Case Lube Report

[Tall]

So I am using Redding Dies to resize RP 41 Long Colt brass. The dies are steel so I have to use a bullet lube. I first tried a Lyman spray lube. I sprayed all sides of every case. Per the instructions I let it sit overnight. The results were terrible. Lots of noise and the cases were very hard to resize / decap.

Then I tried Lee lube in the little vinyl packages. It was a lot better but still not ideal. There was perhaps 1/4 of the noise but the cases were quite nasty after everything was done. Lots of lube everywhere.

Is there a better solution?

[Walks]

Imperial Sizing Wax from Redding, 1oz or 2oz. A little goes a long way.

[stubshaft]

Imperial Sizing Wax from Redding, 1oz or 2oz. A little goes a long way.

+1 I've also had some luck with Hornady Case Lube, but for sticky cases or severe necking down you cant beat Imperial!

[DocSavage]

Make your own lube from liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol there are loads of recipes out on the web. Midway has a lube that looks like petroleum jelly that works well I use it but can't recall ots name at 4 am. Question have you tried applying a coat of lube on the inside of the size die.

[imashooter2]

Or buy a bottle of RCBS case lube 2 and pour it into a quart of isopropyl alcohol. Put a couple hundred cases into a plastic bowl or box, give them a couple squirts from a spray bottle, stir/shake the cases to distribute. This lube works wet or dry, is water soluble and tumbles off easily.

[45_Colt]

Clean the resizing die with some solvent. Then put some lube in it, same stuff you are using on the cases.

A die with other 'stuff' in it can/will causes issues. Even a different lube can do it.

45_Colt

[uscra112]

Or buy a bottle of RCBS case lube 2 and pour it into a quart of isopropyl alcohol. Put a couple hundred cases into a plastic bowl or box, give them a couple squirts from a spray bottle, stir/shake the cases to distribute. This lube works wet or dry, is water soluble and tumbles off easily.

What he said. I don't dilute it, just a squirt into a big baggie, (not too much), half fill the bag with clean brass, close up and knead to distribute the lube. Save the bag, It'll do another batch or two without adding any more lube. Removes COMPLETELY with a hot water rinse.

I did what has to be the most brutal resizing known to man, reducing .223 bodies down to .315 OD for making .22 Lovell, using RCBS lube. Hydraulic press, and pushed the case out of the die with a rod. Never galled one.

[challenger_i]

If you do not mind using a lube pad, STP (VERY lightly!) makes tight cases/dies behave more civilized. I have used Imperial Sizing Wax when custom forming cases and have found STP to be superior.
What I want to know is where in the World you found RP 41Long Colt brass!

[TD1886]

Imperial wax all the way here. I'm old and I've tried all the past stuff. I probably haven't tried the really new stuff. Long ago I tried Hornady's spray. Had trouble with it. Talked to a tech and he said he didn't like it, but he did tell me something that made me quit using it. It's water based. I asked him if you let your sizer die set for long time would it rust. He said that was a very good question and didn't know.

[Tall]

I ordered the Imperial Redding case lube. It has to be less messy than the Lee stuff and more effective than the (useless) Lyman spray lube.

[Mk42gunner]

I think you'll like the Imperial Sizing die wax, I do.

In years past I have tried a lot of the ones on the market, and some things that aren't necessarily marketed for case lube, and the Imperial beats them all, in my opinion.

Of the rest, plain old STP on a rag works about as well as anything in my experience.

Robert

[rbuck351]

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.

[Hannibal]

Imperial wax all the way here. I'm old and I've tried all the past stuff. I probably haven't tried the really new stuff. Long ago I tried Hornady's spray. Had trouble with it. Talked to a tech and he said he didn't like it, but he did tell me something that made me quit using it. It's water based. I asked him if you let your sizer die set for long time would it rust. He said that was a very good question and didn't know.

I've had good luck with Hornady Unique. A little bit goes a long way. I also made a batch of the lanolin/Vaseline mixture years ago and can't say it was any better or worse than the Hornady Unique.

I personally have nothing nice to say about the spray lubes I've tried. I don't plan to try any more.

[georgerkahn]

So I am using Redding Dies to resize RP 41 Long Colt brass. The dies are steel so I have to use a bullet lube. I first tried a Lyman spray lube. I sprayed all sides of every case. Per the instructions I let it sit overnight. The results were terrible. Lots of noise and the cases were very hard to resize / decap.

Then I tried Lee lube in the little vinyl packages. It was a lot better but still not ideal. There was perhaps 1/4 of the noise but the cases were quite nasty after everything was done. Lots of lube everywhere.

Is there a better solution?

Fifty-plus years of reloading, I doubt if there are too many -- if any - I have not bought, made, and tried. I ALWAYS gravitated back to -- the ONLY one I use and can/will recommend to anyone -- is the Imperial Case Wax. It is now made by and purveyed by Redding. Both cans pictured are same product, and one word of "warning" -- albeit the can appears small, and price may seem high ($11 - $15 USD) -- literally THOUSANDS of case may easily be lubed -- and you'll still have quite a bit left in the can!
Again -- the ONLY one I use and heartedly suggest using!

[Kestrel4k]

Hornady Unique is the best I've used.

[Hick]

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.

Another vote for Hornady Unique case lube. The nice thing about it is that it comes in a tub and you just touch it with your fingers and rub them on the case as you pick the case up and put it in the press. One little tub goes a long, long way (I use about 1 tub a year and load >5000 rounds, although about half of those are with carbide dies that don't need lube).

[Txcowboy52]

“Originally posted by DocSavage.
Make your own lube from liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol there atr loads of recipes out on the web. Midway has a lube that looks like petroleum jelly that works well I use it but can't recall ots name at 4 am. Question have you tried applying a coat of lube on the inside of the size die.”

+1 for the lanolin and isopropyl alcohol. I make my own and it works really well. Granted I’ve never tried Imperial Case Lube, but I intend to get some and give it a try .

[Earl Brasse]

Not knowing your experience level so please take no offense if this is "old news".
Also count these as opinions or observations.

New dies need to be disassembled cleaned before use. (I think Redding has that in the instructions to remove their preservative)
Use clean brass.
Check to make sure it isn't really old balloon head brass.

What are you shooting in .41 Long Colt?
Some have very "generous" chamber dimensions.
This could have been by manufacture or by someone "cleaning up" old pits in the chambers.
If either of these happened your fired brass could be on the large side & being worked a bit harder than normal in resizing.

Redding .41 LC dies work well for me.
Side note: I have found Lyman to be tighter (or at least the old orange box set I have is).

I am experiencing 10-20% case failure (body or mouth splits)with old R-P & Winchester/Western brass.
I count it as a combination: brass age, chambers slightly large, and I suspect that the pile I got was chemically cleaned possibly with something harsh. (also use, lol)

If you plan on shooting it much you might want to get some new Starline brass.
(might need a new shellholder depending on fit vs. what you are using now)

As other said, Imperial Die Sizing Wax is great stuff, but have also used RCBS Lube -2 & Dillon Spray (that you can make yourself).

Have a great time with your .41 LC.

[Three44s]

One more vote for Hornady Unique in the tub. It is as good as Imperial but even more economical since you get way more lube for the money and it works just about as sparingly.

One thing I have noticed is that either of the just mentioned lubes are prone to softening if they get overly warm. Once softened, neither firms up again. Then it takes a very soft touch to avoid over using.

My .02 worth anyway

Three44s

[Sasquatch-1]

Try a swage lube recipe. This one is from an old thread here. This is not my post, but I do use the one-to-one ratio. Made up a batch a looong time ago using a 16 oz. jar of lanolin and haven't made a dent in it yet. Works great for swaging and case lubing.

2 parts anhydrous lanolin and one part castor oil. some mix them 1-1. i use the 2-1 for case forming and full length case sizing too. i mix lanolin about 4 parts 90% rubbing alcohol to one part lanolin as a spray on case lube. let it dry then give the cases a run through the pile with the 2-1 mix on my fingers and size.