boolit lube success .... I think

[singleshotbuff]

Gentlemen,

Thanks to help & input from people here on this boeard (thanks to everyone of you), I finally made a homebrew lube that I think may work.

In my prior attempts I had problems with ingredients seperating, adding Ivory soap solved that. Had problems getting the soap to melt, but using a cheese grater and some high and direct heat helped with that. On advise from a member, I also eleminated the RCBS case lube.

Made a batch tonight, and I think it'll work (finally) so I pan lubed a few 30cal boolits with it. However I think it may be a bit too soft, so I think I'll remelt and add more wax. So of course I have a couple of questions .

How soft is too soft? I know BP shooters use a very soft lube. I'm lookin for about 1200-1400fps velocity. My lube stays on the boolits just fine, just seems a little softer than commercial 50/50 lube.

As long as it stays on the boolits, should I just shoot it and see?

Is the proof in the shooting?

Thanks again to all who have helped me with this project. I like to make stuff for myself, plus commercial lube has to be mail ordered as no one carries it around here. I like to spend my $$ at the local gun shops, but I hate to pre-order lube, especially if I run out in the middle of a batch of boolits, so I'd like to be able to make my own easily out of readily available ingredients. Plus it's been a fun learning experience.

SSB

[357maximum]

Sounds like you are there if you add a lil more beeswax. I like my lube to be about halfway between the 50/50 mix and the hard lubes like orange magic. Hard enough not to make a mess of my seater die but soft enough not to act like glass in the cold.


YES, YES
The proof is in the shooting

I shot a mountain of lead playing with lubes and hardness did not change accuracy near as much as ingredients, but every gun as well as everybodies likes/dislikes/standards differ. In the end you are the one who will decide, after your guns feed you some info of course.

[MT Gianni]

My goal for FWFL is softer than the commercial lubes. I have had no accuracy issues with it to 2400 fps and it stays on in 90 degree temps so it works for me. Gianni.

[utk]

SSB, if you're using paraffin + vaseline, methinks you should add paraffin to make it harder.
Also, I've heard that paraffin is no good for higher velocity rifle use (but ok for hanguns and their velocities).
A beeswax-based lube should work better, like FWFL.

Another interesting lube is California Saeco Green: 2 parts beeswax, 2 parts paraffin and 1 part STP (parts by weight).

You can also find recipes for the time-proven NRA 50/50 beeswax/alox on these forums.
I've tried Lee Liquid Alox and beeswax, looks nice, smells nice but I've not shot it yet as my luber is already full of Javelina.

[singleshotbuff]

Gentlemen,

I think I finally did it. I got my lube (parafin, vaseline and ivory soap) to just the hardness I was looking for. I'm going to try it out on pistol rounds and low vel rifle rounds this week as time allows. If it works, cheap and available. Love it.

SSB