I'd like to ask the board about their expierience with Midway Powdered Mica.

This stuff is billed as a good product to use for coating bullets after they have been lubed. The deal is that the powdered mica keeps the lubed bullets from sticking together in the storage container.

I've had this very problem of lube sticking bullets together and when I remove the bullets from the box for use the lube comes out of the grooves and makes re-lubing necessary in one fashion or another.

How does the mica work? Does it affect the performance of the lube once the bullets are fired? If so, how?

I need information!

Good aftrnoon,
Forrest

Forrest, I use the mica on liquid alox lubed boolits. It does what it promises, and keeps them dry to the touch and they don't stick together. Let the alox dry before using it, though, because it really soaks up the moisture.

It's a real soft, fine powder, similar to talcum powder. I put it in an old pepper shaker to coat the aloxed boolits when they're dry, and just roll them around a little to make an even coating.

Grumble:

Thanks for the post.

Anyone else?

Forrest

Have you tried a hard lube like red rooster? There are a lot of different brands available and a heated base will work on most bullet Luber Sizers. I bought all the lube C&H they had years ago, probably 50 sticks and I also bought a heated base for my Star Luber Sizer. I don't mess with the soft lube anymore and because of it my wife is a lot happier. She use to help me clean the stuff off after I had loaded the rounds (38spc mostly). She likes to shoot as much as I do.
Swede44mag

I found it necessary when using Lyman Super-Moly lube. That stuff would show up on your next-born child. Since using FWFL it isn't used as much. My bullet storage is in ziplock baggies inside coffee cans until loaded and I dust the lubed bullets with mica and swirl or toss until it looks coated. IMHO this is too fine or used in such a small amout that barrel erosion is non existant. Gianni.

I use this stuff on my cast pistol bullets lubed with my home made mix of beeswax and Vasaline and it works just fine to keep them from sticking together.

Swede44mag:

S: Have you tried a hard lube like red rooster?

F: Nope.

This is because I firmly believe that lube should go no further downrange than the powder smoke: I don't want any lube on the bullets at all once they're clear of the muzzel. There is too much chance that some may be blown off and some remain on the bullets. This would cause an unballanced condition and accuracy would suffer, especially at long ranges such at 600, 800 and 1000 yards.

Good evening,
Forrest

Hard lubes, shot with auto pistols, have the advantage with ultra clean ammo. At 50 feet, any lube flyoff won't be noticed, especially during offhand courses of fire. At 100 yards, you can always tell something is wrong with a boolit out of a BR gun, and taking chances with with any kind of flyoff is nuts when ultra small targets are at stake. I can only imagine what could happen out at 600 yards, even if the target is the size of a tank. ... felix

Yes, Forrest, I apply motor mica to the mix when making lube for ugly revolters which are out of time. No, I don't coat the boolits with it, but instead imbed it in the lube. It works as intended, but so does hominy grits. Both do a quasi sand blasting dealie. ... felix

Forrest,

I also use it on Liq Alox lubed bullets- it works.

I also use it occasionally for case necks and misc. shotgun stuff. BTW, Precision Reloading used to have the best prices on mica.

Does anybody know what the stuff was originally made for? Motor oil additive or...?

BH

Felix:

Fe: I apply motor mica to the mix when making lube for ugly revolters which are out of time..

Fo: Wow!

I have been having a long exchange with Mustafa Curtess about mica. He coats his bullets with the stuff and claims great things as per accuracy, resistance to leading and helping out in revolvers
that have cylinder throats smaller than barrel grooves.

He has talked me into getting some of the stuff, but my idea was to mix it into the lube as you say you've tried out already. I'll be giving it a try this very evening, using both methods to check performance.

Yes, I too use Grits fairly regularly in several straight-case loads, including 45LC.

I have been shooting 45LC rather more than usual these past months since I got my Ruger Old Army fixed up with the Taylor's & Co cartridge cylinder. This item works first rate and gets me out there at Cowboy shooting when I get the chance.

.. Yes, the long range shooting with hard lube is not favorable.

For example, our "tie-breaker" target for the Buffalo Rifles here in Sheridan is a 2'X 2' Diamond set at 834 yards right along side the 4'X 4' regular target. When conditions are good and hitting the 4X4 becomes too easy we switch over to the Diamond to separate the riflemen from the wanna-bes.

Thanks for the post, good evening,
Forrest

I never thought about the lube coming off and affecting the accuracy at long distances. I have noticed with my 44mag 10" Dan Wesson that hard lubed cast bullets don't group as good as jacketed bullets at 100yrds shooting from a bench with bags. I just figured that jacketed was better. I will try some soft lubed bullets at the same distances. Thanks for the heads up. What type of gun are you shooting at 600yrds or more with cast bullets? Sounds like a real challenge.

Swede44mag:

S: I never thought about the lube coming off and affecting the accuracy at long distances.

F: I'm convinced that this is a factor in long range shooting.

S: What type of gun are you shooting at 600yrds or more with cast bullets?

F: The rifles used are my old Red Willow Ballard replica in 45/70, a FBW singleshot in 44/63 and a new Stevens 44 1/2, also in 44/63.

I shoot nothing but smokeless loads in these rifles, which is permitted (I do not say encouraged) for the shooting in my area.

We shoot anywhere from 220 yards right on out to 1000 with these rifles and others (mainly Sharps replicas) year-round.

Good afternoon,
Forrest

Hello Forrest, I've been using the Midway mica for years on all of my Javelina lubed boolits, works as advertised. Before that I used talcum powder to keep the boolits from sticking togethor and that worked just as well.

The subject of lard lube chunks sticking to a boolit is interesting, I don't like hard lubes for other reasons so I'll just stick to Javelina or Felix's lube. I've been doing some long-range shooting in an old Mauser, using Buckshot's heavy "El Supremo" at 235 grains. Farthest I've tried has been about 600 yds, the bullet is stable and accurate to that point. I'm launching them at around 1900 fps using 4895. Lot's of fun waiting and waiting to spot the bullet strike way out there.

Regards from duke.

Nevada Duke:

Darn, I didn't mean to hit that key!

ND: I've been doing some long-range shooting in an old Mauser, using Buckshot's heavy "El Supremo" at 235 grains..

F: I have loaded the old M1903 Springfiled and the old battle sight, loaded with 311284 and fired it at long range with the fellows shooting the purpose-built Sharps. I did reasonably well. The accuracy of the bold gun is as good or better than the big bore rifles. The old battle sight is the problem though since it has a much shorter sight radius.

Good evening,
Forrest

FAsmus--I've used Midway's Mica for years on sticky lubes to solve the problems you've mentioned. Works great! Also this stuff is great to use as a case lube when only neck sizing.--Shuz

Anyone tried using it for case lube for full length sizing 45-70 cases? I was pondering this last night at 3am when I couldn't sleep.

Ian

There are various types of micas, which are rocks in the truest sense. Most micas are not the motor type, which means two plates of material can easily slide back and forth over a material in between. The motor refers to the fact that a piece of rock scoots on itself with the slightest pressure without breaking up. (Well, it does, but microscopically). ... felix