Need advice with case lube removal

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marchboom

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When I clean brass I start by depriming and soaking it in a Lemishine solution then drying it. The brass then gets lubed and resized. When I spray the lube on the cases I try to get a very little in the case neck to aid the expander ball. Removing the lube before I do other stuff to the brass is the problem. I use a 12:1 ratio of lanolin and HEET. Works great but when I put it in the tumbler (walnut or corn cob) I have to leave it in for about 2 hrs and the inside of the necks always have a little residue on them. I really don't want to have to brush out EVERY case neck but I don't like seating a bullet in that neck either.

What am I doing wrong here? Should I keep the lube out of the necks? Would an ultrasonic cleaner work better?

Thanks
 
If you just want to remove the lube maybe a good soak in some hot water with dish washing soap (whatever kind you use) and just swish them around every now and then.
I would think that would take it off. Soaps made to cut grease on pots and pans so it should work on the lanolin.
About 15-20 minutes in my wet tumbler with dish washing soap and a dab of citric acid does the trick..

I really like my wet tumbler, spotless brass, clean primer, pockets. It is a little more trouble.
I thought That's a lot of money to spend for the tumbler just to clean brass but after the first batch I wished I would have bought it sooner.
 
Tried lanolin one time , it was a mess. Had to clean brass and tumbler with paint thinner. Was told my lube mix was to rich, maybe yours needs to be a little thinner.
 
I've experienced the same as the OP.
A couple of hours in the dry tumbler & the lube's gone.
I usually leave it for atleast 4 hrs.
Then the neck is cleaned to, no excess corn cob.
 
1. I don't clean cases before I size them unless they have something inside like dirt or dead bugs. Really, I think it unlikely you'll hurt a die with a little dirt. My only lube is Imperial Sizing Wax.

2. They get tumbled with Dawn, Lemishine and stainless steel pins for an hour or two. The water is changed and after another session in Dawn and Lemishine, the cases are pristine with NO lube residue!
 
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I remove lube with dishsoap and hot water, and tumble to dry. . . but I also brush every neck on rifle ammo.
 
I use a heet and lanolin mix at about 12 to 1 also. So far I have only used it on small batches so wiping out the case mouths isn't a big deal.
For larger batches of brass I would go to a 20 to 1 mix maybe even more.
 
I believe the order that you are processing brass may be part of the issue.

1. I tumbleall brass in walnut to remove dirt before de-priming and resize, if rifle brass then add lube prior to re size,
2. then wash in SS pins with Lemi/detergent, dry
3. I will tumble in corncob with polish right before reloading

I do this for both Pistol and Rifle brass, no issues at all.

LeftyTSGC
 
May be your lube mix. I am lazy and use Dillon’s spray lube, 15 min in corncob knocks if off after sizing or loading for that matter.
 
When I clean brass I start by depriming and soaking it in a Lemishine solution then drying it. The brass then gets lubed and resized. When I spray the lube on the cases I try to get a very little in the case neck to aid the expander ball. Removing the lube before I do other stuff to the brass is the problem. I use a 12:1 ratio of lanolin and HEET. Works great but when I put it in the tumbler (walnut or corn cob) I have to leave it in for about 2 hrs and the inside of the necks always have a little residue on them. I really don't want to have to brush out EVERY case neck but I don't like seating a bullet in that neck either.

What am I doing wrong here? Should I keep the lube out of the necks? Would an ultrasonic cleaner work better?

Thanks

Your about on the right track. I will sometimes decap and pre-tumble (wet SSTL) nasty rifle range brass before I size for an hour with no pins. From there its lube with 16-1 lano/iso mix, size, trim, and back into the tumbler. 12-1 is a little rich, and when I ran at that concentration for case lube I did have issues getting the brass clean post sizing.

For pistol I just use OneShot and leave it on the case. Doesnt hurt anything.
 
Thank you to those who offered advice. Maybe my 12:1 mix is too heavy? It does seem to be a little thick on the case. Definitely thicker than One Shot. This is my first time making my own case lube.

What are most of you reloaders using as an efficient mix ratio?
 
Thank you to those who offered advice. Maybe my 12:1 mix is too heavy? It does seem to be a little thick on the case. Definitely thicker than One Shot. This is my first time making my own case lube.

What are most of you reloaders using as an efficient mix ratio?

Im actually at 18 to 1 right now. Havent stuck a case yet.
Had to think about it a sec, because I use 1 1/2 12oz bottles of red HEET to 1oz lanolin.
 
You're overthinking things. I lube, with Midway spray lube which is lanolin/alcohol mix, then size and right away load. Some lube does get inside the necks, but so what? I know it does because I can see some of the ball powder I use clinging to it. HORRORS! It just burns off. Think of it, by the time the burning powder gets to the bullet base, it's plenty hot. And the pressure is high too. And the lube helps aid the bullet seating into the neck, reduces galling of the guilding metal.

If it makes you feel better, then clean the necks with something more than a brush. Like a cotton bore mop wet with denatured alcohol.
 
Thinner lube is better. Then try some Woolite. It's purpose it to break down lanolin. A little wash and wax, any brand car wash, will leave some wax on the case. I think it makes the lube work better and come off easier.
 
I always tumble my cases after resizing whether they were lubricated (rifle and some handgun) or not lubricated (some handgun).

I generally dry tumble and I set the timer on the tumbler and let it run over night. I’ll separate the cases from the media the next day. (I process cases shortly after shooting and store them away for a future loading session. Small batches get processed quickly)

All the lubricant gets cleaned off, inside and out.

Sometimes, I will wet tumble when I want the cases really clean. But, wet tumbling needs to be attended to on and off until cases are separated from the wash water and pins.

Wet tumbling takes care of the lubricant as well.
 
I tumble them in walnut or corn. Just something to clean them up a bit. After they come out of the tumbler, I have Imperial lube on my hands, when working with brass. Never a whole bunch, mostly on the thumb and first two fingers. I then resize, deprime, prime, fill with powder, insert bullet and shoot. Rarely another tumble before shooting. Quality control is paying complete attention to what I am doing. I have done it this way for 35 years or so. It works for me and I really have few problems and get much pleasure. I constantly remind myself, not to overthink things, and to keep it fun.
 
I use Dawn.

Same here, after they are ready to prime I use a bucket of soapy water and a cullender to clean off the lube. Rinse them off good and let them dry till tomorrow. Then tumble them to get them shiny and bright. I have thought about getting a wet tumbler, but I just can’t justify the expense right now.
 
Sort of off thread, but I put off getting a wet tumbler because of the expense.
It took me 1 batch and I was happy I spent the money and I wished I would have gotten it sooner.

I loaded and shot a lot of ammo washing cases in a bucket of soapy water before I got my dry tumbler. All of them seemed to work and shoot just fine.
Does wet tumbling make the ammo shoot better, most likely not, but nice shiny clean brass makes me smile..
 
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