Another Bullet Making Question

F

Fla mac

Guest
Anyone,
I have been making 30 cal. bullets with a set of Blackmon dies for about 5 or 6 years. This is my question has anyone been able to lube your jackets before seating the cores and pointing your bullets by thumbing them. When I seat my cores I use an ink pad and roll the jackets to apply the lube. When I point my seated jackets I apply lube to my thumb and first two fingers and roll the seated jacket between my fingers. The problem with applying the lube this way is you get variations in the ogive to base length. After making the bullets I clean them with a towel, check them for ogive length and sort them by length. Is there any way to get away from the variations in the ogive length?

john
Mims, Fl.
 
We use a Thumbler Tumbler.

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/42...-_-pf_ci_google-_-pf_ci_google-_-pf_ci_google

We weigh out an amount of lube on a small square of plastic. Swipe the lube of the plastic with your finger and distribute the lube into a glass gallon jar so that it is a thin film on the inside of the glass jar. Pour your jackets into the jar and put the jar in the tumbler. We run the tumbler for an hour.

Small jars probably work just as well but this is just a guess since we use 1 gallon jars.

This is a great way to distribute the lube evenly to the outside of the jackets only.

Regards,
Eric
 
Lubing Jackets

We use the procedure as described by George and Eric except we weigh the lube on wax paper squares and purchased a tumbler which holds a J-4 plastic bucket ~ works quite well.

John, call me if I can assist further.

Bill

www.fowlerbullets.com

843-522-1651
 
John,

Base to ogive length variation may be something other than lube. Lube variation affects bullet OAL more so than it will affect base to ogive. Check to see if the pins in your press are rolling. Make sure none of them are broken or worn on one side. Sometimes the hole the pin rides in can be worn in a way that presents base to ogive variation. We put bushings in the RCBS presses we used to avoid or reduce this affect. We've found these to be major causes of base to ogive variation.

Regards,
Eric
 
are you using a blackman press or other? also being you are using steel dies and in florida you might look inside of die for some other issues...
 
All,
I am using a converted RCBS Rock Chucker. I checked the ram on top dead center and it was the same each time. On the Blackmon dies the die is in the ram and the punch is in the upper part of the press. I keep everything clean and oiled before and after I use them. I know the humidity in Florida is high so I oil the dies and put them in an air tight container when not being used.

john
Mims, Fl.
 
When you checked ram was it under load or free? I would look at upper pins as Eric said and for play in straps, I have changed to hardened ones to remove straps that were elongated..
 
John, it's impossible to have a consistent amount of lube (on each jacket) by finger application. This Thumblers Tumbler A-R12 is the first thing I bought after my dies arrived. It's a rubber hexagon barrel...I put 250 jackets in a small glass jar (think dill pickles.....slices or spears ;)) and just let 'em tumble around in there for 30 minutes.



Inconsistent lube amounts will cause inconsistent and 'drifting' shank/pressure ring diameters and base-to-ogive dimensions.

At about half the cost of 1,000 jackets, these tumblers are a must have for any bullet maker.

Good shootin'. -Al
 
Al,
You are right about the amount of lube on the jackets during bullet making.
The problem is I have steel dies which require more lube than carbide. I have heard many bullet makers using about 4 grs. of lube per 1000 jackets (carbide dies) but I don’t think that will work for steel dies. Maybe core seating core could use the tumbling processes, but will it work when you point up. I am trying to find someone that use steel dies that tumble jackets to apply lube.

Mike,
The way I have been shooting this year + or - a baseball field on a bullet ogive is good enough for me.
john
Mims, Fl.
 
John, my dies are Blackmons...just like yours. And yes, the lube amounts are different than carbide dies. But that's not a problem..it's just different.

Most guys have a little black book. ;) If you're a bullet maker, yours should look something like this:



Inside are notes and tidbits about every lot of jackets I've ever used...lube amts., core seating punch diamters, base-to-ogive measurements, you name it.



Are you using Larry's lube? -Al
 
Last edited:
Al,
I am going to try a J4 bucket with some jackets and lube see how it turns out. I do thank everyone for the help they have given me. Keep records, Keep records!!!!!!!!!!

john
Mims, Fl.
 
You may want to try Richard Corbins bullet lube.
Its really good lube and reasonable a pint will last a long long time.
 
Fla mac said:
Al,
I am going to try a J4 bucket with some jackets and lube see how it turns out. I do thank everyone for the help they have given me. Keep records, Keep records!!!!!!!!!!
john
Mims, Fl.
Click to expand...

John, I'd really advise that you use a glass jar. Plastic will 'hold' lube whereas in a glass jar the lube (after tumbling) will be evenly distributed. Again, it's about consistency. I've found it imperative to clean the inside of the glass jars with acetone or isopropol alchohol between uses. The lube will build up. Again....consistency. For lube, I've used R.G.'s recipe from Day One and mix my own from his formula.....works great.

Good shootin'. -Al

P.S. I'd be happy to furnish you some lube and lube amounts, provided you use the glass jars.
 
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