Copy of Lee precision EMail how to for Alox

[tackstrp]

At 02:59 PM 11/5/2009, I wrote:
> Does Lee Alox on the base of the bullet ruin or cause problems with the gun powder?
> Lots of negative posts one Cast Bullet forum


Lee preciision response.

> Lots of negative posts one Cast Bullet forum

As long as it is allowed to dry to a tacky finish, it has no effect on powder.

Liquid Alox Application

Best results in applying liquid alox are when the alox is heated before applying, or thinned with paint thinner. This makes it flow more easily, and results in a more even coat. One technique is to boil water and pour it into a coffee mug, and then drop the bottle of liquid alox into the mug for about five minutes.

Place your freshly cast bullets into something about the size of a Cool Whip bowl and drop a few drops of liquid Alox on the bullets. Mix the bullets around until they are all coated. Lay the freshly coated bullets on some wax paper to dry. Liquid alox will usually dry enough overnight to reload the next day, depending upon the humidity. Tacky bullets can be dusted with powdered graphite. Once properly lubricated, the shelf life of applied liquid Alox is indefinite.

If you subscribe to the "more is better" line of thought, your coated bullets may never dry. Don't go for a "golden" color but rather just a light varnish. If you discover that your bullets are sticky the next day, you can get by with using a little less the next time. Keep reducing until the "stickiness" is gone by the next day.

If you are sizing your cast bullets, it is necessary to lube them first. Because the sizer will remove some of the surface of a larger diameter bullet, you may need to re-lubricate the bullets after they have been sized.

Many of our bullets are of the "TL" or Tumble Lube design. These bullets have many shallow grooves that are perfect for allowing Liquid Alox to adhere to a great amount of surface. It has been reported that the accuracy of these bullets is high.

Bill
Tech Service

[dromia]

Lee is right, with Xlox less is more.

[sagacious]

That's a very professional and informative response from customer service.

Company reps who take the time to make sure the customer gets a complete and direct answer are few and far between. Kudos to 'Bill' in Tech Service at Lee Precision.

Nice to see that still happens these days.

[Phat Man Mike]

I have talked to Bill and Pat at Lee , very nice guy's and they seem to go out of their way to help.. I've had them ship me info and parts at no cost ! thats good C/S in my book!

[1hole]

"thats good C/S in my book! "

Mine too. From all the accolades some folks give other brands you would think good C/S is rare. I haven't found that to be true. Lee does as well as I could ask.

[dromia]

I'm glad that you gentlemen have had satisfaction from them because customer care is sorely lacking in their custom boolit mould operation.

[captaint]

Yes,and while it's true they get some neg comments here, they also get many great compliments here. I'm glad they're still at the top of the page. Mike

[DanM]

" Lay the freshly coated bullets on some wax paper to dry. " I say FOOEY on the wax paper. Use heavyweight aluminum foil, then you cal pick them up all at the same time and funnel them into a container for storage. Reuse the foil dozens of times instead of tossing out the wax paper with every use....

[Recluse]

Yes,and while it's true they get some neg comments here, they also get many great compliments here. I'm glad they're still at the top of the page. Mike

Agree, although why they're still here is beyond me, given some of the remarks and comments made a few folks who run this site.

I don't like everything Lee makes, but I'm also not going to be in the camp of, "Hey, we want your money and support, but please don't pay any attention to a few of our staff who continue to beat hell out of you and disparage you at every opportunity."

Quite frankly, I'd just as soon have zero corporate sponsors so that anyone can say/write anything they want about any brand/manufacturer without fear of that brand pulling their advertising or sponsorship.

" Lay the freshly coated bullets on some wax paper to dry. " I say FOOEY on the wax paper. Use heavyweight aluminum foil, then you cal pick them up all at the same time and funnel them into a container for storage. Reuse the foil dozens of times instead of tossing out the wax paper with every use....

Who tosses out the wax paper with every use? I've been using the same sheet of wax paper for the last six months.

[tackstrp]

I use screen wire strecthed on a frame then set on top of a large cookie sheet. I figure more will get dry. .

[dromia]

I use the same waxed paper taped to a board for resting the Xlox tumbled boolits on.

When it get claggy with White Label Xlox I give it a bit of heat with a hairdryer, scrape the stuff of and put it back into the Xlox container.

Waste not want not, even at White Label prices.

[DanM]

Given the inventive and resourceful nature of our members, I am sure that there are many effective drying methods in use for aloxed boolits. But, for those still using plain wax paper, can you pick up 300 or so boolits and funnel them into a container without tearing your wax paper? That is why I am using the foil. Just pick up 300 or so together after they are dry and dump them into a container. A simple solution that speeds the process a little....

[AZPaul]

How bad would it be to size with out lubing first?

[warf73]

How bad would it be to size with out lubing first?

I've sized in a lee threw sizer many times without lube but it was the same I cast the boolit. Tried it a few days after casting and the boolits went threw it rough almost like they were going to stick, so I gave up on that till I lubed them.

[Shiloh]

At 02:59 PM 11/5/2009, I wrote:
> Does Lee Alox on the base of the bullet ruin or cause problems with the gun powder?
> Lots of negative posts one Cast Bullet forum


Lee preciision response.

> Lots of negative posts one Cast Bullet forum

As long as it is allowed to dry to a tacky finish, it has no effect on powder.

Liquid Alox Application

Best results in applying liquid alox are when the alox is heated before applying, or thinned with paint thinner. This makes it flow more easily, and results in a more even coat. One technique is to boil water and pour it into a coffee mug, and then drop the bottle of liquid alox into the mug for about five minutes.

Place your freshly cast bullets into something about the size of a Cool Whip bowl and drop a few drops of liquid Alox on the bullets. Mix the bullets around until they are all coated. Lay the freshly coated bullets on some wax paper to dry. Liquid alox will usually dry enough overnight to reload the next day, depending upon the humidity. Tacky bullets can be dusted with powdered graphite. Once properly lubricated, the shelf life of applied liquid Alox is indefinite.

If you subscribe to the "more is better" line of thought, your coated bullets may never dry. Don't go for a "golden" color but rather just a light varnish. If you discover that your bullets are sticky the next day, you can get by with using a little less the next time. Keep reducing until the "stickiness" is gone by the next day.

If you are sizing your cast bullets, it is necessary to lube them first. Because the sizer will remove some of the surface of a larger diameter bullet, you may need to re-lubricate the bullets after they have been sized.

Many of our bullets are of the "TL" or Tumble Lube design. These bullets have many shallow grooves that are perfect for allowing Liquid Alox to adhere to a great amount of surface. It has been reported that the accuracy of these bullets is high.

Bill
Tech Service

Lee is right, with Xlox less is more.

Less is more. Cut this stuff and put on a THIN COAT ONLY. If one tries to completely fill the TL or conventional lube grooves, it is WAY to much.

If you put on lightly, it will dry to hard. To heavy and you create and invite problems and gumminess.

Shiloh

SHiloh

[jonk]

As someone said here, 'most problems with Lee products can be found out on the street- in the garbage can, the unread instructions.'

[50calshooter]

The fact that Lee's decaping pins are not replacable and I had to spend money to replace the entire stem and had the down time over 1 berdamed primer was enough for me to not buy there products. The Alox lube is good to cut with alcohol and make a case spray on lube lots cheaper than the Dillion and works every bit as good for resizing brass.

[alamogunr]

Less is more. Cut this stuff and put on a THIN COAT ONLY. If one tries to completely fill the TL or conventional lube grooves, it is WAY to much.

If you put on lightly, it will dry to hard. To heavy and you create and invite problems and gumminess.

Shiloh

SHiloh

I suspect that I'm not the only one who had to find that out for himself. I make mine from
Alox 606-55. I seem to always leave it too thick when I first mix with mineral spirits. Takes adding thinner about 2 more times before I get it right. I know! I should measure.

John
W.TN

[Recluse]

The fact that Lee's decaping pins are not replacable and I had to spend money to replace the entire stem and had the down time over 1 berdamed primer was enough for me to not buy there products. The Alox lube is good to cut with alcohol and make a case spray on lube lots cheaper than the Dillion and works every bit as good for resizing brass.

Sorry, but that is blatantly not true.

Lee's decapping pins are not only REPLACABLE, but damned hard to break or tear up.

I've lost count over the past thirty-plus years of how many berdan primed cases have inadvertently run through my Lee sizing dies, only to have the decapping pin simply push up, as it is designed to do and as it will do when set up as it is supposed to be--which every die I've had has been straight out of the box.

Now on the other hand, I've lost more RCBS, and other brands', decapping pins than I care to recall. Good news was that a single phone call had me another pin in the mail and headed my way.

I learned early on to keep spare decapping pins on hand for my re-sizing dies. And out of all of them, the Lee pins are the ones I've never had to use.

[Tazman1602]

OK I've got a question. The only TL design bullet I've had is a .44 I used to load for a .44 mag I used to have. I was taught by the old boy who taught me to cast twenty years ago NOT to size the TL design, just to load and shoot.

I've recently aquired a RD design 265 grain .44 TL design for .444 Marlin from Lee --- at a great price. It's dropping at .4315 or so and I have NOT slugged the ballard rifled Marlin I'd like to shoot it out of yet so don't have a handle on exactly what size my barrel is.

Question is should I size these down to .430 and lube them again as I have only RCBS lubri sizer or should I just lube them with LLA tumbled then load and shoot or am I asking for leading issues?

I've had great sucess with Lymans 300 grain FN in this .444 sized to .430 by the way.

Art