Favorite lube

[Will]

In the past I’ve made my own lube but recently I’ve kind of lost interest in playing with lubes and I just want something that works.
Half of my shelf in the reloading room is filled with lube making pots and ingredients. I’d really like to just buy something that works good and stock up on it. And have the shelf free for more reloading junk lol

What have you found to be a good purchased lube that worked well. I main shoot magnum revolvers and occasionally the 308 and 30-30 from 2000-2400 FPS.

 

[Brad]

Carnuba Red will do all you need but does have cold weather flyer issues in cold bores.
If you understand that limitation then go for it, you won’t be disappointed.

 

[Ian]

The challenge isn't so much what you shoot, but the temperature range and whether or mot you can put up with a cold-barrel flyer being a couple inches out, how predictable that flyer is, and if your climate forces you to clean and oil your bores to prevent corrosion and thus lose your "seasoning" that takes a ten shots to get back.

 

[waco]

I live in the Pacific Northwest so temps range from below freezing at times to 100+. Granted, I’m not doing a lot of shooting in theses extreme temps. I have had very good luck with both BAC and 2500+.
both work well from 800-2600 FPS. YMMV.

 

[Intheshop]

I've proven(and am continuing) to myself that lube is not the limiter in,accuracy....speed....and cold bore,keeping 1st shot within the group. But that,amongst a cpl other factors,the amount used seems to be up there on predictability. I have zero complaints with BW/vaseline,only changing ratios and amt.

But,this ain't about protracted "competition",long shot strings. It's 3 and 5 shot groups with varmint hunting accuracy,and speed requirements. From .22's, up through 30-06's out of sporter barreled,factory barreled bolt rigs.

Good luck on your quest Will.

 

[Reloader762]

I don't use a lube sizer very often but when I do I use White Label Lube 2500+, I use it for everything from 357 Mag. handgun up to 30-06 cast rifle loads at 2300 fps. and it's worked great.

These days I pretty much powder coat everything, it's a type of lube as well.

 

[Ian]

If the amount used is even a factor, I would say your lube isn't ideal for the application, but you can work around that if you realize what's happening and if you're ok with that. As for the other things, well, it's a matter of perspective. I can't count the number of people who swear by BW/Vaseline and have called me all sorts of names for contradicting them. Unlike you, though, most of those refused to acknowledge that anything exists beyind their own, tiny universes.

If anyone doesn't think lube matters, they haven't done very much shooting. I can direct them to a number of lube tests done by myself and others which show just how dramatic a difference a lube's constitution can make. One in particular was done in a way that eliminated the variables of ambient and rifle temperature, bore seasoning, and compared a variety of commercial and homemade offerings for accuracy only on a level playing field. The results were dramatic. Many others have tested a single (or multiple) formula(s) through years and virtually every temperature, firearm type, and basic lube groove style there is to find what works, what doesn't, and why.

 

[fiver]

heck man just melt down everything you got into one big batch and adjust the consistency to be something like thin silly putty.

[one of these days saying 'silly putty consistency' is gonna be meaningless]

if I were forced to break down and purchase store bought lube B.A.C [modified with a dab of mineral oil]would be pretty high on my list.

 

[Ian]

+1 to what Ronnie said. After years and years of chasing lube formulas with the guys from several forums and half the states in the union (and finally coming up something that pretty much works for everything), I finally tried powder coating. While my reason for using the PC had nothing to do with the lube quest, the method quickly started demonstrating all manner of advantages, not the least of which is it solved the C.O.R.E. problem almost entirely in every single rifle I tried it in across a lot of time, temperature, and velocity variables. It's pretty much all I use now because it works so very well and solves so many problems.

 

[Bret4207]

Ummmm, I'm still using up whats left of a large order of 50/50 I got from an long defunct outfitter. I'm happily stuck in the 90's......

 

[Hawk]

I agree with Ian and 762 and Powder Coat everything these days.
It's just too easy and solves all the problems I ever had withlubes.

 

[RicinYakima]

For your speed range I don't have a lot of experience. But what I have, I used is White Label "Carnauba Blue" because unlike "Carnauba Red" you don't have to use a heater.

 

[Gary]

I PC everything these days. Sold all my grease applicators (Lyman and RCBS and Star).

 

[358156 hp]

I normally use LBT Soft Blue when I can shoot outdoors. I powdercoat for indoor ranges to keep the smoke down. I have never tried this lube in rifles though, I haven't fired a cast round from a rifle in ages, and even then it was with calibers like 45-70, 356 Win, 307 Win, and the like. IIRC, I was perfectly happy with Thompsons Blue Angel back then until the price went through the roof.

 

[Will]

I plan to use powder coat for my hunting rifle ammo. It’s the only way I have truly ever been able to not have a first shot flyer in cold weather. I just don’t wanna powder coat everything because my OCD makes that a pain in the butt process.

I’m looking mainly for a lube for my 44’s 357’s 9mm and 45-70. Most of my shooting is done when it’s 30-80deg.

Some that I had considered were
Carnuba blue or red
2500
Lbt blue
Tax 1 or Tac X
I used BAC when I first started casting and didn’t care for the sticky mess my bullets became during storage.

 

[Ian]

Use C red if storage is an issue. The only downside is cold flyers when hunting.

Don't count on LBT being available. People are having trouble reaching him again right now.

 

[Will]

How does everyone feel about C blue? When I tried C red before it didn’t want to flow very well without heat.

 

[Brad]

C Red will want heat. Never tried the blue.

Have you tried Pc just dumping the bullets on a wire tray for baking? I do that and coating and baking 500+ in a day is simple.

 

[Will]

C Red will want heat. Never tried the blue.

Have you tried Pc just dumping the bullets on a wire tray for baking? I do that and coating and baking 500+ in a day is simple.

Brad I have thought about it several times it just drives me nuts not to stand them up. I know it’s crazy but that’s how I am.

 

[Brad]

If I had to stand them all up I wouldn’t PC anything.