Lee liquid Alox? Has anyone bought commercial cast bullets and then added the Lee lube to see if maybe you could push them a little faster with out any leading issues..I just tumbled some 255 grain pre lubed SWC bullets and will let them dry over night befor loading them..Just wondered if I could possibility push them a couple hundred FPS faster..Thanks
castbullets and lee liquid lube?
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rockquarry
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Every situation is different and your success depends on a variety of factors. Try it, it may work.
I tried the Lee Liquid Alox some years ago and found it messy and it offered nothing over my conventionally lubed bullets. I also experimented with applying a coat over an already lubed rifle bullet of my own making. Accuracy deteriorated. You really can use too much lube.
However, as already mentioned, lots of factors involved and my results may be very different from that of others. Lee Liquid Alox seems to be quite popular, so it must work well for some.
I tried the Lee Liquid Alox some years ago and found it messy and it offered nothing over my conventionally lubed bullets. I also experimented with applying a coat over an already lubed rifle bullet of my own making. Accuracy deteriorated. You really can use too much lube.
However, as already mentioned, lots of factors involved and my results may be very different from that of others. Lee Liquid Alox seems to be quite popular, so it must work well for some.
Have you reached the lube capabilities of what you have now? Are you leading in the front of the barrel?
Lee sells LLA to people that don't use a lubesizer. It does some things good but is not a magic catch all savior. I don't recall ever seeing the winners in the Fouling Shot cast matches using it. It can't hurt anything unless it is put on in a way to make the bullet unbalanced or too large a diameter.
That said commercial lube can be terrible. It is too often made to stay put doing shipping rather than as a lube. having made my own lubes and communicated a lot with those who have really fallen down the rabbit hole of lubes, groups, velocity and barrel condition can really improve with a good lube. In the end let your target tell you what it likes.
Lee sells LLA to people that don't use a lubesizer. It does some things good but is not a magic catch all savior. I don't recall ever seeing the winners in the Fouling Shot cast matches using it. It can't hurt anything unless it is put on in a way to make the bullet unbalanced or too large a diameter.
That said commercial lube can be terrible. It is too often made to stay put doing shipping rather than as a lube. having made my own lubes and communicated a lot with those who have really fallen down the rabbit hole of lubes, groups, velocity and barrel condition can really improve with a good lube. In the end let your target tell you what it likes.
Yes. I did try it in .38 spl, the bullets I had bought were leading terribly and accuracy was poor. It worked quite well. Word of advice, don't use the lquid alox pure. I dilute it with lighter fluid.
Dieseltech56
Member
If you really want to push your cast bullets faster ditch the lube altogether and use powercoated or high tech coated bullets.
The Norseman
Member
Lead Free
For Lead free performance here is what I use
on my Lead Bullets.
Lee Liquid Alox and Johnson Liquid Floor Wax.
The ratio of mix that I use is 6 parts LLA and
4 parts JLFW.
I mix in a LLA bottle, just need a small amount,
it lasts for 1000s of bullets. I don't use the
ketchup bottle anymore.
For Lead free performance here is what I use
on my Lead Bullets.
Lee Liquid Alox and Johnson Liquid Floor Wax.
The ratio of mix that I use is 6 parts LLA and
4 parts JLFW.
I mix in a LLA bottle, just need a small amount,
it lasts for 1000s of bullets. I don't use the
ketchup bottle anymore.
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rockquarry
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Not true, if you're using the right alloy for the pressure/velocity of your load and the bullet is of proper diameter (fit). Conventionally lubed bullets will work at least as well as powercoated(?) or "high tech" coated bullets.
I will agree with you up to a point. The only gun I push hard these days is my 8 3/8" Mod 686 that I hunt with. After a lot of trials with lead bullets I found that .358 diameter shoot the most accurate. This is with factory bought bullets, not my castings. Basically the same accuracy no matter what the lube, but with most bullets, leading becomes a problem in the 1000-1200fps range depending on the brand, but I can push coated bullets of the same diameter up to 1600fps with no loss of accuracy and zero leading. Cleaner to load and shoot as well. I do agree 100% that the proper fitting bullet is the key, but at least for me the coated bullet trumps the lubed lead in every way except cost of course and for factory bought bullets, the coated aren't a whole lot more expensive. I will admit at the same time, the most accurate bullet in any of my guns up to 25 yards is the HBWC with 2.8-3gr of Bullseye. Zero with the standard lube or Hornady with the Powder lube. Both shoot the same. Dirty as hell but one hole accuracy at 25 yards with the right person on the trigger.
Try mixing 3 parts Lee Liquid Alox with 3 parts LundMark Liquid Paste Wax and 4 parts mineral spirits or naptha. I bought a quart of the wax and a quart of mineral spirits at Ace hardware.
Tumble lube a handful of cast bullets in a butter dish with a small squirt of the mixture, dump on wax paper and let dry overnight.
This is the formula Ben's Liquid Lube from the CastBoolits site
Great stuff.
Tumble lube a handful of cast bullets in a butter dish with a small squirt of the mixture, dump on wax paper and let dry overnight.
This is the formula Ben's Liquid Lube from the CastBoolits site
Great stuff.
The two formulas mentioned by BC38 and Norseman are well proven.
If you are having leading issues, better to check you dimensions of throats, bore and bullets before worrying about the lube.
I try to use "as cast" bullets so as to match .433" or .359" throats, so tumble lubing works well for me. I have retreived slugs from dirt berms and found the Lee lube does it's job well.
Jim
If you are having leading issues, better to check you dimensions of throats, bore and bullets before worrying about the lube.
I try to use "as cast" bullets so as to match .433" or .359" throats, so tumble lubing works well for me. I have retreived slugs from dirt berms and found the Lee lube does it's job well.
Jim
max503
Member
I've heard of others giving factory boolits an additional coating of LLA. The trick to LLA is to use a very light coat. I use it for rifle and handgun and it will do almost anything you need.
Fishslayer
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
I've used it in .45ACP & .357 Magnum. Worked fine. After a magazine of Alox lubed bullets over a light load of Green Dot the indoor range looked like the scene of a Civil War reenactment! 
It's a little smokey.
It's a little smokey.
cowboy4evr
Member
Leading of a barrel is not caused by shooting lead bullets . Leading is caused by several factors . Cylinder throats too small , your cast bullet size is too small for the " GROOVE " size of the barrel , there is a tight spot in the barrel where the barrel threads onto the frame , or just machine marks inside the barrel that you can't see because they are so slight , a tight spot inside the barrel where they " roll " stamped the markings on the side of the barrel . Last but not least , many commercial cast bullets have lube that is just like crayons and that's about all it's good for . Most commercial cast bullet suppliers use an alloy that's too hard , this can also lead to moderate to severe leading of a barrel . Leading of a barrel is the " RESULT " of one or all the above factors . The lead bullet is only telling you there is a problem . Regards, Paul
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cowboy4evr
Member
I shoot magnum loads in my magnum revolvers using cast bullets . After remedying one or more of the above problems I just posted I don't have a problem with leading of the barrels . I cast / size and lube my own . I use LBT soft blue lube . It takes time and effort to diagnose and resolve any of the above issues I posted . Regards, Paul
I used Lee Liquid Alox way back in the day with 90 gr .30 Luger bullets in my .30 carbine. Hardcast, water quenched, and lubed with LLA, they worked fine at .30 carbine velocities.
More recently I've used them in an FBI .38 +P load, where the soft lead bullet (which expands well at .38 +P velocities) was causing some leading issues after a few cylinders. I used LLA in addition to the regular lube on the next batch I loaded up and leading ceased to be an issue.
I'm in agreement with the comments above that a light coat is better. Thinning it and applying 2 very light coats is also better than a single goopy coat.
More recently I've used them in an FBI .38 +P load, where the soft lead bullet (which expands well at .38 +P velocities) was causing some leading issues after a few cylinders. I used LLA in addition to the regular lube on the next batch I loaded up and leading ceased to be an issue.
I'm in agreement with the comments above that a light coat is better. Thinning it and applying 2 very light coats is also better than a single goopy coat.
rockquarry
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You're right, but it seems many today don't care to go to the trouble of experimenting because of the time, effort, and possible expense that may be involved. The "want it now" folks prefer shortcut methods and sometimes these work.
I'm unfamiliar with "high tech" and powder coating methods, but see no reason to try them as long as proper alloy mix, correct bullet fit, and conventional cast bullet sizing and lubing provide good accuracy and don't lead.
I use alox and 45-45-10 on some of my cast bullets. For me the biggest drawback was the brown stuff on the bullet noses, as alox worked well up to my magnum loads. So, I started dip lubing (and once tried "flood lubing"; set a bunch of bullets on a screen and lowered the screen into a shallow pan of alox). Grab a bullet by the nose and dip, up to the crimp groove. Set on alum foil, base down to dry; clean noses. Bullet fit trumps BHN and lube quality and I have those down pat pretty much so my alox works. I dip lube some 265 gr RNFP bullets in 45-45-10 for my 44 Mag. levergun. Works...
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DumpStick
US Veteran
I dip lube 45/45/10 onto 210 grain gas checked home cast lead, and shoot it at 1800 fps from a 91/30 Mosin Nagant.
No leading at all.
No leading at all.
That is why I advised to dilute the product. It will run down while drying but will keep an effective film of lube on the bullets. All those who said to use a small amount are absolutely right.
I have fired .44 Mag cast bullets from a rifle(yes they had gas checks on them
) at around 1800/1900 fps with less than 2 inch groups at a little more than 50 yards (its a 50 meter range) and zero leading (bullets were not resized). Rifle was a 1892 Rossi.
