Been doing some reading. Read though the top posts on lube mixes but am not trying to use petroleum based products. no oil, grease, ATF, petroleum jelly. I am aslo really on the fence with crisco... I know its a modern animal fat substitute but it seems odd. I am also on the fence with natural oils like olive as they can go rancid.
From my reading back to black powder days, the traditional lube was a 50/50 mix of bees wax and tallow. but that does not tell me much about the needs for modern high velocity projectiles.
My main goal is a good lube that has minimal smoke. I have some cast bullets I bought that smoke a fair bit and really did not like it.
My friend and I are both getting into casting He is testing pan lubing, and I am hoping to try it today. I am also testing lee liquid alox, and am thinking about trying powder coating as well, but wanted to try traditional lube first.
My friend is using a mix of bees wax and frog lube. he does not have a ratio. he has just kinda been adding frog lube until it seemed about right to him.
I am trying bees wax and TC bore butter.
His first try was too hard, he did not add enough frog lube we think. it would bend then snap off.
Has anyone else tried these combinations? I was thinking of starting with a 70/30 bees wax bore butter mix, and and adding more bore butter until I got the right mix. knowing a good frog lube mix would be good as well.
other than animal fat are there any other, very simple, somewhat natural softeners I can add to the bees wax?
combined we are casting for 38spl, 357 mag, 44spl, and 44 mag so far, but may be adding other calibers in the future.