Sorry to hijack this thread but have to chime in about WD 40. I had an uncle that bought a brand new S&W revolver. I doubt it had ever fired more than a cylinder’s worth of cartridges while he had it. Monthly, and religiously, he’d spray the pistol down with WD 40. Not sure how long he had the gun, but it was passed on to his son. It was so gummed up from years of the stuff it was difficult to cock the hammer or pull the trigger through for double action shooting. A cleaning made it right.
The gunsmith I knew LOVED WD-40.
It gave him so much business he could keep his shop open. He made up a bucket washing jig for guns and parts. Remove the grips and just put the gun in the jig. After a few minutes pull it out and blow it off. His solution was interesting but I think the current ones on the market are the same kinda thing.
PS I also lube my 9mm brass for resizing in carbide die. I think my chamber is a little on the large side so it takes quite a bit of force to resize. So far I have been using Hornady One Shot, like I do for my rifles. After sizing I 'tumble' them in a largish towel.
The only problem I ever heard of from WD40 was in the early spray cans. It seems the propellent used in the early can could cause rust under the right conditions. Never had that trouble myself and I have used WD40 for many, many years. james
I now wet tumble my brass using citric powder ( GunTap's) with ArmourAll wash and wax in cool water. The w&w seems to decrease the effort needed during sizing.
If you've ever spent considerable time trying to remove a case that got stuck in the sizing die, and I mean REALLY stuck, you WILL lube ALL of the cases from that point forward.
I have never used any lube in any carbide sizing die. That is why I paid extra for the carbide die set. Been reloading since the early 1980's or so if memory serves.
When I use lube, like GeorgeKahn it’s Imperial Sizing Wax, period !
Just started reloading, in 1962, so am still learning on my few presses, I use a 1-10 ratio, on carbide dies, except for the first three cases after the dies have set for a while. Ever 10 rounds I stick a lubed case in the straight wall carbide sizer. I use a lube pad with RCBS case lube. I also use the case lube pad to size and lube my powder coated bullets, comes in handy several ways. I do not process dirty brass.
The wax lube is OK for a single stage, but on my progressives, used for speed, to get that speed, I use a pad.
“There is a remedy for all things, save death.“
Cervantes
“Never give up, never quit.”
Robert Rogers
Roger’s Rangers
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
Will Rogers
I make my own and it does not include lanolin.
ACC
A little dab of Imperial makes it sooo much easier to do.
Old retired guy in Baton Rouge La.
Another for imperial, however i rarely lube with carbide, rather i perodically !ike every 300 to 400 give the dies a spray of silicone.
I never lube cases when using carbide dies. If I wanted to lube I would have bought cheaper steel dies.
A pox on WD-40 in the gun or reloading room. It's a different story with my lathes and mill.
NRA Life 1992
My avatar is almost a dead ringer for my little buddy Chico. Six pounds of mean that thought he was a Pit Bull. Miss that little guy.
Another for Hornady one shot case lube spray! it makes sizing effortless.
Yes !... A little lube helps carbide run much smoother .Originally Posted by nueces5
My lube of choice is the non greasy , water soluble , Lee Case Lube , in a small spray bottle use Lee Case Lube dissolved in alcohol (speeds drying) spray on and let dry a minute . The dry lube isn't greasy and will not contaminate anything ...it doesn't hurt functioning of ammo and doesn't need to be removed .
The stuff is clean and dry ... you can apply the lube with fingers but a spray application of liquid alcohol - lube is better .
Gary
Certified Cajun
Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
" Let's Go Brandon !"
For a 550 without a case feeder any of the traditional case lubes will decrease force required to size making it run smoother. I have never used WD-40 as a case lube so no comment on it for that application. WD-40 is a great product that works very well for some applications. As a firearm's lube it leaves a sticky residue when it dries in places like trigger and lock works. The claim that is feeds gunsmiths families is very real.
While the price is becoming an issue I love Hornady One Shot Case Lube but I mostly load on 650's and 1050's with case feeders. Lanolin and isopropyl alcohol lube get everything too sticky for my applications. When I used it I always lightly tumbled in corn cob to remove the lube.
2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
"Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
– Amber Veal
"The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
- Wayne Dyer
Here's my post in a recent/ongoing thread:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...=1#post5516651
Lanolin will work too, and I think Bag Balm is mostly lanolin.
jmo,
.
Size/Prime a few cases when starting off with a progressive and put them aside. You can plug them back into the process when a bad/odd case screws up in the priming station and continue loading.
I'll dip a Q-tip in ATF or Marvel Mystery oil and touch it to 1 case in about 20-25, IF I feel something that seems to be dragging. THEN, I pull the sizing die apart and inspect at the first available stopping point.
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool become servant to the wise of heart. Proverbs 11:29
...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40
Carpe SCOTCH!
https://thedermreview.com/bag-balm/
What’s Inside Bag Balm?
The Original Bag Balm Skin Moisturizer has a very simple formulation of only four ingredients:
Petrolatum
Lanolin
Paraffin wax
8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate
2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
"Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
– Amber Veal
"The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
- Wayne Dyer
Why pay extra for Carbide dies if you are going to lube. Just pay less for steel dies and put the savings into powder or primers. I used Imperial Wax for years on bottle neck brass but it got expensive. I found some lube wax at Brownells called "Royal Case & Die Lube" that feels and does same job as the Imperial Wax. It comes in a 3.7 oz. tub where the Imperial now comes in 1 oz. tubs. The Royal cost about the same as Imperial, which means I get almost 4 times the wax with the Royal as the Imperial and I can't tell the difference in using on my brass sizing. Both are slick in the dies sizing and I use an old used bath towel to wipe the wax off of the brass. Just my .02 and experience anyway, james
Put the cases in a plastic shopping bag, give them a spray of furniture wax in a can, the cheap stuff.
Then tumble for a few seconds, spread out to dry. That light coating of wax will
make the cases slide through your carbide dies as if they were greased.
Posting Permissions
| BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
| BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
| BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
| C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
| HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
| PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
| LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
| GC | Gas Check |
Reply With Quote