Author Topic: What lube to use???  (Read 1305 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Quan Toi

  • Trade Count: (18)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 176
  • Gender: Male
What lube to use???
« on: April 03, 2009, 11:48:26 AM »
Veral,
     I have both a Star (.358, .430, and .452) and Lyman (.244 thru .452) sizer lubericators and can apply heat to either. I am also ready to order lube sticks from you. What would you recommend for for both rifle and handgun bullets. Thanks in advance. Frank

Offline Veral

  • GBO Sponsor
  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1675
    • Lead Bullet Technology
Re: What lube to use???
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2009, 02:24:24 PM »
  I just removed a half dozen posts as a gentle slap in the face for people who like to answer questions which are asked to others.  It isn't allowed on this forum till I have had my go first.  Sorry.  There was nothing wrong with any of the posts except the posters were breaking the rules of my forum.  I get quite offended at having the last go at a question asked specifically to me, and having to explain away someone elses answer.

  When I wrote in the catalog that blue soft tends to leak through any cracks between sizer and bullet on the Star sizer, it was because I hadn't used it much myself in one yet.  Blue soft will work beautifully in the Star, if one doesn't turn the lube screw down too hard.  My problem had always been cranking it down till it quit so I could run more bullets before turning the screw again.  As a reference point, Blue soft will stand more pressure without leaking than alox or RCBS lube, and people use both in stars without problems.

  I developed my lubes in Arizona heat.  Blue soft will not wet powder in loaded ammo when you leave it in the pickup window on the dash, with temps hitting well over 200 in summer.  The exceptions are.  If your bullets bottom drive band has a seam from poor casting, which runs across the drive band face, it may allow leakage, or if bullets are seated in bottle neck cases with lube exposed to powder, you can get powder wetting if ammo is exposed to extreme heat.  Neither practice is allowed by most casters as both hurt performance.

   I'm finding that rarely does anyone ever go back to blue or Commercial after trying blue soft.  It stays on just as well, handles extreme heat better, and rarely needs heat.  Nothing will beat it for rifle or handgun, high or low velocity.
Veral Smith

Offline Quan Toi

  • Trade Count: (18)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 176
  • Gender: Male
Re: What lube to use???
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2009, 07:00:37 AM »
Thanks Veral, I will be sending in an order today!

Offline Steve P

  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1733
  • Gender: Male
Re: What lube to use???
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2009, 05:56:02 PM »
I hope you ordered a lot.  I just started using the soft blue that I ordered from Veral last summer.  My tamarack finally ran out so loaded up the blue.  I have gone thru 1.5 sticks and am liking it better with each bullet I size.  Flows good out of my RCBS sizer.  Will see how it handles in the Star when the other lube runs out. 

Thanks for the great reply Veral.  I wont put any other stuff in the Star and will load it with the soft blue.  If I am not careful, I may have to put in an order for even more before long.  I still have a thousand or more bullets to lube.......

Steve :)
"Life is a play before an audience of One.  When your play is over, will your audience stand and applaude, or stay seated and cry?"  SP 2002

Offline Wiking

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Re: What lube to use???
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2009, 01:57:32 AM »
Steve....

How many bullets can you lube with 1 stick? I know it depends on diameter and lube groove size but I'd just like an estimate. Say a .357 with an average size groove??

Offline Veral

  • GBO Sponsor
  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1675
    • Lead Bullet Technology
Re: What lube to use???
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2009, 08:51:43 PM »
  You get more lube with solid sticks, of coarse, so if you have a Star or Saeco sizer, you'll get more bullets than with hollow sticks.  I don't remember for sure, but as I recall, something on the order of 500 bullets per hollow stick with 38 cal handgun bullets.  Of coarse lube groove size makes quite a difference here.  If anyone have a figgure for specific bullets, please tell us the facts!    I truely hate to post something from my memory like this when I'm probably not remembering accurately.  (Please keep this between you and me and the gatepost, but when one makes lube in 125 pound batches, like I do, the number of bullets lubed per stick isn't too important an issue!)     Maybe that's why it never stuck in my mind well!
Veral Smith