I have a bunch of cast bullets (405 gr FP) from Oregon Trail. I plan to use Black Powder. When I contacted Oregon Trail to inquire about the lube used on the bullets they said that they did not recommend them for Black Powder. Any tricks on removing the lube and replacing it with a suitable Black Powder lube? I don't have a luber sizer. Any recommendations for lube?

You might try soaking/washing them in mineral spirits, or maybe lacquer thinner. As far as lube goes, SPG is a good ready made. Lots of lube recipes and info here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.co...php?58-Boolit-Lube-!

MrNick, I have a #3 Rolling Block in 45-70 that really likes the RCBS 45-500 BPS bullet, cast of 1:20. The lube I use is modified Emmert: I add one tube of RCBS Gunslick and one tablespoon of the old RCBS Case Lube-2 to the original Emmert recipe. The graphite in the Gunslick helps, in my estimation, and the Case Lube just adds to the "slickness".

I pan lube the bullets: stand them in a cake pan, pour the melted lube up to the top grease groove, and let the lube solidify until it is just slightly above room temperature, then push the bullets out. The lube stays in the grooves, and all is well.

When I do my part, this lube, and the bullet loaded in front of 27 grains of AA 5744 will cut holes at 100 yards. I think that is sufficient testimony to how well Emmert lube works, and it is a darned sight cheaper than SPG.

Google Emmert lube; the recipe is something like equal parts (1 lb. each....) of Crisco, beeswax, and Vaseline, but don't quote me on that; look it up to be certain.

Nick, why did they not recommend the bullets for black? Was it just the lube or are they of too hard an alloy? If they are too hard you might be wasting effort.

As far as removing the lube, when I do it I stand them up in a shallow pan I've saved for the purpose, there will be something of a mess in the pan, then place them on our electric stove in the basement....it's our canning/butchering kitchen stove so it's ok....it's pretty beat up....turn the burner on its lowest setting and watch. When the lube is melted out of the grooves remove the pan, using a pair channel locks to hold the edge, set aside and let cool. You'll have to clean off a bit of lube from the base of the bullets but it's a lot quicker than wiping it all of with a rag and a chemical of some kind.

When I contacted Oregon Trail I asked the lady who answered the phone if they knew what the lube was and if it was suitable for black powder. She put me on hold and went to inquire. Upon return she informed me that they bought the lube in bulk, didn't know the composition and it was not recommended for black powder. I suspect that it may of been of petroleum base which is fine for smokeless powder but not for black powder. It is a dark colored lube. Most of the black powder lubes I have seen are a light color. I did find in my notes a lube formula consisting of beeswax, anhydrous lanolin, and murphys oil soap that I have used in the past to lube wads for my cap and ball revolvers. That might work well for the bullets also using the pan lube method. BTW using the lubed felt wads over powder and lubing my cap and ball revolvers with olive oil I can easily put 50 balls through the gun with no barrel fouling and clean up is easy.

their lube is micro-wax with some carnuba thrown in.
if you want it off the boolits either melt it off at @150-f.
or put the boolits in a pan of boiling water.
let the water boil it off.
allow the water to cool down and remove the skin of wax from the top.
to make a good black powder lube take some bees wax add about 40% Crisco to it and add about 5% lanolin.
if it's a bit too hard add more Crisco or a little [1 tsp to 4 oz's of wax] olive oil.

just melt the b-wax and stir in the other ingredients by volume [mark -1 eyeball]
being a little off one way or the other isn't a big deal as you fix it after it cools down.

Lamar, I like your method better. I'm going to try to remember that.

Your lube should work just fine too. Good recipe!

Soda Springs!!! Son-of-a gun!! I used to live not terribly far east of you in Star Valley, Wy. Always enjoyed going over to the springs.

The black powder guys at my range use bacon grease. The longer I shoot the hungrier I get.

Jim

quote:

The black powder guys at my range use bacon grease.

They must be buying it, or are adding something else to it... the stuff that comes out of the skillet here at home would never be stiff enough to stay in the grooves without adding paraffin, beeswax, or something similar.

Another vote for Emmert or SPG.

Dutch

http://www.wahsatchdesperadoes..._to_BPCR_Loading.pdf

You can make your own lube, but it is not worth the bother when you can get SPG. Loading decent BP cartridges is different. There are things that you must do. Proper lube, drop tubes, compacting the powder, soft bullets and much more. If you don't you end up with no accuaracy and a severly fouled barrel. It is not difficult, just different. Read the above link.

With all due respect, SCOTA, bench rest cast bullet shooters were shooting "possibles" long before SPG was ever invented. They did it with Emmert, bear grease and beeswax, paraffin and Crisco, and a whole lot of other home-brewed lubes. SPG is too darned high and doesn't do anything that can't be achieved in other ways...

I will agree that there is a bit more to BPCR than normal handloading, but I was shooting very accurate loads with Emmert and my own 1:20 cast as far back as 15 years ago, when I really didn't know beans about the sport.

It just isn't that hard, and it darned sure isn't rocket science...

A coupla points come to mind that haven't been elaborated on much so far in this thread.
There are literally THOUSANDS of home-brew lube recipes available. I like Emmert's. I also like SPG, but don't wish to pay the high price for it.
All that said...if the alloy of those bullets you have is TOO HARD...they won't obturate efficiently and your lube won't matter. If they have been SIZED too small for your bore...your lube won't matter.
One final point about bullet design. Bullets designed for shooting BP typically have the ability to carry a LOT of whatever lube you choose to use. smokeless designs not so much.
Good luck.