|
|
04-07-2019, 06:58 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Twin Cites, Minnesota
Posts: 5,152
Likes: 10,990
Liked 10,878 Times in 3,281 Posts
|
|
Dip Lube Bullets
I bought a Lee 210 grain tumble lube bullet mold for .41 Magnum. I have used tumble lubing before with good results, except I don't like how it leaves a sticky coating on the exposed portion of the bullet, which is a nuisance to handle, and collects dust and dirt. It also builds up in the seating die, which can progressively seat the bullets deeper and deeper as the buildup continues. Not a good thing.
The way I solved this problem is by dipping the bullets instead of tumbling them. I use a 50/50 mix of Lee liquid alox/mineral spirits. I put this in an empty glass jar (originally for shoe polish) and fill it to the desired height. I then hold the bullet tip with a tweezers and place it into the jar, touching the bottom of the jar with the base of the bullet. I adjust the amount of lube until it stops at the top lubricant groove, just below the crimping groove. I then put the bullet on a sheet of waxed paper to dry.
As the lube gets used up, it is an easy matter to add a little more to the jar, so the lube comes to the desired height.
This just takes a few seconds to do, and it keeps the loaded ammunition from turning into a sticky mess.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-07-2019, 08:25 PM
|
Banned
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 271
Liked 1,207 Times in 659 Posts
|
|
Good idea.......I thought Lee liquid alox was supposed to dry and not be a problem!
|
04-07-2019, 09:39 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Oklahoma, on a dirt road.
Posts: 389
Likes: 214
Liked 606 Times in 220 Posts
|
|
Generally speaking, if your tumble-lube bullets are sticky, you are using too much lube. Most people use far too much.
That being said, I have dip-lubed rifle bullets (7.62x54r) with success, at least to 1800fps. I haven't tried faster.
I use 45-45-10, and when tumble-lubing I use 1/4 teaspoon lube per 2 pounds of bullets, tumbled twice.
In other words, 1/4 tsp, tumble, let dry, another 1/4 tsp, repeat., for a total of 1/2tsp to 2lbs bullets. It helps to warm bullets with a hair dryer prior to first tumble, but it's not necessary.
This drys in just a few hours, especially in front of a fan.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
04-07-2019, 10:48 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Spokane, WA
Posts: 13,515
Likes: 1,178
Liked 18,468 Times in 7,306 Posts
|
|
FWIW, I use the BLL recipe from Cast Boolits.
You already have 2 of the 3 ingredients.
Get some LundMark Liquid Paste Wax from Ace Hardware.
Miix equal parts of Alox, LundMark wax and, mineral spirits.
Tumble lube by putting a small squirt into a plastic butter dish and add a handfull of bullets at a time.
After they are coated dump or scoop them out onto a piece of wax paper to dry.
The liquid paste wax hardens the lube enough that the residual isn't sticky at all.
Try it. You'll like it!
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-07-2019, 11:42 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW MT
Posts: 6,725
Likes: 10,489
Liked 6,017 Times in 2,963 Posts
|
|
Ranch Dog specified his custom Lee bullets to be tumble lubed as he dipped them also. It worked for up to 356 Win [308 rimmed] . IIRC he dipped, sized and redipped.
__________________
Front sight and squeeze
|
04-08-2019, 06:47 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,467
Likes: 178
Liked 1,661 Times in 691 Posts
|
|
I use the same 45/45/10 as bc38, caveman simple & it flat out works!!!!
Last year I was playing around with the lee 312 tl-160 bullet in a 308w doing head to head testing
Cast/sized/lubed bullets VS cast/pc'd/sized bullets
I used lbt blue to lube the lee bullets, not really enough lube there in those small tl lube grooves but I tried. As you can see the groups opened up when I started getting to the 2550fps+ range.
Pc'd bullets didn't have the same problem
Re-tested the traditional lubed/sized bullets, but this time I put a coat of 45/45/10 on the bullets adding more lube. I didn't gain any velocity but the group was cut in 1/2 compared to the lbt lube only.
45/45/10:
Easy to make, dries hard with no tackiness & can easily do 2600fps+ with no leading.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
04-08-2019, 08:51 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: for now ,Texas
Posts: 2,741
Likes: 186
Liked 3,300 Times in 1,525 Posts
|
|
On another forum I read about using 60% LEE alox mixed with 40% Johnsons liquid floor wax . It dried hard , no stickiness . It was called " Ben's Liquid Lube " .
Here's one for you experimenters ? A guy said he just used a spray enamel to coat his bullets . Said he bought a spray can of enamel from hardware store , stood bullets on their base in a pan with some separation and spray painted his cast bullets . Supposedly had no lead problems . I'm not recommending this , just put it out there . Regards, Paul
|
04-08-2019, 09:43 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 1,813
Likes: 167
Liked 979 Times in 490 Posts
|
|
Sounds like it solved your problem, but wouldn’t it be easier and faster just to stand the bullets up in a shallow tray and pour in the lube? Then just pluck them out and let them dry, as you are doing now.
|
04-09-2019, 12:05 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Pensacola,FL
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 4,198
Liked 999 Times in 536 Posts
|
|
White Label 45-45-10 is already pre mixed & is much cheaper than the Lee Liquid Alox .
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|