A Less Sticky Tumble Lube?

[Good Cheer]

What useful tumble lube formulas minimize the stickiness?

[P Flados]

I use Ben's Liquid Lube (a.ka. BLL). There is a thread on it somewhere in this forum, but I found a similar thread on another site

https://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/bens-liquid-lube.16/

If you want to just buy something, reports are that White Label 45-45-10 works about the same.

https://lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4&zenid=20biuprr3912k5noiiruj0iih5

[G W Wade]

I buy or make 45/45/10 and am very happy with it. Important, if you can see it on the bullet you have too much. Just a lite haze. GW

[imashooter2]

A simple dribble of LLA and a tablespoon of Johnson’s Paste Wax in a peanut jar does 250-300 boolits and dries without any stickiness at all.

[Budzilla 19]

^^^^^^^^^ this will work every time!!!! I was fortunate enough to grab some Johnson’s one step before it was discontinued, but, before that, lla and jpw in a small quart ice cream tub, roll them around, let them dry, load and go! BLL,the original recipe, hits the mark every time. Oh, by the way, if you want any Johnson paste wax, bettter buy it when ya find it! It too, has been discontinued. Just my opinion. Good luck.

[GhostHawk]

Adding 1 to 2 % carnuba wax by weight (IE weight of total batch of BLL minus 2 digits gives weight in grains for carnuba wax)

Add to your Alox and warm until it dissolves, then continue as normal. The carnuba makes a hard shell that is not sticky. And you'll love the way it leaves your bores.

[405grain]

I've experimented and tried lots of stuff. What I've found that works the best is 45-45-10 made from 45% Johnson's paste wax, 45% White Labs Xlox, and 10% paint thinner. I keep this in a small glass bottle. Over time it separates a little, but a shake of the bottle mixes it right back up. If I leave it in the garage during winter when it gets cold, it can thicken up. If that happens I just bring it indoors the day before I use it. It only takes 2 or 3 drops to swirl lube 100 rifle boolits. The coating is very thin. Once the paint thinner evaporates the lube is no longer wet or sticky. It is easy to use and works really well.

[Good Cheer]

Thanks for the input fellas.

Something noted, liquid carnauba wax formulations that contain kaolin as a polishing agent. I doubt it would produce any more wear than clay binders in paper patches... just something interesting.

[dverna]

I was lucky and got about 10 cans of One Step when it was discontinued. More than a lifetime supply.

[Maine1]

I buy or make 45/45/10 and am very happy with it. Important, if you can see it on the bullet you have too much. Just a lite haze. GW


do you find this to be true even with larger rifle calibers, like 45-70? With pistol rounds i just tumble them until the bullets look a bit wet and they are fine. But i worry about the bigger round.

[Larry Gibson]

Very thin coats, usually all that is needed, of LLA will dry and not be "sticky". If LLA is used and the bullets are "sticky" then too much LLA was used and/or not sufficient drying time was allowed.

[ACC]

I use Ben's Liquid Lube (a.ka. BLL). There is a thread on it somewhere in this forum, but I found a similar thread on another site

https://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/bens-liquid-lube.16/

If you want to just buy something, reports are that White Label 45-45-10 works about the same.

https://lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4&zenid=20biuprr3912k5noiiruj0iih5

Problem is they don't make the liquid wax anymore. At least I cannot find it in Texas.

ACC

[15meter]

Problem is they don't make the liquid wax anymore. At least I cannot find it in Texas.

ACC

There's a thread detailing Ben's Liquid Lube with an available liquid wax substitute. Lundmark?

It's a Ben approved formula.

Do a search for Lundmark and you'll probably find it.

[Geezer in NH]

BLL fan myself

[405grain]

I spent several months experimenting with the Lundmark liquid floor wax (the substitute for the discontinued Johnson's One Step). In my experience it never dries. When used to make 45-45-10, bullets coated with even the tiniest amount of it and left to dry for up to two weeks in 100+ degree weather were still wet to the touch once cooled. After exhaustive failed attempts to get the lube to dry I did an experiment to see just what would be required to force Lundmark floor wax to dry. Using a sample batch of cast bullets (rejects that were destined to go back into the pot) I swirl lubed them in a pan with three drops of only the Lundmark wax, then baked them in my "powder coat" toaster oven at 300 degrees for half an hour. After cooling the bullets were still wet to the touch. I had to bake these bullets a second time, also at 300 degrees for another half an hour, before the wax was finally "dry". After that the bottle of Lundmark went straight in the trash! Your experiences may vary, but in my case I determined that not only is Lundmark floor wax unsuitable as an additive in bullet lube, it is also completely useless as an actual floor wax.