$$$$$$$$$

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Yep. And for around $10 I can buy a pound of quality powder coat paint and coat 1000's of bullets.
Lars has the best deals on buying lube if one is not inclined to making his own. PC is probably about as cheap as it gets.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
BLL is something great. I have used it as a stand alone lube in 30-30 rifle rounds at 2K+fps with good accuracy and zero leading. I have a small bottle(7-8oz) mixed, a quart jug mixed, and one unopened can of JNBFW. SET.FOR.LIFE.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
BLL is something great. I have used it as a stand alone lube in 30-30 rifle rounds at 2K+fps with good accuracy and zero leading. I have a small bottle(7-8oz) mixed, a quart jug mixed, and one unopened can of JNBFW. SET.FOR.LIFE.

BLL is something great .
Thanks for those kind words.

Sounds like you are set.
Many use way too much BLL. A lot of it ends up getting wasted.
An almost invisible film is all that is needed.

Ben
 
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Ian

Notorious member
I keep using the same cool whip container and folded trash bag over and over and don't lose much BLL at all.

On average between 45 and 30 caliber bullets I would use one hollow stick for 500. So that's $7 per 500 or 1.4 cents each.

Powder coating runs about 10,000 bullets per pound @ $10-20 per pound (say $15) or $.0015 per bullet.

BLL runs about one drop per 20 bullets and if there are 7,300 drops per can at $8 plus 16 ounces of Lars' Xlox at $26 shipped that's 14,600 drops times 20 bullets divided by $34 = $.000116 per bullet.

So there ya go.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
OK. I have the 45/45/10, and BLL. Love them both. Also some pan lube stuff (can't remember/have to look). Having said all that, I am spooling up to use a used Lyman 450. I have 4 diff lube stick variaties for it - (Blue/Red/2500/and 50/50) - again, have to verify the maker. So, what is recommended for what? I stuck a red tube in for starters. Any direction would be appreciated. and not to hijack Ben's thread - I need to get specifics and start my own post.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Unless you have specific needs, high or low temps extreme, black powder, high velocity, or stuff like that then any lube will work. Stuff like carnuba red is a little better in bulk storage.

I can see why people really like PC after using it some. Clean, easy, and smoke free. Almost like shooting jacketed.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Agree with Brad. Any decent lube will do the standard stuff. When people find one that works well for them they talk it up. I'm still using 50/50 from a large order I made over 20 years ago. It still works. Smells like "cast bullets" to me too. ;) When you get into special situations then you start hunting that Holy Grail type lube.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Ben's Red has worked well for me in past years.
However , my cast bullet shooting in handgun and rifle is always with " moderate loads ". I'm not much for pushing the edge of the envelope.
A lot of different lubes would probably work just as well as my Ben's Red at those speeds.

Ben
 

JonB

Halcyon member
$7, huh
:headscratch:

If I were to figure in the hours I spent reading some of youse guys's research, gathering the goodies and cook'n 'em up...and priced my hours at Min Wage, I bet I'd blow past $7 per 1.5 oz.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Certainly , many ways to lube , size and load cast bullets.
 
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oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Ben - when I bought the 450 (used) I also was lazy and bought a bunch of diff lube sticks. Never worked up the Ben's Red, as really wasn't sure I would use the 450. Now that I am, I will look at that after the tubes I have are gone.
 

S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
Ben - when I bought the 450 (used) I also was lazy and bought a bunch of diff lube sticks. Never worked up the Ben's Red, as really wasn't sure I would use the 450. Now that I am, I will look at that after the tubes I have are gone.
That's a good plan. After using some of that commercial lube you'll probably have a good appreciation for Ben's Red. :cool:
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Ben - when I bought the 450 (used) I also was lazy and bought a bunch of diff lube sticks. Never worked up the Ben's Red, as really wasn't sure I would use the 450. Now that I am, I will look at that after the tubes I have are gone.

That will work............

Ben
 

Rally

NC Minnesota
I made 4 double batches of Bens Red. Scorched the first batch with too much heat so use it on slugs and buckshot. I don't foresee needing any lube in my lifetime. I did add some more beeswax than the recipe called for, to make it a bit harder. I've shot it to -17 and works for anything I'm doing. Thanks again Ben.