spiced up Ben's Red

[Soundguy]

for a long time now I use a version of bens red lube for all my rifle and pistol bullets, except tumble lube bullets that either get thin Felix or alox.
I finally found some caranuba flakes a few weeks ago..plus some cheap sticks of lyman super moly. I decided to take 1/4 of my bulk lube ( I store it in flat bricks and melt as needed ), and soup it up with a moly stick and cup of caranauba.
I did some pan lube on a batch of 245gr lswcgc/lswcgchp and just checked them. i think I may like this new mix. it is a hair stiffer than the bens..but not too stiff like hard commercial lubes that don't do as good. I like bens red..but always felt it was just a hair soft. I will probably pop these out of the lube-cake this afternoon when I get home and see if i stiffened it too much or is just right. I can always re melted the batch and thin with more parts bens red if needed. looking forward to the benefits of the moly and slightly better wax properties of the extra caranauba.

[Sam Sackett]

I haven’t seen the need to improve the original formula……

Sam Sackett

[Soundguy]

it's been good for me..Just figure id up the caranauba % and with Johnsons unavailable..caranauba flakes are easier..and no mineral spirits.. the moly..thats a curious one.. interested in seeing if it makes a difference..

[Eddie Southgate]

Trewax or Lundmark paste wax works the same as the Johnsons and can be ordered online or Ace Hardware carries the Trewax clear. Tried Moly once and didn't like it and had a devil of a time removing it from my barrel. To stiffen up the Bens a bit up the beeswax percentage until you get it where you want it. Last batch I made was a double batch and I used 3.5 pounds of beeswax , 2 tubes of the Lucas Red & Tacky , 2/3 cup of STP and 2/3 cup of Mercon III ATF and 8.12 ounces of Trewax clear paste wax. Normal amount of beeswax for that is 3 pounds.

[Soundguy]

landmark seems to be unavailable here..only recently found the trewax. since I also recently found the caranauba flakes i figure I'd try them and cut out the stinky solvent the floor waxes use..still get caranauba either way. I poured an experimental lube cakes yesterday..got it a little too stiff, so I cut it with more bens red and will test it this afternoon. it's essentially bens red with just more caranauba % by volume.

[Tatume]

it's been good for me..Just figure id up the caranauba % and with Johnsons unavailable..caranauba flakes are easier..and no mineral spirits.. the moly..thats a curious one.. interested in seeing if it makes a difference..

How will you measure the difference?

[Soundguy]

How will you measure the difference?

Stiffness I can probably measure with a strain gauge. can also just 'eyeball' it taking a redular bens red plank poured at a certain thickness, and then experement pouring a few others, each with some extra carnauba wax melted in..same thickness. Then I can test hardness, ductility, fracture..etc. Currently the bens red I have is just a hair soft for my liking. I can bend a plank completely in half touching and it will not completely fracture. Now I for sure do not want it as hard as commercial lubes like red/blue which in my opinion are way to hard. i think I want something that can do a 60-90' bend before fracture. I poured a test cake this am and can only get 45' before fracture, so i will re melt and dilute again and see what I get.