Formulating a Cold Climate Lube

[Paden]

I hail from a place where summers are short and winters are long; a quick trip to the outhouse in your birthday suit at -30F. is no big deal, and +80F. is commonly referred to as "Africa hot"….

I'm also a fairly simple guy, and tho I enjoy challenging my understanding of the physical and chemical sciences and learning new things, when it comes down to hands-on application I will typically opt for the simplest most convenient (safest, least challenging) option. So, as I contemplate concocting a lube suitable for my climate, I naturally gravitate toward the less complicated recipes with fewer ingredients (SL-68/variants look like fantastic formulations, but frankly I'm not up for that level of complexity and required heat).

I've read, here and elsewhere, references to at least three(?) different 'green' lubes for colder weather, but no specific recipes… So I've set out to necessarily reinvent the wheel and put together a simple, effective, bees wax based lube suitable for cold climates. I'd like to come up with something that will perform well in large bore revolvers at 1,100 fps and pressures in the 30,000 psi range, and hopefully eventually in my 6.5x55 SKAN/SE loads at 2,900 fps and 55,000 psi…. Is this reasonable/possible?

First stab at it consists of roughly 1 pound bees wax, 4 oz. 2-stroke fuel additive which contains a high percentage of synthetic ester and butene homopolymer, and a small amount of engine lube which brings more butene homopolymer and zinc salts. All ingredients combined readily at the melting point of the wax, with no smoke or offensive odors. Result is pale ODG, medium soft/tacky. Smear feel between my fingers is pretty good; perhaps just a tiny bit drier than my gut says it maybe should be(?) (tho I can't quantify why I think that).

Preliminary range test was in .45 Colt (350 grain bullet pictured in my avatar) at ~1100 fps. Temp was a pleasant +35F. Accuracy was good. No bullets were recovered. Paper indicated lube was jettisoned within about 8 feet of the muzzle; there was no evidence of lube on targets beyond that distance. After 36 rounds, the gun was squeaky clean relative to LBT Blue. Powder/lube fouling was really minimal and pretty much limited to the face of the cylinder and inside the frame window, and simply wiped off with a dry cotton shop rag.

I'll test more as time and bullets become available and winter sets in. Suggestions for modifications/improvements/things to look for highly encouraged and appreciated!

 

[Ian]

I think you're on a good track there. Eutectic is on the same quest and has reported excellent results with Mike's 6661 lube ( 6 beeswax 6 paraffin 6 Vaseline 1 Ivory soap plus his own addition of a tiny bit of jojoba oil. I've gone down just below freezing with Mike's Micro-lithi and had excellent results, but around here people will go for a ten-mile run when it's 107 and start reaching for more clothes at 75 so I'm not going to test below about 25. Love you guys, mean it, but there are limits. Also there are limits to how cold it gets here when the sun is shining enough to see to shoot groups.

 

[fiver]

that's basically a duplication of Dan's speed green recipe which has done pretty well in colder temps.

you can modify it somewhat with some Vaseline just a tsp or two [to add that feathering feel you think it's missing]
or some paraffin wax, [about 10%] which could help keep everything in the barrel a bit better and provide good flow characteristics to the lube under pressure.

 

[Paden]

Made a quick run to the indoor range this afternoon. Would have liked to cold test these outdoors at 100 yards today (was -10F.), but by the time I was ready at 1500 this afternoon it was already getting dark, so the 50' indoor range was the best I could manage. Groups ran just over an inch, which it pretty typical of what I can manage on an average day. Pretty sure the gun would stack them all into one 1/2" hole from a Ransom Rest... Might have to get me one of them someday for empirical testing... But boy do they shoot clean! V-N110 and "Arctic Wintergreen" lube is a good combo in the .45 Colt...so far.

 

[Rick]

A 350 grain bullet at 1100 fps with N-110. How much N-110? I'm using N-110 in the 45 Colt Also but with a 280 gr MP 270 SAA and LBT Blue.

 

[Paden]

A 350 grain bullet at 1100 fps with N-110. How much N-110? I'm using N-110 in the 45 Colt Also but with a 280 gr MP 270 SAA and LBT Blue.

It's a hair shy of 350...I was shooting for 350 when I spec'd it out, and I named it "45-350-NMB", but with Lyman #2 it comes in at 347 lubed and checked...

(Large Frame Ruger Only Load!): 16.5 - 17.0 grains over a Federal Match primer (standard, NOT magnum) and Starline brass.

What's your load for the 270-SAA?

 

[Rick]

I posted this on Nov 5 in this thread - Unobtanium

From the Sierra Reloading Data, Edition 5, page 823 under 45 Colt FA/Ruger loads.

This data is for a 300 gr jacketed, I used this same data for my 280 gr MP 270 SAA in my 7 1/2 inch BH. Sadly my chrono wouldn't cooperate and I didn't get any data.

2400 Loads
14.7 gr @ 850 fps / 15.5 gr @ 900 fps / 16.4 gr @ 950 fps / 17.2 gr @ 1000 fps / 18.0 gr @ 1050 fps / 18.8 gr @ 1100 fps.
15.6 gr @ 850 fps / 16.1 gr @ 900 fps / 16.6 gr @ 950 fps / 17.2 gr @ 1000 fps / 17.7 gr @ 1050 fps / 18.2 gr @ 1100 fps.
Viht N-110 Loads

Notice at 850 fps it takes 0.9 gr more N-110 to equal 2400 but as both charges are increased that difference disappears. At 1000 fps 2400 and N-110 charge weights are both 17.2 gr and with further charge increases it takes more 2400 to equal N-110.

The Sierra manual heaviest bullet listed is 300 gr jacketed. Paden's 350 gr cast is 1.2 gr under Sierra's max load for a jacketed 300 gr. I've not tested a bullet that heavy in the 45 Colt but given that a cast bullet will build somewhat less pressure than a jacketed and his load is reduced from 1.7 to 1.2 gr it could well be a safe Ruger only load. Seems to be shooting well but only Paden can check for pressure signs.

 

[Paden]

...but only Paden can check for pressure signs.

I recall Linebaugh tested revolvers to destruction with no overtly visible signs of pressure. I would be unwilling to claim any revolver load was safe based on apparent lack of pressure signs.

Drifting tangentially from the scope of the lube thread...but I'm happy to share my spreadsheet of aggregated data used for extrapolation and N110 load development, if you'd like to scrutinize it. I think I'm safely under 32,000 cup. You very well could find a flaw in my logic, or otherwise reach a completely different conclusion.

 

[Rick]

Yep, this thread has definitely been hijacked. Should probably start a new thread on this in the testing forum.

 

[RBHarter]

It may be just dumb luck. I use a modified version of Darrs lube.
I've run it up to at least 2400 fps and based on book data into the high 40,000s . It works great in 45,40,9mm and 38/357 . The 6.8 SPCII and a 7x6.8 mildcat have been pushed to jacketed speeds with it, which suggests 48-49,000 psi and .279-124 NOE @129 gr running 2300 fps (bullet failure above 2350) .

I use
11 oz Vaseline
18 oz paraffin
3 tbsp STP

The original is
1 lb Vaseline
1 lb paraffin
2 tbsp STP

The original was just too soft and would run on my desert 90 degree days . I haven't had the "opportunity" to shoot it in sub zero but it still works in the high 20s .