Bullet Lube?

[Hares Ear]

I have always used 'Alox' on my cast lead slugs. whilst I was at Minsterley with the BBS. A fellow Vetterli owner quizzed me about my bullet lube. When I told him I used Alox, he asked me if I had any problems with fouling. I told him that I got around 15 shots before my barrel needed a pull through. He told me to ditch the Alox and make my own from beeswax and lard.
What recipes do you lads recommend?

[Smokeless Coal]

Alox mate, it covers a broad range of velocities. I use it on my .357mags and my .44 m/l get no fouling in either.

Your fouling is possibly down to using BP, could it be mixing with the lube while hot and cooling as a goop? If so maybe beeswax/lard or trex would help but I doubt it. Having just read what you are firing, I'd have said alox was best at the breech pressure and velocity that heavy slug is running at.

[Smokeless Coal]

Alox mate, it covers a broad range of velocities. I use it on my .357mags and my .44 m/l get no fouling in either.

Your fouling is possibly down to using BP, could it be mixing with the lube while hot and cooling as a goop? If so maybe beeswax/lard or trex would help but I doubt it. Having just read what you are firing, I'd have said alox or one of the modern hard lubes was best at the breech pressure and velocity that heavy slug is running at.

[DJS]

The main function of the lube is to keep the fouling soft. Trex or tallow work well, add beeswax if you need a stiffer mixture. If you are using enough lube the muzzle will be wet with lube after taking a shot. If the bullet grooves don't hold enough lube you can put some under the bullet with a tight card or beeswax wad over the powder. You should be able to shoot all day without cleaning the bore as the bullet will clean out the fouling from the previous shot.
Daz

[crustyq]

I make my own with 70-80% lard and 20/30%bees wax depending on how warm it is outside.its all trial annd error
Glyn

[greenshoots]

heard good reports of people using johnsons floor polish.

viv

[leadhead]

Do not use Allox on black powder! You require a softener for the residue.
A commonly used recipe is given in Mathews book and usually refered to as Mathews lube. Consists of Nutragena pure soap (looks like solid beer?) Pure Neatsfoot oil (strictly not "substitute") and beeswax. Must be carefully heated together as the soap "saponifies" or bubbles up like shaken lemonade.
You will not be dissapointed with this lube. I have medals to prove!

[John Bedford]

I lube my balls (if you'll pardon the expression!) with liquid Alox and the cylinder spindle and cylinder rear face with the same stuff. No problems.

[Hares Ear]

Interesting replies Gents. Thank you, it has given me food for thought.

Last time out, I loaded a batch with a felt wad soaked in a corn oil and beeswax mixture, under the Aloxed slug. With a greaseproof paper wad between that and the powder.

The first shot went in the Vbull at 200 yds. Then I could not hit the target with any others of the same batch, after that first shot. They were all over the backstop, into the mantle, and even the back of the butts.

I cleaned my barrel, and went back to my standard load, Aloxed slug, and dry fibre wad. Back into the threes, fours and fives again????

Now the only thing I can try, is ditch the alox all together and just use an oil and beeswax lube by itself.

[Smog]

When using 777 I am having problems with a hard fowling in the cone. Does anyone else have this problem ?
What lube and filler are you using to overcome it?

[leadhead]

Smog
If using bullets go for Mathews lube
If using patched ball go for Neatsfoot Oil (must be pure, strictly not the substitute)
777 is VERY corrosive do not leave the cone fouling in there!

[Hares Ear]

I have had a bit of a play, with my bullets lubed in a mixture of lard and beeswax, with felt wad soaked in the same mixture under the bullet.
The bore fouling was certainly very much less, and a lot softer. But, accuracy was not as good as with alox. So I am going to experiment.
As soon as I can source the neutrogena soap, I will have a go with that mixture. I already have neatsfoot oil.

[loiner1965]

what about wads soaked in bees wax and an olive oil mixture, not sure of %

[Marlin.45]

Depends on the load in the .45LC Marlin. My lube can vary...

• Subsonic rounds (255 grn.) with Nitro the bullet just gets a tumble with liquid Alox.

• +1600 fps Nitro rounds (320grn) get Alox, but a thicker coat (deep grooves in this custom bullet to retain it)

• Subsonic BP rounds get an Alox coat & loaded over a felt wad pre-soaked in Bore Butter or 30% pure Beeswax and 70% axle grease.

All do the job