New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

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New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by r1200r »

I'm preparing for my first casting session to provide for my .30-30. I've purchased a Lee 20 pound bottom pour pot, and the C309-160R bullet mold, and the Lee 309 sizing die. I've got some Lyman #2 on order from Rotometals, and am preparing to get some Hornady gas checks. I've read and re-read the Lyman manual several times and think I've got things down but am still confused regarding bullet lube. The Lyman manual is pretty specific about using bullet lube, but everywhere I seem to look on the web, I see folks using Lee tumble lube with apparent success. What is the consensus of this group? I can always pan lube if necessary, however understandably liquid alox tumble lube is very appealing. Secondly is there something I maybe missing from my preparation list?
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by GasGuzzler »

There's lots of "correct" answers to your lube question. I prefer Lee Alox/Johnson's liquid floor wax mixed at 60/40 over using the Lee straight (when tumble lubing that is).

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Here's the story on Ben's 60/40----> BEN'S LIQUID LUBE

TL is fine when you're starting out or when you're in a hurry or if you're just knocking out some plinking bullets. You'll wanna make sure you like casting before spending more money but....

I started making my own lube and applying with the pan method but that lasted about 500 bullets before I was happy to pay for an RCBS LAM2 and dies.

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Now it's mostly all I use unless I'm shipping some bullets wherein I machine lube them then TL with the mixture noted above for shipping proctetion.

Everyone's opinion will differ.
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by Ranch Dog »

I would start out with tumble lubing with Alox. Try to keep things simple.

In that you are shooting a 30-30 Win & casting with Lyman #2, drop you bullets in a bucket of water straight from the mold and you will get a bullet that is tough enough to use jacketed bullet data in your handloading.

I've been a tumble lube guy for my casting life, casting too many bullets to spend time with a single stage lube sizer. I did buy a Lyman 4500 with all the bells and whistle and bucket load of custom sizing dies, spent a fortune, but threw it all in the corner after 20 minutes. The process was just too slow for the volume of bullets that I shoot.

Last year, I started using the Ben's Liquid Lube formula and it is the cat's meow IMHO. It took a very good product, Alox, one step further.
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by RBHarter »

I don't shoot near what I should but a lot more than my store buyer buddies .
I use a simple variant of Darrs lube
Darrs
1 lb paraffin
1 lb Vaseline
2 tbsp STP

My Darrs
18 oz paraffin
14 oz Vaseline (generic is fine)
3 tbsp STP

The original was just too soft to stay put on the 90+ degree days at the range . My Darrs I think would be soft/firm enough for a lubrisizer is good as a pan lube and is readily applied by hand .
Best of all its cheap and has worked well to 2400 fps .
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by 62chevy »

Okay I use something called 45/45/10 or Johnson Paste Wax/Lee Alox/Mineral Spirits. But instead of making your own it can be bought from White label. http://lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main ... 8c83169019

It's cheap easy and just works. Word of caution if you use to much it will smoke like black powder.
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by r1200r »

Thanks much for the replys. I will forge ahead with the tumble lube solution. I'm going to go the straight Alox route first then maybe branch out.

In my research I ran across the "Bens Lube" story that Gas shared. I think that's where some confusion came from as the bullets shown in the write up appeared to have been sized lubed as well as tumble lubed. IF I'm understanding correctly, just tumble lube per Lee's instruction and shoot away.

RanchDog, I've got a pound of Leverevolution, a 160gr HDY FTX at 2.535"COAL is reported to generate 37,500 CUP and 2,389 fps, do you think the C309-160R water quenched with the Lyman #2 would stand that speed?

Thanks all for the reply's.
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by 62chevy »

Depending on what size the bullets drop at you may want to lube/size/lube but yea you can lube and shoot.
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by GasGuzzler »

I like bullets that have big grease groove filled with lube. That's me. I'm OK with tumbling TL style bullets but the only TL mold I have wouldn't drop a good percentage.

If I read RD correctly, he likes diameter as dropped in many cases (mold, caliber, and alloy dependent I'm sure) but he'll be along to tell us. He knows a lot more than I do.

It doesn't take any longer to single stage size/lube and check on a LAM2 than to push through and check on a Lee sizer when the mess is considered. Add pan lubing to fill a fat grease groove and the less than $200 I spent to have a PID controlled heated LAM2 with dies and punches for three bullets seemed like cake.
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by Ranch Dog »

r1200r wrote:RanchDog, I've got a pound of Leverevolution, a 160gr HDY FTX at 2.535"COAL is reported to generate 37,500 CUP and 2,389 fps, do you think the C309-160R water quenched with the Lyman #2 would stand that speed?
37,500 CUP within the 30-30 Win cartridge is approximately 41,100 PSI, quite doable for the Lyman #2 water quenched. I've always considered it good for 42.0K PSI and possibly higher (up to 48.0K PSI) with good bullet ogive fit to the chamber's throat. I don't think you will see 2360 FPS but I do think 2300 FPS is possible.

My main concern with the Lee C309-160-R is the greater diameter; .309". What rifle are you going to use?
62chevy wrote:Depending on what size the bullets drop at you may want to lube/size/lube but yea you can lube and shoot.
I was typing while you posted 62chevy and that is what my last statement was eluding to. What I would probably do, if the bullet casts at .309" is not size the bullet but use the Lee .311" sizer to seat the gas check. I would want to save and use any diameter that mold drops over .309".

I've always felt that a majority of the Lee designs are about .001" under diameter and that is huge. Over diameter you can correct. Under, you cannot do a thing about.
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Re: New Caster Question - Bullet Lube

Post by daboone »

Ranch Dog wrote: I've always felt that a majority of the Lee designs are about .001" under diameter and that is huge. Over diameter you can correct. Under, you cannot do a thing about.
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