Ben's Red temperature question

[Billwnr]

How sticky does Ben's Red get when the temps are 100 degrees? Does it stay hard or get tacky like a 50/50 lube does? I'm looking for a lube that can handle sitting in the garage in hot weather. If it has temp issues how about Felix lube? Same questions.

I'm looking to make some lube so I can use up (some of) my supply of beeswax.

thanks,

Bill

[rancher1913]

the bens red can be made harder or softer depending on the amount of beeswax. dont know about keeping it in a really hot area though.

[15meter]

Made my first batch during the house arrest, followed the recipe as close as I could.

It worked great during the "comfortable" temps, Lubed up a bunch of different boolits and really liked.

Lubed up some 452488's over the last couple of days. Lube was a little sticky. It's been 90-95 degrees in my shop the last couple of days. I could have used a little more beeswax to stiffen it up.

I normally don't size or load when it gets this hot but I found a 4 cavity 452488 I didn't know I had and a buddy bought a new Colt 1911.

Double wammy. So I cast, lubed/sized and loaded some to try out.

Think I need to hone out the die just a little bit more, started life as a .451, got it to just barely a .452 and used it. Seeing just a little bit of leading. Brushes out with a dry brush and a couple of patches with Ed's red.

First time I've used a star lubsizer. Think I'm going to like it over the RCBS.

So after rambling, yes it will work close to 100 degrees, but next batch will have another ounce or two of beeswax. I suspect it won't take much to harden it up for higher temperatures.

Wonder if anyone has done any experimenting with additional beeswax to come up with a recommended increase.

[Billwnr]

Made my first batch during the house arrest, followed the recipe as close as I could.

It worked great during the "comfortable" temps, Lubed up a bunch of different boolits and really liked.

Lubed up some 452488's over the last couple of days. Lube was a little sticky. It's been 90-95 degrees in my shop the last couple of days. I could have used a little more beeswax to stiffen it up.

I normally don't size or load when it gets this hot but I found a 4 cavity 452488 I didn't know I had and a buddy bought a new Colt 1911.

Double wammy. So I cast, lubed/sized and loaded some to try out.

Think I need to hone out the die just a little bit more, started life as a .451, got it to just barely a .452 and used it. Seeing just a little bit of leading. Brushes out with a dry brush and a couple of patches with Ed's red.

First time I've used a star lubsizer. Think I'm going to like it over the RCBS.

So after rambling, yes it will work close to 100 degrees, but next batch will have another ounce or two of beeswax. I suspect it won't take much to harden it up for higher temperatures.

Wonder if anyone has done any experimenting with additional beeswax to come up with a recommended increase.

Thanks for the input about more beeswax. I also have a Star and yes they will spoil you.I like the part about how one doesn't need to apply more lube pressure every couple of bullets.

[gwpercle]

Thanks for the input about more beeswax. I also have a Star and yes they will spoil you.I like the part about how one doesn't need to apply more lube pressure every couple of bullets.

It's about like 50/50 .
The commercial maker of some Lithium (Lucas Red-N-Tacky) -Beeswax , 1 part to 3 part , advised me to add some paraffin wax to harden the lube if the beeswax was too soft and sticky .
That works quite well .

I used 1 cup-Lithium Grease, 2 1/2 cups Beeswax and 1/2 cup paraffin wax for a small test batch and it took out the sticky and shot well in handgun loads .
Gary

[Billwnr]

It's about like 50/50 .
The commercial maker of some Lithium (Lucas Red-N-Tacky) -Beeswax , 1 part to 3 part , advised me to add some paraffin wax to harden the lube if the beeswax was too soft and sticky .
That works quite well .

I used 1 cup-Lithium Grease, 2 1/2 cups Beeswax and 1/2 cup paraffin wax for a small test batch and it took out the sticky and shot well in handgun loads .
Gary

In Louisiana I would think your temps for storing lubed bullets is warm enough to tell if the lube will run. Is that true?

[gwpercle]

In Louisiana I would think your temps for storing lubed bullets is warm enough to tell if the lube will run. Is that true?

The lubes , Ben's Red Lube nor Lithi-Bee Lube , in their original formulas, have ever ran , they do get soft and sticky in 95 + degree heat but they do not melt and run .
To lessen the sticky in high heat , a commerical lube maker ,Garth Choate , when he gave me the Lithi-Bee recipe said to add a little hard paraffin wax , like Gulf Wax Household Paraffin canning wax to the mix harden it .
I have used both Choate's Lithi-Bee and Ben's Red Lube over the years , neither one has ever melted and ran or contaminated powder of loaded rounds , they are soft lubes and will get sticky in high heat even to the point of wanting to stick to each other . The Paraffin wax will harden the wax and stop most of the sticky . Don't make the lube too hard . My experience has shown that a soft lube works better than a hard lube and beeswax works better than paraffin wax in lubrication .

The 1 part Lithium (Lucas Red-N-Tacky) , 2 1/2 parts Beeswax and 1/2 part Paraffin wax works very well for a hot weather lube . I would not add any more Paraffin .

If Ben's Red Lube is getting tacky ...you could try 1/2 cup paraffin wax to the original recipe or get Ben's advice on what to do .
I have noticed beeswax will vary greatly in color and hardness , the soft stuff being prone to making the sticky lubes .
Gary

[44magLeo]

After lubing with Ben's Red, give the bullets a coat of Lee's Liquid Alox. it can be thinned with Johnson's Liquid Floor Wax.
If done right it leaves a thin hard wax surface that won't get sticky.
Leo

[Ben]

No harm will come to Ben's Red if you choose to add some paraffin to the mix.

Ben

[Billwnr]

No harm will come to Ben's Red if you choose to add some paraffin to the mix.

Ben

thanks for the info.