My hair brained Graphlox lube

Awhile back, I posted about using White Label Lubes 'Xlox' and graphite to lube boolits. I've gotten a few PMs asking about it, so I'm going to tell you how I do it. My method is not absolute, but it works for me.

After the boolits are sized and checked I put them in a pot. I dribble a LITTLE BIT of Xlox over them and swirl them thoroughly until I'm SURE that they all have a complete but light coat of Xlox. I found that it's easier to apply a bit more than remove excess. For what I'm doing, it doesn't take much.

I use a spare Lee 1.6 CC scoop to measure out the graphite. I sprinkle the graphite over the boolits and spread it as evenly as I can. I swirl the boolits in the pot again for a coupla' minutes. I'm trying to get all the graphite evenly distributed over the boolits. How do you know when you have enough? When the boolits are black and that's all! You DON'T want to develop a build up.

When I'm satisfied that I have a very sparing application of graphite evenly applied, I lay the pot down and walk away to let the Xlox dry. I tried pouring the boolits out on a tray in the beggining and found that too much movement causes the graphlox to smear unevenly.

Below is a photo of some .225 62 grain checked, sized and lubed boolits that have dried for almost 24 hours. They're ready to load.

they look good.

how do they shoot?

what I hand-load; 45 acp; 223 rem(5.56mm); 22-250 rem; 243 win; 30-30 win; 308 win; 45-70 gov.

"You might be a gun nut if you load 45-70 on a progressive press" -HICKOK45

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Si vis pacem, para bellum

So far, so good. I ran out of decent weather last fall when I started load development work with Graphlox. I'll be starting up again soon to pick up where I left off.

The graphite does become deposited in the barrel, but on a microscopic level. You can see the black in the barrel, but it's not built up. It's just a very shiney black bore. I've had no problem cleaning the bore using standard methods.

I have recovered several of the boolits I fired and the graphite is still on them, even in the rifling engravings on the boolit. That tells me the graphite is hanging with the ride down the bore.

When I get started doing more testing, I'm going to push some Graphloxed boolits hard to see if I can find a fail point. Unfortunately, I don't have a chrony, so I won't be able to report velocities.

jim try it in a baggie it will be easier to distribute the graphite.

it's all an educated guess,,,, till the trigger is pulled.

the more i find out about shootin boolits, the more it contradicts everything i ever learned about shooting jaxketed.

I'm glad you brought this back up Jim. I'll be following with interest. Your blog is awesome as well. I have learned alot from it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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