graphite as lube

[mongo404]

I tried to search it on here but did not have any luck. So here is the question can you use powdered graphite as a tumble lube? I know it would be a little messy but there be where the fun lies. I also read on a thread that someone used a spray on lube for sizing with the lee sizer. What types of lubes are avaliable for this? Or could you make your own?

Thanks Daniel

[Calamity Jake]

I tried to search it on here but did not have any luck. So here is the question can you use powdered graphite as a tumble lube? I know it would be a little messy but there be where the fun lies. I also read on a thread that someone used a spray on lube for sizing with the lee sizer. What types of lubes are avaliable for this? Or could you make your own?

Thanks Daniel

You could mix it with LLA or lars liqulid xlox but I would think it would settle out in short order.
I use it for lubing necks before neck sizing. I fill a 35mm film container about 1/3 full with #8 shot then add graphite and shake it up then I stand 4 06 cases on there nose in the film container then pump up and down to coat the necks.

I also make my own spray on case lube for FL sizing and apply this to boolits before using the LPT size dies.

Any and all of the sprayon/tumple case lubes will work for push thru boolit lube.

TWIDI FWIW

[Recluse]

So here is the question can you use powdered graphite as a tumble lube? I know it would be a little messy but there be where the fun lies. I also read on a thread that someone used a spray on lube for sizing with the lee sizer. What types of lubes are avaliable for this? Or could you make your own?

Thanks Daniel

Don't think I'd ever use powdered graphite as a tumble lube. For one, it's not going to stick to the boolits enough to suit my taste. Two, I just don't trust it by itself to fulfill the role of what a lube should do. Three, I don't think a straight dry lube will help obturation and sealing, and if not, there goes your accuracy and clean bore.

Messes are not fun to me. They're a pain. And powdered graphite is not just a "little messy," it's a lot messy.

I have a lubesizer but also use the Lee push-through sizers a LOT. I tumble lube boolits in an LLA mix, let them dry, then run them through the push-through sizer, then tumble-lube them again. Has been working suberb for me for a long, long time.

Some folks like to use spray lubes just for running through the sizer, but I get nervous that the lube will not properly adhere to the boolit once the Pam or silicone or whatever is sprayed on. Probably the only exception to that would be the guys who use a mix of lanolin and denatured alcohol--since the alcohol will evaporate leaving the lanolin, and lanolin is a popular ingredient in many home-brew lubes.

:coffee:

[1Shirt]

Years ago I tried it as a case lube and gave it up real quick. I used to mix up a brew of beeswax, vasoline and graphite. seems like it was 2lb. of beeswax, large jar of Graphite, and two tablespoons of extra fine graphite. I heated it in a coffee pot, and stirred it rapidly as it cooled a bit, befor pouring it into my old Lyman 45.
Worked great for rifle and handgun up to about 1800 fps, but was messy. Might work as a tumble lube if you sized them after you lubed, but that would really be a mess I am afraid.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[odoh]

I wouldn't give graphite a second thot for anything. While working w/DoD, in the mid 70's, we xncld the mil-spec for it and dumped stocks of it into surplus sales when it was determined to be erosive w/some cast iron alloys. People of the time was complaining that their eng oil filter was filtering out the graphite negating any benefit (ARCO I motor oil?). In reality, it was microscopic particles of their eng making the filter heavy on changeout.

The 220Swift was initially loaded w/a graphite ball behind the bullet back in the 1930s. Yet the swift had a rep for burning out barrels ~ could if have been the graphite ?

No, if one just has to have something, it really shouldn't be graphite ~ JMHO based on my somewhat limited experience ~ your call - - -

[jimkim]

Isn't Frankfort Arsenal Drop Out graphite based? It seems like you could just buy a can of it and spray it on your bullets after you tumble lube.