Lee Liquid Alox vs White Label X-Lox

[aephilli822]

Well, not really "vs" I just want to know about thickness. Is the X-Lox about the same consistency as the Lee?
I'm making some Ben's Liquid Lube and man, the LLA is thick! Like a medium weight axle grease, Lee Grease Lube, more like it...:-o

[Ben]

The consistency of ANY alox depends on how long it has sit in the bottle and how tight the lid is. As the carrier evaporates, every brand of it thickens quickly. You can drop a 9 mm bullet in the bottom and pour in some mineral spirits , shake and that should help the viscosity.

[aephilli822]

The consistency of ANY alox depends on how long it has sit in the bottle and how tight the lid is. As the carrier evaporates, every brand of it thickens quickly. You can drop a 9 mm bullet in the bottom and pour in some mineral spirits , shake and that should help the viscosity.
Thanks, this stuff thinned some after a few mins in hot water. It came from midway a few weeks ago, so probably fairly fresh.

[hutch18414]

I have been running the White Label in my BLL and have absolutely no complaints. Glen sells a top notch product and Ben came up with the recipe of the century. It is so simple even an idiot like me can do it and push a .44 mag with max loads of HS-6 with no leading.

[aephilli822]

I haven't done more that look at the White Label site, and with all the "good press" he gets here I have absolutely no qualms whatsoever about the product, none, nada, zip. My question was mainly geared to helping me understand "how am I gonna measure a few ounces of thick stuff out of that quart bottle" to mix it for BLL. The 4 ounce bottle of LLA was barely flowing after several minutes in hot water.
Maybe I should figure out exactly which question I want to ask, first. [smilie=l:

[Ben]

aephilli822

I would not try to measure " The Thick Stuff ", I'd continue thinning the Liquid Alox with mineral spirits until it flows well. 60% of " Thick Stuff " and 40% John Liquid Wax would not work well. It would be too thick.

BLL will flow like Coke out of a bottle when it is mixed correctly.

[Screwbolts]

Thanks, this stuff thinned some after a few mins in hot water. It came from midway a few weeks ago, so probably fairly fresh.

Just because it came from Midway, at any time, of any day, any where, will have no bearing on freshness. I doubt very much that Midway hires someone to rotate stock to maintain freshness. As the Clintons would say " what is the definition of " fairly fresh" LMAO bad analogy, My bad.

Ken

[aephilli822]

Ok, that's more like it. Even at 60% "hot axle grease/unset custard" thickness after warming in water, by the time I mixed 40% One Step, it pours well. I'd say "room temp Automatic Transmission Fluid" or thereabouts, not quite "coca cola" thin. I'll throw a few drops of "naptha" at it to thin it. Also might explain why some of the lube grooves have some and others are still bare.

[richhodg66]

I can't tell that there is any difference between the white label stuff and the Lee stuff, I think it is exactly the same.

I bought a jug of white lable a few years ago and as Ben said, it thickens up. I thin it with mineral spirits before using now and it still works well. Good lube.

I'm about to go on a casting binge of .38 bullets and plan to use BLL for the first time soon. I sure hear great things about it and if it works like I hear, I may never use anthing else for pistol bullets.

[bruce drake]

Rich,

Nearly all my pistol bullets that aren't gas-checked I run with Liquid Alox (I've bought White Labels' X-Lube and haven't purchased the LEE stuff since but its the same thing). Thin it down with some paint thinner and it make for a great lube. I like to thin it to the point it that when it dries on the bullet, it goes from the bare silver-lead color to a light golden sheen. I have no problems in leading in my 38 Super and 9mm loads at 1150fps which are my hottest pistol loads with lead bullets. in 38 special at 750-900fps it should be the bee's knees.

[richhodg66]

I like the stuff. I used to make the common mistake of using too much, once I got it figured out though, it works great.

I usually dip rifle bullets, but tumble pistol bullets with it. I recently shot some 6.5s you sent me in my Swedish Mauser sporter. Best cast results so far with the rifle, but I think it due to bullet shape more than lube.

[aephilli822]

Ok, so I added 10% Naptha, and I dunno if it is because it's the 3rd coat or because it's thinner but now can see some dark gold in the lube grooves.
Now, I'm guessing if the boolits are beating the bejeebers out of each other after 3 tumbles, they are too soft and I need to get some tin to add. Maybe the lube will make a good flux when I melt them back down.

[35 shooter]

Sounds like the coating is right. As far as the boolits beating each other, maybe your tumbling a bit too hard? I just use a very light swirling action for a few seconds per coat.
I'm not having a problem with a 50/50 mix with no tin or straight ww, but i'm very light on the tumbling action....doesn't seem to take much to get them coated.

[bruce drake]

the Lyman/Ideal Loverin design 266469 at 140gr is the bee's knees. I just bought a Swede myself and look forward to using it and a 100gr antigue 266305 mold as well in it.

[aephilli822]

Sounds like the coating is right. As far as the boolits beating each other, maybe your tumbling a bit too hard? I just use a very light swirling action for a few seconds per coat.
I'm not having a problem with a 50/50 mix with no tin or straight ww, but i'm very light on the tumbling action....doesn't seem to take much to get them coated.

Yes, probably being "ham fisted" with the tumbling. But these are my very first boolits and I think what I have is "pure" lead. My highly scientific thumbnail test shows them about as soft as the 44 cal muzzleloader balls I've had for years and way softer than "store bought" cheap 45 and 44 cal boolits.
I may shoot a couple for the fun of it, and just melt the rest when I get some tin.

[35 shooter]

Okay, yeah if they are that soft i probably would have had the same results as you. I've never tried tumbling pure lead boolits so far.

For boolits that soft , putting them in a freezer bag with some of the lube and lightly rolling them around with your hands may work.

[Lead Fred]

I use both, dont tumble them. I grab them by the nose and dip each one past the top ring.. Set them on wax paper to dry, then load.
When I size I use the Alox in the little squirt bottles. When they are empty I fill them with XLox.

[mdi]

I don't actually "tumble" bullets w/alox, I "swirl" them...:bigsmyl2:

[DerekP Houston]

I like the stuff. I used to make the common mistake of using too much, once I got it figured out though, it works great.

I usually dip rifle bullets, but tumble pistol bullets with it. I recently shot some 6.5s you sent me in my Swedish Mauser sporter. Best cast results so far with the rifle, but I think it due to bullet shape more than lube.

I still use it for my TL designs cause its fast and easy. I always have to heat it in almost boiling water though to soften up or I use too much.

I use a small 6oz? container with a lid and gently shake/swirl until coated evenly. I do around 20-25 bullets at a time and it takes just a few drops.

[Lefty Red]

I use both and really love both. I normally put pour the Lee Alox into the 45/45/10 when its low. Also pour some 45/45/10 into the Lee bottle to "wash out" the Alox.

Thickness has to do with temperature. I can put both in warm water for a couple of minutes and both then out.

I dip my bigger bullets and tumble lube the smaller ones.

Jerry

[runfiverun]

it's called X-lox because LEE got mad at glen for calling alox umm alox.
even though it comes from the same place and probably in the same drums they buy it in.
I guess they'd get mad if the undercoat company's called it alox instead of undercoating too.

[RogerDat]

Okay, yeah if they are that soft i probably would have had the same results as you. I've never tried tumbling pure lead boolits so far.

For boolits that soft , putting them in a freezer bag with some of the lube and lightly rolling them around with your hands may work.

I only use a freezer bag now, I also will lay the bullets on a tray and hit with a blow dryer to warm them up before putting into the bag. Not sure being warmed helps the lube coat but I do think it helps it dry quicker. Does not seem to hurt the lube coating either. I play with it like a slinky, letting the bullets tumble into one corner then rolling off of one hand into the next corner in the other hand. I don't pay much attention to the lube grooves with tumble lube of pistol bullets. Just so there is a haze on the bullet that should be enough.

BLL depends on Johnson Liquid Wax and that is no longer being produced by Johnson & Johnson. The 45/45/10 is made from Johnson's Paste Wax and it always seems to harden enough in just a few days that soaking mustard/ketchup dispenser bottle in hot water is mandatory before use. Don't take long before a dash of mineral spirits is needed to maintain even that consistency. I guess the best thing to do is just make a batch and use it to coat a really big batch of boolits so there is none left to get hard. :-)

[tazman]

I have used both for quite a while. Lee Alox tends to be quite a bit thicker than White Label unless heated. I have used 45-45-10 and while it works fine, I prefer the straight White Label X-Lox. Never have to heat it or thin it, just put a bit in with the boolits, swirl for a bit, then dump and wait to dry.
I use it in 38 special, 357 mag, 9mm, and 40 S&W. I have yet to have lead in my barrels using this stuff even after hundreds of rounds without cleaning the barrel.
I just put 200 rounds through my 38 today with excellent results. I haven't cleaned the barrel for several weeks now. Not even a speck of lead in there.