45 ACP lead bullet missing wax seal

[buddyd157]

so out of about 1,500 lead bullets that i bought, 1 is missing the blue wax(??) seal.

so that's not bad percentage wise for a "defect" of sorts.....

but, i hate waste, and for 1, i'm not going to return it to the shop where i got them from

can i use something else, anything else as a quick seal?

like automotive RTV, that is used in place of gaskets? (any color/temp type)

if any of you have had this issue, what "quick fix" did you do/use..??

thanks in advance to all




https://www.permatex.com/products/g...-ultra-red-rtv-silicone-gasket-maker-3-35-oz/

 

[FROGO207]

A bit of wax from a candle and some bees wax or vasoline heated and mixed. Then smear it into the lube groove.

 

[Rule3]

so out of about 1,500 lead bullets that i bought, 1 is missing the blue wax(??) seal.

so that's not bad percentage wise for a "defect" of sorts.....

but, i hate waste, and for 1, i'm not going to return it to the shop where i got them from

can i use something else, anything else as a quick seal?

like automotive RTV, that is used in place of gaskets? (any color/temp type)

if any of you have had this issue, what "quick fix" did you do/use..??

thanks in advance to all

View attachment 1130967


https://www.permatex.com/products/g...-ultra-red-rtv-silicone-gasket-maker-3-35-oz/

GOOD GRIEF! Don't use silicone RTV!!!

Bullet lube is a wax, not silicone rubber. Use some candle wax or paste shoe polish. Or do nothing

 

[mavracer]

Assuming you've shot a few and don't have a super dry clean barrel it isn't like one unlubed bullet is going to lead the barrel appreciably.

 

[deadeye dick]

GOOD GRIEF! Don't use silicone RTV!!!

Bullet lube is a wax, not silicone rubber. Use some candle wax or paste shoe polish. Or do nothing

I agree, It's only a lube groove. Shoot it thru, one dry slug will do no harm. it;s not a '"seal".

 

[AJC1]

If you are compelled to do something look into Lee alox. If you want a cheap fast option fill the grove with Crisco.

 

[1KPerDay]

Shoot it or throw it in the scrap/melt/casting bucket

 

[buddyd157]

GOOD GRIEF! Don't use silicone RTV!!!

Bullet lube is a wax, not silicone rubber. Use some candle wax or paste shoe polish. Or do nothing

ok first, i didn't know that groove was called a "lube groove"

i'll have to re-read the Lyman book, and see if it explains what that is...as i thought it was a "sealer" to keep the gases in.

 

[buddyd157]

Shoot it or throw it in the scrap/melt/casting bucket

i don't cast my own bullets, i only toss away brass i do not need nor use.

 

[mdi]

I have hand lubed some 38 Special bullets with chapstick. Rub the stick against the groove until full and finger smooth it out. Works great for a few low velocity/pressure handloads and nuttin' special to buy. Would work on 45 ACP too. Chapstick is available in any grocery/drug store. For easy cheap lubing a bunch of bullets liquid alox works quite well and a 1 qt. jug would last many years and thousands of bullets; https://www.lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=11. Or a small bottle of Lee alox; https://www.titanreloading.com/product/lee-liquid-alox-bottle/...

 

[Catpop]

I have hand lubed some 38 Special bullets with chapstick. Rub the stick against the groove until full and finger smooth it out. Works great fore a few low velocity/pressure handloads and nuttin' special to buy. Would work on 45 ACP too. Chapstick is available in any grocery/drug store. For easy cheap lubing a bunch of bullets liquid alox works quite well and a 1 qt. jug would last many years and thousands of bullets; https://www.lsstuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=11. Or a small bottle of Lee alox; https://www.titanreloading.com/product/lee-liquid-alox-bottle/...

Chap Stick- great idea for those countless tubes that end up in the bathroom drawer!

 

[Bfh_auto]

ok first, i didn't know that groove was called a "lube groove"

i'll have to re-read the Lyman book, and see if it explains what that is...as i thought it was a "sealer" to keep the gases in.

Good thing you asked.
Silicone wouldn't hurt anything. But it wouldn't really help either.
The other guys gave you a lot of good options.

 

[buddyd157]

Good thing you asked.
Silicone wouldn't hurt anything. But it wouldn't really help either.
The other guys gave you a lot of good options.

yeah, i always have like 47,000 tubes of chapstick during the winter...that'll work, better than nothing, and cheaper that that alox stuff for the little it'll be used.

it's only the 1 bullet, but i hate to waste it.

 

[Catpop]

ok first, i didn't know that groove was called a "lube groove"

i'll have to re-read the Lyman book, and see if it explains what that is...as i thought it was a "sealer" to keep the gases in.

The gas seal is the boolit/bullet to bore fit. And the groove is for the lube a lead projectile (boolit) requires to keep lead from coating the bore. You’re doing great here buddyd157. Keep it up!

 

[Soonerpesek]

The gas seal is the boolit/bullet to bore fit

Is that called obturation…?

 

[mcb]

Just load it as normal, throw it in the practice bucket. One bullet without lubrication is not going to hurt a thing.

 

[AJC1]

Is that called obturation…?

Opteration is the expansion of the rear or base of the bullet due to the pressure wave of expanding gasses. It is important to help prevent gas cutting of the base. Over hard bullets do not opterate correctly causing Gas cutting and leading. Proper fit reduces the need for opteration and allows for higher operational pressures prior to problems.

 

[AJC1]

ok first, i didn't know that groove was called a "lube groove"

i'll have to re-read the Lyman book, and see if it explains what that is...as i thought it was a "sealer" to keep the gases in.

Lube does help seal some of the ununiform sections of the barrel like little pits and the like. The primary seal is bullet fit and base opteration but the lube can act faster and more dynamicly than the lead for small bore irregularities. It needs to be similiquid to perform this function.

 

[GooseGestapo]

OB-turation

It’s a scientific/technical term from metallurgy.
Related to malleability, and ductility.
Properties of metals.

Before Alox was used with Beeswax for high pressure, high velocity lead bullets, beef tallow, and lanolin were used with Beeswax.

I’ve extensively used Crisco as a lube for black powder shooting. Works well in cooler climates.
Not so good in LasVegas, Nevada...
With black powder, it’s necessary for the lube to combine with the residue of combustion to soften it for both ease of reloading and eventual cleaning.

 

[thirty-eight]

I thought it was the name of a Milton Bradley game. My bad.

 

[Bwana John]

Steal one of you kids Crayons, color in the lube groove.
Load, shoot.

 

[gwpercle]

It's called 'Bullet Lubricant" and it goes in the " Lube Groove" .
No sealant ... Beeswax + Alox 50/50 mix .
Or Lee Liquid Alox ... roll the bullet in it for a tumble lube or mix with wax and fill groove ...
Melt wax and alox and dip bullet in it up to and including lube groove .
Several ways to lubricate a bullet ... but don't use Sealant .
Gary

 

[Palladan44]

Do you still have one primer left from the 100 pack? Since bullets come in packs divisible by 100s. If this Bullet was an extra and I had to tear into another 100 pack of primers, I'd be scrapping the bullet. It wasn't meant to be....

 

[buddyd157]

ok, well when i went to pick up my order of 2,000 45 ACP cast bullets, the store owner said it is no real issue, like so many of you said here. but someone also here mentioned i can use "lip balm" in the groove, and that's just what i did, and now, it's somewhere in one of the boxes of reloads i made last week.

thanks to all that gave advice, to this newbie reloader, it was most certainly appreciated.!!..