skimpy lube groove

[targetshootr]

When I ordered a mold from NEI last week i didn't pay much attention to the size of the lube groove as I did deciding on which of his boolit styles to get and when I was lubing some today I realized the one lube groove on the 44 215gr RN is puny compared to what I'm used to. Is this a reason for concern? I always thought the amount of lube on a boolit was important.

[Bass Ackward]

When I ordered a mold from NEI last week i didn't pay much attention to the size of the lube groove as I did deciding on which of his boolit styles to get and when I was lubing some today I realized the one lube groove on the 44 215gr RN is puny compared to what I'm used to. Is this a reason for concern? I always thought the amount of lube on a boolit was important.


TS,

When you have to cut weight, you sacrifice dimensions. Is it a concern? Depends on the volume of lube. Volume is volume to me. And, it depends how far up on the bullet it is too.

For a one groove 44 caliber pistol bullet, you need enough space to get about one grain of weight or more to have pretty good flexibility on your lube choice. Start getting down to 3/4 grain and you are going to eliminate a lot of lubes from my experience. And you are going to have to shoot harder bullets to compensate or cut pressure / velocity. There are ways around everything it just depends on whether the paths around go against the reason for your purchase of that bullet.

You are gonna find out though. Just remember that you can use LLA in combination with the lube in that groove that will add to it. Especially if you add a little mica over the whole thing. 3 lubes.

[targetshootr]

BA, These will mostly be used in 44-40 at under 1000 fps. The groove appears to be half the width and no deeper than what I'm used to loading.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/targetshootr/Im002862.jpg

[Bass Ackward]

BA, These will mostly be used in 44-40 at under 1000 fps. The groove appears to be half the width and no deeper than what I'm used to loading.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/targetshootr/Im002862.jpg


Oooooohhh! Nice small meppy too.

At 1000 fps, you can almost use no lube. So remember the LLA if you have trouble.

[Bent Ramrod]

Targetshootr,

The older designs had a lot of lube groove space for black powder loading and for homemade tallow and Ideal wax lubes. After the Alox lubes started becoming popular, people started finding that not filling some of these grooves gave better results. Some of the modern synthetic lubes require even less lube volume. So some of the more modern bullet designs generally have fewer lube grooves and/or less lube space, in expectation that modern lubes will be used. Some (like the Lee 340 gr .457 I bought years ago) have gone a little too far in this direction; that bullet was a leading so-and-so in my guns.

Your .44-40 bullet is obviously a modern design as it very sensibly has a crimp groove.

[9.3X62AL]

Speaking of NEI and shallow lube grooves.......I'm contemplating purchase of a couple NEI molds, one being the #346G--a .458" 490 grainer. Its shallow-appearing lube grooves concern me a little, since my Ruger #1's rifling lands are .005" high. I'm concerned that the rifling will bottom out in the grooves, so I'll call there to ask a few questions before ordering the mold.

[targetshootr]

Good deal. The 45s in the same mold also have a shallow groove altho a little wider. Of six, one cavity is the big 310gr (drops at approx 335), three cav 250 gr 45s FN and two cav of the 44 215s above. NEI had the mold here inside a week which was a nice surprise.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/targetshootr/Im002879.jpg

[targetshootr]

I wanna show off my new favorite gun while I'm at it, a flat top in 45 colt. I had the barrel and cylinder swapped out locally and then Hamilton Bowen installed a longer gas ring at his seminar two weeks ago. It's tight as can be and the action is nicely timed too. Can't wait to get some of these boolits through it.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/targetshootr/Im002802.jpg

[Dale53]

I LIKE it! I LIKE it!!

Dale53

[Blacktail 8541]

TS, what lube are you useing?

[targetshootr]

That lube is from Magma. I also have some samples from White Label Lube Company which l'll try soon. It costs half as much and smells yummy.

[Blacktail 8541]

Thanks, I've been useing LBT soft and it works great. Problem is that it takes a while to get and is expensive.