What do YOU use for case lube?
- Thread starter Tinybob
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motor oil. 20000 rounds, and maybe 3 bad primers, never an issue with powder. That rate of duds is lower than factory ammo, so I don't think fouling is an issue. Hydraulic dents do happen, and the oil does make a mess. No stuck cases. I use saddle soap for case forming and that stuff works great. You can bump a neck down 1/4 inch and it feels only a little harder than sizing a normal case with normal lube.I started out using Lee case lube (too tedious), experimented with power steering fluid and alcohol (stuck cases and too oily), me being cheap and all, I didn't want "one shot" so I bought 3M lock dry lube to try. It works good, so far I've had no problem with fouling primers or powder, no stuck cases, no complaints. Now I've figured out one shot is cheaper
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someguy2800
Member
For tough jobs and forming duties I use rcbs case lube 2 on an rcbs lube pad. For everything else I use Hornady one shot. I really don't like the Lee lube, I found it dries on everything and makes a film. I don't lube any pistol cases except for 9mm.
Here is something I learned about case lube. When I started out I was shown to use rcbs lube on a pad and to roll only the top 2/3 of the case on the pad. Wrong. Never stuck a case with it but it sure does take alot of effort to size rifle cases with no lube on the bottom third of the case. Somewhere along the line I figured out if you roll the whole case across the pad all the way down to the rim it sure makes life easier.
Fast forward and a reloading shop owner recommended Hornady one shot to me. His instructions were to stand up all the cases in loading blocks and spray sparingly across the cases from both sides. Following this advice I stuck cases in full length sizing dies in 223 and 25-06 and pulled the rims off trying to get them out. I gave up on it till fairly recently when I figured out I was lubing cases the wrong way. Put your cases in a plastic pail and shake as you spray the lube on them. This way you lube all the way to the web. When I was spraying them in the loading blocks I wasn't getting lube down on the bottoms of the cases which is why I was sticking cases. Now that I figured that out I will probably all but stop using the rcbs lube and pad.
Another tip, tumble your brass before resizing and it will make things much smoother going with less lube required.
Here is something I learned about case lube. When I started out I was shown to use rcbs lube on a pad and to roll only the top 2/3 of the case on the pad. Wrong. Never stuck a case with it but it sure does take alot of effort to size rifle cases with no lube on the bottom third of the case. Somewhere along the line I figured out if you roll the whole case across the pad all the way down to the rim it sure makes life easier.
Fast forward and a reloading shop owner recommended Hornady one shot to me. His instructions were to stand up all the cases in loading blocks and spray sparingly across the cases from both sides. Following this advice I stuck cases in full length sizing dies in 223 and 25-06 and pulled the rims off trying to get them out. I gave up on it till fairly recently when I figured out I was lubing cases the wrong way. Put your cases in a plastic pail and shake as you spray the lube on them. This way you lube all the way to the web. When I was spraying them in the loading blocks I wasn't getting lube down on the bottoms of the cases which is why I was sticking cases. Now that I figured that out I will probably all but stop using the rcbs lube and pad.
Another tip, tumble your brass before resizing and it will make things much smoother going with less lube required.
Reeferman
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Oh I've seen plenty on this and other sites. Just wondering why such a hate for it? Guess I'll find out when I do start loading 223.
Nature Boy
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I use the Dillon lube. Rumor has it that it's made from the rendered fat of virgin unicorns
Toolsteel
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Before I discovered One Shot I contemplated buying an older ,bigger ,used press just to take the stress of sizing .With One Shot I can size such cartridges as 7.62 x 54 R on my little Lee Breach lock "C" type press.
I put the brass in a Chinese food container and spray and shake.Seems to evaporate quickly and leave no residue.No more hand wiping every case.
I put the brass in a Chinese food container and spray and shake.Seems to evaporate quickly and leave no residue.No more hand wiping every case.
USSR
Member
Well, I guess when you end up with a case stuck in your die it kinda ticks you off.
Don
Reeferman
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I tried spraying 357 and 44 mag brass with them standing up and didn't work well. Now I have them laying in a large cake pan.
Just shake it while I spray One Shot, let in dry for awhile and they go through the resize die like a hot knife through butter. I couldn't believe the difference when loading.
I spray all handgun brass from 9mm to 44 magnum now.
Just shake it while I spray One Shot, let in dry for awhile and they go through the resize die like a hot knife through butter. I couldn't believe the difference when loading.
I spray all handgun brass from 9mm to 44 magnum now.
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USSR
Member
Works okay for handgun brass, not so well for bottleneck rifle brass.
Don
Don
Reeferman
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I'm sure it would. I'm not doubting what you say and can only state my experience with straight wall cases. But seeing the difference of how I did use it to how I am now it's like night and day.
When I do start with 223 and if I have issues with One Shot I will most certainly post about it here.
someguy2800
Member
Just to reiterate on hornady One Shot, I stuck two cases with it lubing cases in loading blocks and I came very close to sticking them many many other times. Once I figured out to spray them in a bucket so you get complete coverage they run through just as smooth as with rcbs lube with no more effort and I haven't come even close to sticking one.
I've not tried any other spray lubes to have any comparison.
I've not tried any other spray lubes to have any comparison.
USSR
Member
If you want a spray on lube that REALLY works, make it yourself. Buy a 4 oz. bottle of liquid lanolin online (Amazon or eBay) and a 12 oz. bottle of HEET gas line antifreeze at you local auto supply store. Add 1 oz. of the liquid lanolin and the full bottle of HEET to a spray bottle. MUCH better and cheaper to boot.
Don
Don
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
It's not the fat, it's the tears. It's not hard to find the Unicorns, it's making them cry.
Muhahahahaa. 8)
And about One Shot, you can't just spray it on and use it, especially if the brass is cold. One must wait until it is dry. It doesn't dry as fast as alcohol will.
thomas15
Member
What to do if you don't have any HEET (CH^4O methanol) handy? Would some other hydrocarbon with an alcohol functional group such as C^2H^6O ethanol or C^3OH Isopropyl Alcohol work? Is it the OH group acting as a solvent in your compound that makes your product so remarkable?
USSR
Member
The red bottles of HEET are not methanol, they are 99% isopropyl alcohol. They are available at Walmart or any auto supply store. If your local pharmacy carries 99% isopropyl alcohol, that is fine. My local pharmacies don't carry 99% isopropyl alcohol, so that is why I use HEET. If you use 91% isopropyl alcohol, you will have to shake your lube often, as the water in it will cause the lanolin and alcohol to separate. It's the lanolin that makes it such a great lube, the alcohol simply allows it to be sprayed on.
Don
I use Hornady Unique. I just switched about 6 months ago. I like it a lot better than the RCBS lube/pad solution. I really disliked that. (The RCBS lube seems sticky, the pad seemed to attract dirt, I'd have to wash the pad, etc.)
Unique is simple. I don't tumble afterward - but rather wipe the lube off with a rag.
Unique is simple. I don't tumble afterward - but rather wipe the lube off with a rag.
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
I believe, Thomas, it is the lack of di-hydrogen oxide. 8)
jhansman
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This. Imperial is just the best. Yes, it takes time and you need to learn a technique that coats the case with just enough and adds a bit to the mouth so your decapping pin doesn't stick. Once you have that down, you can go to town. I was gifted about 1,000 pieces of '06 Lake City .223 fired once, and spent several evenings prepping it for my AK. Every other lube I've used has left me with stuck brass; never once with Imperial.
thomas15
Member
Acetone
OP
OP
Tinybob
Member
Not solvent,as in cleaning. Solvent, as in carrier fluid. You just want to move the lanolin, not degrade it.
OP
OP
Tinybob
Member
I'll have to retry this mix. Last time I used 91% isopropyl alcohol and power steering fluid. Not a good thing! I didn't give up till the third stuck case, so I did give that a fair try.
OP
OP
Tinybob
Member
Something I learned when sizing cases shot in a 5.56 chamber, a little extra lube down towards the case head makes things go much smoother.
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OP
OP
Tinybob
Member
Something else about the Lee lube, if you don't let it dry before sizing it can hold moisture inside your dies, and moisture+steel= rust. Found that out the hard way.
In the interest of learning, I did some searches. I'm not a Hornady disciple, I'm just a worm. So I googled.
I googled "one shot stuck case" in parentheses as suggested, and got 3 hits.
I googled "one shot works" and got 5,960 hits.
I googled "on shot sucks" and got 3,980 hits.
I googled "hornady one shot works" and got 869 hits.
I googled "hornady one shot is good!" and got 10 results.
I googled "Hornady one shot sucks" and got 9 results.
I googled "Hornady one shot is god's answer" without quotes and got 237,000 results.
I don't think googling is the answer to any question in the Universe.
The only answer is to try it. If you like it, good!!! If you hate it, don't use it again.
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