Date: 02 Mar 94  17:40:44
From: Ed Harris
To:   All
Subj: Home Made Bullet Lubes

If you want to try mixing your own, here are some pointers

By Ed Harris (Revised 3294)

The smoke generated by lead bullet handgun rounds on indoor ranges is as much 
a function of the volume of lubricant, as thetype.  The first thing most 
people do for indoor gallery loads is try to use the least amount possible, of 
the most effective lube, so you wouldn't require much.

Col. E.H. Harrison noted years ago that in making accurate .38 Spl. wadcutter 
ammunition with the H&G No.50 bullet, that it wasonly necessary to lube the 
bottom cannelure when using Alox Beeswax, and 2.7 grs. of Bulleye.  However, 
if minimum smoke is important, you may want to avoid Alox altogether, since 
the additives in complex hydrocarbon fractions produce more smoke in 
combustion.
 
The effectiveness of most bullet lubricants is determined by their ability to 
flow under pressure and to coat the bore surface.  This prevents the adhesion 
of lead particles washedaway from the bullet surface by the hot powder gases, 
and also causes a wetting of powder fouling and primer residues, so that 
fouling tends to remain constant as the bore is swept by succeeding shots.  To 
effectively coat the bore of a long barrel effectively may require a larger 
volume of lubricant, depending on the specific alloy, chamber pressure, powder 
type and caliber.

Some pistol powders tend to produce less smoke, so it is worthwhile to 
experiment here.  The best powders in my experience for light indoor gallery 
loads in the .38 Special and .45 ACP,with minimum smoke are Green Dot, Red 
Dot, 700X, PB and W231,rather than the "traditional" Unique or Bullseye.

If you want to make your own nonAlox lubricant, using readily available 
materials, start with equal parts of beeswax, paraffin and petrolatum, or 
petroleum jelly. A heavy petrolatum like Cosmolene is preferred, but ordinary 
drugstore Vaseline works quite well, though will provide a less stiff mixture. 
These materials should be melted in a double boiler taking precautions against 
fire.   To improve lubrication, a tablespoon per quarter pound of straight 
nondetergent motor oil of SAE40 or heavier may be added (I used 90 weight gear 
oil), or the same amount of RCBS Case Lube II may be added.  RCBS Case Lube II 
has some interestingproperties in that it mixes readily with, and will 
dissolve other lubricants.  I recommend its use as an additive.

Paraffin has a coarse grain structure which impairs its flow, soit must be 
used with a plasticiser, and the Vaseline serves this purpose.  If using equal 
parts results in too soft a lubricant inhot weather, cut the Vaseline in half, 
but I would not use lessthan 6 ozs. of Vaseline to a pound of paraffin.  The 
function of If you don't have beeswax, you may substitute anhydrous 
lanolinfrom the drug store. If you do this, you will not need to addmotor oil 
to improve the lubricity, for it will be slippery enough!

The standard U.S. Army bullet lubricant during the black powderera was 1 part 
mutton tallow to three parts of beeswax. This soft lubricant is well suited 
for blackpowder arms and cap and ball revolvers, but it gets runny in hot 
weather.  If used in guns which will not be immediately water cleaned, there 
is always risk of bore rusting from residual salts in the tallow.  This is 
more of as problem with smokeless loads in black powder single shot rifles 
than with when using black powder loads which will prompt thorough cleaning 
anyway.

I mix my black powder grease by substituting Crisco for the tallow, and 
instead of beeswax I substitute the same proportion of a blend made from equal 
parts of paraffin, Vaseline andanhydrous lanolin.  This works quite well in 
black powder muzzleloaders as well as in black powder cartridge rifles and as 
a grease for cap & ball revolvers.  Another black powder lube favored by 
North-South Skirmish shooters is made from 1 part beeswax, 2 parts Crisco, 1/2 
part paraffin and 1/4 part Vaseline.  

I don't recommend using any solid additives, such as graphite ormolybdenum 
disulphide, because they increase smoke and do nothingto improve 
effectiveness. Our bullet lubes work by the principleof boundary layer 
lubrication and the coating action is not enhanced by the adding of 
particuates.  It would in fact be impaired by doing so.

To arrive at an exact mixture which works best for your climate may require a 
little experimentation.  If you find an especially"good" mix, I sure would 
appreciate it if you would post it hereso we couild all learn from your 
experiences.  Good luck and safe shooting.


In Home Mix We Trust, Regards, Ed



--- msged 2.05
 * Origin: Home of Ed's Red (1:109/120.3006)

