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Thread: what is a good Lube for RCBS

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    what is a good Lube for RCBS

    I have a LUBE-A-MATIC made by RCBS just bought a heater for it can you recommend a good lube for cast bullets?

  2. #2
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    ShooterAZ's Avatar
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    White Label Lube is what I usually use. I would be helpful to know what calibers you are casting for, but they have you covered whatever it is. I use a lot of their 2500+, it works well in both pistol and rifle.

    https://lsstuff.com/

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
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    Do you use a heater with 2500+

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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    The lubamatic will handle about anything.

    Use the lube that's right for what you're shooting, and how fast you're pushing them.

    In mine:
    For rifles- I'm a big fan of Lyman's Orange Magic. It's pricey, but a lot less trouble than making good stuff myself.
    For slow pistols- 1,000 fps or less- I'll finish up the Orange Magic if it's still in there, and refill with my home made mystery mix
    of broken crayons, the wife's old fu-fu candles, and high temp disc brake grease.
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    Quote Originally Posted by machinest-man View Post
    Do you use a heater with 2500+
    I don't use a heater for 2500+. It's soft enough that you shouldn't need it unless you're lubing outdoors in Minnesota in the winter time.

  6. #6
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    For pistols I use White Lubes BAC and for rifles I use LBT Blue soft.
    Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway!

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  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I took the time to make some that works for what I want it to do in my 45/70 with cast at about 1200 fps. I do not need a heater.
    If you want some and are willing to pay the postage I will send you a stick, free. PM me ??

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I use a hairdryer on my 450 with 50/50 lube. Just enough to make it flow better. No reason to over complicate things.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    My Lubamatic is full of bens red.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    Another for White Label Lube, and their sprue plate lube.

  11. #11
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    White Label Lube's BAC,
    I still do a bit of conventional lube/size. It works for Me.
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    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

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  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    In general, the slower the bullet travels (pistol) the softer the lube can be, the faster (rifles) the harder the lube needs to be. After shooting several times look down the barrel, if there is leading at the beginning of the barrel the lube is too hard, the lube need to get warmed up before it starts to do its job. If the leading is at the end of the barrel, the lube is too soft, it is "melting" to quickly, there is not enough to last the length of the barrel. If there is no leading the length of the barrel, the lube is just right.

    I have used several different types of lube, they all worked to different degrees. If there is a problem load, Lyman Super Moly works well, kind of messy though.

    Not a fan of extremely hard lubes, the commercial people use them because the bullets need to stay lubed during shipping, not because it is the best lube.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winger Ed. View Post
    The lubamatic will handle about anything.

    Use the lube that's right for what you're shooting, and how fast you're pushing them.

    In mine:
    For rifles- I'm a big fan of Lyman's Orange Magic. It's pricey, but a lot less trouble than making good stuff myself.
    For slow pistols- 1,000 fps or less- I'll finish up the Orange Magic if it's still in there, and refill with my home made mystery mix
    of broken crayons, the wife's old fu-fu candles, and high temp disc brake grease.
    Albeit the RCBS unit has better (it's built better?) reviews than its Lyman counterpart, it is the latter I possess. Same church, different pew, as they say . In mine (I have several) I, like Winger Ed, keep Lyman Orange Magic in one primarily for rifle bullet size/lubing.
    The first time I attempted and made the switch from the 'Orange Magic to another (softer) lub I was MORE than amazed as to how many boolits it took to accomplish this change. Hence my decision to acquire a second unit just for this softer lub use. Bion, my main choice here (yes, others when I run out ) is the plain-Jane Lyman black lube.
    (Note I have a few Star's I use with other lub's -- but the OP question focus is on the RCBS/Lyman type.)
    geo

  14. #14
    Boolit Master Rapier's Avatar
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    I have two RCBS machines, had a Lyman and traded it. I use LBT Blue or Rooster Red. The red is a bit harder, but, I use a hair dryer just like a heat gun, no brush, just heat the entire luber/sizer to get a good firm flow. Most of my loads are used in silhouette shooting, so are similar to a rifle cartridge in a handgun. I quit using the home made stuff long ago, when I got to the top two rungs on the ladder shooting cast against J bullets.

    You simply do not need to change lube for rifle or handgun with the LBT lubes.
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  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy

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    I have used and liked :
    Lyman Orange Magic
    White Label Blue Carnauba
    Thompson Red Angel

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy

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    Quote Originally Posted by ShooterAZ View Post
    I don't use a heater for 2500+.
    I don't either, says on WLL website working temp is 60F.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master

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    An extremely effective , and easy to make soft lube for all handgun and rifle to 2000 fps
    was commericially known as Lithi-Bee , can be made of :

    1 Part Lucas Red-N-Tacky lithium automotive grease
    3 Parts Beeswax

    Use a one (16 oz.) pound can of Lucas Red-N-Tacky combined with three (3 lbs.) pounds Beeswax .
    1 part by weight grease to 3 parts by weight beeswax - you don't have to make a 4 pound batch ... just keep the ratio 1 / 3 by weight .
    The grease will not melt , it will soften and must be incorporated into melted beeswax with a whisk by whisking and stirring ... doing it in an old crock pot is safest ... do three blendings , let cool between each blending ... this method seems to work best .
    I fill my 450 with hot lube ... spooning it in seems easiest .
    You don't need a heater except in cold-cooler weather to get it going .
    It is a soft lube ... if you want/need harder add some Gulf Paraffin wax to stiffen when mixing .
    Gary
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  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by machinest-man View Post
    I have a LUBE-A-MATIC made by RCBS just bought a heater for it can you recommend a good lube for cast bullets?
    Quote Originally Posted by ShooterAZ View Post
    White Label Lube is what I usually use. I would be helpful to know what calibers you are casting for, but they have you covered whatever it is. I use a lot of their 2500+, it works well in both pistol and rifle.

    https://lsstuff.com/
    Regarding WLL,
    I like their Carnuba Red. I use a heater, but yeah, I am in Minnesota, LOL.
    Works good for pistol and Rifle. It's not tacky, yet sticks in the lube grooves better than most.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master
    rockrat's Avatar
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    White labe Carnauba blue

  20. #20
    Boolit Bub
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    I've used White Labels carnauba red, blue and the 2500+. I'm not exactly pushing the boundaries of cast bullets but I haven't noticed a difference in any of them. I've settled on the 2500+ because it doesn't always need a heater, and if it's cold it starts to flow much sooner with a heater. With the red I have to turn on the heater and kill an hour in the winter just about.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check