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Tumble lubing

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:01 pm
by Sphinx28
Can anyone advise me please. I’m new to casting and reloading bullets, and I’m not having any luck with my powder coating attempts. I’m looking at tumble lubing. I’ve seen online about a 45/45/10 mix, and the Carnuba wax is our equivalent of Johnson paste wax. My question is. I can get Simoniz paste wax, but I’ve seen Simoniz liquid wax. On reading about their properties the liquid wax would seem to be better for tumble lubing. As the paste wax gets thinned out with Alox and white spirit anyway, could liquid wax be used instead of paste wax?
Many thank in advance, for any and all advice offered

Re: Tumble lubing

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2020 2:06 pm
by dromia
If you are looking for a carnuba xlox then just mix it with the xlox and some white spirit.

The 45-45-10 recipe just cooks the mineral spirits and additives out of the Johnsons wax so you just get the carnuba, just cut to the chase and add carnuba.

It doesn't make much of a difference other than keeping you barrel shiny and perhaps another 20-30 fps before it fails.

Straight xlox mixed at least 50/50 with white spirits works fine, with xlox less is more there should just be a light golden hue to the tumbled bullets. If there is brown visible then there is too much.

This and coatings have been done to death on here so a good search will give you much information.

Xlox based coatings (it is not a lube and doesn't function as a lube does and even then a lube isn't used in cast bullet shooting for its lubricating qualities) are good for velocities up to 1200 fps after that you will need a better "lube".

Leading and poor accuracy in cast bullets are due to poor bullet fit and too hard an alloy.

Nothing will make an ill fitting bullet and a hard alloy bullet shoot well.

Re: Tumble lubing

Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 8:13 pm
by ukrifleman
I exclusively use a Alox/white spirit mix to tumble lube my cast bullets.

I give one coat before sizing/gas checking and a second coat once sized and get zero leading.

ukrifleman

Re: Tumble lubing

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:45 pm
by FredB
I have used Lee liquid alox for more than 30 years, despite having a lubrisizer. I have never experienced leading in a rifle, but I have tried to clear it for other shooters.
Most of my calibres are shot unsized. One noteable exception is 44-40. My 116 year old Winchester has a very tight chamber and oversized rounds will give feeding problems
I still use liquid alox, but put the bullets through the lubrisizer afterwards. I also size after loading for this calibre, taking care that the sizing process does not lift the crimp too much.
Fred