EVERY case is getting stuck in sizing die (Lee 1000 Progressive)

I just picked up a Lee 1000. My dad and I reloaded shot shells as a teen and really enjoyed the savings. Still miss shooting that much trap and skeet! Miss hunting the Iowa roosters even more.

Anyways...
got the Lee press in 223 and after setting it up with the directions (or lack of... lol) it works and seems like a nice progressive reloader.

But as mentioned in the title... EVERY single case is getting stuck in the sizing die.

Here's what I've done:
-according to the manual, I dialed the sizing die down to the shell plate with the press raised fully and then added 1/4" turn before snugging the lock nut. I moved the decaper/inside sizer up and down 3/16" or so each way from flush and that didn't do it either. I also buffed it to a shine. Still no luck.

And details on my brass:
-LC and WCC once fired red mark on primers
-Not tumbled (as it was from the range pickup)
-Tried adding motor oil to the case neck and no change
-EVERY time I do the full case resize it's extremely difficult to pull the handle and always results in a stuck case
-EXPERIMENT: I brought the die up a little bit (backed it off a turn or two) and it worked much better. But now I can see by the mark it leaves on the case that I'm not reaching about the last 3/8" at the bottom of the case. But I can actually pull the handle! And I don't have to drive the case out with a punch and use the pipe cutter to cut it off of the depriming pin (ruins the case obviously).

Just to clarify how bad it is, it's literally I have to push as hard as I can to get the sizer to go down. Then of course it's stuck and has to be driven out. After about 10 of these with the die set as described in the manual, I'm out of ideas.

Any tips? This is my first time loading rifle. So far it's been a frustrating event. I appreciate any advice.

Are you putting case sizing lubricant on the outside of the case?

Tried adding motor oil to the case neck and no changeWell theres your problem right there!

Motor oil will not work as case lube.

Real reloading case lube is a high film strength lubricant that will not squeeze out of the way when sizing the case.

Then, you have to lube the outside of the case with it, where all the friction of resizing is, not the inside where it isn't.

Case lube:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/160333/rcbs-case-slick-spray-lube-4-oz-pump
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/204960/frankford-arsenal-case-lube-8-oz-pump
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/519525/imperial-case-sizing-wax-2-oz


rc

Loose the motor oil and try some case lube instead. Motor oil doesnt have the film stregnth needed to lube cases.

sometimes, especially when it comes to reloading little pieces of brass that experience a 50,000psi explosion inches from your face, its a good idea to read the instructions! namely a manual.

as RC said, you need to put case lube on them cases. its also a bad idea to run dirty range brass through the dies as one bit of sand or muck can trash your die. 223 is a bit of a PIA to load, but you gotta do the steps

tumble
lube
size and decap
tumble again to remove case lube
prime
powder charge
seat bullet
QC

if you don't have actual case lube handy, you can use mink oil to tide you over until you do. it's mostly the same thing.

Actually, the Lee die instructions say specifically to not use any petroleum products, ie, motor oil.

Reffinmike,

That looks like a lot of trips on and off of the loader. Seems like that'd take the progressive right out of the progressive loader. Kind of a bummer. But it makes sense, those primer pockets look dirty. But surprisingly the primers seem to be going in just fine... even without swaging.

The only problem I'm having at this point is the sizing die.

So no lube = no go... as in at all? That's where I'm currently at with this thing. It's pretty much impossible to size with this press. I wonder if mineral oil would work?

No.
Mineral oil will not work.
Motor oil will not work.
3 in 1 oil will not work.
Caster oil will not work.
WD-40 will not work.
Bacon grease will not work.
Vaseline will not work.
Your wifes wrinkle cream will not work.

You need real Case Lube.
Or Anhydrous Lanolin from a drug store.
Or Mink Oil boot dressing from a shoe store.

rc

Yep, the brass is lubed (the body not the neck, maybe a little inside the neck).

The shaft with the twist in the center does work a little(lot) better with oil on it, just not so much as to get all over. I grease the friction points for the ram unit.

What type of case lub is up to you. The spray on stuff seems to have a good following. I like the old fashion greasy lub on a pad. But, that needs to be cleaned off.

Will it work better with a different die? Maybe something's not right with my Lee die? Maybe a different die would be better? When I say it's a tight fit, I mean tight like it's not even possible to get that ram down (and the case up into the sizing die) without breaking something. That kind of tight.

Is that normal? I get the point that I need to lube these puppies. But just making sure nothing else is wrong. It's so tight I have a hard time imagining it actually working with even the best lube. It's ULTRA tight.

Reffinmike,

That looks like a lot of trips on and off of the loader. Seems like that'd take the progressive right out of the progressive loader. Kind of a bummer.

As a minimum, you should clean cases before loading to get rid of range grime.

Case lubricant must be used with rifle cases, but usually it is a small amount. The correct amount is kind of a learned thing. Too much and things get messy, too little, cases get stuck.

There are lots of differing opinions on the value of primer pocket cleaning.

Many folks lubricate the cases then run them through the progressive, size them and load them in one cycle. Then they clean the lubricant off the cases after they are loaded.

Cleaning can be hand or some folks tumble them.

There are many permutations to the above process depending on the preferences of the loader.

Personally, I prefer to clean my cases between resizing and loading but it is by no means a requirement.

hope this helps.

Will it work better with a different die? Maybe something's not right with my Lee die? Maybe a different die would be better? When I say it's a tight fit, I mean tight like it's not even possible to get that ram down (and the case up into the sizing die) without breaking something. That kind of tight.

NOOOOO! You need caselube. End of story. How many more times does it have to be posted?

Will it work better with a different die? Maybe something's not right with my Lee die? Maybe a different die would be better? When I say it's a tight fit, I mean tight like it's not even possible to get that ram down (and the case up into the sizing die) without breaking something. That kind of tight.

Is that normal? I get the point that I need to lube these puppies. But just making sure nothing else is wrong. It's so tight I have a hard time imagining it actually working with even the best lube. It's ULTRA tight.

Get the proper lubricant and the case will enter the sizing die slicker than, well, you know what.

It's so tight I have a hard time imagining it actually working with even the best lube. It's ULTRA tight.

By definition, a full-length die is tight. Internally, it's supposed to be smaller than the external dimensions of the brass being fed into it.

Get the right lube as everyone else has said.

Matt

Look, it may seem like lube is not going to help as much as you need, but i'm telling you now, if you get a good case lube you will be able to size with about 20% of the effort you are using now.

Once more, just in case.

1. Tumble the brass so it's clean of all dirt and carbon.
2. Use a good CASE LUBE. I prefer Imperial Sizing Wax myself. Just a bit smeared between your thumb and forefinger, then rub a thin layer on the outside of the case, not on the neck at all, and the cases should size easily.

OK?

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?newcategorydimensionid=11882

Almost any of these products used according to manufactureres directions are way better than anything you want to try. Time to 'Bone up' on your reloading procedures.

Proper case lube is an absolute neccesity for sizing rifle cartridges.

Ok got it. It sure have a hard time (as a mechanically minded person) seeing how this could even work as hard as it is right now. But the proof will be when the wax comes in. I ordered some with Lee earlier today. He was pretty confident in what you guys have said.

What about Galling from all of these stuck cases? Do I have to worry that maybe there's galled brass in the die?

case lube is like magic. you will be amazed. I am not a lube expert, but here are my thoughts on what I have used:

Lee: cheap, fairly easy to apply, works well. doesn't really seem to leave residue.
hornady one shot: spray lube. super quick and easy to apply, didn't work very well when used sparingly. pricey.
hornady unique:cheap, easier to apply than lee, works better. leaves a reside that needs to be tumbled off. looks and smells like mink oil.

clean your die off. take it apart, rub the inside with a q-tip or alcohol, bore solvent or something to clean oil, funk, etc out of the die before you start moving forward with case lube.

For my progressive when loading 223, I use spray on lube, then dump the cases in the hopper of the auto case feeder.

Spread brass on cookie sheets.

Spray on lube (a little goes a long way)

Roll them around by shaking the sheet back and forth a few times in each direction.

Let sit for a couple hours - they should be slightly "tacky" to the touch.

Load.

Lots of choices, a little goes a LONG way:

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=spray+lube

(It takes literally a minute to lube 500 cases this way, provided you can steal enough cookie sheets from the kitchen)

77Funk

Just making sure, but you did NOT order bullet lube instead of case lube did you? Lee sells bullet lube as well which is more like WAX as you described.

While we're on the topic of case lube, has anyone noticed that the lee case lube that comes in the toothpaste like bottle smells like static electricity? some people call me crazy, but static does have a smell. fluff open a new trash bag if you wanna smell it!

Said once before in this thread...
Imperial Sizing Die Wax.....the best stuff. You need only a tiny bit per case. The little tin of wax will last for....oh....maybe a gazillion cases. Maybe two gazillion.
The Lee case lube works and has the advantage of being water soluble. It is messier, though, than the Imperial wax.
About that "static electricity" smell. What you smell is not static electricity, it is ozone (O3) which is an oxygen molecule (O2) that has picked up an additional atom due to the passage of the static electrical charge. I cannot think of why Lee case lube would have that smell (it surely does have a smell, though).
Pete

Clean the cases, clean the die, If it is damaged buy another,

" Imperial Sizing Die Wax.....the best stuff. You need only a tiny bit per case. The little tin of wax will last for....oh....maybe a gazillion cases. Maybe two gazillion."

The dillon lanolin spray works also, but roll cases in a towel to remove excess lube or you will get dents from the excess lube.
Hornady one shot and other aerosols may or may not work for YOU. I had trouble with Oneshot as have others. I have never heard anyone have trouble with imperial size wax and its all I ever use now, one tin will last for tens of thousands of cases.

777funk, I mean no insult or snark when I give you the following advice. I do so purely as a safety concern.

1) STOP RELOADING RIGHT NOW

2) GO DO SOME RESEARCH; OR FIND AN EXPERIENCED RE-LOADER IN YOUR AREA WHO WILL GUIDE YOU.

It is starkly apparent that you do not have the full education in reloading that is necessary to do so safely and the difference between an excellent round and a small hand-grenade is a very tiny one. Again, I am not trying to be snarky towards you, I am trying to get you to stop so that you don't continue to risk injury. Reloading is not rocket science, but the physics involved are notoriously and seriously unforgiving of ignorance.

Even though it has already been said, STOP ! STOP! STOP! and then go by a good quality instructional reloading book, ABC's of reloading, Speer, or Lyman are all good sources. Then read the section about reloading bottle neck cases. You are going to get hurt if you fail to reload according to proper procedure. A high powered cartridge, such as the .223 produces upward of 50,000 psi under normal conditions and can dubdle or tripple those pressures if done incorrectly.
You need to properly lube the case, I'm suprised you haven't had to buy a stuck case remover as yet? When resizing rifle cases you need to apply a thin film of case lube to the inside and outside of the neck and the case body below the shoulder. Do not put any lube on the shoulder or you'll end up with lube dents. And if you use to much lube you'll also get lube dents.

GS

ZeSepctre,
Point taken. I think the most dangerous thing about reloading is over/undercharging. I've already weighed about 25 charges and they average 24.2 grains which is considered light/medium for H335 or WC844 and SS109 in LC brass I have the actual mil data on that load and I believe it's 26.1 grains of 844 and 2.26" OAL.

Now as far as the cases getting stuck, I realize I'm new to bullet reloading (have to be new at some point - but I have done shotgun), but that said I was just asking was should it really be this hard? It seems like something is wrong with the die. But I will see on Monday or whenever my case lube makes it. And I knew most people lube their brass. I figured I'd try things I had around (motor oil, parafin, etc) since I just got this in and couldn't help but try it I was of course little anxious to see how it works. I haven't actually been making loads yet but I did finish 2 (couldn't help it) that I felt turned out (checked powder charge, inspected priming, shell condition, and OAL).

As far as safety, I am a little concerned about a primer going off by getting trapped or smashed if the press malfunctions. That's a real concern.

But as far as load data, I've done my homework. Point definitely taken there. I know the usual basics of reloading (been reading and from other shooters I've talked to). Most people do the same basic stuff which includes tumbling and lube I realize. But the question of this thread was should it really be this hard without lube or with other types of lube.

I realize reloading can be dangerous. If there are other critical areas to watch besides:
1. Load data
2. Over/under charging and case quality (no splits etc)
3. Primer safety

Please let me know.

And if there are any tips on keep primers from going off, I'm interested in this as well. I had one go off... or should I say many years back as a dumb 14 year old kid I decided to see if I could set a shotgun primer off by smashing it with a hammer on the concrete (picture little specs of primer and powder at high rates of speed), and needless to say that makes me very nervous about one going off in a press near my face. I definitely wear safety glasses when reloading. I've thought of taking that a step further and putting a plexiglas sheild between the reloader and the operator. I can picture a stray primer eventually getting trapped in moving parts and going boom. I saw a 13 part series of very good video tutorials (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7tFxx9W-Yk) by a guy using a Dillon 650 and he mentioned having a primer go off and it ignited a bunch more in his tray. Scary. So tips appreciated there!

RE: Gamestalker, Do you know why lubing the case neck creates dents? Again this is from no experience there. Also, as far as the stuck case remover, I see Lee will fix it for $4 but it really isn't hard, just loosen the decaping/sizing pin collet nut (1/2" wrench), take the entire die out of the press and let it rest on the lock nut in a vice and using a punch and hammer hit the pin until the case pops out. It's a pain in the butt (especially after doing it 20 times in my case trying various household lubes yesterday), but it just takes about 5-10 good hits to the top of the decapper and the shell comes out. Then you just use a tubing/pipe cutter for copper tubing and cut the brass in half to get out your decaping/interior sizing pin (which won't come out since the bottleneck is obviously resized smaller than the pin).

Seems like someone here or elsewhere said use cooking spray oil as lube? I read some place carbide dies can work without lube?

How did I know you were reloading 223? :D

And the BEAT goes on!!!

Smokeyloads

ZeSepctre,
Point taken. I think the most dangerous thing about reloading is over/undercharging. I've already weighed about 25 charges and they average 24.2 grains which is considered light/medium for H335 or WC844 and SS109 in LC brass I have the actual mil data on that load and I believe it's 26.1 grains of 844 and 2.26" OAL.

Now as far as the cases getting stuck, I realize I'm new to bullet reloading (have to be new at some point - but I have done shotgun), but that said I was just asking was should it really be this hard? It seems like something is wrong with the die. But I will see on Monday or whenever my case lube makes it. And I knew most people lube their brass. I figured I'd try things I had around (motor oil, parafin, etc) since I just got this in and couldn't help but try it I was of course little anxious to see how it works. I haven't actually been making loads yet but I did finish 2 just that I felt turned out (checked powder charge, inspected priming, and OAL).

As far as safety, I am a little concerned about a primer going off by getting trapped or smashed if the press malfunctions. That's a real concern.

But as far as load data, I've done my homework. Point definitely taken there. I know the usual basics of reloading (been reading and from other shooters I've talked to). Most people do the same basic stuff which includes tumbling and lube I realize. But the question of this thread was should it really be this hard without lube or with other types of lube.

I realize reloading can be dangerous. If there are other critical areas to watch besides:
1. Load data
2. Over/under charging and case quality (no splits etc)
3. Primer safety

Please let me know.

And if there are any tips on keep primers from going off, I'm interested in this as well. I had one go off... or should I say many years back as a dumb 14 year old kid I decided to see if I could set a shotgun primer off by smashing it with a hammer on the concrete, and needless to say that makes me very nervous about one going off in a press near my face. I definitely wear safety glasses when reloading. I've thought of taking that a step further and putting a plexiglas sheild between the reloader and the operator. I can picture a stray primer eventually getting trapped in moving parts and going boom. I saw a 13 part series of very good video tutorials by a guy using a Dillon 650 and he mentioned having a primer go off and it ignited a bunch more in his tray. Scary. So tips appreciated there!

RE: Gamestalker, Do you know why lubing the case neck creates dents? Again this is from no experience there. Also, as far as the stuck case remover, I see Lee will fix it for $4 but it really isn't hard, just loosen the decaping/sizing pin collet nut (1/2" wrench), take the entire die out of the press and let it rest on the lock nut in a vice and using a punch and hammer hit the pin until the case pops out. It's a pain in the butt (especially after doing it 20 times in my case trying various household lubes yesterday), but it just takes about 5-10 good hits to the top of the decapper and the shell comes out. Then you just use a tubing/pipe cutter for copper tubing and cut the brass in half to get out your decaping/interior sizing pin (which won't come out since the bottleneck is obviously resized smaller than the pin).

Seems like someone here or elsewhere said use cooking spray oil as lube? I read some place carbide dies can work without lube?
The reason lube dents the case neck is simple hydraulics.
You cannot compress a liquid so any lube stuck on the shoulder will push the case in.
If you use lube sparingly below the shoulder junction you will see how smooth the operation will go.

Where do you live that there is no place to buy any suitable lube locally?
The easiest to find is mink oil which can be found at almost any shoe store, wally world etc.

Where do you live that there is no place to buy any suitable lube locally?
The easiest to find is mink oil which can be found at almost any shoe store, wally world etc.

Well lets just say you can't order a pizza here. But you can shoot, hunt and fish! I'd take that over an ordered pizza most days;) lol. There aren't any reloading supplies anywhere local that I know of. I have to order just about everything that isn't at Walmart (not in town either) for any of my hobbies. I didn't realize Wally world has mink oil. I'll pick some up over the weekend.


OFF Topic: but where is the quote button? I had to hand code this quote to get a quote to work. Curious where quote is at. Maybe it's my browser that's the problem (firefox). All I have for buttons is just Quick Reply.

Well lets just say you can't order a pizza here. But you can shoot, hunt and fish! I'd take that over an ordered pizza most days;) lol. There aren't any reloading supplies anywhere local that I know of. I have to order just about everything that isn't at Walmart (not in town either) for any of my hobbies. I didn't realize Wally world has mink oil. I'll pick some up over the weekend.


OFF Topic: but where is the quote button? I had to hand code this quote to get a quote to work. Curious where quote is at. Maybe it's my browser that's the problem (firefox). All I have for buttons is just Quick Reply.
When you hit reply there is a "quote message in reply" box under the text box.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/KIWI-Mink-Oil-2.625-oz/21908012

777funk,

Other important things to check for is matching the correct bullet weight with the proper powder charge, the correct bullet seating depth, the proper amount of crimp to keep the bullet from seating back to far in the case when it feeds into the chamber and excessive crimp both which will drive the pressures up.

Your insistence for not wanting to use the correct case lube seems consistent with your lack of knowledge of cartridge reloading. Until you are willing to heed the excellent advice given to you so far I don't mind not being on the same shooting range as you.

777funk,

Other important things to check for is matching the correct bullet weight with the proper powder charge, the correct bullet seating depth, the proper amount of crimp to keep the bullet from seating back to far in the case when it feeds into the chamber and excessive crimp both which will drive the pressures up.

Your insistence for not wanting to use the correct case lube seems consistent with your lack of knowledge of cartridge reloading. Until you are willing to heed the excellent advice given to you so far I don't mind not being on the same shooting range as you.
BSA1, there was no 'insistence for not wanting to use the correct case lube'. I said I had ordered case lube (from Lee). I was merely asking if it was normal for it to be almost impossible to size without lube (as in on the verge of breaking something during sizing). The cases litterally get stuck almost in all attempts. I think I got maybe 2 or 3 out of 20 or so that didn't get stuck and I felt lucky with those. I was just asking if this is normal, that's all. If not, I want to find out what I'm doing or using that's wrong. There has been no insistence to not use lube.

You learn by reading, trying, then asking others. Common sense counts too and I think quite a bit when it involves something potentially very dangerous like reloading. I'm trying to do what I can there. I'm reloading because I want more control over what I shoot and it seems like you can get a good load for about 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost of a good load otherwise.

It's been said here in different ways, but I'll say it another way. The fact that you were unaware of the absolute necessity of using case lube for sizing bottle neck cases makes it an almost certainty that you do not grasp the many other steps of reloading, some of which can each cause serious injury if done improperly. Not trying to be harsh, but if case lube requirements were this mysterious to you after sticking 20 cases, then you really need to reconsider flying solo before you get your head around all the other things you don't understand sufficiently to proceed safely. It's far more complicated than just what bullet you're using and how much powder to put in the case. Headspace? Bullet setback? Seating depth? Excessive pressure signs? Case head separation? Neck tension? The list goes on.

I was merely asking if it was normal for it to be almost impossible to size without lube (as in on the verge of breaking something during sizing). The cases litterally get stuck almost in all attempts. I think I got maybe 2 or 3 out of 20 or so that didn't get stuck and I felt lucky with those. I was just asking if this is normal, that's all. If not, I want to find out what I'm doing or using that's wrong. There has been no insistence to not use lube.


777funk,

Is it "normal" to put gas in your car and expect to drive it somewhere? It is much more than normal, it is a requirement. I agree with the others, stop what you are doing until you educate yourself about reloading practices.

Don

Funk, it is perfectly normal to be unable to successfully size bottleneck brass without lube. I side with others in noting that if you had done any study of the reloading process before you dove into it, you would have known that.

Reloading is not hard, but it does pose risks if done improperly. You clearly started doing it while you lacked the basic understanding of how to do it properly, and you've resisted taking advice from the very experienced folks here. I inferred from your posts that you are more interested in loading fast and cheap than in loading safe.

Please stop reloading. Stop now. Learn the basics. Gain some understanding of all the principles involved and the why's of the process. Then start over.

The only cases you can size without lube are straight walled cases with carbide dies.

ALL bottleneck cases need lube.

Also, get a Sierra reloading book and read it. Don't just flip past all of the stuff about how to load ammo, and go straight to how much powder to dump in to a case.

Funk, it is perfectly normal to be unable to successfully size bottleneck brass without lube. I side with others in noting that if you had done any study of the reloading process before you dove into it, you would have known that.

Reloading is not hard, but it does pose risks if done improperly. You clearly started doing it while you lacked the basic understanding of how to do it properly, and you've resisted taking advice from the very experienced folks here. I inferred from your posts that you are more interested in loading fast and cheap than in loading safe.

Please stop reloading. Stop now. Learn the basics. Gain some understanding of all the principles involved and the why's of the process. Then start over.
No resistance here. I just asked about the binding, I wanted to know if there was something wrong with my dies or how they were set. And even the first case was lubed (30 wt oil obviously not proper lube - I've known about Imperial wax since before I ordered anything... but I had to test after putting this thing together and I was surprised to see that without the proper lube it was a No Go). I'm 100% open to advice. That's why I asked.

I was surprised to see that without the proper lube it was a No Go

Proves the point we've all been trying to make.

Proves the point we've all been trying to make.
Thank you to all and I appreciate the insight. I'll try the lube and if I have more problems I'll mention it.

I hope that after 20 unlubed cases, and all the hammering needed to remove stuck cases, that you haven't damaged the sizing die? Resizig dies are a precision piece of equipment.

GS

Also make sure you lube inside the case neck. Either spray the whole batch or apply inside the case neck with a Q-Tip.

+1

I will be amazed if the die doesn't have galded brass chunks stuck all over the inside, and leave big hairy scratches on every case from now on!

That can be fixed, but we will leave out how until you need to know how to do it.

rc

Alternatives to commerical case sizing lubes.

Case Sizing Lubricants

One of the advantages of using sprayed on lanolin as a case lube is that, in the quantities used, any residual lube has no effect on powder or primers.

Spray Lube
The spray-on case lubes are probably the best thing to happen to reloading in years. You can make your own spray case sizing lube in bulk by mixing liquid lanolin and 99% isopropyl alcohol. (While you can (kind of) use 91% isopropyl alcohol, its higher water content causes the lanolin to settle out and it must be shaken frequently during use.

NOTE: The more common 70% isopropyl "rubbing alcohol" will not work at all as its water content is much to high, nor will
denatured alcohol. work. You need to use pure liquid lanolin as the fatty solids in anhydrous lanolin will settle out in the alcohol

Liquid lanolin, which is a refined lanolin oil with the solid fats removed (the reason why solid anhydrous lanolin doesn't work well in this application) is available from health food stores and sources specializing in ingredients for cosmetics. You want to get pure liquid lanolin without additives. Online sources include VitaGlo (http://www.vitaglo.com/7730.html) or try "Amazon.com" for other suppliers.

I just recently discovered that my local Safeway store carries 99 percent isopropyl in their drug/cosmetic isle for about $2.50 for a 16 ounce bottle. Ninety-nine percent isopropyl alcohol is also available from many large paint stores (used for some finishes), some electronics stores (it's used for cleaning electronics) or local industrial chemical suppliers.

A solution of 1 part liquid lanolin and 4 to 5 parts parts 99 percent isopropyl alcohol (4 oz of liquid lanolin to16 - 20 oz of isopropyl) works well. When mixing you may find that the lanolin mixes better if you warm both the alcohol and lanolin in a bath of warm water to about 105 - 110 degrees F before mixing. DO NOT WARM EITHER OF THEM OVER AN OPEN FLAME! Once the solutions are warm, pour together, mix thoroughly, allow the mix to cool (mix occasionally as it cools) and store in an air tight container to prevent water from being absorbed by the isopropyl.

For a spray bottle you can use an old commercial spray lube bottle or an old pump hair spray bottle that has been thoroughly cleaned. To apply the lube, spread the cases in a single layer on a clean surface like an oven tray (those disposable aluminum oven liner trays are great and prevent the wrath of your chef when it is discovered that the cookie trays were used) and lightly and evenly spray the cases. Allow the cases to sit for a couple of minutes, roll the cases around and lightly spray again. Wait until the alcohol has evaporated (about 5 minutes) and start sizing. Properly lubed cases will have a slightly greasy feel to them without feeling slimy.

Another neat idea for spraying the cases is to put them in a plastic bag, spray, and then mix the cases, dump out on some newspaper, and let dry. Less messy than putting the cases on an oven tray and less likely to get you in trouble with the head chef.

Thanks to Steve Dzupin for this tip.

If you have a hard time finding liquid lanolin you can mix a small tub of Hornady Unique case lube and 16 ounces of 91% or 99% isopropyl. If you use the 91% isopropyl you'll need to shake the mix to keep it suspended.

Thanks to Daniel Cocanour for this tip.

Solid "Wipe On" Lubes
You can also use plain anhydrous lanolin straight from the can (but not as conveniently) for sizing by putting a little bit on your fingers (just lightly rub your fingers across the lanolin) and then rubbing the cases. "Mink Oil," a refined lanolin leather preservative also works well as a case lube.

Many large drug stores have bulk anhydrous lanolin or they will order it for you, or you can order in it 4, 8, or 16 ounce containers, from Majestic Mountain Sage, 881 West 700 North Ste 107, Logan, Utah 84321, Phone: 435-755-0863, or online at: http://www.thesage.com/catalog/FixedOil.html#Lanolin.

Many people have reported that they have used a little bit of STP oil treatment on their fingers or commercial water based silicone cable pulling lube as a sizing lube.

If you are still using pads to roll your cases on for resizing you can simply use regular undyed dishwashing liquid. Reports are that it works as well as some commercial liquid case lubes. Simply put a very small amount on your pad and rub it in with your fingers. Roll your cases across the pad and resize.

Thanks to Denis Allen for this soap tip.

The "Ballistol Baggy"
Put 2 or 3 drops of Ballistol in a quart size "baggie" then rub the bag sides together so there are no droplets ( you want to be able to feel the oil on the brass but not see any drops). Then put in the brass and mix it around. Works very well with 223 and 308 and does not leave dents after sizing.

I spoke with a technician at Lee and I asked if I need to do anything about Galling at this point and he said I may well need to if the inside of the die is no longer mirror like. He recommended 220 crocus cloth.

I ended up putting 240-P3000 and most of the grits in between wrapped on a cleaning rod (stuck on with tape). I finished with a piece of printer paper and car buffing compound. It was definitely a mirror when I finished. I kind of wonder if it needs crosshatching to hold the lube. But I'll try it as is and see how it works once the lube comes in. I'd think no crosshatching (smooth polish) would be better since any ridges/crosshatching will just catch brass residue over time and eventually create stiction again. But not sure there. I'd guess lubed cases up against smooth hard steel would be the best bet.

Or, you could have used Copper Solvent bore cleaner and cleaned it out without polishing it.

Or, you could have used a flap of black 320 grit paper in a slit dowel rod chucked in a drill.

That gives you the final finish it started out with.

rc

Danger! Red alert!

If you put a micro smudge of Imperial sizing die wax on you cases and pull the press handle with anything close to the force you've been applying, you're going to hurt yourself!

You will be amazed at how little effort it will take to size the cases when properly lubed. :)

BOD given to you here. You read the press instructions... But didn't realize that
1.) there's more to know than any press instructuons will tell you &
2.) Lee takes a minimalist approach with their instructions.

The ABC's of Reloading is a very good reference to have on the shelf.

Or, you could have used Copper Solvent bore cleaner and cleaned it out without polishing it.

Or, you could have used a flap of black 320 grit paper in a slit dowel rod chucked in a drill.

That gives you the final finish it started out with.

rc
Curious what copper solvent you'd recommend? I've always used Hoppes #9 to clean guns. Would that work for these dies? I always liked the smell of that stuff. Good solvent.

As far as the factory finish on the metal, this thing was no where near as polished as it is now. It looks as briliant as the polish on a wedding band in a jewelry store on both pieces of the sizing die. Who knows how much of a difference the polish will make, but I'd think a slick polished surface would have to help.

Copper solvernt & bore cleaner are two different things.
Sweet's, Hoppes - BENCH REST-9 COPPER SOLVENT, etc is made to remove copper, or brass.

rc

Yes it is normal for it to be that hard with the wrong lube. I've never bought lube to do any of my cases. I probably should to see what I'm missing. I'm cheep tho so I used what I had on hand. Pledge was isn't very good but I did a bunch of cases with it. I stock a bunch also. the one that took me all day then a still bit plus bent the expander made me look for something else. I found a car polish that works really well.

You really need to trim your brass tho so one pass through the press won't get it.

Hoppes #9 is actually a pretty poor copper solvent. Better to get a special purpose copper solvent. Do a search of the website for copper solvent and you'll have more opinions of what's best than you'll be able to think about.
I've tried lots of them and have found one bore cleaner that works extraordinarily well. It's called Wipe Out foam bore cleaner. That and a good quality cleaning rod and proper bronze brush to scrub out and stubborn carbon fouling is all the cleaning a rifle needs. Finish with a coat of Breakfree CLP in the bore and other metal surfaces and you're good to go. Oh, don't forget to grease the bolt, especially the bolt lugs and high friction engagement surfaces. Read up from the wealth of info on this site and always ask a question if you're not clear with something.

Too cheap to use case lube? Of all the costs of reloading, case lube costs next to nothing. Hell, you're probably spending more using "other" substitute lubes from around the house that will not work nearly as well. Pledge furniture spray? Really? Seriously? I'm speechless.

Just sized & primed 1000+ 223 on Lee 1000.Hornady one shot spray lube is fine,no need to overdo it,lay a couple dozen in plastic tray,spray and rub em around some.I gave up trying to use Lee 1000 in full progessive mode,I size,prime and flare with a Lee universal flare die, then drop powder and seat later.To much frustration and quality control otherwise. A rcbs case mic is invaluable to me , don't crunch your brass down too much,or not enough! Keep the die clean and polish the expander with crocus cloth.

Often in life the test is before the lesson, but it needn't be that way in reloading and indeed the results can be tragic if one proceeds that way. I think the very term "reloading" misleads some folks into thinking they just need to stuff the guts back in the brass and they are ready to rock-n-roll. Take your time, if something doesn't feel right STOP. There is some effort involved in this hobby, but brute force isn't required.

You mentioned you are worried about setting a primer off. I would take the extra time to at least ream the primer pockets with those that are crimped in. You can use the neck reamer you should have already. You only have to do this once for the life of the brass. Also processing the brass completely is really needed for the first time and it will make things go easier when reloading. AFTER resizing that should include ream primer pockets, measure and trim if needed, then lightly deburr inside and outside of the case mouth. If you want to make MORE ACCURATE ammo as you state then it takes more time to set things up for success.

FWIW if you do not remove the primer crimp the primer will shrink to fit the hole that is narrow at the top and then fit loosely in the pocket. Also the added force may well set one off. I never have set one off BUT I always prep my brass for success.

We all want you to become an accomplished reloader that can teach others, to me there is nothing better than this result.:)

Meta if you would stop looking down you're nose you might be able to see out of the box.

OP - keep in mind that bottlenecked rifle cases are tapered, and when fired they will expand in size a little. Some guns may have slightly larger chambers, and cases fired in them can be a tad larger. So, when you're resizing them, you're really having to force them back down to original dimensions, and that can be tough even when properly lubed. Full-auto weapons usually have slightly larger chambers, so brass ran through an MG can be a little tougher to resize.

Straight walled pistol brass doesn't need lubing with carbide resizing dies, but anything tapered definitely does! Even .30 Carbine. Stuck cases really make me hate life. Get a .30-06 stuck if you want a real good time.

The ONLY reason cases get stuck is insufficent lube. A dry case doesn't care what brand of press sholves it into what brand of die, it's hard to push an unlubed case in, just as hard to pull it out and no rim can't take that much strain.

Fergit 'oiling' case necks, that's not where cases get stuck anyway. It's the lower, thick part that gets stuck.

Meta if you would stop looking down you're nose you might be able to see out of the box.


I'm willing to see "out of the box" when the box is worth seeing out of. If a bottle of lube that I can buy that's purpose made for what I'm doing only costs me 5/100ths of one penny per round then I'll find better things to do with my time than experimenting in hopes that I can shave that cost down another 1/100th of a penny. Each primer costs sixty times as much as the case lube per round. There's frugal and then there's ......

OP - keep in mind that bottlenecked rifle cases are tapered, and when fired they will expand in size a little. Some guns may have slightly larger chambers, and cases fired in them can be a tad larger. So, when you're resizing them, you're really having to force them back down to original dimensions, and that can be tough even when properly lubed. Full-auto weapons usually have slightly larger chambers, so brass ran through an MG can be a little tougher to resize.

Straight walled pistol brass doesn't need lubing with carbide resizing dies, but anything tapered definitely does! Even .30 Carbine. Stuck cases really make me hate life. Get a .30-06 stuck if you want a real good time.

I got sloppy one day in my early 20's (not uncommon back then) and got a 300 win mag stuck in the FL sizing die. Forgot to lube the case before I rammed it in there.

It's still in the die. Sits on my windowsill in front of my bench, right next to a 308 and a 45 ACP dies in similar conditions.

I could take the time to liberate the cases, but they're more valuable to sit there and serve as my reminders. :)