Use liquid alox on black powder bullets?

[Zippidydoodah]

Muzzle loading deer season is fast approaching and I wondered if anyone had success using alox on bp bullets.? I thought I might prelude .50 cal lee real bullets (them)with liquid alox and then line with the bore butter too.it couldn't hurt but didn't know if it might help either.
Any comments?

[Ranch Dog]

Funny Zippidy, I was just wondering the same. I recently purchased a Rossi Single Shot Combo rifle as I needed a 12 Gauge slug gun. The combo was that plus a 50 Caliber Muzzleloader which I was going to set aside. Well, next thing I know I have both the 250 & 320 Lee Real bullet molds enroute. Was looking over the Hodgdon material for their Pyrodex and Triple Seven, thinking about the later, and was wondering if I could dip the bullet in Alox like I do my rifle & pistol bullets?

[Ranch Dog]

I have an answer! Whenever I want to know why a Lee product was designed the way it was, I go to "Modern Reloading" as Mr. Lee was very good about explaining the "why" behind his products. In Chapter 13, page 149, I found this concerning the R-E-A-L (Rifling Engraved At Loading) Bullets .

The idea of engraving the rifling into the bullet as you load the gun appealed to me. You cannot push a large caliber bullet, big enough to fit the grooves, into the bore with hand pressure. My idea was to reduce the contact area of the bullet to just four bands. Each of the bands from the base forward is successively larger. the base band enter the bore freely. The next is slightly larger to engage the riling and act as a guide to straighten the bullet. The next two bands are even larger. The bottom sides of the bands have a shallow taper, the same as a lathe center, to guide and force the bullet centrally.

The REAL bullet works best when lubricated with Liquid Alox. The lube dries and clings tenaciously. You can shoot all day without cleaning the fouling from the bore. The REAL bullet is very accurate and because the bullet expands well, it is extremely effect for hunting.

No doubt, I will be dipping my bullets in Alox!

[Zippidydoodah]

Thanks RD. I have the combo real bullet mold and didn't think about the grooves or wall taper but thought it should be a better lube than a conventional bp lube. I have shot the sabots using 44 cal lead bullets and they broke up inside the deer the 325. Grain real should be the ticket.

[joec]

I've tried Alox and got some signs of leading as well as hard fowling making cleaning tough. I tried SPG and never looked back now using only organic lubes with no petroleum based products. It has worked great in both center fire and shot shells. I buy my bullets mostly lubed and simply remove the old lube (most is not for BP). To do this put a few paper towels on a baking sheet spreed the bullets out on the papered pan, then place in the over at about 170 deg. In few minutes you will see the old lube gone and the paper towels loaded with it. Let it cool, then pan lube with SPG or some other black powder lube. A good source is http://www.buffaloarms.com/Bullet_Lubes_pr-3753.aspx

[Ranch Dog]

Joe,

I shot my Liquid Alox dipped REAL 50-250- and 50-320 out of my Rossi Single Shot in line rifle without issue. After twenty shots, the barrel was nasty looking but what I liked was a beautiful "Lube Star" at the muzzle. The rifle cleaned up quickly I feel, polished in 25 patches. Two water patches, a half dozen with Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber on them, and then the reset with mineral spirits on them. I actually did not clean the Rossi packing grease out of the barrel as I think it is a commercial grade of Alox, the real purpose of the compound, a protective cover used for floating shipments.

With the Hodgdon Triple Seven, I thought the smoke minimum. I'm on the shooting end paying attention to my front sight focus but it didn't seem any different that a big bore levergun shooting max loads.

The only leading I saw in the rifle was deep on the breech end of the rifle, an area about 2 inches long at the most. I suspect that is where obturation is taking place. No leading down the rifling. I'm not sure if a cure to leading in this area needs to be figured out or if it is normal. Would a wad between the pellets and bullet help this. I'm thinking the wad would increase the initial start pressure which means the pressure is being contained for a millisecond longer until it hits the base of the bullet. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

What I'm working on now is how to care the lubed bullets in the field?

[joec]

Joe,

I shot my Liquid Alox dipped REAL 50-250- and 50-320 out of my Rossi Single Shot in line rifle without issue. After twenty shots, the barrel was nasty looking but what I liked was a beautiful "Lube Star" at the muzzle. The rifle cleaned up quickly I feel, polished in 25 patches. Two water patches, a half dozen with Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber on them, and then the reset with mineral spirits on them. I actually did not clean the Rossi packing grease out of the barrel as I think it is a commercial grade of Alox, the real purpose of the compound, a protective cover used for floating shipments.

With the Hodgdon Triple Seven, I thought the smoke minimum. I'm on the shooting end paying attention to my front sight focus but it didn't seem any different that a big bore levergun shooting max loads.

The only leading I saw in the rifle was deep on the breech end of the rifle, an area about 2 inches long at the most. I suspect that is where obturation is taking place. No leading down the rifling. I'm not sure if a cure to leading in this area needs to be figured out or if it is normal. Would a wad between the pellets and bullet help this. I'm thinking the wad would increase the initial start pressure which means the pressure is being contained for a millisecond longer until it hits the base of the bullet. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

What I'm working on now is how to care the lubed bullets in the field?

25 patches to clean the bore well it takes me no more than 8 ever when shooting black powder with the proper lube (natural lubes with no petroleum) and soapy water. But if you are happy using 25 patches have at it then.

[Ranch Dog]

25 patches to clean the bore well it takes me no more than 8 ever when shooting black powder with the proper lube (natural lubes with no petroleum) and soapy water. But if you are happy using 25 patches have at it then.

Like I noted, I did not start with a clean barrel. Heck, I've needed twice as many patches to clean a Rossi barrel straight from the factory so the next session will tell more.

[Mike 56]

I use LLA for real bullets and cap and ball conical bullets. Works great. I clean with soap and hot water i can clean a barrel with one patch. If you carry a cap and ball revolver as a side arm LLA lubed conical bullets arr great no wads with grease on your powder and no over the ball grease running down your holster.

[Ranch Dog]

Yeah, no problems with the additional shooting. I'm using BC's No. 77 Bore Cleaner and it is one patch clean. i swab it with a "water" patch and then a dry one. That is it, clean as a whistle.