Alternative Resizing Lubes -What Do You Use?

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Old Stumpy

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While I favor carbide dies like most people for straight wall cases, we still use resizing lube for everything else, and in plain dies for straight wall cases that we may have.
I have always used RCBS or any good brand name figuring that those gel lubes were an exceptional anti-seize lube needed for the job.
I was at my secondary reloading station though, and didn't have any, so I thought that I would experiment.
I squirted a little 80W-90 gear oil that was handy on to a folded paper towel and tried that, and it worked great, even if it was a little smelly.
Mind you, I was only sizing .45 Colt, but I did try to partially resize an unlubed case just as a control comparison before proceeding, and that was quite difficult and I stopped before it got stuck.
So there must be any number of alternate lubes that work just fine.
What do you use?
 
Liquid lanolin (pure, no additives) in 99% isopropyl, in an isopropyl squirt bottle.

"Just a (little) spritz will do you." In your case, a slight smear on every third case would make a huge difference.
 
Over the years I have used just about all of the lubes marketed by the reloading companies and a bunch of other stuff. I've settled on two. I use Imperial when neck sizing and Dillon Spray on everything else.

I've used motor oil, gear grease, STP Oil Treatment, Pam, other cooking oil, bag balm, mink oil, soap, wire pulling lube, WD-40. Probably a bunch more that slip my mind right now. Most of them worked ok. Some were easier to clean off than the others. Some had a foul odor like gear grease. At one time I was pretty close to buying a stainless container with a strainer basket like you used when rebuilding carburetors. Just for degreasing cases!

I use a gallon ZipLoc bag when I use the Dillon lube. I'll put a bunch of cases in the bag and give it a few pumps of lube, shake and roll them around some and dump them out. You will need to shake the Dillon lube, or and other Lanolin/alcohol lube, to mix it and you also need to give the cases a few minutes for the alcohol to evaporate before sizing the cases.
 
If I'm using new brass that I'm too lazy to tumble first, I use Imperial sizing wax to reduce the stickiness. Had the same tin for twelve years, and nowhere needing a new one.
 
While I favor carbide dies like most people for straight wall cases, we still use resizing lube for everything else, and in plain dies for straight wall cases that we may have.
I have always used RCBS or any good brand name figuring that those gel lubes were an exceptional anti-seize lube needed for the job.
I was at my secondary reloading station though, and didn't have any, so I thought that I would experiment.
I squirted a little 80W-90 gear oil that was handy on to a folded paper towel and tried that, and it worked great, even if it was a little smelly.
Mind you, I was only sizing .45 Colt, but I did try to partially resize an unlubed case just as a control comparison before proceeding, and that was quite difficult and I stopped before it got stuck.
So there must be any number of alternate lubes that work just fine.
What do you use?[/QUOTE
 
Liquid lanolin (pure, no additives) in 99% isopropyl, in an isopropyl squirt bottle.

THIS ^^^^^^^

And if you need to remove it ....use just the alcohol in a plastic jug .... Lay out to dry(Which it does quickly) ... after a couple washes you can add a little lanolin to the wash alcohol and have more spray lube .... Recycling of sorts....

I do want to add ...the OP was talking about straight wall cartridges .... I do use Imperial wax on bottle neck cartridges except for 357 SIG(I use the lanolin mix for it)...
 
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PEG-75 Lanolin and red HEET (99% iso alcohol)

Works the same as regular lanolin, but the lanolin is water soluble making it easier to remove in a wet tumbler.
 
Imperial Sizing Wax. I don't like the pads or sprays lubes, the pads are too slow and sprays tend to over apply the lube. Just touch the Imperial wax with your finger and swipe the case as you put it in the sizing die. Each to his own though. hdbiker
 
Too lazy to track down the lanolin, so I just buy the spray from Midway.
A LIGHT spritz on pistol brass makes even carbide dies run smoother and easier. Spritz lightly enough and you don't have to reclean the cases or ammo.
I use Imperial for full length sizing of rifle brass or when I have no option but to die form cases.
 
For bottleneck rifle stuff, Imperial wax. Other stuff may be cheaper and work as well, but it's convenient, and lasts so long cost really isn't a factor. I've been using a tin for 4 years now and have barely made a dent.

For straight wall handgun, any spray lube. I've tried the Hornady one shot, or the Frankford Arsenal brand spray. They both work fine for that and is more convenient for bulk handgun stuff.
 
Being a confirmed tinkerer I've tried many different methods of case lubing. I found most petroleum products to be too much work to remove after sizing (STP was impossible, and really messy!). I also tried the pan sprays, wire pulling lube and just about anything else to make the cases slick, even KY jelly. I settled on mink oil boot dressing cream several years ago and it has worked very well for me. Easy to find (I got mine in a Walgreen's), easy to use, just a dab on a finger and roll the case in my hand, wipes off easily, and doesn't leave my hands oily/greasy...
 
... I settled on mink oil boot dressing cream several years ago and it has worked very well for me. ...
<nodding> A few years ago, within a couple of minutes of first opening and touching the Hornady Unique Case Lube in the little tub (which I have found to do an excellent job on the cases, btw), I had convinced myself that that is exactly what it was.

As soon as I felt it on my fingers, I recognized the sensation and retrieved several tins of boot/leather dressing from the closet for comparison.

So ... I don't plan on buying any more of the Unique. O'course, I have to use so little of the stuff on the cases for it to work, I'll probably have to live 30-40 more years to use it all. ;)
 
Another mink oil paste user here. I didn't know so many others had figured that out.
I also have Imperial on a second bench. I don't use anything on straight wall pistol brass. I still tumble in walnut with car wax, so I guess that's why I don't need to lube pistol brass.
 
Mink oil occasionally and lanolin/alcohol in a Ziploc bag most of the time.
 
I can't remember where I saw mink oil cream for case lube, but in my area there wasn't many places to find reloading stuff (So. LA county, which seems funny, but there were only 3 or 4 places that had more than primers and powder) so when I was in a Walgreen drug store and saw it, I bought a can. The can lasted me mebbe 20 years as most of my reloading is handgun ammo, with a few rounds for my Garand and 308...
 
Like others, don't know where I heard it but I've been using Mink Oil paste for a long time now. Otherwise, Imperial.
 
I like the lube pad. It works better than Imperial. I use Imperial on pistol brass and neck sizing for my Krag.
 
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