Am I foolish to think…

S

Steeltown Joe

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This question is from a friend of mine posted on our club forum and I just thought I would seek out some answers for him.

Thanks
Steeltown :)

Am I foolish to think…
that if I fill the” hollow”, of a hollow base bullet with Black Powder lube (e.g. SPG) that it will produce the desired effect of keeping the BP fouling soft (like a Burrito)?

And if a paper wad (cut from the cover of a calendar) is being used between the powder and the base of the bullet to keep the lube from contaminating the powder, will the wad prevent the lube from spreading?

I’m doing this because the bullet has no lube grooves, and I’d rather not have to resort to lubing the outside of the bullet while at the loading table during a match.

What-da- ya think ?
Does it seem like it has potential, or just a waste of time and lube?

More on the particulars of the load:
38 Long Colt Case
15gr FFF Black Diamond brand BP (loads without lube filling the “hollow”; 20gr BP, which are a wee bit compressed… not a “gamer load” for the case)
148gr lead HB wad cutter

Happy Trails,
Rowdy
 
Will the card wad act like a lid and contain the lube within the hollow base? You may have to capture some bullets and have a look. Why a bullet without a lube groove?
 
The force of ignition will push the card inside the hollow base forcing lube out as it goes down the bore. A card isnt really necassary unless lube is really runny. A stiffer lube would be better and not need the card.
 
I 2nd Hawg. Although i believe you are talking about pistol - I've used just plain crisco in the base of the minie balls (.58)I shoot in my muskets. I have even left a load in the rifle overnight, just to see if the crisco bleeds in to the powder and have never really had a problem with it (I've experimented with this a number of times in different temperature conditions). Of course, common sense dictates the stiffness of the lube. In hot weather, I do the same thing that Hawg mentioned. I make up a mixture of crisco and beeswax, using the beeswax as the "stiffiner". When skirmishing, I just used plain old crisco and it kept the fouling soft and allowed for easy reloading during a relay. Between relays, I'd clean the bore. I've never really tried (when using just plain crisco) seeing how many rounds I could get out of the barrel before it became too fouled to load easily. Since a lot of fellows "size" their minie balls, I suppose that would have some effect on it depending upon what the OD of the minie ball and the tolerance it had with the bore. All this probably doesn't help much with what you are talking about though. Good luck! Sincerely, bedbug :)
 
andrewstorm,
The OP is loading BP cartridges (.38 LC). I don't think he has the case capacity for Wonder Wads. There's also the long term BP contamination possibility. I love Wonder Wads and what they've done for BPCB shooting, but at a dime each, they've become a bit pricey.

bedbugbilly,
You weren't thinking of .38 LC's, either. I haven't heard of Crisco in a .38 can. :rolleyes:
 
Bedbug I use beeswax and crisco in the grooves of my minies unless I'm doing paper which I don't do very often but the 50th loads as easy as the first either way. I don't size mine, they come out of the mold at .577.

Zippy a set of 5 dollar punches from harbor freight and an old felt hat brings the price waaaay down.:D
 
The force of ignition will push the card inside the hollow base forcing lube out as it goes down the bore. A card isnt really necassary unless lube is really runny. A stiffer lube would be better and not need the card.
Click to expand...

+1

Make some small grease cookies and stick them in the hollow base, or even better pour it in the base while still hot and in liquid form.

Grease cookie= 1 part Paraffin, 1 part beeswax, 1 part oil. You can use olive oil, cooking oil, soy oil, Ballistol, just about anything. Heat and mix in a double boiler, pour out on a cookie sheet and allow it to harden. Adjust the amount of oil to get the consistency you want. I use a .45 case to punch out "cookies" I use these between powder and ball.
 
zippy de do da !

wool felt wads come lubed or unlubed at buffalo arms . com they only cost about 2 cents each,,or buy a punch and make your own out of waxed cardboard ,or an old hat also wool holds grease very well,suspends it if u will,when a dab is applied bullet side up,try it u like it,with 2o gr 777 fff:cool:
 
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Thanks to all. Here is what Rowdy posted on our club forum. Steeltown

I’m encouraged by what Hawg had to say, so I am “going there” (SPG lube in the hollow), and should have noted (so as not to look foolish for using a “no lube groove” bullets), that these 38 LC rounds are for a 36 cal. percussion pistol converted to cartridge, where bore diameter is larger than the .357 or .358 dia of 38 cal bullets, and the only HB bullets I could find, don’t have lube grooves.

Rowdy
 
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