressed either, but who knows how it was edited.

[oldblinddog]

After I posted the first, show continued and he allowed as how he is going to sell them to the locals as there is only one source of factory ammo, which is his nemesis. He shot some and did well. He hit the target at what looks to be about 35-40 yds. and the RBH didn't blow up. Don't know where he got the load or what powder, but I suppose I may have missed that part. It just looked so haphazzard to me. But God looks after fools and children...

[Mk42gunner]

I learned at an early age to take anything on TV or in the movies about guns with a large grain of salt.

I have also read Dean Grinnell's story of his first six shots of unlubed home cast .38 Special's enough times to never want to fire unlubed boolits in anything.

Robert

[tryNto]

L0L... I also was a little shocked when watching this.

[JSnover]

One more reason I don't like to shoot with strangers. Most are ok but I hope 'that guy' is on the far end of the line when he starts with, "Ah hope they don't blow up in muh face, hyuck hyuck hyuck!"
He probably was coached or encouraged by the producers to act more goofy than normal but it still makes me want to be far away from him. Also makes me stop watching 'reality' shows.

[garandsrus]

The first round he loaded didn't look like it was lubed. They showed some boolits later in a bowl and they looked like they were lubed with Alox.

i think he was using IMR-4227 but don't remember for sure.

[edler7]

I saw his boolits with round bands and bases and commented they weren't cast well. The wife said " I knew you would say something."

On on the other hand, I don't know how much better mine would look if I cast outside in Alaska in early spring. Bet it's a chore to keep your mold hot.

[Ifishsum]

Most of the time they had the label turned so you could not see the brand or name, but in one brief shot I saw it was IMR4227. He stated he was loading 20 grains with the dipper. By the narrator's explanation and comments you could tell the crew knew zilch about the process, other than what he may be told them, and I'm sure he was instructed to play up the danger factor (as everything is played up in these shows).

[hardy]

And then to rub it in he was,nt wearing eye protection, D*****S.......Mike