Anyone Use Liquid Alox For Muzzleloader Cast Bullet Lube ?

[Deep Creek Rock]

Last month I got a few gift cards for Cabelas. I ordered a bunch or reloading supplies, including the "Lee Modern Reloading" Second Edition manual.

In the muzzleloader cast bullet section - I seen the article about using liquid Alox as a cast bullet lube for muzzleloaders, and how it is superior to traditonal lubes. Ive always used Bore Butter for muzzleloaders, and it served me well, but in the Summer when target shooting - its gets real runny. Alox would seem like a logical choice - since I already have enough of it on my loading bench. Plus the Alox'd bullets can easily be carried in a container when hunting.

I was always told not to use Petro based products with black powder & pyrodex, as it forms a corrosive tar that is difficult to remove. Alox seems to be a petro based product.

Has anyone used it for muzzleloaders, with a bare non sabot cast bullet and did it work for reducing/eliminating lead fouling? Is the residue difficult to remove with standard muzzleloader cleaning chemicals (I use T/C 13). I plan on trying it with my self cast Lee R.E.A.L. bullets.

I may try a bunch next time I get my inline at the range, and see how it fairs up to Bore Butter.

[epps1919]

I use Alox on my Gatling Gun round balls and it works great and in my smooth bore 69cal 1842 Springfield. Never had any problem cleaning or loading.

[SOMDSHOOT]

I tried the Alox on some REAL's and about all I got was a gummed up barrel. I stick to sabots and don't even bother with the REAL's any longer.

[Deep Creek Rock]

Originally Posted by epps1919

I use Alox on my Gatling Gun round balls and it works great and in my smooth bore 69cal 1842 Springfield. Never had any problem cleaning or loading.

Sounds likes its worth a try. Im gonna alox a small container pack of REALs and see how they do. I dont want mess around with Sabots.

The Alox on smokeless handgun bullets works excellent. Ive got zero leading in my barrels with it. Alot easier then messing with a lubrisizer.

[SOMDSHOOT]

Originally Posted by Deep Creek Rock

Sounds likes its worth a try. Im gonna alox a small container pack of REALs and see how they do. I dont want mess around with Sabots.

The Alox on smokeless handgun bullets works excellent. Ive got zero leading in my barrels with it. Alot easier then messing with a lubrisizer.

I've tried to digest the theory of the REAL bullet and I have to assume these are considered a "tumble lube" bullet from the start ? I have a box full of them and I have no intentions of using them. I did shoot about 20 of them, but, not in to the bullet itself. Nothing against it, just do not prefer it.

I do use sabot, BUT, I only use the Harvester Crush Rib sabots, which compared to the plastic "Green" Knight/Hornady sabots, the Harvesters don't leave plastic behind in the barrel.

[Deep Creek Rock]

Well today I tested out my cast Lee REALs using Alox, instead of the usual bore butter.

Im glad to say the Alox worked perfect!

I did not wipe down the bore once at the range, as the Lee REALS, clean the fouling when you go to seat them. The Alox'd bullet were no more difficult to seat then using bore butter.

Gave my 700ML a good cleaning when I got home. The cleaning patch actually pulled up less fouling (very little in fact!), after flushing out the barrel with hot water, then using the bore butter on the bullets. Looked down the barrel - and it was nice and shiney with no signs of lead buildup.

The bore butter still will be used to wipe and store the gun for protection like I have always done.

[Erno86]

May I suggest that you try 2/3 Butter Crisco and 1/3 pure beeswax mixture, or a bit more Crisco in cold weather.

[SOMDSHOOT]

Originally Posted by Erno86

May I suggest that you try 2/3 Butter Crisco and 1/3 pure beeswax mixture, or a bit more Crisco in cold weather.

You just made BoreButter...

[SOMDSHOOT]

Originally Posted by Deep Creek Rock

Well today I tested out my cast Lee REALs using Alox, instead of the usual bore butter.

Im glad to say the Alox worked perfect!

I did not wipe down the bore once at the range, as the Lee REALS, clean the fouling when you go to seat them. The Alox'd bullet were no more difficult to seat then using bore butter.

Gave my 700ML a good cleaning when I got home. The cleaning patch actually pulled up less fouling (very little in fact!), after flushing out the barrel with hot water, then using the bore butter on the bullets. Looked down the barrel - and it was nice and shiney with no signs of lead buildup.

The bore butter still will be used to wipe and store the gun for protection like I have always done.

I wonder if there would be any advantage to double-dipping those REAL's in Alox. Let it dry and then do it again to build up the coating of Alox ?

[Deep Creek Rock]

Originally Posted by SOMDSHOOT

I wonder if there would be any advantage to double-dipping those REAL's in Alox. Let it dry and then do it again to build up the coating of Alox ?

I did double coat the bullets, in fact usally you have to with other bullets (ones used in reloading not MLs bullets) when you resize them in a sizing die. For handgun bullets a light coat is all that is needed. But in this case being a ML bullet, I went heavier.

But you also do not need to pack the bands full of Alox lube either - their technically not lube bands, but used to control expansion, and to scrape clean the bore when you set them.

The Alox worked perfect, and makes a day of shooting at the range less messy. No lube allover your fingers and hands, or a lube that runs during hot weather.