BLL and an experimental mix

[Maximumbob54]

Forum member Ben on Castboolits came up with an improved liquid lube mix a while back that I've been meaning to try. You mix Lee Liquid Alox (LLA) and Johnsons liquid wax in a 60/40 and it's supposed to be amazing. I honestly have yet to read a negative review on the stuff. My guess is the wax dries sealing the alox to the bullet so it's good for everything you would usually use LLA in a tumble.

The experimental mix is my own shenanigans. Another Castboolits member, Lars, figured how to cook down Johnsons paste wax with LLA and thinner in a 45/45/10 mix. It works very well also and is much faster drying than plain LLA. Once again, the wax dries and holds the alox. It's not a perfect dry to touch feel though as you get a slight waxy sticky feel to them even after a few days. It's vastly improved over the usual mule snot consistency of LLA though so it doesn't cake up on the bullet seating die nearly as fast. The experiment is a 50/50 mix so far of the Lars 45/45/10 mix and the liquid wax. I'm trying to get the mix to just completely dry to the touch. If it fails I can always get another bottle to split it up and add more LLA to get it right.

BLL on the left and mystery mix on the right:



You hardly need any of this stuff on bullets so this is going to last a looooooong time. The longer it sets you may need to thin it down with some mineral spirits and I like to drop a bullet in to help shake it up. If I do have to split that mystery bottle up I'm going to have enough tumble lube for an eternity...

No matter what though, I have full faith in the BLL and recommend trying some. The 45/45/10 mix is available ready to go from White Label Lube so you don't have to buy everything and render down the paste wax on your own.

Last minute addition to this... I tumbled a small run of bullets in the BLL before I started typing this. They are already dry to the touch. There's zero sticky feel to them.



I'm already impressed.

[Ranch Dog]

I switched to the Ben's Liquid Lube mix this past January and love the stuff. I shoot it with everything.

[Maximumbob54]

It's been a couple of hours now and I just rolled one of those bullets between two fingers to see how the stuff dries. I don't even feel a residue on my fingers. Not even the 45/45/10 mix is this dry to the touch. I might even take a break from powder coating for this stuff.

[Ranch Dog]

The main thing i've learned is that the mix needs to be sealed tight for storage. I'm thinking about what would would best for this. I saw the fellows post on CB about using a screw in the end of the plastic bottle but I think I'm going to use some a bit tighter than that.

Depending on the bullet and it's use, I apply multiple coats as needed to fill the lube bands. From 25 ACP up through the pressures & velocities the 308 Win experiences, this lube works!

[buckeye43210]

Ranch Dog,

Are you now dipping your bullets in BLL? If so, are you still using the slow cooker or does BLL work at a lower temperature?

I just purchased some Johnson One Step Liquid Wax at a local Lowe's store yesterday and mixed up some BLL today.

[Maximumbob54]

I'm not sure you can really seal the bottle up enough. My bottle from WLL even vents off and drys out. I just add some mineral spirits as needed. I thought about an old trick I saw used with metal cans where you wrap saran wrap or wax paper over the mouth and seal it with the cap. That might help. It's funny though because I would have thought my 45/45/10 mix as goopy as it is would just about be self sealing. I have to shake the heck out of it each time I use it and there's always a gummy rim around the mouth of the bottle that seems like it would seal off the bottle. Come to think of it, the little LLA bottles do the same thing.

[Ranch Dog]

Ranch Dog,

Are you now dipping your bullets in BLL? If so, are you still using the slow cooker or does BLL work at a lower temperature?

No longer dipping just tumble lubing.

[62chevy]

Holy Smokes Maximumbob not using PC again !!!

Bob 45/45/10 is everything you said plus if you use a tad to much it smokes like black powder. I'll be looking for a smoke reports from you.

RD use an old dish soap bottle. Rinsing can be the real pain you don't want.

[DaveInGA]

For those who have used these two lubes, are you of an opinion that both of them will run through a bullet feeder without gumming up the works?

I have several varieties of the powder coat and epoxy coatings, but all this spray or shake and bake still adds time better spent reloading and shooting/hunting.

[oscarflytyer]

I had been using the 45/45/10 and liked it. Just recently made up some of Ben's mix with the liquid wax. Yet to shoot it, but have about 4 diff bullets lubed with it. All rifle