Is it normal for Alox to gum up pistol chambers?

[chutestrate]

I have the problem on 2 different pistols. One is a Dan Wesson Razorback and the other is a Rock Island Tac Ulta HC both in 10mm. After shooting several rds, and I haven't kept count the cartridges stop chambering. If I clean the chamber I'm back up and running. Not a huge hassle, but I don't have to do this with my 9's and 40's. Looking at my casts I can see a brown coating on the boolits. Perhaps I'm using too much lube.

[Recluse]

Perhaps I'm using too much lube.

Too much alox, especially uncut, can make a number of messes of things.

:coffee:

[OS OK]

Have you looked at your seater stem lately? Alox may be collecting up in there too.

You could wipe the rounds clean after loading...or...look into a different method of lubing all together.

[chutestrate]

I'll look into other lubing methods. I've seen threads I can search. I guess I haven't because I have A LOT of Alox to use up.

[tazman]

I use alox and have never had that trouble, even after a couple of hundred rounds.
I once fired 400 rounds of alox covered boolits through my Target Masterpiece before I cleaned it and it never quit chambering rounds.

[fredj338]

All conventional type lubes will eventually gum things up. It burns & mixes with the burned powder to create a sludge. Been that way for decades. A couple 100 rds, not an issue but for many of us, that is a very short day of shooting.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup any bullet lube will foul an action if you shoot enough. Alox isn't to bad if its a real light coat but it can get pretty greasy if you put a good coat on the bullets. Anymore with pc coating most of my semi auto ammo is just coated and those run about as clean as jacketed.

[Victor N TN]

Too much alox, especially uncut, can make a number of messes of things.

:coffee:

Too much of any lube will cause everything to gum up.

[Boolseye]

What boolit are you using? Are you getting any leading?
Use less or make 45-45-10.

[Soundguy]

I use alox and have never had that trouble, even after a couple of hundred rounds.
I once fired 400 rounds of alox covered boolits through my Target Masterpiece before I cleaned it and it never quit chambering rounds.

Some people use way too much, too many coats, or don't allow it to cure, or have let its solvent evaporate a bit, and don't re-thin it as needed, then get bad results, and blame the lube. Probably some of the same that complain about a little microscopic whiff of smoke from large grease groove bullets.

[GhostHawk]

Never had that problem with any flavor of BLL. Or any thinned Alox. I won't use it straight.

You might try cleaning the noses with a rag and some mineral spirits.

Thinned to the point it pours like coke. Then 2 very light coats for pistol bullets. So thin you can just almost see a color change, but maybe not for positive.

But the bullets look a little fuzzy. Guess I need to take some pictures tommorow.

[runfiverun]

cut your alox with some mineral spirits 50-50.
heat it up.
heat the bullets up then put about 1/4 the amount you think you need for the first coat.
size.
repeat the coat.
you should have a dry gold colored wash.

[chutestrate]

No real problem with leading in my barrels. Just annoying that i have to clean after a while of shooting. I'll try to reduce the amount i use.

[bedbugbilly]

I tumble lube in paste wax and then add a drip of Alox and tumble lube again - basically in a tupperware container. All I use is Alox/PW and I've never had an issue with gumming, etc. - both a variety of pistol cartridges as well as 30/30 and 8mm Mauseer.

Personally, I think that those that do have an issue with thck/gummy/not drying well are probably using too much - a little goes a long ways. I've had Alox get thicker in a bottle over time and I just add a little mineral spirits to thin it down again some. After TL, I spread out on wax paper on a table, usually sitting the boolit not the base but not always - depends on the boolit. My seating dies remain clean and never an issue in the handgun whether a semi-auto or a revolver.