?'s - Newbie learning w/ RCBS lubrisizer

Hello,
I've been searching for the answers, but haven't had any luck yet, so I thought I'd just ask.... sorry if they are "remedial" in nature!

Just starting casting a month or so ago..and quickly decided I wanted an RCBS Lubrisizer.

Q#1.) If you screw the Lube pressue too far, and the little plate "unscrews" at the bottom of the res, is there a simple way to get it out? Coat hanger? etc?

Q#2.) How frequently should you have to tighten the res. screw? How much pressure can it handle? (assume RCBS lube) Every boolit seems like a lot.

Q#3.) I have a gift cert. for Midway, which 3 or 4 lubes would you recommend trying?

Q#4.) Is it typical for lube to "leak" and get on the bottom of boolits?

Thanks a lot for your assistance!

I've answered your questions within the quoted text. Hope this helps you out a bit.

"QUOTE: Calpoly93

Q#1.) If you screw the Lube pressue too far, and the little plate "unscrews" at the bottom of the res, is there a simple way to get it out? Coat hanger? etc?

A: I never had this problem although I have screwed down the plunger and it ran out of thread, but I just turned the pressure screw the other way and the plunger simply screwed back on.

Q#2.) How frequently should you have to tighten the res. screw? How much pressure can it handle? (assume RCBS lube) Every boolit seems like a lot.

A: Depends on the amount of lube each bullet needs. A typical 45 auto bullet I turn the pressure screw about an 1/16th of a turn for each bullet so I don't over do things and end up with a bunch of lube on the bullet base. For large lube groove bullets it will take more. It is a "feel" type of method for me.

Q#3.) I have a gift cert. for Midway, which 3 or 4 lubes would you recommend trying?

A: Due to expense, I don't know care for the lubes found on midway and in my personal experience White Label Lubes are some of the best lubes made at a very reasonable price at I think $1.65 a stick as compared to $4-$6 at midway. There link is at the bottom of the page Lars' 45 Lsstuff. I would use my gift receipt for something else at Midway.

Q#4.) Is it typical for lube to "leak" and get on the bottom of boolits?

A: I tend to have a bit of lube that ends up on the bases of the bullets, not a lot but it is there on many occasions. I've always had this issue and simply wipe the bases off prior to reloading. Others may leave the lube on and I would be interested in see how many people wipe the bases off and how many just leave it on."

Calpoly93, Welcome Aboard,

1. It has been a while since I had mine apart; I don't remember the threaded rod screwing into anything at the bottom of the reservoir, I think you will have to dismount your LAM and take it apart to find out what is wrong.

2. It depends, I use Felix lube and it varies with the size of the bullet and the lube grooves. I bought my luber used and it came without the rachet wrench; I use an interchangable bit screwdriver handle. 32 cal pistol bullets don't take much lube, big 45 cal rifle bullets take a lot.

3. As stated I use FWFL and mix it myself, there are links at the bottom of the page for board members that sell lube. I really have no idea on the commercial lubes. Since it is such a pain to change lubes in a sizer; I would hand lube some bullets to try before filling the reservoir.

4. Yes. Some bullet designs are worse than others, notably bevel bases. It can take a lot of tweeking to get the depth of the bullet just right, to where you don't get a caliber sized plug of lube following your bullet out of the sizer. Once you get it adjusted correctly, it can still happen occasionally. However,even with the faults, a lube sizer beats pan lubing.

If you don't have the instruction book, you can download it from the RCBS website.

Don't give up, like any other skill there is a learning curve that we all had to go through.

Robert

Like yourself, I too started casting in the last month or so. Went with the RCBS lube/sizer also.
I found that I was turning the reservoir screw just a bit on every bullet. This was on a 115gr. 30 caliber bullet so it didn't take much lube.
I did get a bit of lube on the base initially, I 'think' that this may have been from to much pressure at the start as it wasn't an issue later on. I also adjust the depth some since the bullet was hard to grab/remove after sizing.
I believe I'm gonna try the White Label lubes next though. Can't give a definitive reason why other than the cost.

I agree with the rest. By your lube from White lable at Half the price and save your Midway gift card for something else.

If your not using heat, you might want to try WL BAC or 50/50

Everyone else stole my thunder but this is what I will add to the conversation.
Try calling RCBS Tech Support - they have been very very helpful to me in the past even if I screwed up with their stuff.

Give Lar's lube a try-cheap cost (don't know how he does it) and great performance. Just pick what you need for the boolit you are loading and forget it. His lubes work great!

As to leaking, do you have a heater set up on the luber? Sometimes when it is not too cold in the barn and the heater has been on for a while at full throttle you can get leaking with some lube mixes-if so, back off or shut off the heater.
If no heater then your lube may be too soft but I am just guessing as I have not yet experienced a leak without the heat on or perhaps a 110 degree day that heat soaked the barn up to 125.

Gary

I cut a peice of PVC 1/2" pipe 1/2" long & put it on my pressure screws so the plate won`t run off the threads .

But I keep a close watch on the resevior anyways.

+ 1 for lars 45 lubes!!!

Thanks for all the help guys!

I made a small hook out of a coat hanger and retrieved the lube plunger from the reservoir. I promptly utilized the tip from GP100man and the PVC pipe! That's a great idea

I ordered (and received) some White Label BAC, but I also acquired a heater, so I could get the Carb Red now too...

After I finish the RCBS lube on these Lyman 44's, I'll try the BAC. The RCBS seems interesting, it works with or without the heat.

RCBS pressure screw must work opposite from lyman.
This is good to know, just in case.

MORE Questions....
I am also casting 230gr. TC bullets from my Lee 6-cavity mold (NOT tumble lube).
AS I started to size them on the lubrisizer, (I changed the size die to 0.452") I noticed the driving band was seriously deformed... to the point of ugliness. So I measured the UNsized bullet (hasn't earned "boolit" status yet) and the SMALLEST one measured 0.460", most were over 0.462". The fresh- cast bullets look pretty good, so I don't understand what's going on...
Thanks guys!

Those would make great plinker boolits for a 45-70. I'll bet that they aren't 0.460+ all the way around though. I would check your alinement pins on the mold (are they lubed?) or see if there is a lead splatter between the blocks.

Merry Christmas

Jim