Pistol Bullet Lube

[doskiez]

Im just getting into bullet casting and have been doing a lot of research about bullet lubes. I plan on pan lubing and shooting cast bullets in a number of different calibers, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45ACP, and .45-70 in the Rio Grand. I already shoot mas manufactured cast bullets in the rossi, but I plan on getting a mold for it to be more self sufficient. I was wondering what opinions you have or any recipies for good all purpose pan lubes you guys have experience with. Given our current ammo shortage im sure this will be a more popular topic as time goes on.
Thanks

[Ranch Dog]

Always a great subject, moved the topic into the Bullet Casting forum, and you will probably see a wide range of suggestions.

[Ranch Dog]

I was wondering what opinions you have or any recipies for good all purpose pan lubes you guys have experience with.

I work with quite a few cartridges from the 25 ACP and 218 Bee up through the 45-70 Govt. I've always tried to keep it simple but actually own a Lyman 4500 as well. What I prefer to do is dip my bullets in Liquid Alox heated in a crock pot. I've tried just about every concoction out there but have always come back to Alox very quickly. In my 4500 I run LS Stuff's White Label Lube XLox 2500+ which is simply solidified Alox. I buy all my lube from LS Stuff. LS is changing from a static web page with ordering info to a web store to make things easier.

Here is how I do it: Dipping Alox

[runfiverun]

simple lube:
4oz bees wax by weight
4 tsp vaseline
2 tsp 2 stroke oil regular everyday not synthetic
2 tsp atf dexron type

you can add 1/2 tsp of lanolin or 1/2 tsp of lucas oil additive if you want a little sticky to the lube.
if it's not quite soft enough for pan lubing add another tsp of vasoline untill it is.
everybody say's the recipe does great as a pan lube if you cut the boolits out while it's still a little warm.
this lube has done outstanding in the 454 casull,and several ar-15 rifles, as well as regular everyday type loads.

how you make it:

melt the beeswax
dump everything in except the lanolin [if you use the lucas dump it in now]
stir it
take it off the heat,and add the lanolin if you're using it.
stir it
pour out to cool or whatever...
that's why it's called simple lube.

[0369]

I've been using liquid alox with good success, but after some reading I may try Johnson's paste wax. Now I need some casting weather since my winter supply is all lubed.

[joec]

For me it depends since I also shoot black powder from my 45 colt and 45-70 often. For that I use SPG but for smokeless I tried the LS Stuff's White Label Lube XLox 2500+ which seems to works as RD says. I however pan lube and not dip but get good results with both.

[Missionary]

Greetings
For just those pistol rounds most any lube would work. Lee Alox is very common. Add a little turpentine and it will flow easily. I would not bother to cake cut those pistol rounds. Tumble lube them like the Lee suggest. It will work fine. I tumble all my 44-40 and 38 Special handgun. Those short barrels just do not need lots of lube with low pressure loads.
I also have used Beeswax and olive oil at about 55/45 proportions depending on outside temperature. A shade more Bwax during hot days. This makes an excellent BP lube(all natural). It does not get crusty like petrolium based lubes will. Also works well with low intensity pistol and rifle calibers. I use it in my BP 44/40 down here.
Bwax/olive oil will not hold up well in cartriges like the 454 and 414 Supermag and .357 full power. Just too much pressure and heat. There are probably 20 good home brew mixes out there that all have about the same basics. But the old standby lubes based on Alox and waxes are hard to beat.
Mike in Peru

[runfiverun]

Mike:
looks like you figured out what the blockage was and can get on again..
good deal.

[Maximumbob54]

I wanted very much to make my own bullet lube and tired several times to brew my own with little success. I finally caved and bought some White Label Lube BAC and lately I've bought some of their 45/45/10 mix. I couldn't be more happy now where before I had made several large messes that were a pain to clean.

[Ray384]

I use White Label 45/45/10 on all my pistol caliber reloads, 9mm, .45 LC and .45 Schofield. I also will use it on my .30/30 and .308 Winchester low velocity loads. I was using Rooster liquid, but they quit making it.

Much neater than pan lubing, and a lot quicker than a Lubsizer.

I use a variation of Ranch Dog's method. After the bullets have been cast and cooled down ( like several days) I use some Lyman spray case lube and run them through the Lee Sizer, seating any gas checks at this time. I then apply two thin coats of the White Label by swirling them in a plastic bowl, letting them dry between coats.

They dry good and hard and are ready to go.