Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Tumble Lube Designs, Pros/Cons?

Found a deal on a 265 grain mold for diameter .430 but it's a tumble lube design vs one with large lube grooves and driving bands. Never used a tumble lube bullet before. Interested in knowing if they are favorably received.

Dan

I have never used tumble lube before either Dan. I would be concerned with my bullets getting damaged or dinged from banging into each other during the lube tumbling process. I would like to know how your experiment turns out.

Rolly

As I understand it...the term "tumble" is actually a misnomer. You put the bullets into a plastic container like a margarine tub and squirt in a hefty dose of lube and just swish them around a bit before setting them on some aluminum foil to dry. You don't actually "tumble" them per se. But I too was unaware of the concept before I asked the question of the Lee tech people.

Dan

Okay, Dan. Thanks for the explaination. That makes more sense than tumbling.

Dan,

If memory serves you use your own grease type of lube?

They should work fine to 1,000 fps/ 25,000psi area just fine, since unlubed ones still work fine under 1,000 fps with a good tube and dimensions plus mild weather.

I've experimented with the Lee tumble lube on normal cast bullets with large grease grooves, but not the bullets like the one you have. It worked OK at the 1200 fps or less that I was shooting.

The thing I didn't like was that it remained tacky after "hardening" allowing the exposed bullet noses on loaded rounds to collect trash. I didn't buy a second bottle, went back to my old luber-sizer.

Thanks all.

Dan

I read one very informative article on "Cast Boolits"(I think) where the author "rolled" the lubed bullets in powdered Mica to keep the "sticky" from causing a problem...He used the round Lee Loader die container to roll the bullet/mica in.

Maybe wiping the lube off the noses with a paint thinner (etc) damp soaked clothe after fully loaded would also help...and there are probably many other methods that have been used to "clean up" the mess.

I think for the effort needed to do all the steps, I would rather use a lubrisizer and be done with it...

Except...I have a few hundred 12 GAFH slugs that need lubing and NO way to lube or size then except by the old fashioned method...stack in a pan, pour in the lube, let set, then cut them out individually...I will also dust on some powdered mica just in case...but I will also try the "tumble/roll" method to see how it works.

You should check out the information on this guys web site before you consign all the tumble lube type bullets to just low velocity loads.

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/TLC432265RF/444MData/H4198.html

Guys, I appreciate the responses. I just put an order in for a couple of Keith style molds in .44 and .45 along with the resizing dies. I'll be going traditional on the lube.

Thanks again.

Dan

I think you will be happier with your choice. I tried the 240 gr. .44 tumble lube bullet for a while. Compared to regular lubes the process was messier, accuracy was mediocre, and I got more leading.

I've been loading a custom Lee tumble lube GC .25 caliber bullet in a 25-20 at around 2000fps without trouble. I run it through my sizer/luber to seat the Hornady gas checks and manage to get some Felix lube in the grooves. I don't have a heater, but a 100 watt light bulb pressed against the back of the lube resevoir helps make the lube flow. Add a coating of liquid alox and I've shot several hundred with no problems.

Dan: Have used tumblelube bullets in .45 ACP (WW & 1/2 WW, 1/2
pure lead), also purelead, in 9mm WW, in .38 Spl. wadcutters--
1/2 & 1/2, also pure lead. All the above have given excellent 25 yd.
groups. (Yes, the Lee Alox lube is a little 'sticky', but, for
me, not to hard to live with.)

According to Lee Precision, the liquid Alox should dry and feel like a crayon. If it stays "sticky", you are using too much product. Back off the amount or cut it with mineral spirits.
Just fyi. I'm still debating which way to go here too.

I used the Lee tumble lube for thousands of 44 mag loads and my big gripe was that even applyed sparingly and dried totaly it tended to build up in the seating stem head and eventually started to load deeper untill the die was taken apart and cleanedd thoroughly. Had a 240gn Lee mould lengthened by having the nose re shaped and the resulting bullet was 283gn. Heat treated over 22gn H110 it was a great performer but was always carefull to check the die was not getting build-up every 100 rounds or so. Much prefer my lubriciser and use my own lube now which is 2/3 bees wax to 1/3 petroleum jelly. Add a builders crayon to add whatever coulor you want.Works well in my 404 with 350gn GC lino at 2365fps.

Von Gruff.

If I had a lube-sizer I would use it but I don't so I use Lee LIquid Alox. I coat them once then run them through the sizer then coat them again and let them dry. After seating I wipe the noses. I have shot some thousands or bullets in several rifle and pistol calibers using this method with no ill effect. I don't shoot pure lead but hard cast wheel weights and pure Linotype (I got a good deal). I shoot gas checks with rifle rounds but not with pistol. I experimented a while back with making my own lube but It's a lot more trouble than the liquid Alox. I didn't find the Mica method to be better than wiping the bullets off.

There is one thing that I have heard about but have not tried and that is moly coating cast bullets. It seems like it would work but I haven't tried it yet.

Alan

Thanks again for the added reasponse.

I went the traditional route with my bullets.

Good shooting everyone.

Dan

Ranch Dog 265 gr tumble lube boolit from my .44 SBH at 50 yd's.
I use FELIX lube hand rubbed into the grooves and run through a .432" Lee size die to remove excess lube.
This boolit will NOT shoot this good with LLA and it leads my bore.
No use at all for the Lee snot on my boolits.