Started Reloading .45acp

[Don2]

Funny, I just ordered 5 sticks of their Carnauba Red today. Tried their BAC lube a few years ago - hated it, too gummy and sticky.

The Carnauba Red arrived yesterday - so far it seems easier to use than Thompson's Blue Angel (not as hard, so it almost doesn't need heat - but it doesn't feel sticky or tacky, at least in stick-form); I'll load up a batch this evening and see if I get any leading when I test-fire the stuff.

The price is very good - $1.65 per stick versus buying from, say, Midway USA, who charge $6 - $8 per stick of other manufacturers' lubes. One benefit of supporting a small family business, I guess - Leah and Glenn are good folks.

Good deal, tell us what you come up with in your test.
I have really been wanting to try to make some bullet lube again. But the problem is I can't find any yellow bee's wax locally.
Guess I could buy some again..But the White Label Lube is pretty cheap and works. I just wanted to come up with a successful home made lube just for my satisfaction only. Oh well..I guess I can't do everything I want to do sometimes

AndyC, what lube sizer to you use? And do you use a std.heater or a clothes iron or hair drier or other such items I've read about? Just wondering...no big deal
Don2

[OldCannon]

I have really been wanting to try to make some bullet lube again. But the problem is I can't find any yellow bee's wax locally.

Get in touch with RandyRat on http://castboolits.gunloads.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. He sells beeswax in bulk, plus some excellent bullet lubes.

[Don2]

I have really been wanting to try to make some bullet lube again. But the problem is I can't find any yellow bee's wax locally.

Get in touch with RandyRat on http://castboolits.gunloads.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. He sells beeswax in bulk, plus some excellent bullet lubes.

Thank You Sir.......I'll just do that soon as I get back in that mode.!!

Don2

[Don2]

Don, I have an RCBS (older style) - I initially used a desk-lamp to warm it and soften the lube, but the Blue Angel needed a lot more heat - so I've been using an aluminum plate under the lube-sizer heated by a cheap clothes-iron :)

Thats cool...Or I guess warm
I also use a RCBS lube/sizer.
I had heard of people using a setup like you have..Aluminum plate with iron on top ...and its adjustable heat too..!!
I used a small flexible desk lamp and a hair drier when in a hurry.
I either need to buy the Lyman heater or something else. Problem I see and have heard is that there is no thermostat control on it. I read that a guy put a 1 Amp diode and a switch in line to make it work on full heat and when switched, half heat?? This was in the comments area at MidwayUSA on the Lyman heater page if you want to read about it?
Should work I guess?? I'm gonna have to get with an electronics wiz buddy of mine to get that info though.
I'd think you would want some kind of variable rheostat, but I could be wrong, I was once a long time ago

I just like more control or as Tim Taylor says on Home Improvements...MORE POWER..!!!! Arg..Arg..Arg.....!!!


Thanks for the info.
Don2

[Jumping Frog]

You can wire in an ordinary light switch dimmer. A couple bucks from your favorite Big Box home improvement store.

[Gyrogearhead]

Speaking of how to heat up things related to reloading I'd like to make a suggestion: go to Good Will and buy an old electric skillet for $5 to $10. Here's a picture of the one I bought a couple of years ago drying some 45 ACP 200gn LSWC's I lubed with Lee Liquid Alox.

click on picture to enlarge it so you can see the detail

These didn't line up quite as nice as V-ROG's do and they forgot their guidons but they are just as ready to go after a night of drying on the hot plate. (Most were already in the canister before I realized I needed to take a picture to show you guys.)

Anyway, the electric skillet in the picture is the one I paid $10 for. It has a continuously variable thermostat that runs from just warm at 150 degrees on up to 450 degrees which is suitable for annealing boolits if you need to do that. It's also good for drying microscope slides if you're into microscopy.

I have another regular "hot plate" that looks like a single burner from an old electric range but was made with just one coil and a thermostatic control. Got that one for $5.00 because it had an incredible amount of food burned on it. A little Simple Green cleaner and elbow grease got it down to bare metal in quick time. I use that one to pre-heat my moulds and keep them warm when I have to set them down to add more metal to the melting furnace.

It's amazing how much stuff you can get at Good Will and resale shops to use in reloading / boolet casting.

Just my 2c worth.

Gerry

[Don2]

It's amazing how much stuff you can get at Good Will and resale shops to use in reloading / boolet casting.

Just my 2c worth.

Gerry

Thanks for the ideas....I do have an electric heating element/one burner plate I bought from wallyworld for melting lead a long time ago. I still use it for misc. stuff.

Speaking of Good Will...When I lived in Houston, that was a regular stop for me. I would buy all sorts of stuff and fix it and resell them. Lawnmowers were the hottest selling item I could find...most were bought for $10-$15 back then and sold for $35 to $50..!!!! Loading supply money
Most just needed old gas removed and cleaning the carb. and a spark plug..!!
Quick money..!!

I don't even have a working lawn mower right now, but I have two tractors that are just fine with front end loaders.
If I can't mow the grass...I'll dig it out

Thanks
Don

Ps...I just found a OLD metal commercial ceiling fan switch which has 6 settings on the switch which when I tested it today...it still works great. Think I will buy the Lyman heater and wire this switch to it and have 6 heat settings for my lube/sizer. Sounds like a good project for me....

[DocV]

I found a used RCBS Uniflow with 2 cylinders for about 40 bucks. I am very pleased with how consistent it is with Unique. Managed to toss together 22 rounds of 45 ACP 230 FMJ each with a consistent 5.9 charge in around 20 minutes while verifying every 5th round.

I had three cases that looked less than perfect - one nicked on the case mouth; one just plain ugly; and, one that I managed to mash when I lined it up wrong in the press. I am going to dispose of those. So far, I have tossed some oil in the case to kill the primer. Can any of you reloading masters suggest a procedure for disposing of primed cases?

[G.A. Heath]

I found a used RCBS Uniflow with 2 cylinders for about 40 bucks. I am very pleased with how consistent it is with Unique. Managed to toss together 22 rounds of 45 ACP 230 FMJ each with a consistent 5.9 charge in around 20 minutes while verifying every 5th round.

I had three cases that looked less than perfect - one nicked on the case mouth; one just plain ugly; and, one that I managed to mash when I lined it up wrong in the press. I am going to dispose of those. So far, I have tossed some oil in the case to kill the primer. Can any of you reloading masters suggest a procedure for disposing of primed cases?

Not a reloading master, but I usually spray WD-40 into a case with a live primer. I know that you can remove a live primer w/o setting it off, but I strongly doubt the reliability of that primer afterwards.

[OldCannon]

Can any of you reloading masters suggest a procedure for disposing of primed cases?

Detonate them, then deprime? It's not that hard to do, just noisy

[DocV]

Detonate them, then deprime? It's not that hard to do, just noisy

And more fun :-)

[Don2]

I use e'm for scaring the cats away from my shop.....They run like @#** when they hear them go off
I've got a big male cat that likes to spray the corner of my shop...!!
NO..I DONT HURT THEM....just like to see how fast they can climb the trees..!!

Don2

[Jumping Frog]

Just chamber the empty case and fire it.