ATF in lube

[barrabruce]

I was using 50/50 beeswax/vasalene but swapped over to bw and some auto transition fluid in it.
The groups were a little smaller and I thought why not.

I just spent some time wiping some 200 loaded rounds I’ve lubed and stored since the start of the year and it looks like there is verdigris on the brass where the lube is.
Once wiped off the brass is shiny where the lube sat.

I might have had beeswax / vasalene /atf.
The vasalene is -probably the clear cheap stuff and not the yellow stickier "vasalene" variety as the wife bought me a jar from the supermarket and it is clear and I’ve started using that.

I am wondering what would be the cause?

I use Ed’s red to wiped down my cases and seems not to harm them.

Could it be the cheap ATF 111 I bought.

I don’t think I’ve made a new batch of Ed’s red with it yet thou.

I haven’t stored loaded ammo that long as I usually load and shoot soon after.

Any thoughts from the educated gallery?

Thanks in advance.

Maybe I should try a new lube or give up and join the mob and load commercial hard cast coated things instead and live with just some smears of lead in the barrel.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I am wondering what would be the cause?

Leather [tannic acid] is the most common cause of Verdigris on ammo.
.
Verdigris [on brass] develops as a result of long term contact with weak acids from mostly organic compounds. I don't think any of the lube ingredients you mention fall into that category.

[gunther]

Maybe get the magnifying glass out and take a close look at the contents of the ATF, and the vasalene. Jon B's comments match my experience. But, a lot of cheap stuff comes from places where they don't care what goes into a product.

[barrabruce]

Thanks
I’m off away from home at the moment.
When I get back I’ll have a closer inspection.

[gwpercle]

A Great easy to make lube , I shoot smokeless powder and cast boolits , no black powder experience ... is Lithi-Bee : 1 part Lithium Grease (measure by weight) blended with 3 parts Beeswax (measure by weight)

Small Batch : 1 pound Lucas Red-N-Tacky lithium grease + 3 pounds Beeswax
heat in an old slow cooker (crock pot) on high and blend with a wire whisk , the grease doesn't melt but will soften and must be blended into the wax .
Turn off pot and let cool . Heat - blend and cool three separate Times to get a good blending of the lube . I pack warm lube into sizer/lubricator or you can make sticks if you have lube moulds .
Gary

[barrabruce]

Well I have checked some inside of the necks and all seems good.
I think I may have used something besides my homemade case lube to resize the necks.

Checking the bottle beside it has something else in it besides alcohol and aqueous lanolin in it

I think it was the culprit.So I’ve tossed it.

The Lucas red and tacky grease I could get several years ago but it has been change to local red and whacky LI grease.
If I remember the red oil floats on top after quite some time. Do I just drain that off and use the rest?

Moly grease / beeswax is supposed to be good too but it gets on everything.
I mean everything ,in the shed and outside as well, some even stays on the bullets.

I’m starting to get a little low on beeswax and will have try and source some.

Need another 1kg block at least.

Most bee keepers believe it is akin to gold and love it too much to part with any.

Maybe candle wax or some thing the free loving hippie stores sell as candles could work.

[trapper9260]

Have you try to use the old NRA lube ? It have ATF in it besides beeswax and Vaseline ,I use it and seen to work for me . Just a idea .