.429 pan lube cutter?

[Catpop]

Is there anyone that still makes a pan lube single bullet lube cutter like LEE used to sell in their pan lube kits back in the 1970s? Went to LEE, but they don't seem to list them anymore? They only show the press type.
Any help here? Thanks in advance, catpop

 

[LAGS]

Just make a cutter out of an old shell casing.
There was a post about to weeks ago where some of the ones I made "Armoredman" as well as others were displayed
A rifle case will work, you just expand the neck with a punch that you can make with a 1/2 Brass or even steel rod ,spun in a drill motor and fuled to size while spinning.
You can either cut off the case head, or drill it out for a plunger.

 

[rsrocket1]

Like this (for 30 cal boolits):


It could be made much nicer, but not any faster or cheaper

 

[towerdog]

I used a .450 case and nail for mine it works great at just about .452 for my 1851 navy colt. And being free is nice too only cost me about three minutes to make it.

 

[mackg]

Not sure about what your process is and the application but:

.429 is on the skinny side for most cylinders,

Since they are .429 I suppose you already sized them (?). Have you tried lubing them first, then sizing?

 

[Catpop]

Mackg,
I have not been sizing boolits as they measure from .429 to .430. I was using Alox tumble lube. I was getting a touch of leading on last outing so I thought I would try the older LEE pan lube I had left over from the 80's to see if it made a difference. In the future I plan to get a lubrisizer and use some of the new fangled color lubes.
Thanks, Catpop

 

[towerdog]

If I understand correctly you can still use a case sized to your bullet. Fill a pan with bullets standing upright pour in your lube once it hardens up slide the sized case over the bullet and it will cut the lube nice and smooth then eject it out with a nail or something as a push rod.

There are videos on line I have seen it done. If that's not what your looking for disregard.

 

[mackg]

Mackg,
I have not been sizing boolits as they measure from .429 to .430. I was using Alox tumble lube. I was getting a touch of leading on last outing so I thought I would try the older LEE pan lube I had left over from the 80's to see if it made a difference. In the future I plan to get a lubrisizer and use some of the new fangled color lubes.
Thanks, Catpop

You migh reduce leading by simply increasing the size of your bullets:
http://castpics.net/subsite2/HowTo/Beagling.pdf
I had dismal results with Liquid Alox in revolvers when it came out, and only used it in autos for 20 years. For some reason now it works fine. The mix's properties can change pretty quickly as the solvent evaporates from the bottle.
The smell out of a revolver is still a pain though...


You will find pan lubing messy, as the bullets usually come out with a donut of lube around their waist and some more on their base.

The procedure I developped was to place them in a flexible pan (cheap stoveplate cover) with the help of a Federal or similar cartridge basket (you want clearance between bullets).
Warm your setup to help the lube fill the groves (Texan sun, plate heater or radiator will do).
Once the cake has cooled, tip it over the ctge basket. The flexible pan will help you get it out, and you can then push each bullet in a hole; no cutter needed.

I would then push the bullets through a LEE sizing die, and had to clean two donuts, one on the base and one on the nose.

I happily gave up on that when I stopped sizing, and started hand lubing (squeeze lube out of a syringe, cut and apply with a cutter blade).
The bullets still had a little donut around their waist but it can be cleaned later from the finished ctge and your seating die (if you don't resize and clean them then).
I then accidentally found that really soft lube hardly produced any donut.
This was still time consuming and a bit messy.

Lately I've been experimenting with what I call Hot Pan Lubing, but is generally considered as the original tumble lubing: rolling bullets in a pan with a bit of lube (I do it on pizza days over the stove's "chimney", that's free heat ).
Veral Smith of LBT says his Blue lube works up to about 1200fps when applied this way (he does it in the oven at 200F).
Be sure to use a lube which won't contaminate powder as the bullets will be coated with it; I think that means a dry hard one but not 50/50 Allox Beeswax (I use candle "Beeswax" sheets which seem to work fine).
This is not as fast or productive as Liquid Alox, but the shooting doesn't smell...

 

[Catpop]

Mackg,
Great link! I too felt the leading was coming from a too small boo lit, but didn't know what to do. Have you tried this? My first impression is the tape adhesive will burn off and allow the alu. foil to slide off, but maybe not! I am getting ready to try it!
As for the lube, what brand do you use? Red ceresin has been recommended to me. Presently I'm using liquid Alox and that may be ok IF i increase boo lit size.
Thanks, Catpop

 

[mackg]

I routinely use furnace(?) "Aluminum Foil Tape" on a LEE 429-214-SWC and don't replace it very often. I only place one strip on each side, making sure there's clearance around the lugs/pins, since they have to be lightly lubed (RCBS and LEE molds have more estate there than Lyman's).
Also give a bit of clearance around the cavities for venting.

The major benefit is that it helps the mold cast good bullets, probably by increasing the venting (I use range lead or wheelweight). I now get good driving bands on a regular basis; the front one still sucks, but very evenly so I don't care .

I tried two layers of foil and ran into seating difficulties, but I use a 44-40 expander for better neck tension with regular bullets. I should try it again with the bigger 44 Sp. one.

When I pan lubed I used NRA 50/50.
When hand lubing I use my own mixes.
Autoloaders mostly get Liquid Alox, but my results with revolvers have improved with it so it's a matter of available time and willingness to smell the Alox.

Thanks to primer and time shortages, experiments are going slowly. Hot tumbling with candle beeswax seems to be more regular than L.A. in the 44's, which have cavernous throats; a tight convertible 45 Blackhawk doesn't seem to mind either in ACP.

If I were in the States, I would try lsstuff.com/ products. Great guy and great prices.
He makes 50/50, L.A. and his own Alox free Carnauba Red.
there's also a 45/45/10 version of L.A.