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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Lubing heeled bullets? (Read 1993 times)
1Hawkeye
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Lubing heeled bullets?
Jan 13th, 2025 at 8:51am
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What's the best way to lube and heeled bullet?
I'm trying to figure out a more efficient way to put lube on them rather than painting lee liquid alox  on with a brush or rubbing them with spg. Does anyone make a lubesizer die for a cadet bullet?
  
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Barrabruce
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #1 - Jan 13th, 2025 at 10:01am
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Not that I know of.

I just use a soft 50/50 beeswax/vasalene lube or similar whatever  new idea I have.

I pick up a bullet and rub the nose into the lube and scrape off a little with it. I then twirl the heel in fingers then finger seat the bullet in the case.
I keep the base clean.
After I use the loaded case in one hand to spin and apply lube into the groove.
2 step operation.
The lube on the heels of helps the bullet not falling out of the fired case.
Hope it helps.
I only do 50 at a time though.

Have tried just seating bare bullets then dip lubing but ended up with too much wax on the nose.
I got scared I may cook off a round if I let the lead bullet heat up enough for a more cleaner finish in the molten lube.

Embarrassed

I used to throw a heap of bullets in the molten lube and then dish them out with tweezers and place them on paper standing up to dry.
Then wipe the base well before loading.
Now I just finger lube again.
« Last Edit: Jan 13th, 2025 at 10:12am by Barrabruce »  
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JSB30
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #2 - Jan 13th, 2025 at 12:14pm
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I put them on a rag, squirt Alox on them  then pick up the rag by corners and stir them up.
  
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JSB30
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #3 - Jan 13th, 2025 at 12:15pm
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I put them on a rag, squirt Alox on them  then pick up the rag by corners and stir them up.
  
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steveu
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #4 - Jan 13th, 2025 at 12:15pm
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I read an article about using the plastic separator that comes in the CCI 22lr boxes to re-lube 22's with a thinned mixture of LLA.  It would also work with other thinned out tumble lubes.  You could do the same thing by making a cartridge holder out of an appropriately sized pistol tray, with the bottom cut out to hold the loaded cartridges while you dip them in the lube, then let them dry before removing. 

FWIW,
Steve
  
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MartiniBelgian
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #5 - Jan 13th, 2025 at 12:15pm
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It's Lee tumble lube, just follow the instructions on the bottle, it works...  No need to paint each and every bullet, just swish them around in a plastic box with a good squirt of the stuff and let them dry  on some baking parchment overnight.  I usually do them 2-3 times.
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #6 - Jan 13th, 2025 at 2:03pm
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For my .32 Long and .38 Long cartridges I lube bullets using Lee liquid alox, but I have an old Tupperward container I put the bullets in first. Squirt some alox all over them, and then snap the lid on and shake them around. Spread them base down on a sheet of wax paper to dry overnight, and they're good to go.
  

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gnoahhh
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #7 - Jan 13th, 2025 at 7:11pm
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I tried the Lee Liquid Alox approach and quit it. I ordered a heeled bullet mold for .32 Long Colt from Accurate on which I specified a precise diameter for the heels so they fit snugly with thumb pressure in the brass I swage out of .32 S&W Long Starline brass. When coated with LLA I can't push them into the cases, so I simply seat naked bullets then finger lube them with 50/50 lube. Works well, but messy as all get out, as you know. I got it down pat now and I don't regret the time it takes to do 50-100 cartridges.

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Huvius
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #8 - Jan 13th, 2025 at 8:07pm
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I cast for a Cadet too and have found that there are some motorcycle chain lubes that work quite well.
Maxxim was the one I think worked best but I’d have to go back and revisit that. 
I’ve also powder coated which is also a good option.
  
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Barrabruce
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #9 - Jan 14th, 2025 at 4:41am
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I tried filling a lip balm /lipstick thing with lube and smearing the lube on that way.
Also a sort of pope luber with a ring that was connected to a syringe full of lube to squirt lube into the lube groove.
Novel but still ended up a bit messy .
Maybe if you machined a nose shape and had a hole for the lube to squirt into the groove it may work in a luber.
So I finger lube my 50 for the match put them in a case then screw on my lube tin lid, clean my mitts and done.
  
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Ted Kramer
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #10 - Jan 14th, 2025 at 9:56am
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Rooster Jacket lube works great in my 38 Long Colt. Put the bullets in a plastic container, squirt an appropriate amount of Rooster Jacket on them and tumble them around until they’re all coated. Put them onto a piece of waxed paper overnight and the lube dries to a nice non-sticky coating.
TK
  
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rgchristensen
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #11 - Jan 14th, 2025 at 10:10am
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For such multi-diameter (or tapered) bullets,I use one of the Charlie Dell Lubricators, or  one of several  home-made versions.  Push the bullets in, pump the lube, and push them back out.  It’s straightforward to design and turn dies to fit any particular bullet. 

CHRIS
  
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kootne
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #12 - Jan 14th, 2025 at 10:58am
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Pan lube with SPG. Tumble lube with a tiny bit of Rooster Jacket over that if you want a less messy bullet.
  

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JHand
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #13 - Jan 14th, 2025 at 1:33pm
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It isn't "traditional" and you can't use it in matches, but if you are looking just to shoot it, could use powder coating. I use it for my pistol bullets, and used it for 45-70 at 1800fps with no leading and good accuracy
  
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Re: Lubing heeled bullets?
Reply #14 - Jan 14th, 2025 at 11:17pm
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If you have a lubersizer pull the I or plunger out of the H-I die put it in your lathe and turn one end to fit the heel of your bullet, place a grease rag on your knee and rub the base of the bullet across it after lubeing.
LD1

  
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