DIY "luber" (no sizing, just lubing)

[gloob]

Not happy with the results of tumble lube on my normal-grooved bullets, I modded my mold to divide the large groove into two smaller grooves. They pick up tumble lube, great.

https://i.imgur.com/txhCj1y.jpg

I decided to lube up some of the original bullets for comparison testing. After some playing around, this is what I came up with.

https://i.imgur.com/hqsSyKX.jpg

I added a little bit of nondetergent 30W oil to melted beeswax until I got the right consistency. I made about 5cc worth just for testing. Turns out it was just enough to finish this entire batch of bullets, including some waste while learning. At first I was just plunging by hand, and it required me to heat everything up with a heat gun, every few bullets. That was no good, so I attached the syringe to my press. It works cold, now.

I took some pics of the last one!

I found it's less of a mess if I do it in two squeezes. I give a squeeze, eject the bullet, rotate it 180 degrees, and reinsert it for the second squeeze. Then there's not as much lube pushed out past the bullet. Wipe the nose. Eject bullet.


https://i.imgur.com/dbD0gda.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/h0283o1.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/pU8uJmQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dbD0gda.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NlZzmi6.jpg

[gloob]

Here's what they look like after lubing.

https://i.imgur.com/zRfFvH5.jpg

Then I ran them through a sizing die. This pushes some lube up over the nose, a bit.
https://i.imgur.com/44I8slL.jpg

Tired of wiping each one down, I found that I can remove most of the excess lube by sliding a single layer of bullets in a clean metal pan. Some of the lube sticks to the pan, and I wipe it out when it builds up.

https://i.imgur.com/L79f2NG.jpg

Here's the entire batch. A couple of them were hand filled with alox, prior. I just ran them through with the rest.


https://i.imgur.com/37lwxfd.jpg


Pretty simple, really. 3 sizes of brass tubing were used, that all nestle into each other. 4 sizes, if you include the little bit that fits over the syringe tip.

Syringe is held in the press via a plastic bushing. Bushing has a slight taper, so it screws into a Breechlock bushing.

https://i.imgur.com/9ZO3fkB.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kqkg2sK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/LsN7dih.jpg

I even made a steel syringe plunger rod for the next go. I think it'll improve the feel and feedback!

[HWooldridge]

Looks good!

[racepres]

Nice... But...I still use the Lee Pan Lube System.. Long as you don't over heat the pan of lube...It has worked for me for Years... like 30!!!!

[WRideout]

That's a neat tool, and fix for a problem! I have had problems with short boolits in my Lyman lubrisizer, and have had to make/modify nose punches to fit.

Wayne

[45DUDE]

Got to admit they look good.

[gwpercle]

Awesome !
Where there's a will ... you found a good way !
Gary

[stubshaft]

Great job!

[centershot]

gloob, you stated that you weren't satisfied with tumble lube on your GG boolits - what was the problem with them? I've used TL for years on GG boolits without problems. Did they lead the barrel, were they not accurate?

[elmacgyver0]

That is EnGenius if you like lubed bullets!
Nice Job, you think outside the box.
I'm not into lubed bullets anymore, but if I were I would defiantly copy this!

[gloob]

Thanks, all. I think this works OK for the amount of time to make it. But I've never cake-lubed, and maybe that's easier or neater.

I tried to make a 401 gas check maker, but I was missing a piece of steel that would make things 600% easier, and I didn't want to pay for one. I happened to have all this stuff, already.

Centershot, Thanks. I don't want to open a can of worms in this thread, but maybe I don't tumble lube the same way as most people. I try to keep the bullet clean and only fill the TL grooves. I also like to load my 40 and 10mm kinda on the high end, else what's the point? I can shoot 9mm cheaper, if I don't want the recoil!

So this mold might work just fine with TL, done right. With the light coat I prefer, the large groove didn't grab much if any lube. I still tried them. Well, I tried one of them, anyway. I decided to stop after one look down the bore.

I'll have to see if either of these bullets will work as well or hopefully better than the commercial cast I have mostly used in this particular caliber. I use TL in all my other calibers with great results! All the others happen to have TL grooves that I get filled with lube, but maybe that's a coincidence.

[Buckshot]

............Great job Gloob! Always glad to see folks creating rather then sitting around staring at their Cell Phone!

Buckshot

[gwpercle]

............Great job Gloob! Always glad to see folks creating rather then sitting around staring at their Cell Phone!

Buckshot

:goodpost:
LIKE !
Gary

One day we will get a simple "like" button ...

[Reg]

............Great job Gloob! Always glad to see folks creating rather then sitting around staring at their Cell Phone!

Buckshot

That’s a fact!! 👍👍👍

[Rich/WIS]

When you work out the kinks suggest you spend few dollars more and apply for a patent, this too good an idea and opportunity to let slip by.

[gloob]

When you work out the kinks suggest you spend few dollars more and apply for a patent, this too good an idea and opportunity to let slip by.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I suspect the main reason this is a "good idea" at all is because it's cheap and easy.

The 40 caliber bullet just happens to be a really good fit to the brass tubing. And the only other part that is universal is a ring of plastic!?

For a looser fitting bullet, I think you could swage down the tube for a better fit. Or use a fired case that has a good fit to the bullet, and just solder a section of tubing in there to index against the base of the bullet and to hold the ejector.

[gloob]

I've seen how people talk about their lubesizers. I think Stars only get sold after the owner dies, even if he's PC'd all his bullets for the last 10 years!

IMO, a tumble lubed bullet is the cleanest, neatest bullet out there. Even my commercial bullets grease up the bag you put them in. My tumble lubed bullets can be really cleaner than that.

Even cake lubing looks easier than this, once you get the lube right. Push the bullets out with your thumb, and they're done. This is maybe useful for repairing the occasional commercial bullets that were left in the garage on too hot a day, or for troubleshooting a new mold. If my tumble lubed bullets are still not good after modding the mold, I would probably pursue gas checks before lubing all my bullets like this!

[Gobeyond]

Well you got 2 skills of larning and lubing under your belt and they both look good. Let us know how they shoot!
I like when my lube grooves fill up with straight liquid lube. Gives me confidence that I done it right. Happy shooting and God Bless.

[Minerat]

When you work out the kinks suggest you spend few dollars more and apply for a patent, this too good an idea and opportunity to let slip by.

I think it's too late for that.

311443

Something like this maybe. They were for lubing maxi balls. You screwed a tube of TC lube on it a squeezed the tube as you pushed the bullet thru. I wish I had got one.