Simple readily available lube

[Ben]

HERESY ALERT.....don't say you weren't warned.

I don't make my own lubes. There--I said it. I use two different lube types--an Alox/beeswax 50/50 type for handguns up to 1100 FPS and a concoction known as Carnauba Red for everything else. Both of these are mailed by Glenn and Leah Larsen www.LsStuff.com at a VERY reasonable cost.

9.3X62AL

_____________________

As much as I enjoy shooting Ben's Red, Al has just made a very good point. It is simple, just order good lube at a good price from Lar's and be done with it.

Ben

[a.squibload]

I have to admit, I wanna make some Ben's Red.
Maybe after I learn to bake bread from that other thread.
You know, when I get a minute!

[detox]

Confusing isn't it.

[Doc_Stihl]

HERESY ALERT.....don't say you weren't warned.

I don't make my own lubes. There--I said it. I use two different lube types--an Alox/beeswax 50/50 type for handguns up to 1100 FPS and a concoction known as Carnauba Red for everything else. Both of these are mailed by Glenn and Leah Larsen www.LsStuff.com at a VERY reasonable cost.

I've made several batches and use them.
But when it comes down to it, it's Really hard to beat 50/50 and Carnuba Red. I spent more money on my first 2 batches of "not so good" lube than I did on my White Label order.

[btroj]

But it is fun, interesting, and exciting to make lubes. You learn about things you don't care and meet lots of strange folks.

Heck, I did it so much I even got this neat hat.......

[dikman]

I'm already mixing all sorts of weird concoctions (and I only shoot BP) and yes, I've met all manner of people who some might consider, umm, different? (But in a nice sort of way).

So, how many posts do I need to get a neat hat too?

[btroj]

Oh dude, you ain't even close.......

Besides, the hat is from south of the border, not south of the equator. Maybe Jeff can get you some tights......

[454PB]

I made my own for 35 years, then realized the raw components cost nearly as much as just buying BAC from Lars.

I was in Sportsman's Warehouse the other day, RCBS boolit lube was $6 a stick!

[dikman]

Tights? TIGHTS!!! What do you think I am? For your information, real Aussie men don't wear tights. (Why haven't we got a smiley with a tongue sticking out?). As for the hat, guess I'll have to stick to a "proper" hat ( my Akubra). Come to think of it, if I wore a hat like yours to the range no one would get any shooting in, they wouldn't be able to stop laughing..

[btroj]

That is right, Jeff is from NZ.

[dverna]

Arrow,

Making your own lube is the last thing you need to worry about when you are starting out. For less than $2/stick White Label is the way to go. Randy Rat is supposed to have good lubes too but I have not purchased from him.

After you have cast a bit you might want to use your time making lube. But do it for the "fun" - if hovering over a sticky pot of fuming goop is your idea of fun.

I have heard the argument - "Making lube is no different than making bullets. Why not buy bullets if you think making stuff is a waste of time?' That is just horse-pucky. You can make a better bullet than you can buy. You cannot make a lube that is better than what you can buy. You can save a lot of money by making bullets. You save little or nothing by making your own lube. You know if you have buggered up a bullet and you can recast it. You will not know if you bugger up a lube until you shoot it - now you have a bunch of goop that you will spend more money on to "tweak" so it works.

BTW, welcome to the madness.

Don Verna

[scattershot]

Anybo dy ever use beeswax and tallow? I made some up years ago and just recently discovered it again. Never used it, but Iwas wondering if it would work for suppository guns as well.as frontstuffers.

[Good Cheer]

Once upon a time was looking around for some lanolin and saw a can of DAX pomade. Gave it a try making lube and yeehah it worked. Smelled a little strange but it worked. Nowadays there's also a half gallon bucket of lanolin sitting in the funatorium but I'm still working on that can of DAX. Made some more with it last night. Local beeswax, the DAX, some peanut oil, lanolin from a chemical supply company in Pasadena (sometimes I work in urban cowboy country east of Houston), brown lithium lube from the auto store and ancient crayolas for batch identification color. All easily available stuff. Melt it all using water heating (double boiler) and once melted and mixed, shift to direct heat for cooking with furious stirring. Probably unnecessarily complicated but a recipe with stuff currently on hand that I've found to do everything I've asked of it. When done right it becomes a soft plastic that does not require a heater on the press.
But speaking of simple, does anybody use Do-All Tool Saver straight from the tube? Haven't used it in a long time. Still have a tube on the shelf.

[BPShooter]

You can buy bees wax at Michael's craft store for 9.99 a pound. Look for coupons in the newspaper for 50% off. Michael's is a chain store in PA and NY, I don't know if there located across the country.

[dikman]

Anybo dy ever use beeswax and tallow? I made some up years ago and just recently discovered it again. Never used it, but Iwas wondering if it would work for suppository guns as well.as frontstuffers.

"Suppository guns"! Love it . Yep, add paraffin wax and you have Gatefeo's famous BP revolver lube. Good stuff, tallow (mutton tallow, of course).

[scattershot]

Thanks!

[9.3X62AL]

I was in Sportsman's Warehouse the other day, RCBS boolit lube was $6 a stick!

OK, THAT sort of markup would prompt me to start cooking bullet lube, for darn sure. More to the thread's point.....if I was to get back deeply into black powder cartridge or muzzle-loading rifles with elongated bullets, I could see the point in blending some bullet lube. SPG is GOOD STUFF, but it cost the earth last time I bought it--and I haven't seen it for some time. Almost all of my B/P shooting is PRB these days, so the need for masses of BP bullet lube just isn't there.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Saeco Green was a very simple lube to make, but I can`t remember the exact formula of it. I also freely admit I buy Lar`s lubes then blend 2 of them. I blend 2 sticks BAC with 1 stick Carnuba Red. I pour the melted mix in my 450 lubers wait an hour and proceed lubing everything from 9mm up to .416 Taylor boolets and having no leading of any sort.Robert

[fryboy]

saeco green does decent , i run a slightly improved version in one of my sizers but .. i make mine red :P in essence it's 2# beeswax, 2# paraffin and 1# stp oil treatment ( divide into more manageable quantities if desired such as 1-1- 1/2 etc , the break down is 40/40/20 %) from my understanding long ago it used rcbs case lube instead of stp but having seen so many recipes i may be in error

[Wolfer]

Being the cheap do it yourself guy that I am when I first started casting for my 45 colt I mixed one cake of parrifin to one Johnny bowl ring. The kind without the rubber on it. Worked great on my 44 spl also.
When I started keeping bees I then had beeswax to work with. Traded it out for the parrifin. Can't say it was better since I had no problems with the original recipe.
One day while smearing some Corona wound salve on one of my horses I thought this greasy **** would make good boolit lube. Seems the main ingredients is beeswax and lanolin. I now mix it 50/50 with beeswax and it works great in my pistols at around 1000 fps. Still no better than the original though.
When I started casting for rifles my lee sizing dies came with a bottle of LLA so I used it. I had no issues at the velocity I shoot ( 1700/1800 fps ) so I just stuck with it. Simple and easy, just like me.
I doubt that either of my lubes would work on barn burner stuff but since I don't shoot them I don't know.
I tried LLA in my pistols but didn't like it. I don't remember why. I was probably using too much. Nowadays I tend to thin it a little with mineral spirits and give it two lite coats. I have no issues with accuracy or leading. Woody