Tumble Lube Mold

[sharpshooter45]

New to casting. Just learning and trying to gather equipment. For pistols, Lee has TL molds and "standard" molds. Can standard molds be used for tumble lube as well as traditional lubing methods? I'm thinking if I get a standard mold I may have more options lube wise. Thanks for any help!

[onelight]

I tumble lube bullets with a traditional lube groove sometimes .
All I have used them in is handguns under 1000fps but they worked fine.

[sharpshooter45]

Thanks! I'm using coated lead now that have a traditional lube groves. Hoping I can cast my own with traditional lube groves then tumble lube, traditional lube or possibly powder coat. I'll settle on one once I try them out and learn more.

[Texas by God]

I use LLA on conventional lube groove bullets with no problems. I’ve also used it on gas checked rifle bullets up to around 2000 FPS.

[onelight]

Welcome to the forum . Many ways to make a lot of this work .

[brewer12345]

Yeah, tumble lubing works on conventional lube groove designs. I suggest you start with powder coating. I tumble lubed at first, but I much prefer powder coating.

[StuBach]

+1 on the PC. Any type of lube groove can be used with PC including no lube groove. LLA works fine in my experience but it’s Smokey. PC will reduce the smoke created.

[mdi]

Yes, works quite well. Lately one of my much used bullets is a Lee 125 RF dipped in 45-45-10 in 9mm. I never liked the brown noses from tumbling with alox so I dip lube. Warm/thin alox or 45-45-10, grab bullet by the nose and dip in the lube, up to the crimp groove. Set on aluminum foil to dry. Clean nose handloads...

[sharpshooter45]

Great information everyone! This is something I've wanted to try for a while and am excited to start!

[fredj338]

Never been a fan of TL bullet designs. They do not work as well when sizing, especially after PC. The small grooves sort of smash together, many report leading with TL designs. So for me, std groove designs seem more versatile. You can coat, alox, conventional lube, will work fine. JMO.

[lar45]

I have used 45-45-10 on regular bullets in a 45 Colt levergun and had no problems after 300 rounds in a weekend.

[Shiloh]

I tumble lube bullets with a traditional lube groove sometimes .
All I have used them in is handguns under 1000fps but they worked fine.

I've been doing it for years.

Shiloh

[fcvan]

The first rounds I loaded for my neighbor's 300 BO were TL with 2 thin coats of Lee LA/Mineral Spirits on a lube groove boolit. They went about 2000 fps (we were at over 6000 ft) same loads were slower at sea level. They did have gas checks.

I only have 1 TL boolit design mold, the Lee 309-230 5R, designed for the 300 BO. I have not shot them TL because I PC everything now. Even so, the 230 5R was designed for subsonic, so not much of a problem expected or observed. I have bought so many Lee sizing dies, and they each came with a bottle I didn't use. Now I guess I have a lifetime supply. Messy stuff, easy to apply. Wear gloves, place on wax or parchment paper, wait for them to dry. Without the mineral spirits, be prepared to wait . . . and wait . . .

[Green Frog]

Just an observation... when I first encountered Lee Liquid Alox about 25-30 years ago, I used it to treat a batch of Lyman 405 grain bullets for 45-70. I shot them with mild loads of 2400. This worked fine, but I went back to conventional lubrication because I had the equipment already in place. A limited test, but satisfactory.

Froggie

[sharpshooter45]

The more I research the more questions I have...

Couple molds heading my way. One is conventional lube groove 38, another is a TL 9mm. Can't be too particular nowadays and am happy I found these.

I've seen some references to White Label Lube Liquid Xlox. Is this a good, proven, alternative to Lee Alox? Price is right for a good volume! Will 45/45/10 be good with this stuff or is there a better recipe?

[mdi]

There are now cast bullets and molds without any lube grooves, designed for PCing. I have never had to size any TL bullets more than .003" and even with just light lines on them ("smashed grooves"), Alox and 45-45-10 work quite well...

Besides my revolver cast bullets, 44 Magnum, 38/357 Magnum, 45-45-10 has worked for standard lube groove bullets in 45 ACP and 9mm...

[JoeJames]

Been casting 32 caliber swc's, and 38 wc's with regular lube grooves, and 240grain .430 swc's with tumble lube grooves. I have tumble lubed all of them. Not a problem at all. No leading, but I ain't hot-roding 32S&W Longs, 38 Specials, 44 Specials, or reduced charge 44 Magnums. 50-50 mix of LLA and mineral spirits. I have not tried PCing mostly because I don't cast that many at a time anyway.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup ive tumble lubed conventional bullets and conventionaly lubed tumble lubed bullets and it wall works. That said look at PC its not much more work then tumble lubing and MUCH better at preventing leading.