graphite tumbling after alox tumbling

[zodd]

Hi everyone am new to the forum  Was thinking of tumbling my cast bullets in powdered graphite after tumble coating with Lee liquid alox. thought this would reduce stickyness and add extra lubricity. Has anyone done this and are there any potential problems with doing it? Second question- are cast round nose lead bullets safe in my leveraction tube (nose of one bullet detonating primer of bullet in front under recoil) or should only flat nose bullets be used--cheers zodd

[tacklebury]

Better to use flat tip or FTX.    As for graphite, it sounds like you might look into Moly Coating.  I don't do it, but many do. 

[WayneS]

No experence with lever actions but I would think that if you used a SWC top punch it wiuld put enough of a flat area on the nose to be safe, but if you hve a choice, go with the flat nose.
 To reduce the stickyness, cut your LLA with mineral spirts, also go the the cast boolit web site and read up on LLA/JPW/MS mix.
I play with moly coating  my bullets, never with LLA coated bullets, for thoses I use motor mica

[stimpylu32]

Not sure I'd be too worried about using cast RN bullets in a tube mag gun , the old Spencers and Winchesters are tube mag guns and their bullet of choice for those was the cast round nose .The problem comes from trying to use sharp , pointed , hard jacketed bullets in a tube were the bullit tip works as a firing pin .

As for the graphite , too much cost and messy for me , I just use a light dusting of the cheap / off brand un-sented baby powder , it works very well to kill the sticky and a little goes a long way for about a buck .

stimpy 

[JRiddle]

I've tried the graphite, it is messy.  Think I'll try the babypowder.  And I'll agree with stimpylu, on the RN answer, many-a-thousands of rounds of RN have been shot from tube fed rifles in many different calibers.
JR

[ButlerFord45]

A round nose lead bullet is what was used in lever action rifles since their invention.

[tacklebury]

Most of those old round nose bullets were pure lead, not hard cast, however as is most common today.  If you were using soft alloy, I'd agree, I'd not risk hard cast rn though myself. 

[zodd]

thanks for the reply's Gents-- cheers zodd

[Lloyd Smale]

baby powder contains talc which is an abrasive. Mica is about the only thing id coat a bullet with. Graphite is a total mess. I once tried just coating unlubed cast bullets with it and the gun became a greasy mess and the graphite was a poor lubricant and i ended up with a badly leaded barrel.