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View Full Version : A good pan lube for rifle bullets



whiterchocolate
03-04-2022, 09:26 PM
I am hoping someone can tell me ( or point me to a thread ) on a good pan lube for high velocity rifle ( .30 cal ) and .44 magnum , I am in Alaska so it is always pretty cold so heat shouldn't be an issue but cold weather use is important . I am thinking something like the " Ben's Red " but hardened for pan lubing ( maybe adding bees wax , paraffin wax , or maybe even some of my homemade lard soap ) or Maybe " Felix lube " , it would be nice if the lube works at low pressure ( .44 special or subsonic .308 pressures ) . I have been reading the forum for a while and the amount of information here is really great so I thought I would give some money for a good cause , and get to ask a question I am having trouble finding the answer for .

Bird
03-05-2022, 02:43 AM
Ben's Red has beeswax in the recipe. At room temperature is is already thick enough for pan lubing. In really cold temperatures, it may be easier to use by adding just a touch more of trans fluid or STP.

JSnover
03-05-2022, 07:55 AM
If you plan to make it yourself, Emmerts is simple (only three ingredients) and easy: melt the wax, add the Crisco, add the jojoba or canola oil (lately I swapped out the oil for anhydrous lanolin. If you ever work with pure anhydrous lanolin, the easiest way is to warm it up and pour as much as you need, it is thick at room temp).
It keeps for years (if you keep the mice out of it), and works with smokeless or Black in my .357, .44mag and 45-70. I can't comment on performance at "Alaska" temperatures, the coldest I ever shot was 8* F.

Fernando
03-05-2022, 10:06 AM
I have went all in on the simple lube in the above stickys
Not sure on how fast you want to go but works for my purposes.

MostlyLeverGuns
03-05-2022, 10:16 AM
Carnauba Blue from White Label Lubes works well for pan lubing and is not expensive, unless you just have to make your own. They have a link at the bottom of the page.

centershot
03-05-2022, 02:59 PM
+1 for Ben's Red! At ambient Alaska temps you shouldn't need to thicken it at all. If you do, add a LITTLE bit more beeswax and try it. Add a little more if you need to. Remember, you can't take it out once it's in, so test it before you add too much! Seriously though, it should be fine just the way Ben makes it!

whiterchocolate
03-06-2022, 05:22 AM
Ben's Red has beeswax in the recipe. At room temperature is is already thick enough for pan lubing. In really cold temperatures, it may be easier to use by adding just a touch more of trans fluid or STP.

I made a batch of Ben's Red before ( I think minus the oil treatment ) and it was pretty soft at all the temps I played with it at ( seemed to do well with subsonic .308's ) I am still working on a load for the .44 with the lee 310's , but the lube seems good as far as temp stability but a little soft for pan lubing , that is why I was thinking of adding extra bees wax , but maybe a " cake cutter " would solve my problems when pan lubing with it ( some of the lube sometimes comes out when pushing the bullets out of the cake ) So I think I will remelt the lube I have add a little stp and bees wax , part of what drew me to the Ben's Red was that I thought the lithium grease seems pretty temp stable .

whiterchocolate
03-06-2022, 05:29 AM
I started reading the " simple lube " thread and haven't finished yet , it was really interested and truly amazing how much time and research people put into this subject , I will probably get back to reading it , thanks .

whiterchocolate
03-06-2022, 05:33 AM
Thanks for the recommendation but I really think this is turning into one of those " just have to do it myself " things , that is part of the fun of hobbies is how much you can learn in the process ( although it doesn't always seem that way when burning oneself with liquid lube and trying to find a way to remove it after it has embedded itself in the wood on the porch).

whiterchocolate
03-06-2022, 05:35 AM
Thanks for the advice , I think I will try to add a little bees wax to make it a little easier to work with and make a cake cutter out of an old .45 colt case to help keep it in the grooves .

whiterchocolate
03-06-2022, 05:38 AM
Thanks , I will look up " Emmert's Lube " later , I make soap so I will probably end up with some Jojoba and lanolin at some point .