Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) Howdy, Building up my gear to start reloading BP soon. Went looking for Big Lube molds: .38 Special and .45 Colt (maybe .4570 also). Seems they're out of business. Any ideas on similar molds? Solutions? Here's one idea I have. Please feel free to give your opinion, as y'all have experience here that I do not... I have heard about using lube wads, but compressing will usually squeeze the lube into the powder. So do you think this will work: Card between bullet and powder (like paper plate material) Drop of something like white glue over that to seal it. Putting in the lube wad/cookie on top, but out of the freezer. This would keep the lube in the wad (frozen) from squishing out when compressed. Note: If this technique works, and if I am the first one to think of it, I expect to be placed in the SASS hall of fame and my image to replace the SASS Cowboy on every logo. Also, when I attend any SASS matches, all present must do a jig: violently dancing while screaming "Yee-Yeee Partoski-Poo Poo" and firing their pistols into their shooting carts. (only one handed allowed). Edited January 25 by Bisley Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) I've used the lubed wad on 45-70 when using round balls. I put a .060 veg card between powder and wad and stored them nose down. After shooting some into a target against a snow bank months later; I found that the wads stuck to the bullet! Had extra holes in the target and found the balls in a neat little pile in the spring with some of the wads still stuck to them. Desperado Cowboy Bullets has standard bullets with BP compatible lube. Ok for pistol, but shy on lube for a rifle. Edited January 25 by Eyesa Horg Added text 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Custom Bullet Molds | Accurate Molds I use BP, veg wad, 50/50 crisco/beeswax, coated bullet. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 Thanks for the replies! I will certainly check out Desperado Cowboy Bullets and Custom Bullet Molds! What do you think of freezing the cookie to help with seating/compression without squeezing out the lube? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 Do y'all use a standard bullet size for .45 and .38, or do you have to check the bore size of each gun? Looking at ordering bullets and maybe a mold-just want to be sure. THanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) @Dallas McBoomboom is also dabbling in the big lube bullets! He is in Indiana. He’s a great cowboy! Loads of fun to shoot with and excellent person all around! Hugs! Scarlett Edited January 25 by Scarlett 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 2 minutes ago, Scarlett said: @Dallas McBoomboom is also dabbling in the big lube bullets! He is in Indiana. He’s a great cowboy! Loads of fun to shoot with and excellent person all around! Hugs! Scarlett Great! Thanks! I'll see if I can reach out. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 1 hour ago, Bisley Joe said: Thanks for the replies! I will certainly check out Desperado Cowboy Bullets and Custom Bullet Molds! What do you think of freezing the cookie to help with seating/compression without squeezing out the lube? I don’t see how the lube could squeeze out anywhere. 50 minutes ago, Bisley Joe said: Do y'all use a standard bullet size for .45 and .38, or do you have to check the bore size of each gun? Looking at ordering bullets and maybe a mold-just want to be sure. THanks. Nope, at the range we shoot at I don’t bother much with bore size. If it were long range I might, but probably not. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 How did we get by 150 years without big lube bullets? I still don't use them. I have an old stock of Javilina bullet lube that's served well for 50+ years. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 Great points! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 (edited) What bullet weights do y'all use for SASS in .38 and .45 Colt? I'm looking to load up for CAS and also for a woods gun. I figure the woods rounds should be heavier, hard cast. Truncated cones I figure will feed better in lever actions, so that's probably the best shape overall. Edited January 25 by Bisley Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 125gr for .38s 165gr or 180gr for .45s 160gr or 180gr for .44WCF or .44 Russian Desperado Cowboy Bullets do work pretty good with BP. But I mostly use Scarlett’s coated bullets for everything. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 3 minutes ago, Tyrel Cody said: 125gr for .38s 165gr or 180gr for .45s 160gr or 180gr for .44WCF or .44 Russian Desperado Cowboy Bullets do work pretty good with BP. But I mostly use Scarlett’s coated bullets for everything. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 Any advantages going with a truncated cone vs round nose flat point? I'd like these rounds to also serve as possible self defense, though for the woods I thing it's better to just get some Buffalo Bore and carry my Ruger Bisley Vaquero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Dust SASS 75484 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 I use 140 grain for 38 and fill the case pretty close to the top and compress. I get the bullets from Missouri bullet company and they put BP lube in them. You have to email them and make a speical request as they sometimes dont have in stock. Good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Joe, If you decide to try Desperado, send me a PM with your email and I'll scan and send you a gift cert for $25 off on a thousand. Will cover shipping at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 19 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said: Joe, If you decide to try Desperado, send me a PM with your email and I'll scan and send you a gift cert for $25 off on a thousand. Will cover shipping at least. Thank you! Damn it. I ordered a few minutes before reading this. I may order more and take you up on that. THank you! I appreciate that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 3 minutes ago, Bisley Joe said: Thank you! Damn it. I ordered a few minutes before reading this. I may order more and take you up on that. THank you! I appreciate that. I think it's good til the end of March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 4 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said: I think it's good til the end of March. Cool. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 I went with 125 grain 38 and 200 grain 45, truncated cone. I will likely get a heavier 38 and 45 next time. Just want to experiment. Got Swiss ff powder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 I can't help on 38s & BP... but BP with the 45 Colt and general rifle loading, I can offer up what I do. 45 Colt rifles, I use a bullet I cast from a RCBS 45-225-CAV mold, it has a great lube groove which carries enough lube for my 24-¼" rifles. For pistols I load the C45S with either Goex or APP and a 160 grain cast bullet from Badman bullets, absolutely no need for that big 45 case in the handguns at SASS distances. (Not really needed in the rifles, but takes a special carrier to adapt a toggle link to use the short case). For the 45-70, using Goex, I compress my powder using a compression die. then a "waxed card" wad (think old paper milk jug, then either a lubed wool wad or a grease cookie and a 405 grain RFN bullet that I size & lube with SPG. This gives me plenty of lube for the 26" bbl on my 1886. In my rifles I'm not using a "hard cast" bullet, and compressing the load with the bullet stands a good chance of deforming the nose. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Sheridan Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Accurate moulds has a number of “big lube” style moulds in their catalog. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefro, SASS#69420 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 The best way now is to go back to how we used to do it when Dick Dastardly ordered from Lee. Get a group buy together with Lee six cavity molds. May need to send them an unsized bullet if they no longer have the specs. Set up was $100 then $65 per mould, I forget what the min order was. If anyone wants to set up a buy of the .32 caliber I'm in, that's the only one I don't have. JefroRelax-Enjoy The waaaaay back time machine 105 gr. 38 sp/9mm Big Lube(tm) bullet mould Group Buy (cascity.com) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Someone a while ago posted a chart showing a bunch of available molds. It might be the Accurate molds listed above in previous posts. There were some molds that looked like they'd hold plenty of bp lube similar to the Big Lube Bullets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisley Joe Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 On 1/25/2024 at 4:09 PM, Griff said: I can't help on 38s & BP... but BP with the 45 Colt and general rifle loading, I can offer up what I do. 45 Colt rifles, I use a bullet I cast from a RCBS 45-225-CAV mold, it has a great lube groove which carries enough lube for my 24-¼" rifles. For pistols I load the C45S with either Goex or APP and a 160 grain cast bullet from Badman bullets, absolutely no need for that big 45 case in the handguns at SASS distances. (Not really needed in the rifles, but takes a special carrier to adapt a toggle link to use the short case). For the 45-70, using Goex, I compress my powder using a compression die. then a "waxed card" wad (think old paper milk jug, then either a lubed wool wad or a grease cookie and a 405 grain RFN bullet that I size & lube with SPG. This gives me plenty of lube for the 26" bbl on my 1886. In my rifles I'm not using a "hard cast" bullet, and compressing the load with the bullet stands a good chance of deforming the nose. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coconino Pistolero, SASS # 72432 Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 I use a NOE mould for .44 wcf. It is marked 432 200 gr RF. It was a special order about 10 years ago. They have a 432-216-RF-Z1 that is similar with a good lube groove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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