Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting bullet lube

I've been using Lyman Ideal for everything from 45 acp, 45lc, 30-30 win, 9mm, 38-357,. I haven't had any problems yet. My question is what are you guys using? I'm wondering if a different lube might serve better as an all around?

White Label Carnuba Red or BAC for me. Great stuff with little to no smoke and sticks good. You may need a little heat with the Carnuba Red (a hair dryer for a minute). Also doesn't shrink over time like some of the harder lubes. Great people to deal with as well.
http://www.lsstuff.com/lube/

I have been using Thompson Blue on everything. It absolutely requires a heater. I like to do my casting in the cooler months and bulk up. The harder lube really sticks and doesn't melt off during the summer months. A big plus when you are storing several thousand cast and lubed bullets in this region.

Being in Montana, this probably isn't as big an issue for you. If you are having good results with what you are using now, I wouldn't change.

I buy LBT Blue in quanity, works great for rifle and pistol. I've used Micro Lube, Mirror Lube, GAR Alox, and some that I have no idea what they were. At that time I was casting for 357, 45 Colt, 44 Spec, 45 acp and 45-70, can't say I saw much of a difference. When I started casting for 243 Win, 30-06 and 375 Whelen at jacketed bullet velocity and pressures LBT Blue became necessary. I didn't feel the need to keep switching lubes for different cartridges, so LBT got the job by default.
Then I got all of the past Cast Bullet Assoc. journals and read them. Early on there were fellows winning bench rest matchs using Prep. H.

Jim

How long could you wait for your groups to shrink before measuring? miles

Prep H when you're itching to shoot cast bullets?

sorry could'nt resist.

Miles and Horse

I needed a good chuckle thanks.

Jim

Do you put the Prep H on by hand? And does it work best with hollow base bullets?

I tumble lube most of my bullets, and can't see much of a difference from when I used a lube/sizer.

I have used the 70/30 bees wax/vaseline for everything from 1500fps plinkers rught through to 2415fps hunting loads and have had great sucess. Had a few sticks of "store bought" about 25 years ago but after getting onto the 70/30 mix wouldn't look at anything else. It flat out works.

Von Gruff.

I've used a variety of commercial lubes and have settled on lbt blue. I've done accuracy tests and was suprised to see how changing lubes can really tighten up groups. The lbt groups were 1/2 the size of the commercial alox and rcbs lube. I've also made a lube using moly/lithium axle grease and beeswax. It seems to work as well as the lbt, but it's messy to deal with.

I started out over 40 years ago using Javelina (NRA 50/50 Alox/Beeswax) lube for both rifle and pistol. Then I got swept up in the home made lube game. While it was fun to try mixing different things at home, and even had excellent results with some formulas, I realized that none of them really out performed the good old NRA 50/50 recipe enough to justify the mess and bother. So, I switched back to Javelina, bought a lifetime supply and life got good and simpler.

I use a 50/50 mix of Alox/JPW for all bullets that I tumble lube whether there are of that design or not. I also use the same lube to ranch dip bullets that I want a heavier coating in the lube grooves.

The rest of my bullets get pan lubed for a big batch of lube I made up using several lbs. of Blue Angel stick lube,JPW,Vaseline and Amsoil Synthetic Saber 2-Cycle Oil.

So far I've fired some of my pan lubed bullets up to 2K fps. and the barrel comes out nice and shiny.

LBT blue is the standard by which all lubes are measured, I use an awful lot of it. I also have great luck using the Carnuba Red that Glen makes (Lars Lube) I use it for my competition revolvers. About half the price of LBT lubes.

Dick

Any opinions regarding using straight bees wax? Seems like it would be the ultimate in simplicity.

I had an extra $40 money order from a deal I backed out of so I called White Label and got a bunch of BAC and 2500+ as well as some Alox to mix with the bee's wax from a local source. The BAC works great, sub moa at 2000fps with Lyman 375449 in 375 Ruger. Stays on good with reasonable handling loaded with 2 lube grooves exposed. Haven't got around to the others yet.
I also tumble lube and dip with CRC Corrosion Shell, a Mil spec corrosion proofing compound that seems to be the equivalent to Lee liquid allox or Rooster jacket. I only have a couple gallons left, so after another 100k rounds of 45acp, 38 spcl, 25-20 and 45-70 I'll have to find a replacement, or buy another 5 gal can.

straight beeswax is too hard to get through the sizer without heat, and then it takes a LOT of heat, and when beeswax gets to 157 degrees it pretty much turns into a liquid, so there little temp range to get it to flow.

beeswax is just a carrier, and not a very good lubricant. Others have tried it straight and felt it lacking a LOT.

I haven't made bullets in a long time, but when I used to make and shoot a bunch my favorite lube was LBT blue soft.

45% Alox, 45% Johnsons paste wax and 10% mineral spirits. I bought a tiny crock pot a the goodwill and keep it in it.

If anyone wants to try mixing their own lube, it can be fun and interesting. It is however a lot easier to purchase the lubes from Lars at White Label lubes.
The BAC is perfect for all handgun loads. If you are storing a lot of bullets the Carnuba Red will store well plus work for higher velocity.
The BAC with Clays powder makes for some no smoke and clean shooting loads.
I make my own BP lube and also use a lube made in Alaska called NASA by a member of the Cast Boolits forum. Later Fairshake