case sizing lube

[ubetcha]

I was at our clubs last silhouette match for the year today and the subject of case sizing lube came up. One person said he had just purchased some lanolin and was going to mix with Iso Heat which I stated that that was a proven method. Two other guys said that they use chainsaw oil. Now at the time, I didn't think of asking if it was chain saw bar oil or chain saw 2 cycle oil. Has anyone ever tried using either as a sizing lube? Also the thought occurred to me if either of these oils would work if mix with Iso Heat as a spray on lube like the lanolin mix. The two guys that use chain saw oil stated it was a whole lot cheaper buying chainsaw oil than lanolin, which is true.

[dale2242]

I think they were talking about chain oil.
It is thicker than 2 cycle oil and has better lube qualities….dale

[jimb16]

I have been known to use vegetable oil too.

[mdi]

For me, the problems with any oil, (motor oil, STP, cooking oil, etc.) is not how it works for sizing, but the difficulty in removing post sizing. Have you ever tried to get STP off of anything?

[country gent]

Bar oil for chainsaws is very tacky and sticks ( what it needs to do in the spinning chain and groove of the bar). But it may take a solvent to remove from cases and dies. Ive never tried vegetable oils I have used Crisco shortening for case lube, It works and can be wiped off. anahydrous Lanolin is the old stand by for case forming sizing. I also like lee sizing die wax. Another that works very well is the water soluable swaging lubes like Lees water soluable sizing die lube. Lubes that dry hard can seal off the vent holes in dies and cause dent problems if not cleaned out.

[lotech]

Vaseline works, so does Vicks VapoRub, the first lube I used in the mid-'60s. I've never really done a comparison, but Imperial case lube may work a little better and it was designed for the job. Imperial is really very cheap when you consider how many cases you can lube with one tin. Haven't used the Redding water soluble case lube in a long time, but that's a good one too, as I remember.

[Cherokee]

I used Neatsfoot Oil for years. In this century I have discovered Hornady One Shot and that is all I use now. I've tried others but One Shot is easy to clean off.

[toallmy]

I picked up a pound of lanolin a wile back to add to home made boolit lube but it seams like it will last me a lifetime so I have been using it for case lube also GRUMPA 's mix with Vaseline on a pad , as well as home made spray lube . I generally do brass work in the winter then brass is ready throughout the year my favorite is still Imperial wax for rifle brass .

[LenH]

I've the same tub of Hornady Unique case lube for so long I don't remember buying it. L little dab will lube the sizing die for 4 or 5 brass. That tub last forever.

[upnorthwis]

I also use the tubs of Hornady Unique case lube. My guess is that a tub last way more than 10 years and I shoot a lot. For the couple of bucks it cost, I can't imagine making my own.

[waksupi]

I dump the cases in a container, get a few drops of Ballistol on my fingers, and run my fingers through the container. Does a good job of lubing. For necks, I have a small container of moly, and dip about every third case mouth in it. That leaves plenty slick for the next couple. Ballistol wipes off easily, as does the moly.

[DonMountain]

I also use the tubs of Hornady Unique case lube. My guess is that a tub last way more than 10 years and I shoot a lot. For the couple of bucks it cost, I can't imagine making my own.

This^ I have also been using the Hornady Unique case lube for more than 25 years and have tried all the "home made" stuff only to find out the Hornady stuff is far superior and lasts a long time and is easy to use and a simple wipe of the case with a paper towel removes it all.

[Dieselhorses]

90/10 Heat in red bottle/Lanolin. Mix in spray bottle. I bought 3 big bottles of lanolin, and if I live to be 300 I'll still have some left over.

[Brad Cayton]

Bar oil for chainsaws is very tacky and sticks ( what it needs to do in the spinning chain and groove of the bar). But it may take a solvent to remove from cases and dies. Ive never tried vegetable oils I have used Crisco shortening for case lube, It works and can be wiped off. anahydrous Lanolin is the old stand by for case forming sizing. I also like lee sizing die wax. Another that works very well is the water soluable swaging lubes like Lees water soluable sizing die lube. Lubes that dry hard can seal off the vent holes in dies and cause dent problems if not cleaned out.


I've the same tub of Hornady Unique case lube for so long I don't remember buying it. L little dab will lube the sizing die for 4 or 5 brass. That tub last forever.

I agree. I got a small tub of Hornady unique case lube with my Pacific press when I started reloading brass cases in 1980 and I'm still using the same tub and have no idea how many rounds I've lubed with it. It's almost gone but picked up a new tub a while back when I made a Midway order. I'm sure I'm set for case lube for the rest of my days.

[Dieselhorses]

I agree. I got a small tub of Hornady unique case lube with my Pacific press when I started reloading brass cases in 1980 and I'm still using the same tub and have no idea how many rounds I've lubed with it. It's almost gone but picked up a new tub a while back when I made a Midway order. I'm sure I'm set for case lube for the rest of my days.


Hornady case lube is basically lanolin with some other petroleum distillates. I used a small container and think I lubed around 10-15K cases. Don't take much!

[Grmps]

Pour 1 to 1 1/2 oz liquid lanolin into a red bottle of HEAT and drop a couple boolits in. Mark the bottle. Shake it up an add to your sprayer whenever it gets low.

For paste type lube I like mink oil (shoe protector) much cheaper than the name brands and works great for me.

[Dieselhorses]

Pour 1 to 1 1/2 oz liquid lanolin into a red bottle of HEAT and drop a couple boolits in. Mark the bottle. Shake it up an add to your sprayer whenever it gets low.

For paste type lube I like mink oil (shoe protector) much cheaper than the name brands and works great for me.

Thanks Grmps, (wow I coulda had a V8!) Great idea!

[Shingle]

I bought 2 tubs of Hornady unique case lube 5 years ago. i'm about half way done with the first one and i use this stuff alot. Only down side to it is if you leave the top off the cat that sits in my reloading room window will eat the hell out of it and then get sick (what a mess). The lube works for case and bullet sizing lube and doesnt damage coatings.

[Dieselhorses]

I bought 2 tubs of Hornady unique case lube 5 years ago. i'm about half way done with the first one and i use this stuff alot. Only down side to it is if you leave the top off the cat that sits in my reloading room window will eat the hell out of it and then get sick (what a mess). The lube works for case and bullet sizing lube and doesnt damage coatings.I think I'd have my cat lubing a few thousand bullets! Just saying.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[dbosman]

Any oil, wax, or soap can be used. Simple and cheap is lanolin. A little dab-l-do-ya. I keep a bit on the fingers of my off hand, lubes the cases on the way to the press.

[Pressman]

I have a bottle of Herter's case lube that is 90 weight gear oil.

[Walks]

I use IMPERIAL Sizing wax for case forming and doing just a few cases. Have for ages. REDDING sells it now. The RCBS #2 is on my Lube pad & I use it when I size more than 10 Rifle cases. For big batches of .223,.308 & ought 6, .44WCF & .38WCF I use HORNADY spray on case lube, cleans of well easy.

[GregLaROCHE]

Just today I was resizing some of my .45-70 brass and a few were really hard. I’ve always used RCBS lube, rolling on a pad. A while back a friend gave me some castor oil and said it works great for case lube.

Wow, what a difference! I’ll be using it from now on. I’ve heard some folks mix it with lanolin. I might give that a try too. I have found out that all lubes are not created equal.

[jaysouth]

I bought 2 tubs of Hornady unique case lube 5 years ago. i'm about half way done with the first one and i use this stuff alot. Only down side to it is if you leave the top off the cat that sits in my reloading room window will eat the hell out of it and then get sick (what a mess). The lube works for case and bullet sizing lube and doesnt damage coatings.

Rub the cat with lanolin. Throw the cat and couple of thousand case into the dryer. Set on cool, spin for ten minutes. If the cat is yours, it will not come home for months. If it is the neighbor's cat, it will not come back, ever.

[lightman]

I've used most of the commercial lubes and several other things that were not marketed as case lube. Most of them worked, some better than others. Some were also easier to clean up than others. I've settled on two. I use Imperial for neck sizing and Dillon spray lube (Lanolin and alcohol) for everything else. I'll probably make my own when the Dillon gets used up. For clean up on the heavy STP type of lubes I've used everything from gasoline (use caution here), alcohol, mineral spirits, brake cleaner and probably some other stuff to cut the grease.

[ubetcha]

I personally don't shoot that high of a volume to warrant a spray type lube. What I use is either a RCBS pad with Hornady lube, Lee case sizing lube, or Hornady Unique in the tub.

[earlmck]

I'm quite fond of the Hornady Unique mixed with Heat for a spray lube. 1 oz of the lube with a bottle of Heat. I stand the cases up in a shallow shell tray and spray from two directions from above so the inside necks also get some lube. You want a shallow case tray so you get lube down at the base of the shell where it is most critical. Hornady One-Shot lube is great also and very clean, but more expensive then the home-made spray stuff.

If you have a progressive press, anything other than a spray lube is somewhat of a pain. But the spray is so fast and nice I hardly use anything but the spray even when using the old single-stage.

[GregLaROCHE]

In reading what others have said, I think I am going to mix one part lanolin and one part of the castor oil I already have. I like the idea of going to a spray type so I can get some inside the necks.

From what I have seen a lot of people are adding alcohol or heat. I assume that is to reduce the viscosity so it works in a spray bottle and then evaporates. How much to add? Equal parts or is it more or less trial and error? Does the strength of the alcohol make a big difference?

Thanks for your advice.

[GrumpyBear]

I really like the Imperial sizing lube myself. No stuck cases.

[Shuz]

1 part lanolin to 10 parts isopropyl alcohol is the best case lube I've ever used. Cheap too, and works in a spray bottle.

[dondiego]

I stuck a .380 case in a die using chapstick as a lube. I don't use it any more.

[gwpercle]

I stuck a .380 case in a die using chapstick as a lube. I don't use it any more.

Thanks for the heads up....I never even thought about Chapstick...but if I do then I wont .

I once had some military 303 British cases that had been fired in a WWII era machine gun... the chamber was ..."extremely generous"...They were free but I had to size them down in three steps using STP oil treatment for lube...every other lube tried wanted to stick cases. I don't use STP regularly because it's so greasy, but if you ever have an extreme sizing job it will do the trick.
Gary

[country gent]

I use a bath towel to lube large batches of cases with imperial sizing die wax, this works for other lubes as well.

Wash and dry a towel to remove whiteners and other left overs. Rinse several times.
put a few fingers full of lube on towel while laying flat spread out over area
put clean cases on towel
add some more lube in the cases
pick up corners each end in one hand
Raise and lower hands agitating cases in the towel
check often for correct coating. At first few uses towel will absorb a lot. as used less lube is required. I lubed 800-1000 308 cases at a time like this. Store the towel in a gallon ziplock bag when not in use. Once its impregnated adding lube and lubing is straight forward. if it becomes over lubed a little solvent and load of cases removes excess while lubing those cases.

This works well with the waxes, lanolins, stps, Crisco and others.

[jednorris]

I started using the Lanolin and red Heat combo. and I got the exact thing as Dillon lube. The only difference is it separates and you need to shake the bottle before use. It is easy to clean off as it is water soluble.

[TaylorS]

What exactly is red heat or heat? I use the Dillion case lube on everything but my bottle is getting awful low and other than some hi grade iso alch that my pharmacy doesn’t sell not sure what I could add..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[robg]

Still using rcbs case lube on a pad that I got 30 odd years ago ,haven't had any problems and its water soluble so easy to remove .

[Dieselhorses]

Red heat is injector cleaner you can find in automotive section at walmart. Its just a more concentrated percentage of isopropyl alcohol .
What exactly is red heat or heat? I use the Dillion case lube on everything but my bottle is getting awful low and other than some hi grade iso alch that my pharmacy doesn’t sell not sure what I could add..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalkhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180929/108ba611088ead809957dfb6420d2650.jpg

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[ShooterAZ]

I use the Dillon lanolin/alcohol spray lube. By far the easiest for me to use, works great. It's free too, every year when the wife asks me what I want for my birthday I tell her..."Dillon Case Lube".

[sutherpride59]

If red heet is just concentrated alcohol then why not just mix lanolin with de-natured alcohol. That’s a lot more concentrated and smells nice.

[TaylorS]

[emoji106] thanks for the info I’ll have a look next time I hit Walmart


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wv109323]

Hornady also makes a lube in a small bottle. I use it with a case lube pad. It costs 3 to 5 bucks and is the bestime case lube I have found.

[waco]

I also use the tubs of Hornady Unique case lube. My guess is that a tub last way more than 10 years and I shoot a lot. For the couple of bucks it cost, I can't imagine making my own.

Agree 100%