New Boolit Lube

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hello,

I was playing around with some different lubes today. I came up with this:





Yes, it's "evil black".

It works very well - no matter how bad I mess up a bullet - undersize, oversize, whatnot - I still cannot get any leading, just a bit of powder fouling that comes out easily with a bore snake.

It's made from copper and graphite and used in a tumble lube process that keeps the graphite trapped and everything clean.

Has anyone else done anything similar?

Thanks,

Josh

[Joshua M. Smith]

Ok, improved the loads so the groups are now improved.

1. Got consistency going with the alloy. The bullets weigh 230gn +/- 1gn (best I could do) and I rejected everything that wasn't as perfect as I could make it.

2. Reduced the powder charge to 4.9gn +/- .1gn.

3. Switched to Fed 155 primers.

4. And I believe this is the biggie - I did away with the Lee FCD. No crimp is on this these things, and it looks like it was taking the bullets down from my preferred .452" to .451" or so. I didn't feel contact but examined the cases very closely - there was a bit of a spot where it contacted.

Baseline accuracy with this pistol (my own, built on an RIA frame and slide) is 1.5" at 25 yards with Speer Gold Dot, 230gn.

Here are the results of the bullets coated with Alox:


One, 10 shot group was fired. I had two fliers: one was me and marked as such, and the other, I don't know. There are nine shots on target.

Here are the results of the JS Lube (I'm calling it that for lack of a better name):


Two, five shot groups were fired simply because I could get actual groups. One flier, and that was called. I shot while coming out of recoil.

I should be able to reduce these groups even more once I get the alloy just right, and more importantly, consistent from lot to lot. These groups were fired from the same lot of bullets.

I'd like to see if others have the same results, as well as the reduced leading.

Thanks,

Josh

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hello,

I found a way to speed up the process, blend the ingredients better and make it better adhere to the bullet.





In handling these now, I am not getting any black on my hands. This comes from handling them to box, and in reloading 50 last night.

I'll release the refined process if there's interest and if the rounds don't leave lead in the barrel after test firing these 50 today.

They do not look good in macro photos; they are flat pretty when seen in person. A nice, shiny black color.

Josh

[Joshua M. Smith]

The results of firing 50 rounds, 25 or so of which are on this target


All the target reflects is a point of aim this time around, as I know how my pistol will shoot. Range on this was 30yds.

I only set up the target to have something to aim at so that I wouldn't feel like I was wasting components. It was waaaay too hot to go prone. Could have fried an egg out there and I could barely touch my magazines which had been laying in the sun (no good shade).

Firing 50 rounds was not any more dirty than firing five rounds - I checked every five rounds to see how dirty it was getting. I had a small strip of lead exactly once, and that was most likely due to a bullet with a flaw I shouldn't have let get by.

This makes the pistol less dirty than before the refined process, and I was able to clean the bore with two passes of a dry bore snake.

If anyone wants a group, I'll shoot one rested at 25 yards when it cools off. I expect two or three inches as indicated by other, rested groups.

The experiment seems to be a success in cleanliness however.

Refined method, should you want to play around with it:

1. Spray bullets with Copper Coat.

2. Put in a container and shake a bit.

3. Add powdered graphite and shake. Do not let the Copper Coat dry beforehand.

4. Check to see that everything is coated in a decent manner.

5. Put in a rotary (not vibratory) tumbler for 30 minutes or so it takes the copper coat to dry. The tumbler should be lined on the bottom and around the sides with paper towel. This will allow the excess to come off and a more even coat to be distributed.

Josh

P.S. A coffee can made up the same way, rolled around a bit, will have the same effect if you lack the rotary tumbler. J.S.

[sharps_74]

Josh, you need to send about 100 of those to me so that I can put them through my Tommygun and report back to you about leading and such.

[Joshua M. Smith]

I've thought about it, Ken. I was trying to remember what .45acp guns you have currently. I totally forgot the Thompson!

Josh

[sharps_74]

Pm me your address. I need to send a package out to you when I get some cash. And yes, it will be heavy.

[caneman]

Add a tablespoon of strained bacon grease to the mix and re-evaluate. They used bear grease a couple of centuries ago as lube.

[sharps_74]

Originally Posted by caneman

Add a tablespoon of strained bacon grease to the mix and re-evaluate. They used bear grease a couple of centuries ago as lube.

Bear grease and bacon grease are by far two different things. Only use bacon grease if you do not value your weapon. The steel of the bore just love the salt that is in bacon fat so much that it will reward you with a beautiful patina that will last throughout the weapons remaining usefulness.

[Joshua M. Smith]

Yup.

Maxiball suggested at one point a crazy, smelly lube that included 'possum or 'coon fat.

And I don't completely rule out anything, unless it's likely to cause rust or other damage.

Josh

[caneman]

Actually I'll probably just use an eyedropper and put a drop of bacon grease in the cavity of my hollow points just in case.