Cast Bullet lube

[smokemaker45]

I have been thinking about using a mixture of non salted criso and bees wax for a bullet lube.Has anyone one tried this?If so what would be a good mixture to start with? I suppose temperature would have a big effect on the lube staying soft or perhaps getting too darn soft in hot weather.Please advice on this.Thanks in advance...SB

[Trigger Dr]

I have not used that mixture, but my hunting partner does and he mixes 50/50 with good results in this climate. Summer temps 70-85 winter temp 40-60
Jim

[smokemaker45]

Thank you for your reply..I was surprised not to hear from more shooters on this..SB

[dakotasharps]

I have been using SPG and since it works, I have not seen the need to try anything else. I suspect many shooters have had similar experiences with their lube of choice as well and have not strayed too far in search of something else.

[ironramrod]

Annie,

I agree with Dakota in that most riflemen are probably well satisfied with the lube they are using and don't feel the need to try something different. Further, they probably don't have any information at all re: your lube idea.

How about this for a plan? Why don't you make up a small batch of your lube idea, give it a test drive with your favorite bullets, and get back to us with your results? Of course, it goes without saying that if you post a picture of 5 consecutive shots in the same hole at 300 yards or so with your lube idea, there will be a whole bunch of riflemen trying it out on their bullets.

Regards

Ironramrod
__________________
CEO Subarctic chapter
Sodbuster division
FES

[Grizz]

trapdoorannie
Well I do not use these formulas however I have tried a few and they seem to work. Some better than others. Just to give you an idea of the various ways of mixing things together to get a lube. When you have finished with these let me know and I will get you a few more. Ought to be enough to keep you busy for a couple of days. From here on these are the lube mixes that I have picked up here and there. These are the mixes of other shooters. If this will not confuse the issue for you nothing will. When it is all over and done with SPG and DGL work well and are a lot less hastle that this. SPG and DGL can be ordered from Shilo or Buffalo Arms. Good Luck

# 1 Add a few drops of Murphy's oil soap ( any brand of oil soap will work) to a 1/2 pint of HOT water. I also use the oil soap when making my lube... Try this you might like it... 2 parts bees wax, 1 part neatsfoot OIL ( not neatsfoot compound) 1 part oil soap.

Melt the bees wax and add the neatsfoot oil, stir well making sure there are no chunks, and S L O W L Y add the oil soap. The mixture will foam up quickly so be sure to add the oil soap SLOWLY. Stir this mixture well and pour into your lube sizer or a container for later use. This will not harden in cold weather nor will it melt in the sun or a hot chamber. AND it really really keeps the fouling soft.
Good luck,
jim

I just happen to have 34 colonies of bees. Once the honey is spun out of the comb you have to melt down the comb and strain out the impurities (bee parts and larval skins as well as residual honey). I use a double boiler. Do it outside as the wax is a fire hazard. In the upper part of the double boiler have a little water in with the comb. As the wax melts it will rise to the top of the mixture. After it is melted the first time let it cool in the boiler. After it is solidified knock it out of the pan. The water and residual honey will remain liquid in the bottom. You can scrape any crud off of the bottom of the wax cake. Now take the cake of wax put it back in the double boiler remelt it then pour it thru some cheesecloth to better strain out impurities. I usually do not melt down comb; instead I melt down the cappins wax which is a cleaner by product of the honey extraction process. Talk to your friend about this. The capping wax is the wax that the bees use to seal off the honeycomb. We remove the cappings with a hot knife, drain off any residual honey and melt the capping. It is a creamy white-yellow color and makes an excellent component for bullet lube. -Mike

I've had real good luck with 50-50 bees wax/criso as a lube.

Jeff's Favoriate Lube Formula
For bullet lube, mix 60% bees wax to 40% Olive oil by volume. Mix in a double boiler as the wax is flamable and can also scorch. Melt the bees wax first. Use some type of measuring device, I use a screw driver, to mark the depth of the wax. Now, pour in your olive oil to the desired depth on your measuring stick. Bring up to high heat and be sure everything is melted together (use your stick to stir...). I then drop in about 1 tblsp of Crisco (when making about 1/2 of a 1 lb coffee can full of lube, so figure out your own amount). The Crisco Shortening seems to keep it smooth and helps with the consistancy to keep it from becoming too hard. Pour into mould an allow to cool. That's all.
I've shot many thousands of rounds with this formula. My friends use it and have also shot thousands of rounds. the stuff works. Add more Olive Oil and you can use it as a patch lube for your muzzleloaders. I use this in the muzzleloading silhouette competitions at Friendship (NMLRA) and have consistantly done well in both hot humid and cold and dry weather.

Dale's Favorate Hot Weather Lube Formula
50% Beeswax (natural, unbleached from a beekeeper); 40% Crisco and 10% Canola Oil (I use Crisco Brand). Even though it is labeled as a hot weather formula, it can be used in all weather conditions.
Melt the same was as in Jeff's formula.

Bill's Lube
Original Receipt
1 cup bee's wax
¾ cup Crisco
5 Tablespoons Neatsfoot oil

Variation 1
2 cups bee's wax
1 tube of "Bore Butter" - equal to approx. ½-2/3 cup
10 tablespoons of Neatsfoot oil
3/4 cup Crisco
2 inches of a Blue Crayon (just to make it a different color)

Variation 2
1 cup bee's wax
¾ cup lanolin
5 Tablespoons Neatsfoot oil
Tip on the neatsfoot oil. Bill gets his from a tack and/or feed store. Says it's about the same price per gallon as the shoe stores charge for eight oz.



The Kelsch's sell a variety of honey products, such as creamed honey, spun honey/cinnamon mixture, raw honey, and bees wax. The honey produced in this area is clover and alfalfa honey. Kelsch states that clover honey is lighter in color than alfalfa honey. The bees produce different types of honey based upon their pollen source.
Their signature product is the Pollen and Royal Jelly Mix that Bruce says is higher in protein than beef, since it contains all of the amino acids and is high in iron, B complex and zinc.
If you want a real education on bees or the many benefits of honey, stop by and talk with the Kelschs on your next visit to the Market. You'll be glad you did! You may contact them at 303-682-5978. Be sure to ask about their new products that they anticipate to be introduced; comb honey, and royal jelly-based lotions and soaps!


RECIPE 1
Originallly created for center-fire inside lubricated bullets, such as the .45-70, .44-40 and such.

1 part Japan Wax (I think this is available in furniture refinishing stores, or perhaps hardware stores).
1/2 part paraffin
1/2 part beeswax

RECIPE 2
Originally created for outside-lubricated bullets such as .22, .32, .38 and .41 caliber heeled bullets.

1 part paraffin (I use canning paraffin, found in grocery stores).
1 part tallow (I use Dixie Gun Works mutton tallow).
1/2 part beeswax.
(Remember, these amounts are by weight, not volume!)



The commercial blue hard bullet lube is worthless. I have picked up many bullets from the backstop with all of this lube still in the groove. I have been useing home made lube for over 35 years. I use yellow beeswax mixed with enough Vaseline to make it soft enough to work through the lubricator-sizer. I reallly don't know the porportions and it doesn't seem to make a difference... I just go by color and softness. If it is too hard I add a little more Vaseline. In the old days, I melted and mixed in a coffee can set into a pan of boiling water. These days I use a large glass jar in the microwave. When the machine runs out of lube, I just nuke the jar until it turns liquid and wearing mits, pour the liquid lube into the machine, replace the collar and wait for it too coo. The lid goes back on the jar and the jar goes on the shelf. This lube is all you need for cast bullets in hanguns. I have never found any better. It is important that you use yellow beeswax and not the refined white stuff. I bought about 40 pounds from a saddle shop years ago, when they used to use the stuff to wax their thread. I still have a couple of pounds. When it runs out I too will be looking for a source. It should not be too hard to find. Happy shooting!



For bullet lube I use a mix of equal parts by volume of beeswax, lanolin (hydrous or anhydrous) and castor oil. To make the lube I have each ingredient in a measuring jug and nuke them (carefully) all at the same time in the micro wave. It's important to keep an eye on them so that they don't boil. When they're all liquid I pour them (in equal parts!) into a large measuring jug, giving them a quick stir for luck. I use this mix exclusively for pan-lubing so I don't know how it would perform in a Lube-sizer. I do know that the various components do not separate or the oil leech out of the mix as I'm currently pan lubing from a large mix I made 6 months ago. I've also used it on PP bullets before and after wrapping and I never had a wrap fail to come off. It doesn't become runny - well not in our UK summers but in hotter climes? Also, touch wood, I've never "run out of lube" completely and that's in a 34" tubed .45 * 3.25". When I'm loading with grease cookies I have 2 favourites depending on the time of year. The first one may be surprising - it was certainly pooh-poohed and laughed at when somebody (not me) posted it on Shooters a couple of years ago. I just kept quite and chuckled to myself! If you're using a good lube for "lubrication" the other thing you want is to keep the fouling soft. What do you use to keep the fouling soft? Water! Now there's a common item, a favourite of kid's parties, that is about 95% water but is solid - think about it! Yes! jelly! (or gelatine for grown-up cooking!). With a thin beeswax wad between the powder stack and the jelly "grease cookie" you're firing water down the barrel as the burning of the powder breaks the beeswax wad and melts the jelly immediately. It makes the muzzle positively drool, almost as if it has a cold with a runny nose! The drawback is that in the summer it will melt whilst in the cartridge - not good. So it's perfect for winter or cooler times of the year. The other option is to keep your ammo in a cool box on the line and load only immediately before you're ready to fire. It cookie cuts easily and is not messy during the re-loading process. My other mix is definetely a "grease" cookie. It's a variation of my bullet lube and is made the same way. It's made up from 10% beeswax, 25% lanolin (hydrous or anhydrous) and 65% pure neatsfoot. It's a soft mix but it will cookie cut and it's an aquired art to seat it in the case with only a little mess. This mix seems to stand up to the UK summers well but varying the beeswax and/or lanolin would probably be needed in hotter climes.


Homemade Bullet Lube

(Click thumbnails for full size photos. Use your browser's "Back" button to return.)

There's only one thing wrong with store-bought bullet lube—it's store-bought. Anything you can make yourself is better because . . . well, because. If I have to explain that fact to you, click here.
I've been making my own bullet lube for my blackpowder rifles and pistols since I read somewhere that natural, animal fat based bullet and patch lubes produced much less fouling and required much less bore cleaning. I tried it, and it worked. I could literally shoot both my .50 caliber Lyman Great Plains Hunter and my .32 caliber Traditions Crockett Rifle all afternoon without cleaning the bores.


Iron sights, 3 shots
Group size = 13/16"
Range = 30 yards
18 grs Pyrodex P
.310 Hornady round ball
.015" patch
Velocity = 1500 fps est
Lard lube





Iron sights, 3 shots
Group size = 3/8"
Range = 25 yards
11 grs Pyrodex P
.310 Hornady round ball
.015" patch
Velocity = 1063 fps
Ex. Spread = 87
Stan. Dev. = 36
Lard lube



My .32 caliber Traditions Crockett Rifle shoots patched round balls only. I put 100 dry patches in a zip sandwich bag and pour about 1/2 fluid oz of melted, 100% hog lard in the bag with the patches. Knead the bag for a couple of minutes, and all of the patches will fully absorb the lard/lube. As you can see from the photos on the right, the little rifle shoots like a dream using round balls and lard-lubed patches.

Groups like those are common from my little .32 muzzleloader. Tell the truth—will your high-dollar .22 rimfire shoot a 3 shot, 1-hole group at 25 yards with iron sights?


Lard is dirt cheap at the grocery store. I recently bought a 4 lb box for $1.11. But be aware than some brands of lard contain added salt and even citric acid. You can render your own lard, and if you want to know how to do that click here. But even home-rendered lard contains a small amount of salt due to the natural occurrence of salt in animal blood and tissue. So clean your barrel when you're through shooting—which you would do anyway, right?
Making a homemade lube for my .50 caliber Great Plains Hunter wasn't so easy. I shoot the Lee 320 gr R.E.A.L. conical bullet in that rifle. The bullet has three lube grooves, and on normal, cool Louisiana winter days, the air temperature wasn't cold enough to solidify lard so that it could be easily applied to the bullet's grooves with just a finger. It was too soft. I needed to add a little beeswax to the lard. The melting point of lard is about 75° F to 80° F. The melting point of beeswax is exactly 145° F. I needed a mixure with a melting point slightly above that of lard.

At the time I had no beeswax, but I did have a tube of Hodgdon Alox lube for use in my lubrisizer on hard-cast pistol and rifle bullets. Alox bullet lube consists of 50% beeswax and 50% Alox 2138F liquid lube, which is made from calcium and mineral spirits. That sounded natural to me—it contained no petroleum products.

Now, I realized, I needed to carefully measure every ingredient of my lube mixture for repeatability if it was ok and for further refinement if it was not ok. I had on hand some empty medicine bottles that looked like they would make perfect lube containers—wide-mouthed for ease of digging inside with my finger and not too big and not too small, holding about 5 fluid ozs. Perfect. So I arbitrarily decided on exactly 4 fluid ozs of lard, or, exactly 1/2 cup of lard.

I cut about ½ inch off the end of the tube of Alox bullet lube, put it in my powder scale, and added Alox shavings until it weighed exactly 100 grs, deciding upon that weight via an educated guess. In other words, that amount looked about right and 100 was easy to remember.

In a glass container, I then melted a glob of lard in my microwave—2 minutes on high. I then measured exactly 4 fluid ozs of that melted lard into another glass container. To that container I then added the 100 gr chunk of Alox bullet lube and stirred the mixture until the chunk melted, having to microwave again for 1 minute.


Iron sights, 5 shots
Group vertical size = 2 3/8"
Group horizontal size = 1 1/8"
Range = 95 yards
53 grs Pyrodex RS, measured
320 gr Lee R.E.A.L. bullet
Velocity = 1262 fps
Ex. Spread = 36
Stan. Dev. = 15
Junior Lube

The Alox blended perfectly with the lard, turning it a uniform brown. I poured the resulting mixture into a medicine bottle. After cooling, the mixture turned a uniform tan.

I soon headed for my front yard shooting range. As you can see from the group on the right, my lard/Alox lube mixture worked perfectly. Shot #2 loaded as easily as shot #50. I was a happy fellow. I even christened my concoction Junior Lube and had visions of selling it by the case and getting filthy rich.

But a couple of months passed and cool weather turned warm, then hot. One bright, hot day I got out my .50 caliber and its shooting accouterments—including the prized and valuable bottle of Junior Lube—and headed outside to pop some caps and make some smoke and noise and send some 320 gr chunks of lead downrange. Lo and behold after being outside a few minutes, the Junior Lube liquified.

Back to the drawing board. . . .

I needed to add beeswax to the mixture—no paraffin wax in my lube! By surfing the Internet I found beeswax for $3.50 a lb and for $8.00 a lb. Both prices sounded high to me. A few days later while surfing down a country road in the Bluesmobile and headed for a fishing hole, I saw a sign that read HONEY and that had a crude arrow pointing to a narrow road.



After following the road for a mile or so, I found a house with beehives in various stages of disrepair out front. I stopped and got out and hollered—in the country it ain't polite to blow your horn at somebody's house. Out came an elderly gentleman. I said I was after beeswax, and he said he had some for sale. Then he started asking about my momma and daddy—in the country you got to know who's hollering at your house.


Ten lbs of beeswax or about 175 4 oz bottles of hot weather bullet lube. And a cat named Scaredy Cat. Neither the beeswax nor the cat are for sale.

Turned out the old fellow was my daddy's first cousin! While talking about kinfolks, mostly my daddy and the old man's and my daddy's common uncle, "Limber" Jim Bradford, we walked around his house to a little building containing his honey-processing equipment. He pulled the chunk of beeswax you see in the photo on the right out of a bucket-looking container beneath a vat-like machine that melts the honeycomb.

I saw no active beehives around so I asked him about the locations of his hives. He informed me that he had about 100 hives scattered for about 50 miles across the Mississippi Delta, Louisiana side. To me, that beeswax suddenly became special because I'm nuts about anything to do with the Mississippi Delta.

Still talking about kinfolks, he went looking for an axe and soon returned, wiping dirt from the blade. "How much o' that chunk o' wax you want?" he asked me.

"Gimme about $5 worth," I answered.

"Hell, if you want that much," he said, "you can have the whole damn chunk."

It weighed exactly 10 lbs. In the full size version of the above photo, you can see black specks of impurities, mostly scorched honey. They don't matter because when the wax melts, they settle to the bottom.

Meanwhile, back at the drawing board. . . .

I decided that I:


needed to keep the total volume of this new (and marvelous) Junior Lube to about 4 fluid ozs so it would fit in a medicine bottle

ought to use exactly 3 fluid ozs of liquid lard and the equivalent of about 1 fluid oz of liquid beeswax

should keep using exactly 100 grs of Alox bullet lube for consistency and because it's expensive.
Based on the weight of water, a fluid oz (slightly more or slightly less because it was hard to pour into the pan of my scale) weighs in the neighborhood of 375 grs. I decided to use 400 grs of solid beeswax because 400 was easy to remember.

From left to right in this photo, we see:


exactly 3 fluid ozs of melted lard

exactly 400 grs of solid beeswax

exactly 100 grs of Hodgdon Alox bullet lube.

Note: Lard washes easily from glass. Not so beeswax or a beeswax mixture. If you have a wife, I'd suggest a trip to Walmart for a small funnel and a couple of glass bowls of your own.

I put those ingredients into a slightly larger microwave-safe glass bowl and heated it in the microwave on "High" for 2 minutes. Then I stirred it with the spoon you see, helping the beeswax to completely melt. Then I waited maybe 30 seconds for the impurities that were in the beeswax to settle to the bottom of the mixture.

Then I slowly and carefully poured the mixture through a small funnel and into a medicine bottle, leaving the dregs/impurities in the bottom of the glass bowl. After several minutes of cooling, there before my eyes sat a bottle of new Junior Lube.

When it had solidified sufficiently (and turned tan), I took it outside and set it in the shade on my front porch. The thermometer on the porch read 95° F. I left the bottle there and went back inside to the air conditioner. An hour later, I went out and checked the lube. It was solid. I stuck my finger in it and dug around. The consistency was perfect for finger-applying to a bullet.

Junior Lube works great for hot and cold weather lubrication on my .50 caliber 320 gr Lee R.E.A.L. bullet. It should even work great for cold or hot weather finger-lubrication on black powder cartridge bullets.




If you don't want to make your own lube, you can buy Junior Lube from me. The cost of a 4 oz bottle is $3.50 + $3.50 shipping via USPS Priority Mail. Each additional bottle is .50¢ additional shipping.

Click the PayPal icon and you can securely pay with a credit card. Or send a check or money order to:

Junior Doughty
Box 218
Tullos, Louisiana 71479



You can buy liquid Alox 2138F directly from the Alox Corporation—in 5 gallon buckets only. Write or call them at:
Alox Corporation
P.O. Box 517
Niagra Falls, NY, 14302
(716) 282-1295

For smaller quantities, write:

GAR
139 Park Lane
Wayne, NJ 07470

The above information came from the brochures CAST BULLET LUBRICANTS (Revised Edition 1997) and SUPPLEMENT (2001) TO CAST BULLET LUBRICANTS. Those brochures are publications of the Cast Bullet Association, an organization to which you should belong. Click the name and go to the web page.

You can order those brochures and learn more about bullet lubricants than you thought possible. (Ivory soap as a lubricant ingredient?) Send $4 to:

Ralph Schneider
S 15200 County Road FF
Eleva, WI 54738-9221


SUPPLEMENT (2001) TO
CAST BULLET LUBRICANTS (Revised edition of 1997)

Assembled and Written by Ralph Schneider

This supplement to the 1997 edition is organized into sections corresponding to those in the original document: Part I is a listing of bullet lubricants with information about them, Part II is a listing of bullet lube ingredients including some notes about function and about use in particular lubricants, and Part III is a miscellany of information about bullet lubricant issues.

I again request that readers kindly send me information about lubricants new and old. If you know of a successful bullet lubricant or ingredient that is not listed in the revised "Cast Bullet Lubricants" document or in this supplement, please write and tell me about it. When you do so, provide all the information you can about the lubricant's ingredients (if such information is available), its performance, and sources of supply. Contact me at S 15200 County Rd. FF, Eleva, WI 54738. Regular mail only; I'm not on the Internet.

Warnings: since bullet lube ingredients are often flammable, and since they are often heated for mixing, making your own lubes is a potentially dangerous activity; if you do it, you must accept the risks. Similarly, it is conceivable that one or several of the ingredients listed here could be injurious to guns or other equipment. I indicate such dangers where I know of them, but it is impossible to predict all results of all combinations. Once again, the risks are yours.

***************************************************************************
PART I: CAST BULLET LUBRICANTS

Alox 50-50—This continues to be a very popular lube among cast bullet shooters, but black powder enthusiasts may want to be aware of possible problems. One Pyrodex shooter found that it caused erratic grouping at the range. He was about to sell his rifle when he tried SPG lube and groups immediately shrank.

Alox, Liquid—this is available in bulk as "Alox 606-55, which is 55% calcium soap in an aliphatic mineral spirits carrier." Minimum order is five gallons, from Alox Corporation, P.O. Box 517, Niagara Falls, NY 14302. Telephone (716) 282-1295 (FS 145 6). August Rubrecht notes that Lee Liquid Alox turned a marginal .45-70 load into an excellent one—particularly when the entire bullets (not just the rings) are coated. See also the entry under Action of Bullet Lubes in Part III.

Apache Blue Lube—Paco Kelly's formula is once again available, now from The Hanned Line, P.O. Box 2387, Cupertino, CA 95015-2387 (FS 143 12).

Black Powder Moly Lube—this lube is advertised as able to render bore cleaning unnecessary during a full day's shooting. I cannot attest to the validity of this particular claim, but I have found this lube to be the equal of any other black powder lube I've tried in terms of accuracy, preventing leading, and ease of cleaning at the end of a range session. Available from Lee Shaver, 559 NW 7th Rd., Iantha, MO 64759. Phone (417) 682-3330.

Bull-X—this cast bullet company is now making some of its bullets available with a moly coating. An article by Layne Simpson notes that such bullets do not lead, and that the coating they leave in the bore even prevents subsequently-fired naked bullets from leading for a time. They also cause less smoke than conventional grease-type lubricants—a particular advantage in competition pistol shooting (HL 189 14 and HL 193 26-29, 75). Available from Bull-X, P.O. Box 182, 520 N. Main, Farmer City, IL 61842.

Dow Corning #321 Dry Film Lubricant—this contains moly, and it can be used as a bullet lubricant (TCB 127 3 and TCB 130 6).

Dell's #47 (Modified)—Bill McGraw has created several versions of this:
M-1 M-2 M-3 M-4
Beeswax 40 50 50 60
Castor Oil 24 10 20 10
Anhydrous Lanolin 16 10 28 25
Ivory Snow (grated bar) 20 30 2 5
Figures indicate % by weight. McGraw reports that M-1 is rather soft, and that M-2 is harder, but that both tend to dry on the bullet after several months.

El Gato Bullet Lube—see cat hair in Part II.

Emmert Lube—another formula for this make-it-yourself lube is as follows: 12 oz. beeswax, 9 oz. white Crisco shortening, 2 1/4 oz. Crisco or Wesson oil. Jim Luke warns that overheating the mix will ruin the lube; he uses it via pan lubing (Single Shot Exchange Compendium 2, page 266).

Gilligan's Lube #1—an experimental lube composed of these ingredients in the indicated proportions: beeswax, 20 grams; lanolin, 5 grams; Castile soap, 2 grams; castor oil, 5 grams. Jim Gilligan reports that this lube performed well, but that the Castile soap required heating over 100° C, which created a fire hazard (FS 144 25-26).

Gilligan's Lube #2—a replacement for #1 which worked well. Proportions are % by weight. Formulas are provided for both hard and soft versions (FS 144 25-26):
Hard Soft
beeswax 30 30
ozokerite wax 30 20
petroleum jelly 40 50

Homemade Lube—50% beeswax and 50% Penns-Oil (Pennzoil?) moly auto-chassis lube, used to lubricate bullets in .45 ACP target and plinking loads (TCB 129 16).

LBT Blue Lube—This popular lubricant, as well as other lubricants and equipment supplied by Lead Bullets Technologies, is currently unavailable, since LBT is, at this point, out of business.

Lithi-Bee—one lube list reader writes that Lithi-Bee is again available—from Mr. Patrick Holtz, 1728 Carr Rd., Muskegon, MI 49442. Phone (616) 788-4479.

Lyman Lubricants—Paul Matthews reports that two new Lyman lubes (Black Powder Gold and Super Moly lubes) perform very well. They work through a lubrisizer without heating and they give superior performance at the range. Black Powder Gold does not soften excessively at high ambient temperatures up to 130° F. He believes that these lubricants will be found effective in both black powder and smokeless powder applications (Single Shot Exchange Compendium 3, pages 290-1). Al Miller, reviewing Super Moly, found it gave slightly improved accuracy in one rifle, and that it provided leading-free shooting; he believes that Super Moly is Lyman's best-ever lube (HL 191 54-55). Lyman is also marketing a number of moly coating products under their "Super Moly" brand name: a moly aerosol spray for jacketed or cast bullets, a bore cream for conditioning barrels, and bullet-coating kits for use in a tumbler. Available from the Lyman Products Corporation, 475 Smith Street, Middletown, CT 06457.

Matthews' Black Powder Bullet Lube—Paul Matthews offers this lube formula, which I inadvertently omitted from the revised edition. Melt 1/2 pound of yellow beeswax, and mix with it 4 fluid ounces of pure neatsfoot oil (not neatsfoot compound) and 3.5 ounces of thin shavings from a bar of Neutrogena Facial Soap. Paul notes that this produces a somewhat sticky lube which shows excellent promise.

Meyers' Best Lube # 2.1—George Arledge and Jim Meyers contribute this improved formula:
Powdered Rosin 8 oz.
10-10-80* 6 oz.
Beeswax 9 oz.
Paraffin 15 oz.
Mica 2 oz.
*10-10-80 is described as a general lubricant and penetrant; make it by mixing one part STP, one part Marvel Mystery Oil, and eight parts Dexron ATF (parts by volume).
Mix the #2.1 as follows: heat the 10-10-80 to about 250° (be alert to possible fire danger), turn off the heat and stir in the rosin; add beeswax (temperature will drop); add paraffin & stir to 170°; add mica & stir as temperature drops to 140°. Pour quickly into a mold to keep the mica from settling out.

Midway Drop Out Mold Release—a number of companies which sell bullet casting products also market a mold release intended to permit cast bullets to drop out of the mold more easily. One such product is NEI's Mold Prep (a mixture of alcohol and graphite), and another is Midway's Drop Out—a graphite product in aerosol form. A review by Al Miller recounts the discovery that Drop Out is also a topnotch bullet lube with a velocity limit of about 2,700 fps (HL 193 63-4). Midway also markets moly in powdered form (for tumbler application) and as an aerosol. In addition, the company handles a number of the most popular traditional cast bullet lubricants. Available from Midway USA, 5875 West Van Horn Tavern Rd., Columbia, MO 65203. Phone for orders (800) 243-3220.

MsMoly—a molybdenum disulfide product supplied in an aerosol can which is also available in kit form including a "holey organizer," which holds the bullets while they are being coated, and an instruction book. Don Polacek's review states that "Excellent results are easy to achieve and predictable" (HL 191 58). Available from Marksman, Inc., 2018 Walburg Rd., Burlington, WI 53105.

SPG Lube—Steve Garbe, developer of SPG, reports that while he has received several requests for a harder version of the lube (for use in higher ambient temperatures), he has not done so. But he does write that putting the lube through a lubrisizer does make it somewhat soft—though melting it in a double boiler and pan-lubing produces a harder temper (Black Powder Cartridge News, Number 14, page 31). SPG continues to be a favorite of many BPCR shooters. It is now available from SPG, LLC, P.O. Box 1625, Cody, WY, 82414. Phone (307) 587-7621.

Thompson Center Natural Lube 1000 Plus Bore Butter—Mustafa Curtess calls this the "absolute best" bullet lube he has used; he also mentions that it is an excellent paper patch lube.

*****************************************************************************
PART II: CAST BULLET LUBRICANT INGREDIENTS

Cat hair—the key ingredient in El Gato Bullet Lube (TCB 138 15-17). Although it is claimed to have miraculous effects in many lubes in which it is an ingredient, this shooter has found that frog hair works just as well.

Neatsfoot Oil—used as a softener in a number of bullet lubricants, notably those created by Paul Matthews. Be aware that a product called neatsfoot compound is not an adequate substitute. Said to be available at saddle shops.

Rosin—Merrill Martin suggests that any lube that is slippery shoots poorly, and that using rosin as an ingredient can counter this effect (TCB 130 18)
.
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PART III: CAST BULLET LUBRICANT MISCELLANY

Action of Bullet Lubes—Jeffrey Tooker and Lloyd de Vore discuss the action and limitations of bullet lubes, particularly liquid Alox. Tooker believes that as temperatures caused by high velocity rise, lubes may break down permitting leading to occur. (FS 147 16, 26).

Anti-Fluxes—Steve Hurst explains some of the characteristics of the materials that keep lead bullets from tinning the barrel (TCB 138 18-19).

Black Powder Lubricants—evidence seems to be mounting that black powder shooters do better with softer lubricants, and particularly with those that are water-based rather than petroleum-based. An article by Mike Venturino (HL 199 38-43, 82) supports this contention. See also the entry under Alox 50-50 in Part I. Additional material on the requirements of black powder lubricants can be found in the relevant chapters of two books by Paul Matthews: How-To's for the Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Shooter and Loading the Black Powder Rifle Cartridge, available from Wolfe Publishing, 6471 Airpark Drive, Prescott, AZ 86301.

Cold Weather Lubes—It is often suggested that softer lubricants are better choices in low temperatures, and Crisco shortening can be used as a softening agent (TCB 130 . Generally, it is also known that petroleum jelly is often successfully used as a lube softener.

Fiber Wads—Mustafa Curtess notes that vegetable fiber wads do a fine job of keeping the bore clean, but that (like cereal fillers, in his experience) they often degrade accuracy.

Fillers—several shooters are reporting that Cream of Wheat (COW) produces undesirable results: COW can pack into a hard mass, and corncob tumbling media may produce better results (TCB 132 5).

Lube Wads (grease cookies)—Steve Garbe mentions that he's tried strips of dental wax for this purpose; this can work well, but this wax is sometimes not compatible with black powder fouling. He also cautions that a shooter should use some sort of thin paper or card wad between the lube wad and the bullet in order to keep the lube wad from adhering to the bullet's base and affecting accuracy (Black Powder Cartridge News, Number 26, page 30). Shooter Henry Rudkin reports good results with a mixture of Ox Yoke's Wonder Lube mixed with 30% beeswax to produce a .160" grease cookie sandwiched between two wads. Another shooter recommends making lube wad "sandwiches" with thin paper on both wad surfaces. Shooters who want to know more on the subject of lube wads may want to read Chapter 3 in Paul Matthews' book Loading the Black Powder Cartridge Rifle. I have experimented with lube wads, but found that they diminished accuracy somewhat in my rifle. It is possible that modern lubes are so good that additional lubricant in the form of a lube wad is not necessary or desirable; it may cause overlubrication and "lube-purging fliers."

Lubricant Migration— shooter August Rubrecht reports that oil in the filler or straight lithium grease "will eventually bleed into the powder and primer, causing accuracy loss, velocity loss, hangfires, and misfires." Apparently such lubricants may show good results initially, but storage for more than a week can create problems.

Lubricant Pressures—Steve Hurst has done extensive work in reviewing the causes of variations in lubricant pressures (TCB 136 8-10). Andy Barniskis finds some problems and believes that further work needs to be done (TCB 137 4-5).

Lubricating the Bullet Nose—Henry Smid reports using a mix of paraffin wax, Alox, and moly (amounts not specified) to lubricate the noses of bullets with good effects but with some drawbacks (FS 146 16).

Mixtures of Lubricants—a number of shooters have experimented with mixtures of commercial lubricants, sometimes with good success.
• 25% Alox, 75% Bore Butter—this apparently makes lubed bullets less sticky to handle than straight Bore Butter and gives leading-free shooting and good accuracy.
• Dale Reifsnyder reports creating a "witch's brew" of lubes, consisting of Lyman Ideal, Mirro, Alox 50-50, Ipco, and several others (unidentified). He notes that the mix is nonduplicatable, but that it is the "best damned lube" he's tried. I note that there may be at least two lessons here: keep experimenting, and keep records.
• One toilet bowl wax ring, and one cake of Gulf paraffin—Jim Vaughn's suggestion. The wax ring is a rather sticky and soft material which is hardened by the paraffin. I've used a similar mix (but with half this amount of paraffin) to make grease cookie material which extrudes well from a JRW extruder.

Molybdenum Disulfide—popularly known simply as "moly," this material continues to be of interest to cast bullet shooters, but results are frequently mixed. Accuracy is not often improved (or impaired), velocity may or may not increase, though more shooting can often be done without lead or copper fouling developing. See the results of a test in Ed Doonan's article (TCB 127 3). Robert Sears notes benefits, but suggests that moly's unusual characteristics indicate that it must be treated differently than other bullet lubricants (TCB 130 6). Jesse Miller concludes that both velocity and group size shrink somewhat (TCB 139 9-12). Larry Jennings describes application processes and reports inconclusive results ( TCB 140 5-6). Bryce Ralston discusses methods of reducing the thickness of moly coatings and reports increases in velocity (FS 144 17-20). In a review of moly coatings on jacketed bullets and loaded rounds (produced by Berger Bullets and Black Hills), Layne Simpson notes that such coatings generally do not alter the basic accuracy of a rifle or load, but that the moly seems to extend the length of a shot string that can continue to show good accuracy (HL 188 8-9). Another shooter notes that, after seating bullets, he simply applies moly powder with a brush. On the basis of these results, it seems reasonable to believe that molybdenum disulfide bullet coatings have real promise, but that we need to know more about their application, use, and performance.

Final observations—despite the advances in bullet lubricant technology and research, there is no such thing as a universally excellent cast bullet lubricant. Many lubricants work quite well most of the time, but every lubricant has failed at one time or another. The variations in bullet design and alloy, the particulars of specific loads, and the requirements of individual guns combine to create a continuing need for testing and experimentation.



Homemade Lube Formulas and Notes:

If you are considering experimenting with home made bullet lubes you should have a copy of Ralph Schneider’s 28 page paper Cast Bullet Lubricants, covering lube formulas and ingredients. Ralph’s thorough research will help you avoid wasting time on recipes and formulas, which do not work, and save you additional time researching the subject. Send $3.00 to Ralph Schneider, S. 15200 County Rd. FF, Eleva, WI 54738 or download his article via the internet for $5.00 at http://www.hanned.com/~hanned/webc.cgi/ ... nload.html.
Lubing tips:
- When applying lube in cold weather, keep bullets warm (about 70° - 85°F) so the lube can bond to the lead before it hardens. Bullets must be clean and dry. Silicon, oil or grease on the surface will prevent the lube from bonding.
- Try “pan lubing” using homemade lubes. Stand bullets in a shallow pan and pore melted lube around then up to height of the lube grooves. Put the pan in the oven for a few minutes at 200 degrees to insure the bullets and lube are at the same temperature. Allow lube to harden, then turn pan upside down and the whole mess will come out like a layer cake. Punch bullets out with thumb. Lubricant will remain in grooves. See homemade lube formulas on following pages.
From the Hoch custom bullet moulds catalog:
- Buck Emmert’s Lube Formula (makes 1/2 lb. of lube)
1750 grains of processed beeswax*
1368 grains of Crisco shortening (White -- do not use butter flavor)
328 grains of Crisco oil (100% soybean) or Wesson vegetable oil
- Barry Darr’s Lube Formula - A great lube for pan lubing bullets. See modified version below.
1 lb. paraffin, 1 lb. Vaseline, 2 tbsp. RCBS case lube (may also use STP)
From Barnett’s bullet mould catalog:
- Dean Miller Lube (Dean Miller of Miller Arms, Onge, SD)
1/2 lb. of beef tallow
1/2 lb. processed beeswax*
1 tbsp. of high sulfur cutting oil. The oil is used by plumbers, is black in color and stinks.
- Modified Darr lube- Excellent results up to 1500 fps, and near 90° temperature, with the only problem being that it melts in the sun or hot weather.
4-1/2 oz. paraffin, 4-1/2 oz. Vaseline, 2 oz. (2 tbsp.) RCBS case lube (can also use STP)
The following formula is from one of Paul A. Matthews’ book, How-To’s for the Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Shooter. He says it gives excellent results. Paul says “It will not melt in the sun, yet continues to give good performance when freezing temperatures are in the single digits. It is very soft and sticky and has a bad habit of sticking to your fingers instead of the bullet when you seat the bullet in the cartridge case. It also turns dark with exposure, but this in no way impairs its effectiveness. For my money, despite these few minor faults, it is one superb bullet lubricant for use in the black powder cartridge rifle.” This lubricant works great in a lubrisizer. It is not suitable for pan lubing. Probably the simplest way to make the lube is to mix an 8-ounce batch in a microwave oven.
Basic recipe:
Yellow beeswax 2 parts (ounces avdp.)
Pure neatsfoot oil 1 part (fluid ounces)
Murphy’s Oil Soap 1 part (fluid ounces)
1. Fully melt 4 ounces of beeswax in a Pyrex measuring cup.
2. Thoroughly stir in 2 fluid ounces of pure neatsfoot oil until there are no lumps. Do not use neatsfoot compound.
3. Add 2 fluid ounces of Murphy’s Oil Soap and continue to stir until all lumps are gone.
4. Pour into container and allow to harden.
5. For 8 lbs. of lubricant use 4 lbs. of beeswax, 1 qt. each of Neetsfoot oil and Murphy’s Oil Soap.
Note: You may notice that as soon as the Murphy’s Oil Soap is added, the mixture turns a light cream color. It may also boil up violently when the soap is first added. This is caused by a chemical reaction of caustic soda in the soap, an action known as saponification, which significantly raises the melting point of the mixture and gives it a smooth, soapy texture. There are several other recipes that use soap such as Kirk’s Castile
*Removing impurities from raw or natural beeswax:
Raw, natural or unprocessed beeswax has impurities in it such as rosin, sugar (honey), dirt, etc., which must be carefully removed by straining and/or other methods. “Pure” beeswax, also referred to as processed beeswax or food-grade beeswax, has rosin and other impurities removed. Sometimes it is also referred to as commercial A-1 beeswax. Pure beeswax is a mixture of about 80% true wax; the balance is free fatty acids and alcohols.
Straining: Proper straining removes the majority of impurities. To strain raw beeswax, melt and pour it through fine woven cheesecloth type material or T-shirt material (if not woven too tightly to prevent wax from passing through).
Precipitation process: Additional impurities, too fine for straining to eliminate, can be removed using a precipitation process. After straining natural beeswax, but before using it to make lube, melt it in a pan of water (10% to 20% water) and add 2 tbsp. or so of vinegar per quart. Stir, cover, and allow to cool slowly. After it cools, run a knife around the top edges between the wax and pan. If you then refrigerate the wax, it will separate from the edge of the pan for easy removal. Remove and scrape off the crud from the bottom of the cake. Repeat if necessary to remove additional impurities.
Combining straining and precipitation: Another method is to combine the straining and precipitation process. Line the pan with the straining cloth before adding the raw wax. Add water and heat till wax is melted. Add 2 tbsp. or so of vinegar per quart and stir. Slowly lift and remove the straining cloth, allowing the hot wax solution to pass through it. Let the wax cool slowly and follow the rest of the steps in the precipitation process above.
Return to Contents

Taken from the Shilo Sharps site

2 - parts beeswax 8 oz
1 - part neatsfoot oil 4 oz.
1 - part Murphy's oil soap 4 oz.

Making 16 oz. = 1 pound?


RECIPE
ONE PART = ¼ POUND BY WEIGHT. (I use a postage scale I bought at Office Depot)

6 Parts BeesWax
1 Part Murphie’s Oil Soap
1 Part Pure Neats Foot Oil
1 Medium sized eye dropper Peppermint Oil

Melt wax in double boiler, add other ingredients and mix well. Pour into mould (I use cheap flexible plastic ice cube trays). FOR DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY IT IS STRONGLY SUGGESTED YOU GO TO WAL MART AND GET YOUR OWN DOUBLE BOILER.


Barnetts Lube

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
13 oz Beeswax
5 oz peanut oil
1/2 stick of 50/50 alox
1 oz of anahydrons lanolin
Buffalo Gold

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
8 oz. Purified Beeswax
4 oz. (1 stick) Coconut Oil Bar
4 oz. of Ballistol


I have used this in defferant weather conditions and this does real well



Cheap & Easy BP Lube

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
This is the easiest and cheapest lube I've made that worked well. Use refined beeswax and peanut oil in equal volumes. Melt the beeswax in a double boiler. When it is completely melted add an equal volume of peanut oil, then stir for a minute. Add 10 % anhydrous lanolin by volume to improve pan lubing when melting the beeswax if desired.
Emmert's modified for hot weather

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
This lube works quite well in hot weather. I have used it up to 108 degrees in a 34" barreled 45-100 without fouling the last several inches of the barrel:

All proportions are by volume.

50% beeswax
40% crisco
10% jojoba oil

melt everything together and stir well. Works very nicely as a pan lube.
Great For Hot, Dry Conditions

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
All measures are by volume. 4 parts refined beeswax, 2 parts LubeGard's "Valve and Assembly Lubricant" and 2 parts anhydrous lanolin. LubeGard can be purchased from NAPA Auto Supply. Refined beeswax and anhydrous lanolin can be purchased online at http://www.from-nature-with-love.com/soap/.
Melt the beeswax and anhydrous lanolin in a double boiler. Once both are well melted add the LubeGard and stir for a minute. This lube works well for pan-lubing as well as through a lube-sizer.
Modified JS Wolf lube "Pink Stink"

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
JS Wolf recommended 50/50 beeswax and olive-oil for an 'everyday' lube in his book "Loading Cartridges for the original .45-70 Springfield Rifleand Carbine". I've used it for years in Trapdoors, Browning .45-90, Military Rollers, etc. Lately I've been adding 10% Lubegard. The little .35 just loves it.

All measures by volume: I melt the beeswax in the microwave, making sure that I stop while there is some solid cake still floating in the container (not too hot now!!). I transfer the container to a hotplate (I use a coffee-mug warmer) and when completely liquid, add an equal volume of cheap Olive-Oil; virginity level optional. Stir until it is all liquid again. Top up with 10% Lubegard and let it liquify again. Done. Seems to be immune to reheating problems as I've been on the same batch for months now.

I used the 50/50 version in a lube-sizer but eventually it blew the bottom o-ring (Lyman 450). Nowdays, I dip lube and press the lubed bullets through a properly-sized (drilled and reamed, no less) hole in a piece of 3/4" Poplar board. Simple, cheap, faster than the Lyman and less likely to damage the bullets.

No worries on this lube in 96 degree heat (and equivalent humidity) or freezing and very low humidity. Probably not the best for high heat and low-to-no humidity...but Mr. Theodore sez it worked on the left coast. Works for me!

===Marc







Pope

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
6 oz. beef tallow all by weight
4 oz. baybarry was
2 oz beeswax
2 oz. synthetic sperm oil
1 heaping teaspoon of fine graphite powder
Rubles lube #1

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
This one is dirt simple. Just go down to the local Pepboys and buy some Ester based oil for an automobile air conditioner. Should be clearly marked "ESTER". Melt up a quantity of beeswax that is about half the volume of lube you need to make up.... Start off by adding about the same volume of ester oil that you have in melted beeswax. If that is too thick too thin for you, then add a bit more beeswax to make it thicker, more ester oil to make it thinner. While you are at it, you can add a tablespoon of Lee Liquid Alox to the mix....this mix will hold up in pretty high temps. and has worked well in a variety of caliber
Rubles lube #2

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
200 ml beeswax 200 ml crisco 100 ml lecithin Melt beeswax and add crisco first...then slowly add lecithin. Stir often while adding lecithin or it will ball up and make a mess. Get the lecithin at a health food store....you can generally find a quart bottle fairly cheap. The lecithin is the same stuff as is used in Pam, the anti-stick spray that you put on frying pans. This lube is also pretty good at high temp.
Six Month Lube

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
4 parts beeswax : 1 part unsalted Crisco : 1 part Neetsfoot oil : 2 parts Neutrogena bar soap. Six months is not how often you needto use the lube, but how long it took me to develop a lube which will not bleed under the bullet in a lube/sizer. The Neetsfoot oil is available at tack shops.

Because I am a hard case, I feel that I need to make my own lube, therefore, I use a mixture of 100 percent natural, uncolored, unscented etc. beeswax obtained directly for a beekeeper, those guys wearing the white burqas, anhydrous lanolin obtained from any pharmacy, and a specific type of LubeGard ordered from NAPA Auto. I mix them together until I get the consistency I like, which gets hard enough during the winter months where I live to make me want to soften it up a little with my Lubrisizer heater


BPCR Lubes:

Home

"Great For Hot, Dry Conditions" - sourced from Dan Theodore

Ingredients, Procedures, Notes, etc.

All measures are by volume.
4 parts refined beeswax
2 parts LubeGard's "Valve and Assembly Lubricant"
2 parts anhydrous lanolin.
OR
5 parts refined beeswax
3 parts LubeGard
2 parts anhydous lanolin. "This makes a dandy lube for dry, hot conditions."
Note: LubeGard should be available at any NAPA Auto Supply store.
Note: Refined beeswax and anhydrous lanolin are available from: http://www.from-nature-with-love.com/soap/.

Melt the beeswax and anhydrous lanolin in a double boiler. Once both are well melted, add the LubeGard and stir for a minute. This lube works well for pan-lubing, as well as through a lube-sizer.

"Emmerts" - provided by Ken Hurst
This is an old lube but still has a following and has never failed me when using it for Black Powder. I understand it can be used for smokeless if you are using low-pressure loads.
50% bees wax
40% Crisco or lard
10% canola oil
I heat this in a dbl boiler to mix. Do not heat in a micro wave as it offers too much heat usually. I fill my lubasizer with the lube while it is hot and it works well. I have also pan lubed with good success.

"1995 Lube" - sourced from Paul Matthews
2 parts yellow beeswax
1 part Pure Neatsfoot Oil
1 part Murphy’s Oil Soap
(easy to make in 8-oz batches)
1) Melt 4 oz of beeswax in the microwave. Usually 6-8 minutes is about the right time.
2) Stir in 2 oz of Neatsfoot oil when beeswax is melted. Stir until the mixture is lumpfree.
3) Stir in 2 oz of Murphy’s Oil Soap, stirring continuously as the soap is added. Again, mix until there are no lumps.
4) Pour into storage containers as soon as batch is well mixed.
Very soft and sticky. Will not melt in the sun, but works well in the cold, too. NOT suitable for pan lubing.

“Shows Promise Lube” - sourced from Paul Matthews
8 oz Yellow Beeswax
4 fl oz Pure Neatsfoot Oil
1 cake (3 .5 oz) Neutrogena Facial Soap
1) melt the beeswax over a low fire
2) stir in the neatsfoot oil until lumpfree
3) cut the soap into fine peels, then add to the melted mixture.
Don’t boil the mixture. A very sticky bullet lube. Looks to be very good.


Here are some bullet lubes I have used with very good results in the hot shooting weather of the west. - Mystery Guest

13 oz of beeswax
5 oz of peanut oil
1/2 stick of 50/50 alox
1 oz of anhydrous lanolin

6 oz of beef tallow
4 oz bayberry wax
2 oz beeswax
2 oz synthetic sperm oil
1 heaping teaspoon of Moly

6 oz of beeswax
3 oz of bayberry wax
6 oz of bacon grease
1 tablespoon of Dawn soap
2 tablespoon of neatsfoot oil

40% beeswax
30% conola oil
30% lanolin
......................this looks and feels a lot like SPG

70% Soywax
20% Avocado oil
10% lanolin
......................this is good for cooler weather, spring/fall




Lead pots lube # 1

Ingredients, Procedure, Notes, etc.
Lead pots Lube. 6 cups unmelted soy wax. ½ cup Jojoba oil. ½ cup mutton tallow, or you can use beef tallow. I don’t like it as well. 1/3 cup unsalted lard. 1/3 cup liquid Bayberry wax. This is a good lube I made it for my knurled bullets. You can thin this out by adding soy or using less to thicken it or add more tallow. If it gets to hot add Palm Vegetable wax or use block Bayberry wax instead of liquid Bayberry wax. Palm wax melts at about 160* If you cant find Tallow it is easy enough to make. Go to a butcher shop and as for fat trimmings most will gladly give to you. Cut it in small chunks or better yet grind it. Put it in a large pot and ½ the amount of water and slow boil it at a low temp. Strain it out with a sieve or cheese cloth and cool it in the fridge. When solid take off the solid white top and scrape off the bottom till it is clean. By the way this stuff makes a darn good hand lotion for those bleeding fingers. This is a link for material. http://www.enchanted-lites.com/Contact.htm Kurt

[Trigger Dr]

Gee Grizz,
I wish you would not be so reluctant to share your thoughts. It would do you good to speak up and say whats on your mind.
Good post
Jim

[smokemaker45]

I want to thank you all for your replys about the lube.

I also want to say that I had a day to try my mix of 50%bees wax and 50% of the crisco..I meated every thing in a double boiler as you suggested I do.I pan lubed 30 Lyman Postell bullets and was pleasently surprised to have a nice 2 1/2 inch group at 200 yards.This is the best I have ever done off the cross sticks in the prone position..This group was 9 shots out of 12 and with the blow tube as well..Rifle-Pedersoli sharps model...

[don marable]

TDannie:

What happened to the other three out of 12 shots? Were they fliers or sighters or neither?

Don

[opencountry]

I like plain ol' DGL. Good in both cold and hot weather.

Robert

[don marable]

I am limited on shooting and prep time; therefore, I take some short cuts. I use Black Magic. It is made by shooters that shoot from Louisiana to Wyoming, and it works in hot, humid climates as well as hot, dry climates. The cost of lube is insignificant, if you consider that home made lube also has a cost associated with it. If you're not one of those poeple that just has to make everything for yourself, buy some Black Magic and shoot.

Don

[carl thomas zmuda]

Dale's Favorate Hot Weather Lube Formula
50% Beeswax (natural, unbleached from a beekeeper); 40% Crisco and 10% Canola Oil (I use Crisco Brand). Even though it is labeled as a hot weather formula, it can be used in all weather conditions.
Melt the same was as in Jeff's formula.


Yep Dale's lube is the same as I use. I got the receipe from the BPCPnet web page. It's called emmert's.

I use it for all my black powder loads - 45/70 Sharps and 45 Colt cowboy guns

I might add that it is best to do the lube making when the wife is not home!

I made some lube two nites ago only to discover that I had the wrong ratio.

So the following day I remelted the batch added some more Crisco and Canola oil to make the correct reciepe. Well, I had some of the mix splatter onto the stove top and counter. Luckily for me my wife was not home and I got in 'all' cleaned up before she returned - at least she has not noticed!

BEWARE

Carl