What to do after cast bullet sizing?

[MadOtis]

I've looked and can't seem to find anything about this, so ask-away I go:

I've just cast my first .5k of .40 cal lead bullets. I've used the liquid alox lube and passed all through the bullet sizing die.

The question is, do I leave the dried alox on the bullets and load them up like they are? Or, do I need to clean the dried alox off. Or, do I need to lube/dry them again before loading them? Or, does it even matter?

Sorry for the seemingly rudimentary question, but, I have to ask so I know I'm doing it right.

Cheers!
MadO

 

[[email protected]]

Lead bullets need lubricated when shot. The alox is the bullet lube. I believe the instructions say to lube, size, relube, and load after they dry.

 

[243winxb]

lube, size, relube, and load after they dry. http://leeprecision.net/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/List/Index/13/product-support

 

[GLOOB]

Yup. And in case u haven't done it, yet, try loading up a few test rounds without sizing, first. If they feed and chamber ok, then sizing isn't doing anything beneficial for you. It could actually be hurting, though.

 

[40-82]

Phil Sharpe in his classic 1936 book on reloading recommended that a beginning reloader take ten cast bullets and fire them without lube. That's so that you would understand leading. I won't recommend that to you because it will make an awful unnecessary mess. The bullets definitely have to be lubed. You might want to wipe the lube off the base of the bullet that way if for some reason your loaded cartridges are exposed to a little too much heat the lube won't melt and run into the powder.

If I'm reading your question right, part of your concern is how much lube has to be on the bullet. The amount of lube can vary a bit and you should be fine for close range target practice. Too much and you will gum up your dies unnecessarily, and way too little and you'll experience bore leading.

 

[david bachelder]

Actually, I cast, size then tumble lube with LEE Alox. If the bullets need lube to pass through the sizer I use the RCBS2 lube and the pad. Most of the time I only need to lube the third or fourth bullet.

OCYMMV

 

[MadOtis]

Doh! I REALLY should have RTFM (or RTFB) before I posted! :banghead:

Thanks, all for the tips. After reading another post, I think I may try the 45/45/10 tumble mixture for the next batch. It looks much cleaner and quicker than a pure alox tumble. Now, I just have to dust off my spelling skills so I can calculate what 45% is of an unknown amount

However, I am now glad I asked before I loaded up .5k of un-re-lubed lead... I might of had a mess to try and scrub out of my gun barrels!

Cheers!
MadO

 

[Hondo 60]

I really like the 45/45/10 mix.
LLA stays tacky even after drying.
Whereas the mix, dries hard.

If you don't wanna mess with making your own, here's where I get mine.
http://lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=31

Otherwise there's a sticky thread on http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?67654-Tumble-Lubing-Made-Easy-amp-Mess-Free that shows how to make it.
For $15 (32oz) I'd rather buy it.

 

[MEHavey]

LightlyLube/Dry/Size/LightlyLube/Dry/Load/Shoot.
Alox is superb to stop leading in its tracks -- using even incredibly thin amounts no less.

 

[dagger dog]

If I use Lee molds, I never size just tumble lube with Lee liquid alox then load and shoot.

 

[armoredman]

I'm weird - I use One Shot to lube before sizing, then tumble lube or hard lube afterwards, depending on bullet. Yes, I get good results this way.

 

[41 Mag]

Most folks who use Alox in one or the other fashion say that if you can see it on the bullets your using too much.

Myself, I shove a popsicle stick down into mine, and grab up about the size of the width of the stick thick of a blob on the end. I put somewhere between 1-200 bullets into a vacuum seal bag I dedicated to the task, and then wipe the lube off on top of them. Then I heat the whole mess up using an old hair drier till the bag starts to get soft and the bullets are warm. About the same time the lube melts as well.

Then I gently roll them around between my palms until everything looks good and coated and gently pour them out onto a wax papered cheap cookie sheet I picked up at the dollar store. About 5 or so minutes later they are ready to either size or load depending on which stage I am at.

I haven't tried the White Label version yet, but after I finish up with the batch I have in my can I probably will. Everything else I have used of theirs is top notch so I see no reason why this wouldn't be as well. Glen is a master at blending lubes up for any occasion.

 

[x_wrench]

i use a reduced (with mineral spirits) version of LLA to size the bullets. it dries faster (which is not really necessary, but it is a lot less messy). it does not take much lubrication to size the bullets. then reapply with straight LLA afterwards. for what it is worth, i also add a teaspoon of Lyman powdered moly to a new bottle of LLA for less lead fouling. which i have had more than my fair share of over the years. the real cure is GOOD lubrication. but that is either expensive (buying a lube-sizer and dies), or messy (pan lubing, then sizing).