How about we discuss using Lee Tumble Lube cast bullets?
- Thread starter Wallyl
- Start date
I have only one Lee TL mold a 44-240-SWC. It is a beat to death 2cav that was passed on to me.
It still casts a good bullet, but it takes too much "slow" care to use it.
I think most of us just prefer to Buy N.O.E. or Accurate Molds.
The Lee 2cav TL molds are for beginners. Most of us just prefer to Buy better quality that will last longer.
It still casts a good bullet, but it takes too much "slow" care to use it.
I think most of us just prefer to Buy N.O.E. or Accurate Molds.
The Lee 2cav TL molds are for beginners. Most of us just prefer to Buy better quality that will last longer.
Maven
Well-Known Member
Wally, I use the ~160gr. SWC TL-PB Lee mould and the ~240gr., also a SWC-PB design and am quite pleased with them. Swishing them around in an old hummus container (Sabra brand) is a snap, as is just pouring them out on a cookie sheet to dry. Accuracy from the nominally .358" mould has been excellent in my S & W M-10, but not as gilt edged from my .357mags. (sized to .359" though). Btw, both moulds needed beagling to some degree to increase CB diameter enough so I could size them to a proper dimension. The Ruger SBH OTOH, does well enough with the TL CB, but likes either the Lyman or Keith SWC better. Lastly, I sometimes swish non-TL CB's in Lars' Liquid Xlox (diluted) to good effect.
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fiver
Well-Known Member
my 45-70 mold is a T/l design and I also have the 230-R.
I originally started the 45/45 lube thing to swirl the lube grooves full on a little 25cal. 70gr rapine mold I still don't have a lube size die for.
I'd swirl them around the cup and let the groove scrape the sides and fill up.
when they dried I wiped the noses off.
the original mix was 3 parts cooked off jpw and 1 part B-wax it dried about hard enough to break with a snap so I started backing things down till I finally added some alox.
things just kind of progressed from there when JD got with me about his mix never drying.
anyway the hard shell lube work[ed]s very well.
many of the T/L designs work very well and some are pretty big kinda closes.
I remember the 9mm T/L mold being the number one thread starter 2 years running over at Boolits when I was tracking that kind of stuff.
99% of it was ''crap, what am I doing here''?
I originally started the 45/45 lube thing to swirl the lube grooves full on a little 25cal. 70gr rapine mold I still don't have a lube size die for.
I'd swirl them around the cup and let the groove scrape the sides and fill up.
when they dried I wiped the noses off.
the original mix was 3 parts cooked off jpw and 1 part B-wax it dried about hard enough to break with a snap so I started backing things down till I finally added some alox.
things just kind of progressed from there when JD got with me about his mix never drying.
anyway the hard shell lube work[ed]s very well.
many of the T/L designs work very well and some are pretty big kinda closes.
I remember the 9mm T/L mold being the number one thread starter 2 years running over at Boolits when I was tracking that kind of stuff.
99% of it was ''crap, what am I doing here''?
When I first used TL bullets, I used Lee Liquid Alox. The tips would have it on them and build up in my seating stems. I really was not happy about that so I stopped using them. Then I heard about the 45-45-10 and thought, why not use liquid Alox, let it dry and try some liquid Auto wax for a second coat....it worked superbly. No more seating stem build up and it reduced the leading in my pistol barrels.
Many love those PC bullets. If anyone would like to try, take one and rub it vigorously on a steel object----does it scuff it up or abrade it? It is my understanding that one ingredient in the powder coat powder is Titanium Dioxide which is an abrasive with a Mohs hardness of 6---( steel in a gun barrel is around 5.5).
Many love those PC bullets. If anyone would like to try, take one and rub it vigorously on a steel object----does it scuff it up or abrade it? It is my understanding that one ingredient in the powder coat powder is Titanium Dioxide which is an abrasive with a Mohs hardness of 6---( steel in a gun barrel is around 5.5).
RBHarter
West Central AR
I have a few TL moulds . 401-175 , 310-230 , ...... Maybe it's only a couple . I used the LLA some but had difficulties getting it as thin as suggested . It seems in hindsight that it may have been drying out some , at 3/1 mineral spirits to LLA it took 2 days to take up and even then it was tacky and never really got waxey as suggested . I always had too much on the bullets .
I have considered of late dip lubing a couple bullets just because it will do enough for those . I'm smarter now about the thinning .
I have considered of late dip lubing a couple bullets just because it will do enough for those . I'm smarter now about the thinning .
fiver
Well-Known Member
titanium dioxide is a whitening agent used in paper [like your printer paper]
they also use certain clays as binding agents.
I'd be more concerned about stick powder flying down my barrel's throat or the excess heat under pressure from rapid or continuous firing than what powder coating is doing.
they also use certain clays as binding agents.
I'd be more concerned about stick powder flying down my barrel's throat or the excess heat under pressure from rapid or continuous firing than what powder coating is doing.
Ian
Notorious member
The stuff I use doesn't. It has been reported that the now-discontinued Harbor Freight black was abrasive as I'm sure some other flavors and colors could be, but the polyester TGIC powders in normal, solid colors and 80% gloss and above do not appear to be causing anyone issues, and there are a LOT of people shooting and PC'd bullets and cleaning/inspecting their guns.
You'd probably run a higher risk of damaging your bore using tumble-lubed bullets that have picked up all manner of microscopic airborne dust and dirt.
You'd probably run a higher risk of damaging your bore using tumble-lubed bullets that have picked up all manner of microscopic airborne dust and dirt.
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I shoot lots of the Lee tl bullets. I use the 158 gr rn and swc in .38 specials and .357s , the .44 240 swc and the .45 230 tc in .45 autos. Shoot them unsized with the exception of the .45. It needs to be .451 to chamber.
Al lubed with white label 45/45/10. They work well for me. I'm too lazy to mess with pc. Any leading cleans up easy.
Al lubed with white label 45/45/10. They work well for me. I'm too lazy to mess with pc. Any leading cleans up easy.
Reloader762
Active Member
I have a few of the Lee TL bullet designs, my first two were the Lee 158 gr. RN and SWC for 38 Special and 357 Mag. loads. Later on I picked up the Lee .312" TL 160 gr. RN which I shoot in my SKS an Mosin rifles and sized to .311" it works great in all my other 30 cal. rifles except for my 30-30, it might shoot fine in it as well single loaded I've just never tried it.
I also have the Lee 32 cal. .314" SWC which I shot out of my SKS and Mosins rifle with a light charge of Bullseye as a subsonic load. The bullet drops at .315" and I size it to .314" for the combloc rifles and .311" for the US calibers, I also have the Lee .452 TL 230 gr. RN and Lee .452 TL 230 gr. TC bullet, just bought that one in a six cavity. I also have an NOE .452 230 gr. RF TL mold that will cast HP or cup points along with around twenty-five other molds that use the standard grease grooves.
Anyways except for a short stent at pan lubing about thirty years ago I pretty much used thinned down Lee Alox and later on the Alox/ JPW lube for a good many years, I tumble lube some bullets an dipped the grease groove bullets to fill the grease grooves and set them on wax paper to dry before running them through my Lee sizers, I always sized my bullets regardless of the lube groove type.
Eventually I ended up with a lube sizer so all the standard grease groove bullets got the grease from that point on and I still use it on occasion. When powder coating came along I went with it an never looked back, I just like the benefits of powder coating over the other options. I always tell people use what works for you regardless of what everyone else is doing.
I also have the Lee 32 cal. .314" SWC which I shot out of my SKS and Mosins rifle with a light charge of Bullseye as a subsonic load. The bullet drops at .315" and I size it to .314" for the combloc rifles and .311" for the US calibers, I also have the Lee .452 TL 230 gr. RN and Lee .452 TL 230 gr. TC bullet, just bought that one in a six cavity. I also have an NOE .452 230 gr. RF TL mold that will cast HP or cup points along with around twenty-five other molds that use the standard grease grooves.
Anyways except for a short stent at pan lubing about thirty years ago I pretty much used thinned down Lee Alox and later on the Alox/ JPW lube for a good many years, I tumble lube some bullets an dipped the grease groove bullets to fill the grease grooves and set them on wax paper to dry before running them through my Lee sizers, I always sized my bullets regardless of the lube groove type.
Eventually I ended up with a lube sizer so all the standard grease groove bullets got the grease from that point on and I still use it on occasion. When powder coating came along I went with it an never looked back, I just like the benefits of powder coating over the other options. I always tell people use what works for you regardless of what everyone else is doing.