Case Lube

[Lizard333]

I plan on making my own case lube and was wondering if I could use denatured alcohol to dilute my lanolin. I plan on making it like the dillon case lube, but I just am sick and tired of the high price. I will be using 2 ounces of lanolin to 16 ounces of alcohol. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[johnho]

I don't know about using denatured alcohol but the correct is 99% isopropyl alcohol. Anything less has too much water so I am told. Also make sure you get liquid lanolin. Anhydrous works but not as easy to use. Play with the ratio but I am now using 1:4 lanolin to alcohol and it works great. and cheap too.

[ku4hx]

I tried that before I finally sprung for sizing dies needing no lube. Of course for bottle neck cases I still have to lube.

I don't remember the proportions, but the whole process was a mess trying to get it right. I'd swing between too thin and getting cases stuck and too thick and clogging the sprayer. I finally gave up. Anhydrous lanolin is the stickiest and gooiest stuff I've ever played around with.

My rationalization was on a per case basis it wasn't all that expensive to use the commercial stuff. Course that was in the '70s too.

[zxcvbob]

It should work. You also might try lanolin/alcohol/castor oil, or a significantly richer mixture of just castor oil and denatured alcohol. (castor oil is a good EP lubricant. I've used it on a lube pad before)

I mainly just use Kiwi brand Mink Oil for lubing cases now.

[Reload3006]

my swage lube is 50% Anhydrous Lanolin and 50% castor Oil. fantastic lube a very little goes a long long way i saturate a case lube pad and roll them on it works great. I have never had a stuck case using it and I have never oil dented a case using it either. It may still oil dent but I have not had that happen to me.

Another little known inexpensive "Case Lube" (don't swage with this) is Pam cooking spray. Put your cases in a gallon zip lock bag spray in some pam cooking spray zip it up and roll them around a bit and the will not stick in your dies. But Pam tends to get a bit tacky but works good.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Other then buying some Imperial Sizing Was for some case forming, I can't recall the last time I bought case lube.

All the handgun rounds go through carbide dies, and for the bottle neck cases, I'd need to go through many hundreds of rounds to used up even the little dab of case lube presently on hand.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Calamity Jake]

I cup 99% isopropyl alcohol slighty heated in the microwave(a double boiler would work just add the alcohol after you have tuned of the heat source) to that add 1 tablespoon melted or liguid anhydrous lanolin.

Been making mine for years with the above recipe haven't stuck a case yet.

Don't know if the denatured would work as it has an added chemical in it.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

A lot of different items are used to lube cases and they seem to do the job. I started out a long time ago with a small tin of "E-Z Lube" marketed by Lyman. It was lanolin, anhydrous lanolin and it worked very well and lasted a long time. It was and still is, sticky and messy. I then bought a one pound jar and still have most of it. I always used an RCBS lube pad and/or a large ink pad and rolled the cases. Never got a case stuck, but always had to wipe the cases with a solvent to clean them after sizing or the stuff got all over everywhere. Cutting it with alcohol is ok and if you want/need to spray it on that speeds things up, but the point is the stuff does the job well. Also good for the job is mink oil, castor oil, Imperial wax and the stuff that Lee sells. All of these are reasonably priced, last a long time and do as good a job as the anhydrous lanolin. Whatever you choose its also a good idea to lube every fifth case even when you are using carbide dies as it makes the sizing easier and cuts wear on the dies too. Lube is cheaper than metal and/ or trying to get "unstuck". LLS

[nanuk]

Jake: how do you melt your lanolin?

[Lizard333]

I will be using the liquid lanolin. I got a bunch cheap. Where wold I get 99% isopropyl alcohol. Best I found was 70%

[zxcvbob]

I will be using the liquid lanolin. I got a bunch cheap. Where wold I get 99% isopropyl alcohol. Best I found was 70%

Autoparts store, or the gas and oil additives aisle at Walmart. "Iso-Heet", I think you want the one in the red bottle.

Denatured alcohol from the hardware or paint store will be easier.

[Bullwolf]

I have been using a can of Bag Balm for my lanolin based case lubing needs. I really like the stuff a lot.

http://www.mastgeneralstore.com/prodimages/1754-DEFAULT-m.jpg

It keeps your hands soft while you use it, and also smells nice. I have never stuck a case while using it, yet.
(knock on wood)

It is generally available at almost all drug stores, and can often be found somewhere in the lotion department.

One can lasts me a really long time, I am still using my first sizing can of the stuff, and it won't be running out any time soon. It's green and it looks great with any existing RCBS equipment that you may already have.

I would strongly recommend it for anyone looking for a lanolin based case lube, unless you really want a spray lube, or the satisfaction of making your own lube.

Bag Balm has a bunch of uses. It was originally designed to keep cows udders from chapping in the Winter time. It's used for chapped lips and hands, and on dry skin in general, on pets and livestock, as a wound salve, a moisturizer, a make up remover, sun burn creme, and for quite a bunch of other things.

It was the favorite multipurpose ointment - liniment that we used on the Ranch. I was quite happy to find out it makes an excellent case lube as well.


- Bullwolf

[dromia]

Certainly not suggesting that anyone doesn't make their own lube however I have to put in a plug for Hornady Unique, I've been using it as substitute for Imperial sizing wax over the past year, due to Imperial being hard to get, its done just as well as the Imperial at a fraction of the price for bigger tub (you use the same amount on a case as Imperial) and availability is better.

Just reformed 500 .303s into 6mm Musgrave and it was doddle with Hornady Unique.

[jcwit]

Mink oil in the shoe department of just about any big box store works well with nothing added, and cheap too.

For alcohol, party store use Everclear.

[seetrout]

I will be using the liquid lanolin. I got a bunch cheap. Where wold I get 99% isopropyl alcohol. Best I found was 70%

Any drugstore that makes preparations and lotions. Big chain drugstores (Walgreen's, CVS, Walmart) do not do that. My wife works for a local independent store and they will order it and she can buy it for me at cost. Probably about $18 a gallon retail. Much cheaper than those little bottles of iso-heat, but you have to wait a couple of days.

Doug

[cajun shooter]

I purchased mine off of Amazon for a very cheap price. Look in the cosmetics section IIRC. The 70% found in stores has too much water and the Lanolin repels water so it does not mix. Been there done that . I could have purchased a few cans of One Shot for all the lost products.

[Recluse]

I have been using a can of Bag Balm for my lanolin based case lubing needs. I really like the stuff a lot.

It was the favorite multipurpose ointment - liniment that we used on the Ranch. I was quite happy to find out it makes an excellent case lube as well.

- Bullwolf

Like you, I grew up with this stuff on the ranch here in Texas. Fantastic stuff and for many things.

I like Imperial Sizing Wax probably the best. The small tin I bought twenty-something years ago is still over 90% full, and I've lubed, sized and loaded a LOT of bottle-neck cases. The only case that gives me trouble is .223 and I use the Lee lube for it--and never had a stuck case using it. Have had stuck cases using almost all other lubes on .223, and with three different die brands. Go figure, eh? :veryconfu

I've still got about a fourth of a tube of Lee case lube I bought over thirty years ago, and still have 85%/90% left of a tin of RCBS solid lube my Daddy bought over FIFTY years ago. I've also played around with STP mixed in Vaseline with very good results.

Have never preferred the "one-shot spray lubes" but that's just me. I don't load anything rifle/bottleneck en masse. For .223, I can see where individual attention to the brass could drive you to drink, but I have little use for that caliber and only reload it to stay in practice.

But anything else like my .308, 30-06, .303, etc, stuff that I handload for absolute accuracy, EACH case gets individual attention and lots of of it, so the case-lubing process is just part of it and I'd rather trust my fingers and thumb as I'm applying the lube to feel for tiny burs and/or imperfections rather than spraying something out of a can.

:coffee:

[garym1a2]

I just use lanolin on my hands straight. Put a couple drops on my hands and roll the cases in my hands about 10 at a time. When my hands get less gooey I add more. Works very fast and it helps my Porasis at the same time.

[Calamity Jake]

Jake: how do you melt your lanolin?


In a 1/4 C measuring cup passed over the heat source used to heat the double boiler/alcohol. Don't get the lanolin too hot, you'll scorch it.

[John Boy]

Lizard, save yourself the time and effort making your own case lube. Go to a drugstore and buy the green can of Bag Balm - about 8 bucks. It has lanolin in it and is an excellent lube. Been using it for several years.

Nice part about Bag Balm, you need just to finger swipe a very light coating of the stuff on the case including if you reform cases

http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/public/isuf7DWs43kbneqdaHCYG5tprzUNJPnUlfv12aVsNaRHJXpBx4 XINsNZDZWmJercYfUSmhuKZvEOOwvULDKcfkaEamU6og23N2GV WLxEeEF4EevW5vauTGlrnCi-iUip60GWSDVHVFwJnb_deLjh1IWTC53mZbz5K1oF1mrwyDUfa9 en5FCXDL0LjcdwgPLZ4Ma6udzr2c2Y1H6wqwsBsXbbC4PmBQyp LX3t61Efhq6m1Ph8YoMYrnJ4DRnVnscrMrL09S2DiRyo9GAnGZ Op_YVFIFvY9EfzWhpwDLty4xDxL-WcM8W3iSGBBRov9_p_xhRWgA

MSDS Sheet, Petroleum-Lanolin Base - 99.7% ... http://www.mws-d.com/images/PDF/7943.pdf

[Lizard333]

I use the spray lube because when I do my 223 cases I do anywhere from 500 to a 1000 or more at a time. Hand lubing just won't work. I'll try the drug store see what I can find.

[pdawg_shooter]

It should work. You also might try lanolin/alcohol/castor oil, or a significantly richer mixture of just castor oil and denatured alcohol. (castor oil is a good EP lubricant. I've used it on a lube pad before)

I mainly just use Kiwi brand Mink Oil for lubing cases now.

+1 on the mink oil for case lube. Run out of lube one time and was looking around for something when I tried the leather dressing. Worked so well that is all i use now.

[blackthorn]

I just bought a 4-pack of 99% alcohol from our local Costco.

[1Shirt]

I have been using cheap olive oil and alcohol in a spray btl now for quite a while. Works well for me.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[rockrat]

When I have a bunch of cases to lube, I use a mix of 91% alcohol and RCBS case lube. The RCBS lube is water soluable, so the 9% water should be to my advantage. I mix it about 1 oz case lube to a 16oz bottle of alcohol (Wally world, Target ect) and shake well and put it in a sprayer bottle.
I have a wire mesh tray that holds 150ish 223 cases, couple of squirts, shake, another squirt or two, then let the alcohol evaporate and size cases.

Wash off the lube with hot water, let dry, load.

I also use Horndays' Unique, when I use regular hand applied lube.

[zxcvbob]

I have been using cheap olive oil and alcohol in a spray btl now for quite a while. Works well for me.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

I'm surprised that works. Olive oil is only slightly soluble in alcohol. (Castor oil is supposed to be soluble in alcohol.)