Case Lube Report

[gnappi]

I've also used Imperial and have no complaints.

[1hole]

I've used every commercial case lube I can find since 1965 (including a LOT of home mixed concoctions). I've stuck a LOT of cases too and I've easily pulled my own and a lot of other people's ripped off cases with the simple RCBS type drill and tap puller; it's an easy, no sweat process.

Every stuck case with a commercial lube I've seen have been due to poor application. Seems no one fails to lube thin case mouths and necks quite well but a LOT of people fail to put enough lube on the lower, thicker part of the cases and THAT"S WHERE THEY GET STUCK!

Both Hornady's and Reddings soft wax lubes are quick/easy to apply and they work very well.

I detest the sticky, nasty STP lubes in any brand or form but it is a very good case lube -- but so are many others. I've reformed hundreds of surplus 1940's .30-06 machine gun fired cases down
to .308, .358, .243, .250 and .22-250 with both of those waxes without a stuck case except when I was testing/toying with various substitute "homemade lubes"! Trust me, simply sizing machine gun fired cases, as such, is not a problem IF they are properly lubed with any commercial lube! (No one makes/sells "junk" case lube. I read and follow the maker's instructions and they all work fine for me!)

I've never stuck a case without previous warning by way of increasing lever resistance If I'm alert to what I'm doing I'll withdraw the case, put a bit more lube on the lower body and repete; that works every time!

[brasshog]

Ben-How are you removing the Red N Tacky from the cases ? Are you applying it via a pad or thinning it for a spray ?

[1hole]

Either Imperial or Hornady Unique, I give a very slight better to Unique but they are both very good and not very messy. STP does work but it's very sticky and messy.

Exactly so, especially because they are so clean, quick and easy to apply. But, bottom line, ALL commercial case lubes work quite well when they are applied correctly.


NOTE: Water soluable case lubes cannot cause die rust. Steel is not water absorbent so once any stray water evaporates from a surface it is gone, there can't be a hidden subsurface residue that can return to bite you later. That said, same as with any other ferrous metal, an annual coat of light gun oil will usually protect steel dies from eventual rusting due to random microscopic airborne droplets of water.

WD-40 drys into a thin varnish so it is NOT a good long time (6 months or more) rust protectant but it is a great short term spray! For a great lightweight lube and longer storage of guns and fishing reels I love Walmart's inexpensive - by the quart - ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid).