lubing cases

[D Crockett]

ok I do not get to work on my swaging project a lot only when paying work is slow. I have BT Snipers swaging dies. I also have 3 large flat rate boxes of 22lr cases. I like to do things in steps. step 1 cleaning the cases all 3 boxes have gown threw the tumbler. step 2 deriming the cases. this is where I have run into a problem/lack of knowledge. that is lubing the cases so you can derim them. so here is my question what do you guys that swage 22lr brass into 223 projectiles use for lube on your cases ?? and 2 how do you apply it to the cases ?? I thank you in advance for all your help D Crockett

[JimB..]

I don’t know the answer, I’m just reading up on swaging, but you haven’t said that you annealed the cases and I think that you need to do that before derimming.

[Humbo]

For derimming I use my home brew lanolin/isopropyl alcohol and just spray the cases directly. The amount is not critical, as long as the cases derim easily and you don't get lube dents in the jackets. I anneal after derimming, I get better results that way. For core seat/point form I use pure anhydrous lanolin smeared inside a mason jar, and then I tumble the jackets for 15 minutes in a rock tumbler. Amount of lube varies with the amount of jackets I tumble.

[clodhopper]

I just use a little castor oil on a stamp pad. Castor oil is available at grocery and drug stores.
If you are getting dusty debris on your punch during the derimming process than your cases still have some priming ash.
The stuff is abrasive and will make the end of your punch rough. Which make derimming a miserable process

[bullet maker 57]

I use lanolin and a rotary tumbler. You want to use enough to make the derimming process as easy as possible. If you you use to much, cleanup is a little tougher. Experiment until you are comfortable. This is for derimming. Point forming is much different.

[D Crockett]

thank you Gentlemen for all your help I will be putting some of it to use D Crockett

[BlackoutBuilder]

I only do them in large batches as well. Take your castor oil and lanolin mix 50-50. warm it up and then put it in a spray bottle and squirt down the whole pot don’t overdo it,. Then sift through the breast with your fingers only takes a couple minutes like you’re needing some dough. It’s going to be a one time use for the spray bottle

[BlackoutBuilder]

Anneal after de-rim

[bullet maker 57]

As BlackoutBuilder says, anneal after derimming.

[D Crockett]

As BlackoutBuilder says, anneal after derimming.

I had someone tell me to anneal first. I tried a batch but I did not get them hot enough I am guessing that was a good thing D Crockett

[JimB..]

I don’t know the answer, I’m just reading up on swaging, but you haven’t said that you annealed the cases and I think that you need to do that before derimming.

For the record, I was apparently WRONG. I don’t know why, but the process is apparently to derim first and then anneal. I learn new things every day!

Jim

[D Crockett]

live and learn Jim I am learning new things all the time it's like my wielding when I first started I could not lay a good bead of wield down to save my life but I have learned how to most of the time now I don't think I do to bad for teaching my self. and I learn new stuff all the time on this forum thanks to some mighty fine people here D Crockett

[jdfoxinc]

I am switching to RCBS case lube 2. Water soluble.

[BlackoutBuilder]

Case lube and swaging lube are not the same. I wouldnt try that with my dies.

[Zbench]

Double +1 for RCBS Case Lube 2. I use it on all my brass when resizing. Main reason is it comes off really fast in the wash since it's water soluble. For swaging, I use straight castor oil. Much more slippery than swage lube, and easier to clean off. Plus a thin film is easier to apply.

[HandsOff]

I use "traditional" swage lube for every step.
Mix 1 lb anhydrous lanolin with 2 fl oz castor oil. Pack in small containers (extra can be frozen).
I just spread a little on my thumb and 1st 2 fingers and roll the cases between them when positioning the case for derimming. You just need a thin coat. Too much is hard to remove (you'll have to clean your pins a lot more often). As with every step, you'll get a feel for it. I use hot water with 1 Tbsp Dawn & 1/4 tsp Lemishine/citric acid in my FA tumbler for 1.5 hrs, then rinse and re-tumble in clean hot water (with pins) for 1/2 hr. If they're not clean and shiny, I know I used too much lube.
I find that a good amount of lube when seating cores minimizes case stretch, and minimal lube when point forming gives me the best results. After core seating, I roll them on a towel to remove excess lube and then I form points. If I get more resistance than normal when ejecting, I lightly lube a case and go until I get resistance before lubing another (between 5 & 10).
I tumble my finished bullets the same way.

[tiger762]

Definitely need the brass still in a work-hardened state before derimming, so that it springs back a little rather than get stuck to the punch. The brass is so thin that this doesn't present any noticeable increase in effort. I wear nitrile gloves while swaging. I dip my finger in a mix of lanolin / castor oil, then spread it a little, then as I handle the brass I wet the brass with the lube. After 20 rounds or so I re-wet my finger. As Pops would say "a dab will do ya". Just a super light film of lube is all we're talking here.

[Dragonheart]

Mix 1 ounce of liquid lanolin to 12 ounces of 99% alcohol, put in a fine mist spray bottle. Best lube out there. You can find lanolin on Evil Bay and the alcohol at an auto supply sold to remove water from gasoline.

[GONRA]

GONRA uses STP Oil Treatment (Auto Shops) or Tri-Flow synthetic grease (Bike Shops) for all this stuff....

[BT Sniper]

Annealing after deriming.

Use whatever lube you wish for deriming.

Only use quality swage lube for core seat and point form swaging.

I now like to use RCBS case lube II for deriming only because it is so easy to rinse clean with only water.

To apply I like to use a designated rotary timber drum, coat the inside with a squirt of case lube then tumble for maybe 10 minutes. It is not critical with how much lube you use for deriming, you can't use too much but you don't want too little.

After deriming I rinse with water, tumble clean in stainless tumbler, dry, anneal then tumble clean again in stainless steel media. Makes for beautiful and clean jackets.

Brian