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Posted: 8/7/2015 8:19:12 AM EDT
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So I just bought a bunch of bullets to load. They are lead cast, with the shallow tumble lube grooves.
I watched a few videos of how to tumble lube on YouTube, but it seems like the "easiest" way to do it, is also the messiest. What I mean, is that the tumbling process also coats the ojive and nose of the bullets, which in turn will be messy when loading and can build up inside the seating die. Is there any easier way of doing it? Maybe stand them up in a pan, fill the pan with the lube, then pluck them out by the nose with needle nose pliers or something? This way only the base and grooves get coated? Thanks! |
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pan lubing, powder coating (gun), powder coating (airsoft BB's and tumbling), lube sizer.
Check out http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php for more info on each |
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You can do it with a pan but tumble lubing isn't as messy as you would think. Get some thinned down lee liquid alox (purchase it from white label lubes very inexpensively, 45 45 10 mix, sometimes called recluse lube, is great) add a small amount to some bullets, mix it up, and let it sit a few hours. A proper light coat will not be tacky or messy and will do a more than adequate job.
Tumble lubing is fine for most any lower power cartridge. |
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I like the 45-45-10, I made my own using a tin of johnsons paste wax and I think 2 4oz bottles of alox and some mineral spirits.
It worked really well , but store in a cool dry place, my batch was kinda messed up after leaving in the garage for 1 summer and 1 winter. These can get a heavy coat (for normal lube groove bullets ) and still dry nontacky. Dryflash, I like the setup you have for PC, are there any powders to avoid, I hate to think I was scrubbing out the bore with some silicates or something. Do you size and gascheck after coating? or before? ETA: oops photo comprehension, I see, before. |
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Quoted: I like the 45-45-10, I made my own using a tin of johnsons paste wax and I think 2 4oz bottles of alox and some mineral spirits. It worked really well , but store in a cool dry place, my batch was kinda messed up after leaving in the garage for 1 summer and 1 winter. These can get a heavy coat (for normal lube groove bullets ) and still dry nontacky. Dryflash, I like the setup you have for PC, are there any powders to avoid, I hate to think I was scrubbing out the bore with some silicates or something. Do you size and gascheck after coating? or before? ETA: oops photo comprehension, I see, before. No powders to avoid. I started with the cheap, known to work well HF red. Depends on gas check fit. If gas check is a good fit and not loose, put on check before PC, that's how my 3 30 cal and 38 cal molds work. With my 310 gr 44 bullet, the gas check is loose so I pc first then seat gas check/ size. So all depends on GC fit to bullet. |
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Quoted:
I might have to try that powder coating process you have there. Been using Lee liquid alox for years but this looks like a good alternative. I'm kind of getting the itch to try it too. Never use the toaster oven for anything else anyway. I currently use Lee A-Lox and probably will until I run out. OP. Yeah it does lube up your seating plugs. For calibers that I load both jacketed and cast for I sometimes have to remove and clean the seating plug. If the cast bullet ammo is going to see feild use I clean the lube off of the exposed lead. I don't want anything sticking to them. I just use a plain clean cloth rag to wipe it off. I use the A-Lox for several pistol and rifle calibers and it works good. That powder coating still looks pretty neat. 
dryflash3, How are you applying the power coat? I read about a hf gun and a craftsman gun. It looks like you are tumbling it on? How does that work? Motor |
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Quoted: I'm kind of getting the itch to try it too. Never use the toaster oven for anything else anyway. I currently use Lee A-Lox and probably will until I run out. OP. Yeah it does lube up your seating plugs. For calibers that I load both jacketed and cast for I sometimes have to remove and clean the seating plug. If the cast bullet ammo is going to see feild use I clean the lube off of the exposed lead. I don't want anything sticking to them. I just use a plain clean cloth rag to wipe it off. I use the A-Lox for several pistol and rifle calibers and it works good. That powder coating still looks pretty neat. dryflash3, How are you applying the power coat? I read about a hf gun and a craftsman gun. It looks like you are tumbling it on? How does that work? Motor Quoted: Quoted: I might have to try that powder coating process you have there. Been using Lee liquid alox for years but this looks like a good alternative. I'm kind of getting the itch to try it too. Never use the toaster oven for anything else anyway. I currently use Lee A-Lox and probably will until I run out. OP. Yeah it does lube up your seating plugs. For calibers that I load both jacketed and cast for I sometimes have to remove and clean the seating plug. If the cast bullet ammo is going to see feild use I clean the lube off of the exposed lead. I don't want anything sticking to them. I just use a plain clean cloth rag to wipe it off. I use the A-Lox for several pistol and rifle calibers and it works good. That powder coating still looks pretty neat. dryflash3, How are you applying the power coat? I read about a hf gun and a craftsman gun. It looks like you are tumbling it on? How does that work? Motor We really should continue this in the powder coating thread. That's where I will post the answer. Link goes right to my post. |
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