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View Full Version : So, you want to make your own boolit lube . . .



cbrick
10-30-2009, 02:17 PM
Everything you wanted to know about boolit lube ingredients, and much, much more.

Bullet lube ingredients, descriptions, uses, sources, recipes. (http://www.lasc.us/LubeIngredients.htm)

Rick

Bill*
10-30-2009, 03:35 PM
Very nice, not to mention useful. THANX

jdgabbard
10-30-2009, 04:06 PM
Very handy dandy!

Shiloh
10-30-2009, 04:37 PM
LOTS of useful info at that website. I refer to it frequently.

http://www.lasc.us/

Shiloh

cbrick
11-05-2009, 12:32 AM
I would like to add a list of home made lube recipes to the article. If your making your own lube post the recipe including ingredients, method of making it, BP or smokeless and any success or failures you've had with it and I'll add a bunch of the them to the article.

Rick

dromia
11-05-2009, 03:49 PM
Informative as ever, good site that.

Thought they might have mentioned Alox though, or did I miss it?

cbrick
11-05-2009, 04:37 PM
Nope, you didn't miss alox, I just haven't found the info on it as yet to put it in the article. If you know of a web site that's not copyrighted where I could get valid info I'll include a section on it.

Rick

cbrick
11-09-2009, 02:52 AM
a disgusting bump so Ken can find this thread.

45nut
11-09-2009, 02:55 AM
we have a need for mining gems from the sands now and then............

dominicfortune00
11-28-2009, 11:28 PM
I like to go gem mining...:grin:

ugotit33
01-05-2010, 06:33 PM
WOW ( CBRICK ) Great info on the Lube.
Thank you
Glad I did not find it yesterday I may not have mad my own.
Here it is .
1) small SS CUP about the 1/2 cup size.
I used the whole tube of Lanolin so you get have a feel of the quantity
1) Part breast Lanolin
1) Part Vasoline
1/8) Part Parrafin wax
1/4) 99% Rubbing Alcohol
1/10) Part lighter fliud.
In a SS Cup on the propane burner low low flame put the Lanolin, Vasolin. wax in
and watch it melt.
Shut flame.
Care fully *******
When melted add the Alcohol slowly ( flamable) on a stove and if liquid is to hot.
Pour into a small glass jar and add the drops of lighter fluid.
Shake shake shake put on some good music.
Then pour back into the SS cup.
It will solidify into a nice kinda hand cream. not to sticky.
I rubbed my thumb in it ans put on the brass case and rolled it in my fingers.
Just my experiment but reied it and I like it.
Robert

Caster Blaster
01-13-2010, 09:51 PM
I really want to try the sharps' lube but I am having trouble finding the sperm whale oil......

runfiverun
01-13-2010, 11:54 PM
it's been replaced by dexron a.t.f.

JesseCJC
02-05-2010, 05:26 PM
Great info, thanks for the sticky!

How are you guys storing your bullet lube, not the case lube though?

Recluse
02-05-2010, 06:58 PM
Great info, thanks for the sticky!

How are you guys storing your bullet lube, not the case lube though?

For my LLA/JPW/MS mix, I mix it up and store it in the Lee LLA bottles. I use a masking tape label denoting what is in it and what the mix is.

For my stick lubes, I roll them in wax paper and then stack them in small rubbermaid type of containers I get at The Dollar Store.

:coffee:

Ron.D
08-20-2010, 08:54 AM
Yet again, another great source of info. I'm putting it in my favourites. Ron.D

John Van Gelder
11-25-2010, 08:40 PM
There are a lot of great recipes for lube some more complex than others, a couple I have used over the years are one I found in the National Rifleman some years back, which consists of equal parts of bees wax, molybdenum disulphide grease and paraffin. Another that I have used with black powder loads is four parts of peanut oil and one part of bees wax.

cowboytedc
01-18-2011, 12:34 AM
I just melt 1 lb. starplex moly grease and 1 lb. paraffin then add a small bottle (I think 2 oz.) of graphite and mix. Then I pour this hot liquid into sections of PVC pipe to make stick lube. I've been very happy with the lube. Keith boolits at 1450 in my 41 mag (water dropped wheel weight) no problems. Don't put this lube in your lead pot. I will gum stuff up.
CowboyTedC

Southron Sanders
08-15-2011, 11:03 PM
My favorite Black Powder Lube for a .577 Enfield Naval Rifle?

40% Bore Butter
60% real Beeswax

That is the "Summertime Formula."

For Wintertime-reverse the formula!

BulletFactory
12-22-2011, 10:47 PM
Wheres the recipe for 45 45 10.

The search feature didn't work. :(

utk
12-23-2011, 03:25 AM
L-o-n-g thread:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67654

Glen
01-01-2012, 12:27 PM
Excellent work Rick! That is a really useful resource you've put together there. One of these days I want to explore various formulations of moly grease with lard as a bullet lube....

jabo52521
05-23-2012, 12:17 PM
Anyone tried just plain wax candles for lube?

runfiverun
05-29-2012, 11:15 PM
actually you'd want a lard oil or a salt free lard.
jabo pparrafin needs to be plasticized for the flexibility, and so it will go wet and do it's job.

heres a couple of recipes y'all might be able to try [if you can find the ingredients]

white lithium grease [lubriplate # 105] 5 oz's by weight.
1 oz poly alphetic oil by measure
aluminum stearate powder 108 grs by weight
cab-o-sil [bentone thickener] 24 grains by weight.
1 oz soy wax softened.
mix these all together and let rest for 24 hrs.
melt 4 oz b-wax [weight]
mix [blender] all together, then re-heat till the wax melts and blend till cool
add 3 oz neatsfoot oil at this heating mix.
this is a soft lube and needs no heat to flow through a lubesizer at 65*
but stays in the lube grooves well and keeps the first shot close to the group with no lube purge flyers in long strings.
i have fired over 100 rounds in one day [5-20 shot strings on one target]


or try
4 oz b-wax
4 oz soy wax
2 oz magma lube micro-wax
1 oz moly valve lube stick
1 oz xlox [left thick for the calcium stearate]
1 oz dexron atf
1 big tbs lanolin
4 oz white lithium grease.
melt the waxes and add everything but the moly stick
blend till cooling then add the lanolin.
re-heat till the consistency of peanut butter and add the moly stick.
blend till thickened and cooled.
this is a titch softer than lymans moly,and does well from 20 up through 90.
does need a first shot recondition through the bbl after it's been sitting for a while. [week or more]

delt167502
06-15-2012, 10:08 PM
Jabo i use candle wax ( 2#) and lee tumble lube 4 oz. then if it needs thining ,I just use petroleum jelly. (you can't get much simpler than that.

hogstad7
01-04-2013, 06:13 PM
Deleted.

SHOOTER IN EXILE
01-17-2013, 07:04 PM
Due to the difficulty to find factory reloading components, where I live, I have been experimenting with ingredents that can be found even in grocery stores. Plain wax candles don't stick well to bullet grooves and once solidified they become kind of brittle. But You can use them satisfactorily if you add vaseline. I'm not sure now of the proportion candlewax/vaseline. It is plain try and error until you reach the desired texture. For me the resulting product should be smearing on a cast bullet with your fingers and see how it sticks.

Another composition that I have used for over 40 years is 50/50 bees wax and lard. You have to melt the lard first and remove, using a pencil or a similar wooden stick, any kind of tissue it may contain, then add the bees wax and stirr the mixture. Don't over heat it because it might light. Melting is enough; then you pour it in a plastic coffee cup. Once cold enough, you tear off the cup. Remember that the outside cools faster than the core of the lube, so let it rest for a while before removing the cup. 5 minutes in a refrigerator won't hurt.

I have found this lube to be better than many factory products: No leading, especially with handguns. Can also be used to lube cases. No special storing procedures (my supply lie on a shelf). Cost is near zero, one pound of wax shouldn't be over 3 dollars and lard less than 1 cent. That would be enough for more than 2000 bullets.

Note: Being more an experimenter than a dedicated shooter, I apply lube with my fingers, never tried it with a press.
Additional note: For reloaders limited to shotgun powders, try the almost forgotten 800X, VERY CAREFULLY. I love it.

SHOOTER IN EXILE
01-17-2013, 07:07 PM
Forgot: Bees wax and Lard is 50/50 by volume not wheight.

SHOOTER IN EXILE
01-17-2013, 07:30 PM
JABO: I accidentally deleted and extensive thread. I'll resume. Plain candle wax is fine when molten with vaseline. Dont' remember the proportion. Try and error until You get the desired texture. Candle wax by itself is brittle and don't stick well to the bullet.

Another very old formula: 50/50 bees wax and lard (animal grease) by volume not by wheight. Impurities should be removed with a stick or a pencil. Don't overheat, just melt and stirr. Cast in a plastic coffe cup. A few minutes in the refrigerator and then tear off the cup. I lube my bullets with my fingers. Got no press. You can experiment. Cheap, versatile, clean. Also good for case resizing. I'm more an experimenter than a shooter.

NMLRA Guy
01-27-2013, 07:11 PM
When loading for black powder, I've found that the gooyer it is, the better it works. Straight beef tallow ain't bad but MESSY!

jason f
02-03-2013, 09:19 PM
Anybody have any good recipes using soy wax. My wife makes and sells candles so there is usually a 50 pound box of soy flakes sitting around her. I will just have to sneak some out without her knowing it.

Arctic Blues
09-02-2013, 02:09 PM
Howdy fellers!

My latest project is castin .44mag.
I do. 40 also.

I intend to load the 44mag fairly hot for hunting.
I have a pb dc Lee 429 240 2r.
I have been told I outta getta swc about .265gr.

All that being said, I prefer the pb as I don't like the hassle and experience of gc's.

I am willin to try making a batch of lube however, I'd rather just buy it if I can get it reasonable.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Zeik

big bore 99
08-23-2014, 12:14 AM
Looking for some help/advice here. I have a pretty good lube going (for me at least) in my 45-70 smokeless trapdoor loads. It's just beeswax and vaseline with a little high pressure grease. Seems to work with no leading, but want to stiffen it up a bit. Will some plain old candle wax help? I just hand lube and this stuff is pretty sticky.

waksupi
08-23-2014, 02:31 AM
Looking for some help/advice here. I have a pretty good lube going (for me at least) in my 45-70 smokeless trapdoor loads. It's just beeswax and vaseline with a little high pressure grease. Seems to work with no leading, but want to stiffen it up a bit. Will some plain old candle wax help? I just hand lube and this stuff is pretty sticky.

If your grease is petroleum base, you are creating fouling in your bore. You may want to go to olive oil or something similar. Add more beeswax to stiffen. If that isn't enough, a bit of paraffin.

Rockastr
09-30-2015, 10:00 PM
Like... Help! What consistency should a good black powder lube have? I tried to make my first batch and it is hard! I was expecting something softer so I wonder if I screwed up... I used the recipe of 5:4:1 of beeswax, crisco, and lanoline. Did I do something wrong? What does it need?

Rockastr
09-30-2015, 10:12 PM
Like... Help! What consistency should a good black powder lube have? I tried to make my first batch and it is hard! I was expecting something softer so I wonder if I screwed up... I used the recipe of 5:4:1 of beeswax, crisco, and lanoline. Did I do something wrong? What does it need?

runfiverun
10-03-2015, 10:59 AM
just add more lanolin or Crisco, some olive oil will soften it up too.
my wax, crisco, lanolin lube hardens over time. [and will stick to the front of the balls in the revolver loads]
I just re-melt it and throw in a little more Crisco or some vegetable/olive oil or neets-foot oil,, whichever I see first.

RickLander
10-14-2015, 08:30 PM
I have found that mixing one tablespoon of liquid lanolin with 12 ounces of Iso-heet gives you a solution that is comparable with Hornady one shot and instead of paying 70 cents an ounce it costs me 23 cents an ounce. Works great!

Arisaka Hunter
08-09-2016, 10:27 PM
Some good information here. Thanks fellas.

old woody
04-16-2017, 12:49 PM
Amazing info available here. Thanks !!