Are Speer bullets lubed?

[PolarFBear]

Bought a box of 500 Speer 38's. I did not open the pack of 500, just relied on the factory box photo. When I opened the package the bullets had no lube in the lube grooves! I checked the Speer web site and no real answer. They are Speer 38/158 SWC HP #4628. The box says "swaged", "perfect for plinking" and "triple hard lubed". They are a medium to dark gray in color and definitely seem to have been coated with something. I was just surprised at no lube in the grooves of a factory bullet. Are they good to go as is; or should I lube them? If I do lube it will be with Lee Liquid Alox.

 

[reddog81]

I've never tried those specific bullets but the pics online would indicate they are the same as the 148 hollow base wadcutters that I have used.
These bullets have a "dry" lube that coats the entire bullet. Hornady has a similar coating for their swaged bullets. These are soft lead meant for target loads.
They will be fine as long as you don't push them too fast.

 

[ligonierbill]

I have fired a bunch of the Speer swaged SWCHP. Never added lube, never had a problem. One of my favorite bullets.

 

[TimSr]

They are lubed, just not wax in the groove type.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Are they good to go as is; or should I lube them? If I do lube it will be with Lee Liquid Alox.

They're dry-lubed. Run as-is.


And... Alox isn't a lubricant. It's a corrosion inhibitor. (Or, "anti-corrosion sealant," if you prefer.)
Keep that in mind as you coat bullets with it, and read the praise lauded upon it by bullet casters.
It's about like using a water-displacing compound as a gun cleaner and lubricant....






(That last one is a reference to WD-40.)

 

[PolarFBear]

Thanks to all, I will proceed to the loading bench and the Dillon 550b directly. And spend a pleasurable afternoon in lead therapy; avoiding the T-day preparations from the "head lead".

 

[T. O'Heir]

Swaged means they were formed out of soft, pure lead, wire. Usually with graphite on 'em. No additional lube is required.
Really daft putting a hollow point into a lead bullet. They hit something hard and they expand dramatically anyway.

 

[dahermit]

And... Alox isn't a lubricant. It's a corrosion inhibitor. (Or, "anti-corrosion sealant," if you prefer.)
Keep that in mind as you coat bullets with it, and read the praise lauded upon it by bullet casters.

Tallow is not a lubricant either...it is a natural fat that accumulates on animals to store energy and was used to lubricate bullets. So it would seem that what a substance "is", is a moot point...it is a matter of what it can be used as. Note: the NRA formula 50/50 Alox has successfully been used as a cast lead bullet lubricant for many years. Bullet lubricants need not involve rocket science.

 

[Jim Watson]

Can you get Alox 2138F any more? I have read that it was no longer made and you get a different product in your Alox-beeswax bullet lube now.

 

[PolarFBear]

Loaded 150 rounds with no incidents with 4.2 grains of Winchester W-231. I did have a bit of a struggle setting bullet depth. These bullets have two cannelures, one very small one below the shoulder and a "real" cannelure just above the bottom grease groove. If I set to the "real" cannelure COL exceeds 1.550. Perhaps these bullets are for use in a magnum as well. Just seems a soft swaged bullet would not be a match in a magnum load.

Another oddity: I referenced Lee, Speer, Lyman, Winchester and my own diary for a suitable charge of W231. Lee stated never to exceed 3.9 grains. The other three listed 3.9 grains as about their starting load. I was surprised at the disparity. I have heard Lee does not test it's own loads just reprints others' data. I have loaded as low as 3.2 grains and they were really "wimpy". I am not looking for a "killer" load - just a good push back.

Thanks all.

 

[dahermit]

Can you get Alox 2138F any more? I have read that it was no longer made and you get a different product in your Alox-beeswax bullet lube now.

I read somewhere on a cast bullet forum that Alox 2138F is no longer made, but another one of the available Alox products could be combined with some kind of wax (some microcrystalline wax? unfortunately I cannot remember which wax it was), could be added to it and arrive at Alox 2138F...and then 50% beeswax could be added to get NRA 50/50 formula.