The only reason I lube them right before I am going shooting is so the lube does not mess all over the place. I make my own lube and it will soften some if it gets to warm. I really think the lube they put on the T/C maxi balls is a harder version of bore butter, it really seems to stick in there unlike bore butter out of the tube.

I have never heard of my friend having run into a problem with the liquid alox. After you coat the projectile and let the alox dry on them it looks more like a varnish then anything else. I have shot his projectiles and they shot fine.

I have not real fear of petroleum products. I swab with denatured alcohol, and I clean the gun with a petroleum based product. I am one of them that is not real concerned with seasoning the bore.