Author Topic: Lubing cases? (Read 2092 times)

JimG · « **on:** February 03, 2012, 11:11:26 AM »

Looking at the wide variety of options for case lubes. It seems as though there are two kinds, oil/wax based that contaminates powder/primers and water based that does not harm powder but can rust your dies. I don't want rusted dies but I also really don't want to go through what some reloaders are going through to clean the oil/wax based lubes off resized cases. Like re-tumbling or washing cases in solvents, etc. Seems like some of these simply can't be wiped off. And where does the mica based inside neck lubes fall into all of this? I thought I would just buy the Lee lube and rub some on the outside and use a q-tip to put a small amount on the inside of the neck but folks are complaining about the Lee lube rusting their dies??!! Give me some ideas for a failsafe and easy way to lube the cases for full length re-sizing that would harm powder and won't rust dies.

timothy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2012, 11:35:21 AM »

The lee lube works fine for me. After wiping the cases off they look tumbled. Clean out your dies when your finished to avoid buildup and rust.

oldandslow · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2012, 12:47:57 PM »

I have been using the wax based spray on lube for years without any problems at all. I do wipe them with a rag after loading. They will take ink from a marking pen after that so I can keep up with what's what.

hillbill · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2012, 01:43:10 PM »

for years ive used marvel mystrey oil as a case lube. several drops on a cloth pad and roll the cases on it. normally i would just rinse the cases in hot soapy water and let them dry. but if i was in a hurry i would just wipe them off with a clean rag and go to the next step.it seems to have some solvent in it and will evaporate somewhat over time.

Swampman · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2012, 01:49:51 PM »

I like Lee lube and I don't do anything to the dies. No rust yet.....

hillbill · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2012, 01:59:55 PM »

swampman reminded me, i dont do anything to my dies either.occasionally i will spray a little carb or brake cleaner in them and blow them out with air. but very rarely and only when im bored.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2012, 03:35:11 AM »

RCBS case lube is water soluble and simple to use. After sizing, say 500 or 1,000 cases, I wash the cases in hot water, roll them on a towel, let them air dry or put them in the oven if I need them right now. I use mica to lube case mouths and bullet bases. Works for me in over fifty thousand rounds made. Never ever had a die get rusty. Hmmmmm....these others you speak of must be doing something else.

RobertInIowa · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2012, 11:32:33 AM »

RCBS lube works great and a little goes a very long ways.

anachronism · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2012, 11:46:59 AM »

Dillon spray case lube. It's essentially just lanolin dissolved in alcohol. Throw the cases in a plastic bag & pump a couple 2 or 3 shots in. Close the bag & swish the cases all around for a bit, then pour our on a clean surface. Let it sit a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Size normally, enough lube will find it's way into enough case necks to keep them lubed. I have also found that it you're sizing bottleneck rifle cases it's best to wipe off the case shoulder before sizing to prevent lube dents. After sizing, throw the cases in the tumbler until clean.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #9 on:** February 04, 2012, 11:59:21 AM »

I use Hornady One Shot, works excellent when used according to the directions, easy to wipe off afterwards, won't contaminate powder or primer. I lay the brass on a cloth or paper towel, 25-50 or so at a time, a blast down the line and back being sure to get the inside of the case necks on one pass, roll the brass 180° and another round trip with the One Shot and you're done!!

Tim

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1165269233/hornady-one-shot-case-lube

tacklebury · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2012, 12:06:01 PM »

I use Lee lube finger applied and if I'm doing a bottle necked case I use a q-tip.

huntswithdogs · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2012, 04:16:00 AM »

One Shot ! Simple and don't have to wash or tumble after use. A bit inside your dies occassionally ain't a bad idea either.

HWD

cwlongshot · « **Reply #12 on:** February 08, 2012, 04:36:38 AM »

Like alot of guys I have tried a number of lubes. Pop taught me with a Lyman pad and lube that works well. But when I found spray lines I tried them. More conveint but I found the messy and wasteful. I still will use the Dillon stuff and like it. But when I found and started using Imperial I was hooked! I found my need to trim refused noticeably.

I also like mica for neck sizing as another thread here is talking about.

My "vote" is for Imperial sizing wax and Mica for necks.

CW

GH1 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2012, 07:29:11 AM »

Hornady One Shot, works like a champ! I even use it on my carbide dies, just to make my life a little easier. Great stuff.
GH1

smokehouserex · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2012, 08:09:56 AM »

I used RCBS to start with, worked OK, I ran out of lube and remembered that an old friend used STP for lube, it also worked good but what a mess to clean. used the lee tube cream stuff for a while and liked it fine til I bought the Hornady One Shot, I haven't needed a change since then. Q-tip works fine also for the necks.
A friend used to clean case lube off with gasoline, outside on a old blanket. I stayed away when he did it, and he was a smoker too. Ha Ha He never did catch anything on fire.
My RCBS dies accumulate a surface rust when not used for a while but no problems with inside. Maybe all that STP kept them clear of rust inside. lol
HM

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2012, 02:47:23 PM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on February 04, 2012, 03:35:11 AM

RCBS case lube is water soluble and simple to use. After sizing, say 500 or 1,000 cases, I wash the cases in hot water, roll them on a towel, let them air dry or put them in the oven if I need them right now. I use mica to lube case mouths and bullet bases. Works for me in over fifty thousand rounds made. Never ever had a die get rusty. Hmmmmm....these others you speak of must be doing something else.

+1

I really like the fact that I can wash in warm water and it all comes off. So easy...The only thing I do differently Is I use the case lube II inside the necks too, it washes out when I give it the warm water bath. I apply it with a Q-tip.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

wncchester · « **Reply #16 on:** February 08, 2012, 04:27:32 PM »

When I started reloading in the mid 1960s all case lubes were oily; basically STP. They worked fine as a case lube on a pad but I hated it and the messy pad; it was snotty to deal with and a bit hard to remove from cases and fingers too. Mineral spirits/oderless paint thinner worked good for that (denatured alcohol was fair) and tho they are flammable they are a LOT less likely to ignite than gasoline.

Water soluable case lubes - Lee and RCBS - are soaps mixed with a very small amount of water to keep them soft. When we apply the soap we can size 'wet' or 'dry' but when the tiny amount of water in a die evaporates it's gone and no rusting need occur. Nor will soap in a neck affect powder or primer. It's a really great case lube but I don't like to apply it.

Soft waxes are harmless to hands, powder and primers, easy to apply with finger tips as we pick each case up to size and it's quite easy to wipe clean from hands and cases with a paper towel afterwards. I tossed my old lube pad the first day I tried Imperial and I've come to like Hornady's Unique just as well, maybe even better.

It appears that most, if not all, spray lubes are basically lanolin in some evaporative carrier. I don't like the messy overspray and waste so I refuse to use it.

cybin · « **Reply #17 on:** February 08, 2012, 04:48:21 PM »

I have been using the Lee lube for decades---I don't have a problem with it--and never heard of dies rusting becouse of it--all of my old dies don't have any rust--and they are stored in a basement--always have been. Maybe I'm just lucky.

cybin

.22-5-40 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 08, 2012, 07:40:01 PM »

Hello, JimG. I like Imperial wax. Also, when mouth expanding for cast bullets using Lyman M dies, with thin film on Imperial on fingers, I rub across case mouth & dip case in motor mica..leaves just a thin film, I usually do this to every 4th or 5th case. Never had any powder problems from it.
As good as Imperial is..there is something ALOT better for heavy duty sizing/case forming..Corbin swaging lube..sometimes even cases with the wax will start to chatter & squeek..a VERY small dab of Corbin lube..and sizing is effortless! Best of luck!

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #19 on:** February 09, 2012, 01:04:22 AM »

I dont have a problem with tumbling so i use a conventional lube for the most part. I come to use anhydrous lanolin for about all my case sizing. ive found nothing better. If im doing load developement and am only loading a few rounds ill use one shot. When i do i dont even wipe it off. I will shoot those few and just keep reloading them and when im done toss them in the scrap bucket. Ill will say this about one shot. Its handy to use but ive had stuck cases with it and theres nothing more agravating when your reloading then stuck cases. By the way you guys that like dillon spray lube or lee. Just take a little lanolin and mix it with some isopropol alcohol and make your own. works just as good and you can buy 3 lbs of lanolin from ebay for about the cost of two bottles of spary lube and have enough lanolin to make case sizing lube for you AND your buddys for the rest of your life. Personaly though ive never had a problem finding something to do for 2 hours while my cases are in the tumbler.

RobertInIowa · « **Reply #20 on:** February 12, 2012, 01:36:35 AM »

I use RCBS lube and lube pad. I very sparingly lube about a half dozen cases at a time, keeping it off the shoulders. I don't bother with the necks. I find for every one lubed case I resize I can resize another three or four just on the residual lube left in the die. I can "feel" the tension in the die grow as I resize nonlubed cases. You quickly develop a feel for when it's time to put in another lubed case. I suggest starting small, 1 lubed and maybe 2 unlubed until you get the feel. I've been doing it this way for years, never a stuck case or broken die. Good luck.

shot1 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2012, 02:42:05 AM »

I have been loading for over 30 years and tried about everything as a lube and the only lube I have used since I tried it years ago is HORNADY 1 SHOT SPRAY. I tried the pump bottle once and stuck a case in a die and will never use it again. The spray can is great. I place my cases in a loading tray neck up. Spray all cases from a 2 o'clock position letting some get inside the case neck. Give the size die a little shot up into it. LET EVERYTHING SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO DRY. Then do my sizing. You don't need to try to wipe anything off the cases. My process is to size my cases then drop them in my tumbler to clean them up and shine them up.

revbc · « **Reply #22 on:** February 12, 2012, 03:04:09 AM »

I have tried many lubes, imperial wax, some spray-on, lee lube (it will rust your dies in Louisiana), the best I have found is Hornady Unique. It is a lanolin based lube (cream type), does not build up much in your dies like imperial. Smells good, wipes off easily, no overspray, or greasy lube pad.

One tub will last you for years.

Just my .02 worth.

OLDHandgunner · « **Reply #23 on:** February 12, 2012, 09:43:02 AM »

Before Dillon spray lube came along I used RCBS lube and pad. This was always a little hard to wipe off. Then after I bought my Dillon I tried there spray lube and have used it every since. No sticky mess. Wipes of easy after sizing.

wncchester · « **Reply #24 on:** February 12, 2012, 12:44:49 PM »

I make .22-250 and 6mm International from .30-06 and .35 Whelen (and a few others less extreme); that's quite a transfomation and it requires an excellant lube to accomplish. I've found that case lube is demanding but it's a lot less mysterious than it may seem. I want something easy to apply and easy to remove from my fingers and cases without making a mess on everything around like spays do.

I like to use finger applied Lee, RCBS, Imperial and Unique conventional lubes, no spray and no pads. I've happily used Kiwi/Esquire neutral shoe wax (colors work too but they stained my fingers!), Kiwi "Mink Oil", Sno-Seal boot treatment, paste bowling alley/floor waxes and toilet bowl wax sealing rings, ditto nursing mother's nipple balms (lanolin), Chap-Stick, electical cable pulling lube (a yellow soap) and Starbrite's teflon loaded boat trailer hitch lube as substitutes for conventional sizing lubes. Those have all worked fine and nothing has ever squeeked if it was properly applied. (STP oil treatment and a couple of other oils work too but they're really messy and demanding to clean from hands and fingers, I'll never use any petroleum product again!)

max1138 · « **Reply #25 on:** February 12, 2012, 06:00:00 PM »

Quote from: revbc on February 12, 2012, 03:04:09 AM

I have tried many lubes, imperial wax, some spray-on, lee lube (it will rust your dies in Louisiana), the best I have found is Hornady Unique. It is a lanolin based lube (cream type), does not build up much in your dies like imperial. Smells good, wipes off easily, no overspray, or greasy lube pad.

One tub will last you for years.

Just my .02 worth.

+1 on the Unique, easier to deal with and no smell. I bought a tin some years back and will be a few more years till it needs replaced it really doesnt take a lot at all, just touch your fingers to the lube and by the time youve inspected a case its lubed. and it just wipes off, no washing, tumbling and all that till the case is actually dirty.

MZ5 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 13, 2012, 03:08:01 AM »

Best thing I've found to address case lube headaches is to neck size with a Lee Collet die!

I've never had nor heard of an actual rust issue 'caused' by Lee's lube. It works very well, and hasn't rusted anything I've ever seen. Periodic die cleaning isn't a terrible idea no matter what you use or how you use it, though.

I've also used Imperial wax to excellent effect, and motor mica for the necks eliminates any need to re-tumble/re-clean after sizing if/when I do need to FL or body size. I just don't like FL sizing at all, though, so mostly I neck size and be done with it.

1armoured · « **Reply #27 on:** February 18, 2012, 02:11:59 PM »

I always just used the Lyman pad and case lube, but occasionally put dimples into the shoulders,
until I discovered the Imperial.
Wow, what a simple product and application. Never had a problem since.
Bit on the fingertips, body and neck, and a little on a q-tip in the neck is my way.
I wipe the cases off , and inside neck with a conveniently sized bit of plastic, with a dry cotton rag, that goes in the wash every now and then.
I've also got the Dry Neck Lube, and have used it with little ball bearings, dipping the neck in to the mix.
The Lyman stuff is now redundant.
cheers,
SS

223fan · « **Reply #28 on:** February 18, 2012, 03:22:38 PM »

I've used Lee's case lube for years with no problems.I do wipe the cases off after sizeing.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #29 on:** February 19, 2012, 02:12:14 AM »

you guys that like imperial should know that its nothing but anhydrous lanolin. For the price of that tin you can buy a 2lb tub of lanolin. Just go to your pharmisist and ask him to order it for you. Most of the stuff in the stores is water based and you dont want that. Make sure its anhydrous.