What lube do you use for cast bullets?

[reccpd101]

What lube do you use for cast bullets? Is there an option that does not have to be heated to be applied? Are an option that is less likely to be objected to by the Queen of the Kitchen?

 

[rockquarry]

I've found soft, creamy, non-wax lubes better overall for rifle or handgun bullets. You can lube by hand, but it's messy and slow and your bullets will look like you lubed them by hand. That won't hurt accuracy, but you won't want to handle the cartridges. Also, most, though not all bullets need sizing. It's best to get a sizer/lubricator to do a fast and neat job. They're not expensive. Not a kitchen project.

 

[growr]

Depends on if it is black powder or smokeless. Smokeless I use a lot of Lee Alox and tumble lube. Black powder I use bore butter.

Randy

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Still using the good old NRA Alox-Beeswax formula applied with the lubricator-sizer, no need for heating. Works as well as anything. Yes, a little smoke when used on the indoor range, but no objectionable odor I've ever noticed.

Even with centerfire rifles at 2000FPS-plus the lubrication is plenty adequate, usually leaves a little star-shape residue on the muzzle.

I use a couple of antique rifles in obsolete calibers (.45-90, .45 Sharps Express, .33 Winchester) with cast bullets in small quantities, for which I don't want to mess around with lubri-sizer, so I apply pure white lithium grease with my fingers, filling the lube grooves. Probably one of the best bullet lubes that exists, and a few dollars per tube at the auto parts store (I've been using the same small tube for years).

 

[Engineer1911]

A mixture of Alox, Lucas Red Tacky grease, beeswax, and 8% Dexron III transmission fluid. The trans fluid eliminates most of the smoke and any leading. 200 rounds of 45 ACP made a mess in the barrel, added trans fluid to next batch of lube and barrel bore was sparkling clean.

 

[nicky4968]

After years of pan lubing with NRA Alox, I went to SPG, a soft lube. I like it very much.

 

[Classic29]

White Label Lube BAC. I use an old Lyman Lubrisizer.

 

[twodog max]

These days SPG.

 

[Scharfschuetzer]

I started with the old Lyman graphite lube ages ago, but once I tried the NRA Alox-Beeswax formula, I haven't used anything else since. I use it on both rifle and handgun bullets. There are more modern or supposedly up to date lubes, but I haven't found them to improve my loads to any extent.

I use an RCBS lubra-sizer with it. No need to heat it for application.

 

[cowboy4evr]

I use an RCBS Lubesizer to size and lube in one motion . The lube I have used to quite a few years is LBT Blue -- soft . Before I had the lubesizer , I just tumbled lubed . It wasn't the best but better than nothing . I have thought of trying others , but I always stay with my lube sticks from Veral @ LBT . Regards Paul

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I make my own.I tend to go soft with lubes as I've found that it performs better(for long,I thought that lube type and hardness didn't make a difference.Boy was I wrong!).
Find a guy who has beehives nearby.Buy a pound of beeswax(around 25$ in my neck of the woods).Then go get either graphite grease or even vaseline will work.Get yourself a crockpot with temp dial meter and mix.Add parrafin to harden(parrafin doesn't have any lubricating properties;it serves only to harden the mixture).If too hard,add grease or vaseline.you should be easily able to get a consistency that won't need any warming up to lube your bullets at room temp.
Don't do that in the kitchen as some smoke is released and Mom will have you clean up the walls and ceiling(not mentionning the dog looking at you in a vengeful way!).Outdoors or in the shop/garage.

 

[Longcarbine]

I tumble lube in Lee Alox, let dry then tumble lube again in Birchwood Casey gun stock wax and let dry.

 

[fredj338]

Imised to isw WL BAC but been coating the last few years.

 

[reccpd101]

THANKS for the info. Have never used cast bullets before. Some time back I bought a lot of reloading stuff at an estate sale, including a bunch of lead SWCHP 38 Special. With the current component shortage, it seemed a good time to broaden my horizons.

 

[walnutred]

Heating is not that hard. I found a piece of approximately 10"x12" scrap sheet aluminum in the scrap bin and bolted it underneath my old 450 Lubrisizer. A $5 clothes iron from GoodWill sets on this when I need to warm up my lube, which is most of the time. Most of my casting and sizing is done in the winter in an poorly heated workshop.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

IN my farm house, the loading room would be so cold, that room temperature lubes were hard like bricks! I had a small blow dryer I laid on the bench blowing at the lube-ra-sizer. Starting in 1998, I went t SPG For all cast bullets in cartridges. For cap and ball 50/50 Corn oil/paraffin. 1/8 inch thick "cookies" for under larger B.P. bullets of 50/50 didn't foul powder on August afternoons either. (45-70, 45-90, 43 Spanish!)

Ivan

 

[mtgianni]

I have used home made lubes since the late 90's and feel they do a much better job. Check out White Label lubes, I have used him for some other things and had good service.

 

[boatbum101]

+ 1 on White Label & LBT Blue . Most of softer lubes will work w/o heating . I use a lot of Carnuba Red & LBT Blue soft .

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Many years ago when lube sticks went from $1 to $3-$5 a stick I started making my own. I use 60% commode seal/40% canning wax(or my wife's old scented candles. Works as good as anything out there. I use it in handguns and rifles. No leading and I get a good lube star on the muzzle.

 

[4barrel]

I use what I can find and control the heat. I made brackets to fit a solder iron. I heat the lubber up with a hair direr when cold then the iron or small light does the rest. You can make a heater with a night light and leave it on all the time for next to nothing. If you need it warmer get a bigger bulb. I did use Jake's lube but White label orange or blue is in my lubbers at the time Except for homemade in the Star.