Does the type of lube matter?

[nvbirdman]

If you're a member of the Cast Bullet Assoc., you get their magazine The Fouling Shot every other month. The magazine has information on some of the competition that has taken place and information on the rifles, caliber, powder, amount of powder, and the lube used. In the latest issue two of the competitors used animal fat, I believe it was pig and bear.

[Tyguy95]

Yes

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[Winger Ed.]

Depending on what you're shooting, and how fast the boolit is going, yeah, it can be REAL important.

There was a article in a old Lyman Cast Handbook that did some lube comparisons with holy black.
The guy experimented with several, and found for a patched ball, chicken fat did the best.

He didn't discover it, said he'd heard about it being used with great success in generations past.
Up until the late 1800s or so, different kinds of animal fat was about all there was to pick from.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

That's like asking if the brand/design of Tires for automobiles matters?
Of course it does.
Also, temperature and weather contribute to the success/failure of a boolit lube (or automotive tires).

As to BP lube, long before I started casting my own, I was told about Bear grease. It's stinky but works well for my application/conditions. I'd recommend it for anyone in the northern part of the USA.

[Jack Stanley]

Somebody once said , "it doesn't matter until it matters" . I think he's doing powder coat these days .:lol:

Jack

[gwpercle]

" Does the type of lube matter ? "

Get ready ... the show is fixing to start :popcorn:
Gary

[charlie b]

Start by reading this. Then look at more references. FWIW this has been a ongoing debate for centuries.

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_5_Lubrication.htm

[Old Caster]

The fastest thing I shoot is the 44 mag out of an 8 inch barrel with a 250 grain bullet and with everything I use a fairly soft lube, usually Lars 2500 and it always does the job. I shoot 30/30 too but they only go around 1300 fps and they cause no problem either. I did try some harder lubes where I needed to heat my sizer up so it would work correctly and I liked how it stayed in the groove better but my accuracy was not near as good.

[Outpost75]

For plain-based bullets at black powder cartridge velocities not over 1000 fps in revolvers or 1350 fps in rifles, with either black or smokeless I have excellent results using 50-50 olive oil and beeswax.

For smokeless, gaschecked loads in .30 caliber military rifles up to 2000 fps I use 40-60 ATF and beeswax.

[megasupermagnum]

That's like asking if the brand/design of Tires for automobiles matters?
Of course it does.
Also, temperature and weather contribute to the success/failure of a boolit lube (or automotive tires).

As to BP lube, long before I started casting my own, I was told about Bear grease. It's stinky but works well for my application/conditions. I'd recommend it for anyone in the northern part of the USA.

If your bear grease smells, it is rancid. Fresh rendered bear fat has very little smell. If I put my nose right up to it, I can get a hint of the scent. Butter has a stronger smell than bear grease.