new to reloading: bullet lube?

[Frogman77]

hi all,

when in the process do you lube your bullets when reloading?
how do you lube them? where do you place the lube on the bullets?
is it always necessary?

wanting to load 44mag and 40 s&w

bullets: hard cast lead, remington golden sabers, hornady xtp

the hard cast lead bullets I have, have a purple band around it, I assume this is the lubricant. some of them are falling off. do I have to replace the lube?


thanks!!

[fredj338]

Originally Posted by Frogman77

hi all,

when in the process do you lube your bullets when reloading?
how do you lube them? where do you place the lube on the bullets?
is it always necessary?

wanting to load 44mag and 40 s&w

bullets: hard cast lead, remington golden sabers, hornady xtp

the hard cast lead bullets I have, have a purple band around it, I assume this is the lubricant. some of them are falling off. do I have to replace the lube?


thanks!!

If you have already purchased lubed lead bullets, you don't have to do anything else but load them up. That purple band is a wax based lube & if the bullets are missing bits here & there, no problem. I would draw the line at 1/4 or more missing fromn the groove. At that point, you can get some Alox liquid lube from Lee or others & recoat the outside. Tha Alox doesn't need to be in the groove. It's messy & smokey, but Alox lubes do a good job fo limiting leading.
Your jacketed bullets DO NOT GET lube! You just load the jacketed bullets as is. No lube on the bullets or INSIDE the case mouth. BTW, case lube is NOT bullet lube.

[Frogman77]

how does alox work? is it a liquid? do I coat the entire bullet or just where that purple band/wax goes?


also, what is a gas check? when is it necessary. I'll also be loading 44mag. are these necessary with 44mag cast lead and or jacketed bullets?

Thanks for the info!!

[fredj338]

Originally Posted by Frogman77

how does alox work? is it a liquid? do I coat the entire bullet or just where that purple band/wax goes?


also, what is a gas check? when is it necessary. I'll also be loading 44mag. are these necessary with 44mag cast lead and or jacketed bullets?

Thanks for the info!!

Alox is a liquid. Lee Precision, Inc. Reloading Tools and Equipment: Lee Lube and Size Kit Most guys throw bullets into a plastic bowl or in a plastic bag, squirt the Alox in & shaek the bullets around until coted. Pour them onto some wax paper or foil to dry then load.
Gas checks are a thin copper/gilding metal base that goes ont the bottom of a lead bullet designed to accept it. The idea is it cuts down on the amount of lead that melts at the base, redcuing leading in high vel. applications.
Again jacketed bullets are an open the box & load item. You need do nothing to a jacketed bullet before loading.

[Jack the Toad]

Lee makes Liquid Alox, but not all alox is liquid. I have used alox based wax lubes too. I mold 220 Keith SWCs for my .41 .

[fredj338]

Originally Posted by Jack the Toad

Lee makes Liquid Alox, but not all alox is liquid. I have used alox based wax lubes too. I mold 220 Keith SWCs for my .41 .

There are Alox based wax lubes, but Alox is a liquid.