Lubing question - Mule Snot or go all out?

[Salmon-boy]

I thought yesterday's 86 degrees was a little cool, so I cranked up a new Lee 20lb pot and ran off a bunch of RCBS 09-124-CN 9mm truncated cone boolits.

I was intending on using LLA to lube these up, but looking at the lube groove, I kinda wonder if it will be enough.. I know it will be fine, but I've been toying with the idea of getting a lube/sizer for some time.

I was thinking of pan-lubing these, but with the deep round groove, I wonder how well it will hold up to popping the boolits out of the lube-cake.

This led me to think about getting a lubrisizer. (My mind is a scary place to be. :-) ) I was wondering if I REALLY needed another toy, and accessories to keep track of. Really, what I'm concerned about is that I have to shoot unsized or .357 sized 9mm in my BHP to keep them from tumbling. I know little to nothing about using lubrisizers and wonder if the sizing dies will send me to the poor house trying to find the correct one.

Actually, I have read everything I can find on using lubrisizers and still seem to be a bit in the dark, as there's not a lot of GOOD info I could find on setup and tuning for each boolit.

So, my question is, IF I do go the lubrisizer route: which one, what will I need to buy, and how much time does it take to change calibers and tune for each different boolit?

[Rockchucker]

I too went through what you are and then splurged (sp), Ordered the Lyman 4500. After getting help from the folks here on setting it up I now really enjoy sizing/lubing and experiencing different lubes. Dies will run you approx. 20 bucks and top punches around 9 bucks. If you do order one, I'd also get the heater at the same time. Galf & sons had them in stock last week but they kinda come and go.

[Echo]

Check eBay - there are usually some Lyman or RCBS/LAM lube/sizers that go for about half price of a new one, and my experience is that they generally are just fine. Expect to pay ~$70-80 bucks. My choice would be an RCBS/LAM - I have two, and like them. I have also used Lymans and would not feel deprived if all I had was a Lyman.

Of course, BEST is a Star - MUCH faster operation, but MUCH more expensive. I use my Star for my PB pistol boolits, and the others for GC boolits, one w/hard lube, the other w/50/50.

I recommend getting a Lyman or RCBS/LAM, get your feet wet, learn the ins & outs, then if you choose, step up to a Star.

And I use a drop light to warm as necessary.

[mooman76]

Star is a little more complicated and only worth the expence if you shoot allot. Really you have to deside for yourself if it is worth it or not to you. I got one a few years ago and still use LLA at times just when it suits me. The Lyman and RCBS sizing dies and top punches are intechangeable but Lyman dies are a little cheaper. I hear the RCBS sizer is made a little better. I got lucky and picked up a used 450 in great shape on ebay for a little over $100. Sounds like allot but I got 5 sizers and some top punches with it and those can end up costing more than the sizer itself after awhile. If you ask in the WTB section hear you may pick up a good used one. The dies don't take very long to swap out. I usually do allot at one time so I don't have to switch back and forth allot.

[mdi]

I went through the same thought process a few years ago. I researched lubersizers, heaters, lube, etc., but wound up using Lee push through sizing dies. Now on some applications I pan lube (heavy .44 Mag stuff with Carnuba Red and some home made lube), and use liquid alox on others. I've found that when I use a softer lube I need to cut the bullets out of the lube rather than punch them out. I also heat the lube and bullets in the oven at about 175 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes to get the bullets and lube the same temp so the lube stickes to the bullet much better. BTW, the alox lubes all of the bullet not just some in the lube grooves. I've used liq. alox on regular, lube groove bullets too, noticed no diff.

[Salmon-boy]

I do have to say that I like the design of the Star much better than all the rest.

I guess it's karma getting back to me due to liking the Lee nose-first approach much better than having a punch for each boolit nose. I had looked at them a while ago and discounted getting one due to price.

I hadn't thought about e-flea, since due to the ammo shortage, but will have to give a look.

[tactikel]

I use LLA for my .45 acp, and LLA and JPW for my .30-06. Before you lay out $ for a lubesizer (I had one, used it for years, and sold it to a friend). Try tumbling your boolits in Johnson's paste wax. I apply LLA, size with the push thru, and finish with JPW, you can tumble them, or use a Ziplock bag with some softened JPW and a couple of handfuls of Boolilts, knead until coated. If you get leading, and want a lubesizer, you are only out $9 for the wax.

[Leftoverdj]

When I pan lubed, I always cut the bullets out. A fired bottleneck case of the appropriate caliber with the head cut off works fine. For comfort, solder a nut or similar to it to have something to push against.

If you go with a lubrisizer, try for used. Often they come with dies and .357 or .358 are the most common. Since you indicate you can use your bullets as cast, either would work for you since all you really need to do is to apply lube.

I mostly make up my own top punches from allen head set screws.