Case Lube, favorites, suggestions?

I started with Hornady One shot, then when to 99% alcohol and lanolin. Now I use Hornady paste wax. Just like Imperial but a lot cheaper and can get it local. It last forever.

I did try the Lanolin again this weekend because I had about 300 223s that needed processing. After the 70th one I got a case stuck in the die. Change to another set of dies and back to the Hornady wax and did not have anymore problems.

Reloadron said:

But if you really get a stuck case and you don't have the tools you will know the inner meaning of being screwed, so screwed.

Ron

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Ohhh yeah. Shut me down for the night. Actually the rest of it was spent watching youtube to learn what to do then off to the hardware store at first light.

I use a product caled "Fluid Film". It comes in a small can and is a bit thick. I put a little in a spray bottle and add alcohol solvent and shake well. I think it may be the same as Dillon Case lube. ! small can should make a gallon or so of case lube.

To get decent search results, you need to select an Advanced Search and search titles only, not posts and select "show threads", not "show posts". That will narrow things down for you. Just clicking "Search this Forum" and typing in the box gives crappy results.

I use hornady one shot only for pistol cartridges that require a little more force like 357mag and 9mm. For rifle i use lee lube diluted down. One 2oz tube of lee lube and 16oz denatured alcohol. 91% isopropyl alcohol will work but the extra water will require longer to dry. Shake before use, squirt a little in a gallon ziploc and shake the brass up. If you use the proper amount, you can get a little lube in most case necks. It isnt as clean as one shot but you have to tumble the lube off anyways. Never use hornady oneshot case lube on bottleneck rifle cases. You will eventually stick a piece of brass in your sizing die.

A tube of lee case lube will easily lube 10k pieces of 223/300blk for me.

Can't be beat at any price.

In my 30+ years of reloading I have never stuck a case. I have used the following:

RCBS case lube
RCBS case lube 2
Lee case lube
Lee case lube diluted in water in a spray bottle
Lee case lube diluted in alcohol in a spray bottle
Cabela's spray (lanolin in alcohol)
RCBS spray (lanolin in hexane)
Wesson cooking spray (lecithin in a pump sprayer)
Ideal wire pulling lube
Ideal wire pulling lube diluted in water in a spray bottle
Probably some others I have forgotten

It's not hard to find something to lube cases with.

I prefer Hornady's Unique case lube, you get about 5 times as much as Imperial and it costs less. Every time I buy some, some guy pops up out of no where and say " best kept secret in the industry"!

Works great on 50 BMG cases also, roll it around in your hand, put it in the shell holder and size away.

Best I've used has been Dillon Case Lube. I prefer rolling cases on a lube pad and a nylon neck brush to apply lube to inside the necks. Spray a couple sprays onto the lube pad and you can apply lube to several cases before you need to reapply more lube. Dillon case lube is said to be liquid lanolin and alcohol. You can buy a 4 oz. bottle of liquid lanolin and two 16 oz. 99% isopropyl alcohol bottles and make your own case lube. 8 to 1 ratio nearly duplicates Dillon lube for me. Needs to be 99% alcohol as for instance 90% alcohol has 10% water and water doesn't mix with the lanolin. Cheapest way to make approx. 36 ounces of lube rather than around $9.00 for an 8 ounce factory made bottle.

Over the years I have used most everything listed above. I've settled on Imperial for small batches of rifle cases or for neck sizing. I use Dillon spray lube for larger batches. I'll put several in a ziplock bag, give them a few pumps, shake them a little, and dump them out on a towel to dry. I keep a rag in my right hand(the one that works the press handle) and wipe the shoulder/neck area before sizing. I've owned a stuck case removal kit for years!

9mmepiphany said:

If you're going to clean your resized cases in a wet tumbler, it won't come off with either wash-n-wax or dawn....you need to substitute in Woolite.

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This is fascinating. Dawn won't remove the bulk of the lube? Woolite will?

I've read through 37 of these replies and have to wonder:

Where are the STP oil treatment guys?

quoted from earlier post:
"Where are the STP oil treatment guys?"

Actually it has been mentioned and recommended, but under another brand name. Guess which one..

I was going to try an alcohol diluted mix of 50/50 lanolin and fractionated coconut oil.

9mmepiphany said:

Trying to figure out how to get the dents out of their cases

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Now that was funny!

Ron

Trying to figure out how to get the dents out of their cases?

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Actually, that's really easy.
You hand your 12 year old a ball-pein hammer and a block of wood. Then get your binocular and a tweezers. Stand the offspring next to your loading table next to the loading block full of the cases with the shoulder dents. Look through the binocular backwards, gently grasp the child with the tweezers, pick him/her up and drop into the first case. Said child can then proceed to hammer said dents out from the inside of the case. When completed, remove case from loading block, slowly invert so child can escape. Repeat until all cases are repaired. Set child on floor approximately 4 feet from your position and reverse your binocular to return said child to his previous stature - assuming of course, said pre-teen child is worthy.

Yup, Lee lube and RCBS pad.

Hornady One Shot lately. Used Lyman spray, didn't feel very slick. I've used RCBS and Lyman lube on pads. I've been reloading for almost 30 years and only stuck 1 case.

I've used Lee, one shot and unique. And the Midway lube.
One shot works better than the Midway, and they both work OK on 9mm and 30carb, but not very well on rifle where you really need lube. Unique works a lot better than the Lee when used right out of the tunnel and runbbed on a case. Never tried stuff more exotic or DIY.

Wonder if Simple Green will remove the Lanolin?

I was thinking the SS pins would remove all due to the friction.....

My main concern is getting all off inside the mouth of case. The outside does not bother me as much as long as it's dry to the touch and does not attract dirt.

Do NOT use Simple Green in your tumbler. Ask me how I know.

Do NOT use Simple Green in your tumbler. Ask me how I know.

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Please elaborate.

I use home made lanolin/isopropanol mix and then wash my cases in warm water with about 1:10 Simple Green (or what ever other similar degreaser I happen to have) and what ever liquid hand or body wash or Dawn that I happen to have. After a good rinsing I let the cases dry and tumble in corn cob with NuFinish and mineral spirits.

Is there something in Simple Green that will damage the brass? Is it a long exposure effect and short exposure will be ok?

Thanks.