Have read about the lanolin and alcohol mixture. I bought some Hornady One Shot Case Lube but haven't had a chance to use it yet. My question is this: has anyone used a regular spray dry lube? I noticed some while at Home Depot a few days ago. It was the PB brand. Wondering if it would do the same as the Hornady for about half the price?
Case lube
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tightgroup tiger
Member
I tried the American Industries dry lube and it didn't work very well. The One Shot spray and is the wax/solvent based lube.
The Lanoline/Iso alcohol mix is probably one of the best lubes out there but One Shot works for everything I need, but you have to know how to use it.
For me, spray lube like One Shot work just fine, but many here will say it's no good or at least there are many better products on the market. It depends on what your using it for. I load mostly pistol shells these days, for that, One Shot works fine. For more difficult to resize rounds like most bottle neck rifle rounds many will prefer the Lanolin/ Iso Alcohol mix as it is more aggressive as a lubricant then One Shot is.
I suppose an aerosol dry lube and One Shot or it's competitors are close on price point but I never had any luck with it.
The Lanoline/Iso alcohol mix is probably one of the best lubes out there but One Shot works for everything I need, but you have to know how to use it.
For me, spray lube like One Shot work just fine, but many here will say it's no good or at least there are many better products on the market. It depends on what your using it for. I load mostly pistol shells these days, for that, One Shot works fine. For more difficult to resize rounds like most bottle neck rifle rounds many will prefer the Lanolin/ Iso Alcohol mix as it is more aggressive as a lubricant then One Shot is.
I suppose an aerosol dry lube and One Shot or it's competitors are close on price point but I never had any luck with it.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
IMO: No!
Case lube requires a very high film strength lube that leaves a film of lube between the case and the die that cannot be squished or rubbed of by high pressure friction.
And in the grand scheme off all things reloading cost related?
Nothing you else you will buy will be even close to as cheap per round as commercial high-quality case lube.
And nothing will cure the grief of a case stuck in a die because of poor lube.
Look at RCBS case lube.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1458143436/rcbs-case-lube-2-liquid
Or Imperial sizing wax.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/519525/imperial-case-sizing-wax-2-oz
Either one will do you for a very very long time.
Looking for a cheaper substitute to save $3.00 bucks over several thousand rounds is senseless.
rc
Case lube requires a very high film strength lube that leaves a film of lube between the case and the die that cannot be squished or rubbed of by high pressure friction.
And in the grand scheme off all things reloading cost related?
Nothing you else you will buy will be even close to as cheap per round as commercial high-quality case lube.
And nothing will cure the grief of a case stuck in a die because of poor lube.
Look at RCBS case lube.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1458143436/rcbs-case-lube-2-liquid
Or Imperial sizing wax.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/519525/imperial-case-sizing-wax-2-oz
Either one will do you for a very very long time.
Looking for a cheaper substitute to save $3.00 bucks over several thousand rounds is senseless.
rc
Grumulkin
Member
Interesting; all the angst about the cost of case lube.
I recently resized probably seven or eight THOUSAND bottlenecked cases and didn't use even half a can of Imperial Sizing Wax.
I recently resized probably seven or eight THOUSAND bottlenecked cases and didn't use even half a can of Imperial Sizing Wax.
tightgroup tiger
Member
In this case it doesn't have anything to do with being thrifty, aerosol dry lube just doesn't work worth a crap, tried and true case lubes do.
For the two pistol calibers you listed any spray lube will work fine. Just let the solvent evaporate before trying to resize with it.
You really don't need a lube for carbide dies but it sure makes them size easy and if your using a progressive press it helps keep your OAL more consistent by easing the resizing process.
For the two pistol calibers you listed any spray lube will work fine. Just let the solvent evaporate before trying to resize with it.
You really don't need a lube for carbide dies but it sure makes them size easy and if your using a progressive press it helps keep your OAL more consistent by easing the resizing process.
It was a pretty simple question. Kinda disappointed at the tone of some of the answers. A simple "no, it's not the same and doesn't work" would have sufficed without being accusatory of being a cheapskate. I reckon it was silly of me to have expected more.
witchhunter
Member
Sorry you took it that way. I think might be all of the new reloaders trying to reinvent he wheel that gets us up in arms about something as simple as case lube......personally, I saw the thread about homemade lube and wow! I have been reloading for over 40 years and I am on my second can of Imperial, maybe 3 or 4 tubes of RCBS and other brands.
tightgroup tiger
Member
I didn't accuse you of being a cheapskate, I simply answered your question of whether a dry lube would work for you.
I simply pointed out that it had nothing to do with being thrifty, I would have thought if you are actually thrifty like most of us are and have to be that you would appreciate the fact that buying an aerosol dry lube would be a waste of money.
I would have appreciated that info if I were asking. I think your reading to much into this.
I simply pointed out that it had nothing to do with being thrifty, I would have thought if you are actually thrifty like most of us are and have to be that you would appreciate the fact that buying an aerosol dry lube would be a waste of money.
I would have appreciated that info if I were asking. I think your reading to much into this.
OK, I'll admit it, I am a cheapskate. I've tried many different case lubes, and I keep coming back to One Shot. But that's just me.
I've never tried the lanolin-alcohol mix, but I have tried straight anhydrous lanolin. Also, I bought a spray bottle of Cabelas lube that I suspect is lanolin based. Sometimes I like to just wipe off the lube with a rag after sizing and I think lanolin is more difficult to wipe off.
Laphroaig
I've never tried the lanolin-alcohol mix, but I have tried straight anhydrous lanolin. Also, I bought a spray bottle of Cabelas lube that I suspect is lanolin based. Sometimes I like to just wipe off the lube with a rag after sizing and I think lanolin is more difficult to wipe off.
Laphroaig
grubbylabs
Member
Yup just stick to traditional lube and you should be fine.
It's just my observation but I think we read about more stuck cases from those who use the new spray lubes, maybe it's just my imagination?
I have been using the Hornady unique case lube (same container) for a couple of years now and I have never had an issue.
It's just my observation but I think we read about more stuck cases from those who use the new spray lubes, maybe it's just my imagination?
I have been using the Hornady unique case lube (same container) for a couple of years now and I have never had an issue.
Grumulkin
Member
No kidding. Ruin a die (yea, it's possible) and the cost of replacing your die will cost more than quite a bit of decent lube.
tightgroup tiger
Member
Yea, I have the Unique case lube also but it is sure nice to just spray 500 pistol cases, let them dry for 10 minutes while I'm getting the kinks out of my powder measure, and then just have at it with my progressive press without greasy fingers.
gahunter12
Member
I have lubed about 15,000 cases with my current can of Imperial Wax. Looks like I'm about half way through the can. My opinion you can't beat Imperial Wax for bottle neck cases.
berettaprofessor
Member
What does everyone think of the RCBS Case Slick Spray? (like the link below). I picked up a bottle to try and I like the simplicity of spritzing a pile of cases and rolling them a little. The stuff spreads evenly and seems to disappear.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/160333/rcbs-case-slick-spray-lube-4-oz-pump
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/160333/rcbs-case-slick-spray-lube-4-oz-pump
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I've been using it for years.
Good stuff.
rc
Good stuff.
rc
Elkins45
Member
It's a lanolin lube like most of the other sprays. The only difference is that they use something other than alcohol (hexane, IIRC) as the solvent. Works fine.
For the OP: since you're using carbide dies with pistol cases then almost anything with decent film strength will work. Unfortunately that doesn't include a general purpose spray lubricant.
grubbylabs
Member
Why are you lubing pistole cases, do you not have carbide dies?
If you don't have carbide dies I see the interest in the spray lube. but if you have carbide dies, no need to lube. Size and move on.
If you don't have carbide dies I see the interest in the spray lube. but if you have carbide dies, no need to lube. Size and move on.
The purpose made case lubricants offered by the reloading companies are hard to beat in both performance and economy.
To use other things is being penny wise and pound foolish in my opinion.
Imperial Sizing wax is great and I also use RCBS liquid case lubricant on a pad.
I never had any luck with Hornady's aerosol One Shot. I just cannot find the magic combination of spray and drying to to get it to work. Some folks seem to have luck with it but I feel they are in the minority.
I have some Dillon spray on case lubricant to try but have not used it yet.
Having said all that, I have been fooling with liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol. It works but is kind of a pain to mix up. But, it is nice to have an alternative to fall back on.
Also, I have tried mink oil, which can be found in the shoe polish department. It looks similar to Imperial Sizing Wax. It is another good back up but I am not sure of any long term issues using it.
To use other things is being penny wise and pound foolish in my opinion.
Imperial Sizing wax is great and I also use RCBS liquid case lubricant on a pad.
I never had any luck with Hornady's aerosol One Shot. I just cannot find the magic combination of spray and drying to to get it to work. Some folks seem to have luck with it but I feel they are in the minority.
I have some Dillon spray on case lubricant to try but have not used it yet.
Having said all that, I have been fooling with liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol. It works but is kind of a pain to mix up. But, it is nice to have an alternative to fall back on.
Also, I have tried mink oil, which can be found in the shoe polish department. It looks similar to Imperial Sizing Wax. It is another good back up but I am not sure of any long term issues using it.
gamestalker
member
I've used "one shot" and it worked just fine. But I switched to Dillon Case lube some years back because it's not an aresol, it's still a spray on though, but it goes a lot further. The one thing to remember with lube like OS and DC, is make sure you let the lube dry completely, or you'll nick name it One Stuck.
GS
GS
Spray lube? Must try baggie method!
If you're having trouble with spray lube, try using the baggie method.
One pump of Frankford Arsenal will do over 100 223 cases, this way. Well, one pump to prime the bag, then 1 pump per 100 cases. After that, you can save the bag for future use. A thick coating of lube will start to build up in the bag, and it works even better.
This is not about cost, it's about convenience. This method is fast and easy. And if you spray the bag before you add the cases, you don't get any lube inside the case necks. (I don't need it, cuz I use Lyman M die expanders).
If you're having trouble with spray lube, try using the baggie method.
One pump of Frankford Arsenal will do over 100 223 cases, this way. Well, one pump to prime the bag, then 1 pump per 100 cases. After that, you can save the bag for future use. A thick coating of lube will start to build up in the bag, and it works even better.
This is not about cost, it's about convenience. This method is fast and easy. And if you spray the bag before you add the cases, you don't get any lube inside the case necks. (I don't need it, cuz I use Lyman M die expanders).
ArchAngelCD
Member.
In your OP you didn't mention you were sizing handgun brass. YES, One Shot is a great choice for helping out dies that really don't need lube because they are probably Carbide. I have found a little One shot spray lube really makes sizing small cases like the 9mm really easy. It's the only thing I would use One Shot for. It's especially good for handgun brass because you don't have to clean it off the cases after sizing so it doesn't slow things down or add an additional step.
I completely agree with the above suggestions for Imperial Sizing Wax. IMO it's the hands down best lube for sizing rifle cases of all sizes.
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