I seem to recall reading an article (don't remember where) that said that a guy fired some rifle rounds onto which he had unknowingly smeared some bullet lube. He stated that his fouling factor was zero.

Has anyone else heard of this practice? If so, how would you go about it?

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Happiness is a 200 yard bughole.

I remember reading in one of Julian Hatcher's books about soldiers putting lubricant on their jacketed bullets. Such caused pressure increases which led to blown bolts and reuptured bbls. Something I'd as soon avoid.

There are a variety of sources for "lubed" bullets. (1) Moly-coating is used by quite a few varmint hunters...It works to reduce fouling and seems to really keep barrels from getting hot as quickly. (2) Barnes offers their x-bullet with a blue coating for most of its calibers. (3) Arizona Ammunition offers a variety of bullets coated with what they call "UltraLube".
The common thread in all of this is the bullets are supposed to reduce fouling with some claiming the reduced friction reduces pressure for specific loads (and reduces velocity) BUT that by adding powder you can get additional velocity by going back to the original pressure.

Ditto fusilier - I would not attempt to experiment with �wet� petroleum based lubricants. Putting bullet lube on bullets can cause very high pressures. Stick with moly or other commercially available coated bullets.

Z

Powderman, I lubricate all jacketed bullets I load subsonic. And all jacketed for two of my rifles that otherwise get very copperfouled. Lube is LEE Tumblelube thinned with lampoil.

Of course too much lube is no good, but remember a degreased bore and not lubricated bullet is no good either.
Goran

Interesting. How thin is the mixture? Also, do you encounter any pressure signs with this practice? Do you lube as you're loading, or while at the firing line? Also, any problems with powder contamination?

Finally, how about accuracy? Noticed any difference?

Thanks!

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Happiness is a 200 yard bughole.

Powderman, I tumblelube the bullets in a mix of about one part lube and one part lampoil. I place the bullets in a plastic box together with just enough lubemix to get them wet when shaking the box. Then place them on a waxed paper to dry. This way I get a very thin layer of dry lube on the bullets. Cast bullets need thicker layer and still no problem with powder contamination.

I never load maxloads so even if pressure has gone up I wouldn�t have noticed any pressuresigns. But I am pretty sure it�s the same as with moly: Pressure going slightly down because of lessened friction.

I have not done much comparing lubed and unlubed accuracywise but what I found is no big difference in supersonic but better accuracy in subsonic. But every gun is unique and I remember a supersonic load giving three times bigger group unlubed. Also a 150 gr .308 lubed jacketed boattail bullet loaded backwards and subsonic that completely tumbled at 50 yds. Unlubed giving clean round holes.

Degreased bore and bullet is like a carengine without oil. A clean and unfired bore has enough lube left from cleaning, and after firing the powderresidue acts like lube. And most bullets have some form of lube from manufactoring. Sinclair handbook says all bullets, especially Hornadys need degreasing before coating with Moly.
Goran