BLL ( Ben's Liquid Lube )

If you've ever been hit by - or come close to being hit by - a golf ball hit by some dipstick on the course behind you, you really wouldn't want that same dipstick behind you with a firearm. I have enough issue with idiots at public rifle ranges!
I know we're kidding here, but that's literally the first thing that crossed my mind when thinking of a golf course being turned into an 18 target shooting range...

We now return you to our regularly scheduled discussion of Ben's Liquid Lube!
 
obssd1958 said:
If you've ever been hit by - or come close to being hit by - a golf ball hit by some dipstick on the course behind you, you really wouldn't want that same dipstick behind you with a firearm. I have enough issue with idiots at public rifle ranges!
I know we're kidding here, but that's literally the first thing that crossed my mind when thinking of a golf course being turned into an 18 target shooting range...

We now return you to our regularly scheduled discussion of Ben's Liquid Lube!
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:rofl:
I had the same thought.


Say, mind if we play through?

Go for it buddy, better you're in front of me than behind me.
 
I reported on this is 2018 in the CBA forum as 45-45-10 simplified

The active ingredient in the floor wax or paste wax is the carnauba wax. It is easy to add carnauba wax to LLA to get a better lube.

LLA plus carnauba wax
In a 1 quart glass Mason jar, add 4 ounces of deodorized mineral spirits, and 220 grains carnauba wax flakes. If you do not have a scale this is about 2 level tablespoons of flake carnauba. Put the cap on the Mason jar, and heat it in boiling water. DO NOT use direct heat, DO NOT use a microwave! Swirl and heat until all the carnauba dissolves. Open the jar, add a 4 ounce bottle of LLA and swirl to mix. Allow the mixture to cool.​

The result is a soft paste at room temperature, when warm to touch (~100 F) it is a thick liquid. Put the bullets in a plastic container, add the LLA plus carnauba. One level teaspoon will coat 100 38 caliber bullets, it does not take much. You want a thin film, using more will not work better. Tumble to coat the bullets and pour them onto wax paper or a screen to dry. Drying time may be overnight or take several days, depending on the temperature. The resulting film is tough, adheres well, and is not sticky.
 
I'm finally gonna try BLL.
Got a few Ball 16 oz mason jars with the metal lids and rings.
Got a quart of X-Lox and a quart of Lundmark paste wax.
Figure I might as well mix it all.
I think it will keep better in the glass mason jars than the separate ingredients will keep in the plastic bottles it came in.

I've seen 3 different mix ratios for this stuff - (Lundmark - X Lox - Mineral Spirits)
The first post of this thread says 35-30-35.
Somewhere I have read 30-30-40 but can't find that post again.
1/3 of each is said to work well also.

One third of each would be the easiest to measure.
I'm thinking of going that route.
I can always add more mineral spirits if needed...

For as many 38 wadcutters as I shoot, I should have done this long ago...
 
Go with :

One third of each would be the easiest to measure.
I'm thinking of going that route.
I can always add more mineral spirits if needed...

When finished, it should pour like Coke out of a bottle.
 
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I use the old Johnson's stuff and LEE LLA, 50/50, no MS. 2 coats on 40sw normal LG TC and no leading. 165 gr/4.5 HP 38. About 950 fps.
 
Recently I loaded a test batch of 38 wadcutters lubed with LLA + carnauba and accuracy was poor , 6" at 25 yards.
This was caused by variable sizing as the bullets were sized by compression in the case when they went through the LEE factory crimp die. This was corrected by running the bullets through a LEE 0.357 bullet sizing die. This gave the expected 2" at 25 yards and was still less work than conventional lubrication and sizing.
 
How does BLL work with hollow point bullets? I have some Zero lead158 swchp that I am thinking about tumble lubing and wanted to know if the HP would collect excess lube and affect the accuracy.
 
steveu said:
How does BLL work with hollow point bullets? I have some Zero lead158 swchp that I am thinking about tumble lubing and wanted to know if the HP would collect excess lube and affect the accuracy.
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The HP will not fill up with lube. You use SO little of the lube that it leaves an almost invisible film on them and a little residue in the container used to "tumble." You're not submerging the bullets in a vat of liquid (not being a smart-a).

After I've lubed my bullets, they just barley glisten, until dry, which doesn't take long at all. Once dry, I cannot tell if they've been lubed unless I sniff them. When I share bullets, I remind whoever is using them that they ARE LUBED! "If you don't believe me, SMELL THEM."

One way I've found to get the most out of a pea-sized blob of my TL (for a hundred 357s - adjust to your preferences) is to use a heavy-duty, quart-sized zip-lock freezer bag. I warm the bullets, so the blob melts and makes it easier to spread on them and then knead the bag full of warm bullets for about a minute. Unzip and they glisten. Dump on waxed paper and let dry.

There's never enough to fill up a HP cavity, let alone several or all. In fact, the blob of lube I use for a hundred or so bullets would probably only fill 1 1/2 to 2 large HP cavities in the only HP mould I use any more - a 158 grain HP RF from MP.
 
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as an aside.
i know,,, i know.
45-45 lube was originally mixed with bees wax so as to fill lube grooves by swirling the bullets around and around the sides of a container until it filled them up. [i didn't want to pay for a lube size die for my 25-20 bullets, and still don't have one]
the tumble lubing come about when JD asked me about trying to mix JPW and LLA and failing to get it to dry.

so i come up with the cooking process and proportions without the bees wax, and he done the picture taking and process splainin when he made his first batch.

anyway,,,, back to Ben's lube.
 
Jeff H said:
The HP will not fill up with lube. You use SO little of the lube that it leaves an almost invisible film on them and a little residue in the container used to "tumble." You're not submerging the bullets in a vat of liquid (not being a smart-a).

After I've lubed my bullets, they just barley glisten, until dry, which doesn't take long at all. Once dry, I cannot tell if they've been lubed unless I sniff them. When I share bullets, I remind whoever is using them that they ARE LUBED! "If you don't believe me, SMELL THEM."

One way I've found to get the most out of a pea-sized blob of my TL (for a hundred 357s - adjust to your preferences) is to use a heavy-duty, quart-sized zip-lock freezer bag. I warm the bullets, so the blob melts and makes it easier to spread on them and then knead the bag full of warm bullets for about a minute. Unzip and they glisten. Dump on waxed paper and let dry.

There's never enough to fill up a HP cavity, let alone several or all. In fact, the blob of lube I use for a hundred or so bullets would probably only fill 1 1/2 to 2 large HP cavities in the only HP mould I use any more - a 158 grain HP RF from MP.
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That’s what I was looking for, thanks Jeff!
 
Read a post on Cast Boolits from a guy who tried BLL with the Lundmark and claims it will not dry . He was putting it out in 100 degree weather in the sun and it wouldn't dry. Said he brought it in after that and it never dried . He blames it on the Lundmark. Is coating in BLL and exposing to that much heat and sun not counterproductive ? Sun and heat does melt wax , am I looking at that wrong ?
 
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What the individual posted was this. "tried using the LUNDMARK liquid paste wax as a lube ingredient".

Liquid paste wax ?? as an ingredient but no mention of the rest of the recipe. Now I have to go look and see if there is even such a critter offered by Lundmark. It might be something much different than what is recommended for this type of lube.
 
Dusty Bannister said:
What the individual posted was this. "tried using the LUNDMARK liquid paste wax as a lube ingredient".

Liquid paste wax ?? as an ingredient but no mention of the rest of the recipe. Now I have to go look and see if there is even such a critter offered by Lundmark. It might be something much different than what is recommended for this type of lube.
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Sounds right , maybe I misunderstood about it being in BLL. I'll re read it .
 
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