Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
Otto
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 838
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 8:37 am
Location: Coshocton, Ohio N40.217, W81.834

Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Otto »

Beeswax? And what? Paraffin, crayons, grease, olive oil, shortening, alox... ?
"...In this present crisis, government isn't the solution to the problem; government is the problem." Ronald Reagan

"...all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Declaration of Independence
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

For smokeless I use 50/50 Alox and find the amount I use (2-3 sticks a year) it aint worth trying to make my own.

Now for Black Powder I have had great sucess with SPG and with
Beef tallow and Vasalene at about 70%tallow and 30%Vasalene.
I use it to lube paper patched bullets for black or smokless.
Use the white Vasalene that has no smell added. :D
Last edited by Chuck 100 yd on Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
TedH
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8248
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:19 pm
Location: Missouri

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by TedH »

The best lube that I've found is from a fella over on the cast boolits forum. He sells it under the name White Label Lube. He sells it cheap too, so unless you just want the hassle of making yer own, White Label is the way to go in my opinion. He has several different blends, but for my uses his 50/50 works best.
NRA Life Member
User avatar
Hobie
Moderator
Posts: 13902
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:54 pm
Location: Staunton, VA, USA
Contact:

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Hobie »

For smokeless, SPG. For BP, SPG. For BP subs, SPG.
Sincerely,

Hobie

"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Otto
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 838
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 8:37 am
Location: Coshocton, Ohio N40.217, W81.834

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Otto »

TedH wrote: unless you just want the hassle of making yer own
Exactly!


Chuck 100,
Where do you get tallow? Can that be bought at the meat counter?
"...In this present crisis, government isn't the solution to the problem; government is the problem." Ronald Reagan

"...all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Declaration of Independence
Otto
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 838
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 8:37 am
Location: Coshocton, Ohio N40.217, W81.834

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Otto »

Hobie wrote:For smokeless, SPG. For BP, SPG. For BP subs, SPG.
You guys are no fun at all.
"...In this present crisis, government isn't the solution to the problem; government is the problem." Ronald Reagan

"...all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Declaration of Independence
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

Tallow is just rendered fat. Go to your local butcher shop and have them save you a few pounds of the heavy white fat (suit) that comes from around the kidneys and back of the cow. They will prolly give it to you free as they usually throw it away.
Cut it up into cubes and put in a pan at low heat and melt it down.
Pour it through a sieve or cheese cloth. A coffee filter works but is too slow.
Put the clear fat back into the pot and add about an equal amount of water and bring it up to a low simmer for a few min.
Turn the heat off and let it set over night. The tallow will be floating on top of the water.
The water takes almost all of the salt out of the fat and you end up with pure soft TALLOW that is edible and makes wonderfull bullet lube.
hope this helps. Have fun! :D
Deer and Bear tallow or Sheep tallow is also good but Beef works good and is easy to get. :D
Otto
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 838
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 8:37 am
Location: Coshocton, Ohio N40.217, W81.834

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Otto »

I know what tallow is, but I was under the impression that it were more complicated than that. More importantly, I must assume there is an odor that would not be conducive to my long-term residency.
"...In this present crisis, government isn't the solution to the problem; government is the problem." Ronald Reagan

"...all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Declaration of Independence
User avatar
J Miller
Member Emeritus
Posts: 14880
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Not in IL no more ... :)

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by J Miller »

Glen Fryxell's recipe for smokeless bullet lube is 50/50 mix beeswax and lithium based molybdenum grease. It's simple to make and works well, so I've been told.
I've yet to try it myself.

Here are the instructions to make it as given to me by a Handloader.com forum member:
I mix it by "weight". The density of Beeswax and Moly grease are way different, I've found that mixing one Lb of wax to one lb of moly grease is precise and makes a very good lube. This is what Glenn recommends and I follow it.

I use a double boiler on top of the stove and slowly melt the wax. Did I mention SLOWLY melt the wax? Dont let it get too hot and start smoking. Once the wax is melted (SLOWLY), add the moly grease a little at a time slowly and stir constantly. You dont want it to seperate. Once all the moly is added, stir it slowly for a bout 15 minutes over low heat. YOU DO NOT WANT IT TO SMOKE! Did I forget to mention that these steps must be done SLOWLY? I think you get the point. If you try to hurry this process along, the bonding of the two ingredients wont occur and you'd probably be better off using butter as a lube.

After 15 minutes of stirring, you can pour it into a stick mold (PVC pipe works ok) but I usually pour it into and old canning jar and just remelt it as needed and pour it into my Lyman 450 or my STAR lubrisizer. I prefer using the STAR for most applications.

Once poured into your sizer, give it about 20 to 30 minutes to stiffen up again and then lube away. No heat is needed. it flows just fine through a sizer and dies with no heat source.
I have the ingredients and intend on making some eventually.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

Otto , No worse than cooking a steak or bacon. It`s just fat. :D
Otto
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 838
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 8:37 am
Location: Coshocton, Ohio N40.217, W81.834

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Otto »

Mmmmm, bacon...ghllghlhghhghhhgggll
"...In this present crisis, government isn't the solution to the problem; government is the problem." Ronald Reagan

"...all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Declaration of Independence
User avatar
Sixgun
Posting leader...
Posts: 18563
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:17 pm
Location: S.E. Pa. Where The Finest Winchesters & Colts Reside

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Sixgun »

I got the below receipe here a few years ago. Its half beeswax and a quarter transmission oil and a quarter white lithium grease. Its works great for the last 15 thousand rounds or so. next time I make it, I'm going to eliminate the transmission oil as I had to keep mixing in more beeswax to get the right consistency and I can't remember how much I had to add.-------You know, melt down--wait two hours to let it harden up----melt down again--too much bs.---------------I use this lube in all of my handguns and leverguns with velocity ranging from 600-2000 fps
Model A Uzi’s
Image
Charles
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 2004
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:29 pm
Location: Deep South Texas

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by Charles »

There are two kinds of bullet lube... 1. Bullet lube that works. 2. Bullet lube that does not work. Often folks try and make some sort of black science out of bullet lube. I have been using the same lube for 50 years and it works fine for handgun and rifle up to 2,200 fps. I mix beeswax and Vaseline about 60/40 porportions. The amount of Vaseline is not critical. The purpose of the Vaseline is to soften the wax so it can be used in a lube/size machine.

You would not want to use for for black power, but other than than, it is a good all purpose bullet lube. It won't freeze in the winter or run and melt in the hot summer. I have tried dozens of lubes and lube recipies looking for something better. I have found many that work just as good, but never one that works any better. I have about a hundred pounds of beeswax laid up, so I am good to go for this lifetime. A couple of years back, one of the guys on Cast Boolits bought a couple of tons of WWII surplus beeswax at an auction and we all stocked up.

I have tried Glens mix of Beeswax and grease and it works just as good as mine. I just don't like the smell of the melting grease.

I melt the wax (1 quart Pyrex measuring cup) in a microwave oven and add the Vaseline. When I want to fill the machine, I nuke the lube and pour it in the top of the machine. When it hardens I am good to go.
revolverjunkie
Levergunner 1.0
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 10:57 am
Location: St. Louis

Re: Bullet lube recipes for smokeless

Post by revolverjunkie »

i use Darr lube its smilar in consistency to spg but i make it a little thicker

1lb paraffin wax
1lb jar of vasoline (supposedly it must be vasoline i havent tried it with regular petroleum jelly it's not that much more anyway)
1-2 tbsp brake fluid, atf, or oil (i use brake fluid)

melt wax over double boiler (dont let it smoke!)
add vasoline and oil
stir until combined
pour into container can let cool

i like it a bit stiffer so i go with about 1 1/2 lbs paraffin
my recipe makes enough to fill a quart paint can and half the
vasoline jar.

works great in in my 45acp s&w 625 and my 45 colt blackhawk
the blackhawk is pushing a 330gr kieth @ approx 1000fps
and i still get a lube star on the muzzle from both though those BIG kieths soak up alot of lube :shock:
all the bullets that i have recoverd from the s&w still had a little lube on them and it was sticking very well even after digging them out of a dirt backstop.
oh and i lubed some 38 wc with lets call it a modifed pan lube method
heat bullets and lube in double boiler til lube melts swirll around let cool in pan pop em out with a spoon and run em through a lee sizer same results lube star and plenty of lube left on recovered slugs
Your friends might get me in the rush, but not before i turn your head into a canoe. Tombstone.

when guns are banned there will be two groups with guns the government and outlaws.
I intend to be among the outlaws
Post Reply