Lee Liquid Alox

[Cracker-American]

I tried a search but could not find what I was looking for so I beg your indulgence.

I finally was able to purchase a bottle of the LLA. I plan to use in on some .41 and .44 cast SWC 210 and 240 respectively. The bullets already have the crayon lube. Do I need to remove the blue crayon lube and then how do I lube them with the LLA?

Thank you

 

[GAR]

Why switch over if you don't mind the question?

Tom

 

[Cracker-American]

I want to use up a supply of Unique and so far have not been able to stop some pretty severe leading.

With H 110 we do just fine.

 

[volshooter]

You don't need to use the LEE with sized and lubed lead.
It is ment to mass lube home cast bullets. It works well for that.

 

[Cracker-American]

I was trying to find the thread where the problem for me first came up a couple of years ago.

My bullets are hard 18 Bhn, lubed Keith type SWC with bevel base.

I bought some Unique and loaded them up. Can't remember the load and my book is in the shop. Leading was terrible.

IIRC the advice I got on here was that the bevel base allowed gas to pass around the bullet and lead the barrel. Think I got that right.

It was suggested I get some LLA lube the bullets and that would stop the leading

Now if the LLA will not solve my leading then I sure don't want to waste my time trying to lube the alread lubed bullets.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

You'd hardly be the first person to apply LLA over existing lube. No need to remove the original stuff.

Everybody who uses LLA has his own favorite way to apply the stuff. Some do it "full strength" while others thin it w/ mineral spirits. For myself, I get a coffee cup full of boiling water, put the bottle in and let the stuff "melt" until it's quite thin. Then I put 25-50 bullets (depending on size) in a margarine tub, sprinkle a few drops over 'em, and swirl around a while until they are uniformly "dull" in appearance.

From there, they get dumped onto wax paper to dry. Some folks like to stand 'em up so any extra lube can run down toward the base. Once in a while I might do it that way, but not usually.

After they're dry (overnight usually does it for me), load and shoot a few to see if you got enough LLA on 'em to do the job. Some loads take two treatments...

And, once they're dried, if the bullets are likely to be used anywhere they could get blowing dirt or sand stuck to 'em, or they're going into a pocket where they can collect all manner of treasures, I wipe the loaded cartridges down w/ a rag and some mineral spirits. Same treatment goes for my auto cartridges even if they're going straight from the box to the magazine--the stuff CAN sometimes build up on feed ramps and the like, causing feeding problems.

Experiment a little... you may find it takes very little extra lube to work, or you may agree w/ a buddy who says "LLA good, more LLA better!" Or you may find happiness in between.

Rick C

 

[Cracker-American]

Thank you Rick. That was the info I was looking for

 

[J Miller]

Cracker-American,

I may have been involved in the previous thread as well. I do the same thing to hard cast BB-SWC bullets. But I just put a 100 in a plastic food storage tub, pour in some LLA, snap on the lid and roll them around until they are totally coated.
Spread 'em out base down on wax paper over night and they are usually well dried.

Joe

 

[kelbro]

I have used LLA or a mix of LLA, paste wax, and mineral spirits over lubed bullets with good results. Have also used it instead of regular lube on standard lube groove bullets with mixed results.

 

[Scott]

I have used LLA for the same reason as the OP - Unique powder and leading in my .45Colt loads. It did reduce the leading significantly, but I still get some.

 

[Bucks Owin]

I prefer the "dip method" and no thinner when I use LLA ( which is rarely)

I don't want lube anywhere except where it does some good!...:wink:

 

[GP100man]

When I use lla I mix it 45%lla 45%johnsons paste wax & 10% mineral sprits.

pour it into a lid (deep enuff to reach all the grooves) then stand em on end .

Apply a lite breeze & a couple of hrs. ya ready to load or apply coat 2 !

The mixture does`nt smoke as bad & it lessens the affect the alox has on my sinuses.

If ya gonna use lla full strength use it sparingly at first , too much & it`ll take a long time to dry & it`ll GOO up the seater in short order !!

Wanted to add if ya mix the lla & it does`nt look thick enuff that does`nt mean it won`t work .

 

[mikld]

If you cut alox with 30% - 50% with mineral spirits, it dries quicker and non-sticky. Most new alox users put way too much on the bullets. Alox works on the bearing surfaces, so don't try to to fill grooves. How do your bullets fit your gun? For revolvers, the bullet should be the same size as the cylinder throat or at most .001" smaller. Bullet diameter should be larger than groove diameter; .001" or .002" larger. This fit will eliminate most leading problems. I use a lot of Unique in my .44 Magnums with the bullet/throat/groove/fit mentioned with no leading...

 

[Olsherm]

I have tried more than one way to use the alox. Best way I have found is to thin it with mineral spirits to a degree,then take a heavy cotton sock and put several 25 maybe bullets down in the sock and dribble in some alox until the sock is soaked pretty good with it. Then work the bullets around in the sock with your hand a good bit(use rubber glove,LOL) until they are litely coated.They will have just a lite coating like the old 22 bullets we used to get that were coated with a lube. I also coat my commercial hard lubed bullets with the alox and I like it.Sometimes I have to run them through the sock twice until the sock gets really soaked with the lube, I then store the sock in a coffee can with lid to keep the sock moist until the next batch. Works great. However I only load medium to lite loads probably around 750 to 900 FPS loads just guessing. I have fired several pure lead slugs at cowboy speeds with the alox and have had less leading than I had with the hard commercial bullet. Hope this helps. olsherm

 

[Hammerdown77]

I KNEW I remembered someone talking about putting bullets and lube in a sock! Hahahahaha.

How about using a ziplock freezer bag, or just a sandwich bag instead? Then people will stop asking you why you're always walking around wearing only one sock!

 

[Cary]

If you cut alox with 30% - 50% with mineral spirits, it dries quicker and non-sticky. Most new alox users put way too much on the bullets. Alox works on the bearing surfaces, so don't try to to fill grooves. How do your bullets fit your gun? For revolvers, the bullet should be the same size as the cylinder throat or at most .001" smaller. Bullet diameter should be larger than groove diameter; .001" or .002" larger. This fit will eliminate most leading problems. I use a lot of Unique in my .44 Magnums with the bullet/throat/groove/fit mentioned with no leading...

This is good information. I also thin my Alox before application but probably closer to 15% mineral spirits. I also apply it warm as Rick C does. In my experience if you want to apply more Alox to your bullets you are better off to apply 2 or 3 coats with an over night drying period between each coat. I have had problems getting it to dry if applied too heavy. Using the Alox on your bullets you will need to clean the bullet seating plug in your bullet seating die after each loading session as well. It can build up on the seating plug and cause issues with inconsistent OAL measurements. When I load bullets coated with Alox I will verify the seating plug is clean when I start and then clean it again after the session. It works for me.
Cary