What’s the best case lube? Mine isn’t cutting it for Lee APP

[500MAG]

I purchased a Lee APP to handle my primer pocket swaging, bullet sizing and case sizing for .223 and 308. I have always used Marvel Mystery oil to lube cases and it has worked for me for over 30 years. Unfortunately, it doesn’t cut it for the Lee APP and I keep getting stuck cases. I started using Marvel Mystery oil when I started reloading at the age of 16. I needed a case lube and that was what was sitting on the shelf at the time. Probably not the best but has always worked and you know what they say about old habits.

[Shawlerbrook]

Imperial Sizing Wax for me.

[zarrinvz24]

Another vote for imperial sizing wax. Give it a try, the 2oz can last nearly forever and it wipes off so easily.

[onelight]

I have the APP and think it is a great tool. But I can't see it lasting long sizing 308 brass . It gust seems to be to light for that kind of work .
When you say stuck do you mean to the point of pulling the case head off ? Or does it lack the leverage to pull the case from the die ?

[Pipefitter]

Anhydrous Lanolin and castor oil, mix them together and SLOWLY heat until mixed.

[kaiser]

I use sizing lube by Hornady, easy on and easy to clean off. A little tub of it will last literally years!

[fralic76]

10 parts 99% isopropyl alcohol to 1 part of liquid lanolin. Wait untill the alcohol evaporates off.

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[GregLaROCHE]

Anhydrous Lanolin and castor oil, mix them together and SLOWLY heat until mixed.

The same works for me. Sometimes I mix it with alcohol so I can spray it on.

[Coopaloop86]

It's gonna sound crazy but I've been using a spritz of Pledge furniture polish for years for cases and boolits with nothing but success. I also like to convince myself that the lemon in the Pledge helps clean my cases too.

[500MAG]

I have the APP and think it is a great tool. But I can't see it lasting long sizing 308 brass . It gust seems to be to light for that kind of work .
When you say stuck do you mean to the point of pulling the case head off ? Or does it lack the leverage to pull the case from the die ?
I just set it up last night and was sizing some 223’s running along very fast about the 10th case in it pulled the case right out of the shell holder and was stuck all the way in the sizing die. Happened 3 times averaged about every 8 to 10 cases. Has to be the lube.

[sharps4590]

Hornady, RCBS or Imperial. I try to save the Imperial for case forming. 3 stuck cases in 60 years of handloading. None were the fault of any of the lubes.

[BK7saum]

The APP isn't meant or designed to me used to resize cases with the express shell holder. There isn't enough rim contact and you will pull cases out of the shellholder and stick them on a regular basis, probably with any case lube. Save resizing brass for a press with a regular shell holder.

Lee states somewhere to use a regular shell holder for resizing. So you loose the automation of sizing cases. And the leverage isn't there, so Id just use a real press and save myself the aggravation of having to remove stuck cases from the die.

[BK7saum]

Under the Lee APP instructions in the section about Xpress, shellholders, they state not to use for sizing bottleneck cases.

"The pass-through design reduces the amount of "pull" that can be applied to the cartridge. That said, we do not recommend full length resizing rimless bottleneck case. If you insist, we recommend using only Lee dies and Lee case resizing lubricant #90006, Only Lee dies include a built in stuck case remover in the event you damage a rim and stick a case"

[onelight]

I wonder if the case feeder would feed into a regular shell holder if you manually removed the sized case .
Any one tried that ?

[Minerat]

10 parts 99% isopropyl alcohol to 1 part of liquid lanolin. Wait untill the alcohol evaporates off.

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Or Imperial sizing wax especially for 223 or thin rimmed cartridges. I spray the lanolin in a baggie and roll the cases around till coated...... And keep a stuck case remover handy especially with 223's.

[Mk42gunner]

.223 (or 5.56 if you prefer) is bad about sticking cases. I have stuck a few others in my time, but by far the most common was rifle fired 5.56 LC cases.

Case lube? Most slick things will work, I've even used WD-40 and tumbled in walnut media afterwards. The best I've found is Imperial Sizing die wax, with plain old STP a close second. The Imperial is less messy though.

Bag Balm is supposed to work fine, never tried it for case lube though.

Robert

[Joel Chavez]

I took about an ounce or so of Hornady Unique Case lube and resolved it in Heet(12oz) in a spray bottle. I placed the spray bottle in some hot water and after several minutes the case lube had dissolved. Place your brass on a plastic tray, spray them and allow to dry for several minutes after which you can now resize. It works slicker than snot.

[murf205]

10 parts 99% isopropyl alcohol to 1 part of liquid lanolin. Wait untill the alcohol evaporates off.

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+1 for this mix. I had to get my pharmacy to order the 99% alcohol but it works.

[500MAG]

+1 for this mix. I had to get my pharmacy to order the 99% alcohol but it works.
Won’t have any problem getting this. I’m a pharmacist.

[jmorris]

Of the spray on, Dillon lube. Hornady Oneshot s better than spit but not by much. Hornady’s Unique lube, works great though better than any spray lube and of what I have tried #2 to only imperial sizing die wax.

[Targa]

Hornady Oneshot works great for me.

[richhodg66]

I have been using Mink Oil from the shoe section of Wal Mart the past several years works better than anything else I've used.

[str8wal]

unique

[xiholdtruex]

I personally use lee case resizing lube. A tiny almond size dab and 200 cases in a container and shake and it coats all the cases in a light haze of it. Have not had any issues with this method

[GarrettP1]

WD-40. Everybody has some. Just need to drop cases into soapy water after sizing, and rinse.
Very convenient for 100 to 1,000 cases; probably a lot of trouble for 10 cases.

[dverna]

I have had good results with Imperial Sizing wax for bottleneck cases.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I like Hornady Unique, works on the machine gun fired 7.62x 51 in an RCBS Ultra Small Base Die ( only use it on machine gun .308). A tub does thousands of cases, I just wipe my finger across the lube and turn the case in my fingers.

[Blanket]

I use Dillon cut 50% with alcohol for volume and imperial for all else

[mdi]

I had a bit of trouble finding case lube in the stores around me in the early '80s. I was shopping in a Walgreens and noticed a jar of Mink Oil Boot Dressing Cream in the shoe polish dept. and grabbed one. I have used MOBD cream since on every cartridge I've sized with not one stuck case, even the "machine gun fired" 7.62x51 I purchased as "once fired". Easy to apply, easy to remove, inexpensive, and good on my old mechanic's hands. I have also experimented with a bunch of different formula and the alcohol/lanolin and Pledge spray also worked OK, but I found the Mink Oil Dressing was just a bit better...

[robg]

been using the rcbs lube for 40 years never had a stuck case,yet.

[pworley1]

KIWI CONDITIONING OIL Paste LEATHER conditioner is the best thing I have tried.

[pastera]

+1 for this mix. I had to get my pharmacy to order the 99% alcohol but it works.

Isoheet - no need to go to the pharmacy
https://www.goldeagle.com/product/iso-heet-fuel-line-antifreeze-injector-cleaner/

[Jsm180]

12 oz isoheet and 2 oz lanolin is what I use, but after sticking one in the APP I won't use it for sizing. Walmart has isoheet for $2. STP works just as well but is too messy for me.

[TCFAN]

For general case sizing I use Hornady Oneshot spray. For heavy duty sizing or case forming the Mink oil boot dressing has worked for me for years.

[yancey]

+1 for this mix. I had to get my pharmacy to order the 99% alcohol but it works.

I was having issues with stuck 556 cases until i started using this mix. Great stuff !!!!!!!!

[Burnt Fingers]

12 oz isoheet and 2 oz lanolin is what I use, but after sticking one in the APP I won't use it for sizing. Walmart has isoheet for $2. STP works just as well but is too messy for me.

Were you using the Xpress shell holder???

I'm asking because I've NEVER stuck a case with lanolin.

[porthos]

once i used imperial sizing wax; there was no need to try anything else. why on earth would anyone use marvel mystery oil. you can use motor oil too; but, that dosen't mean its good for the job of case resizing.

[Jsm180]

Were you using the Xpress shell holder???

I'm asking because I've NEVER stuck a case with lanolin.

Yes, Lee says don't use the APP for sizing because the shell holders don't give enough support and I proved them right. I prefer the rock chucker for sizing, although the APP does ok with 9mm sizing. I think 223/556/300aac are pushing the limit on the xpress shell holder.

[mdi]

Just about every post says something like "I've used XXX case lube for 22 years and never stuck a case", XXX being every case lube used today. Which leads me to believe proper application, amount, and method will work with nearly every method of lubing cases...

[roysha]

Plain old STP. Cheap and a little goes a long way.

[BK7saum]

Once again, I don't think your issue is with the lube you are using. The xpress shell holder only allows extremely limited purchase on the case rim for extraction. I really don't think lube will prevent the occasional stuck case using xpress shell holders.

They only allow rim contact 180 degrees on each side of the rim.

[Dimner]

I have resized more than 4000 556 cases with the APP. The key is having your brass clean and having it lubed up. I have gone over 1000 cases since my last stuck case.

I use hornady one shot, but I use probably twice as much as would be needed if I were using a different press. I throw a handful of cases in a 3 quart tupperware bowl and spray in the lube, shake vigorously and then spray again, and shake again. This does the trick. I use the spray lube because I have a case feeder and lubing one case at a time is not efficient.

On the very rare occasions I have problems, I will add a small amount of hornady unique case lube to the mouth of every 30-40 case or so. But when that happens usually the problem is a dirty die or brass that was not cleaned enough or something else.

[oley55]

I use Dillon case lube which is probably just lanolin and alcohol. My gun club sells it in the office so I never gave much thought to mixing my own.

[Burnt Fingers]

Yes, Lee says don't use the APP for sizing because the shell holders don't give enough support and I proved them right. I prefer the rock chucker for sizing, although the APP does ok with 9mm sizing. I think 223/556/300aac are pushing the limit on the xpress shell holder.

It's not a lube failure then. It's a carbon interface failure.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I got a tube of the Lee stuff and it works very well on Lake City 7.62 brass. Also 30-30. I will sometimes use Hornady 1 Shot on 9mm cases I'm running through my APP press .

[John Boy]

Bag Balm ...

https://www.amazon.com/Bag-Balm%C2%AE-Medicated-Ointment-1oz/dp/B0011EGJFY/ref=asc_df_B0011EGJFY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=242003539383&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4237907274527121464&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003982&hvtargid=pla-624115152374&psc=1

[TimD]

I use Imperial Sizing Die Wax or Dillon case lube.

I would avoid using ISO-HEET since it contains Ethylbenzene.

[1hole]

Just about every post says something like "I've used XXX case lube for 22 years and never stuck a case", XXX being every case lube used today. Which leads me to believe proper application, amount, and method will work with nearly every method of lubing cases...

There it is.

It gets amusing to read praise for one case lube and hearty condemnation for others when it's usually clear that poor application is what causes most "lube failures".

Truth is, all commercial case lubes and many substitutes (Mink Oil, Bag Balm, STP, lanolin, toilet bowl wax rings, Chap-Stick, etc.) are excellent case lubes ... when properly applied. Nothing ever works very well if it's used incorrectly (and, IMHO, that includes Lee's APP)!

[JKH]

I am using Lee case lube which is wax based, mixed with 91% isopropyl alcohol. My brother and I ran about 1600 5.56 through the sizing die, we stuck 6 cases. I then ran 7 or 800 .30-06 cases and stuck 3, not too bad all in all. Even with Hornady Unique or a mixture of castor oil/alcohol I have stuck a few 5.56 through the years with standard shell holders, those cases are terrible in that respect.

I found with my APP press that very wet cases using the Lee lube/ alcohol mix, luring about 50 cases at a time and only letting them dry a few minutes worked best, they are very slimy and even the '06 cases sized sole easy. This press has a ton of leverage and is very strong, I love it!

Next thing you want is the primer pocket swage tool, it works amazingly well, I have reamed/swaged/cut/ whatever the crimps out of so many thousands of military cases that I probably have a year of my life invested, we ran 1600 or so 5.56 through my APP (using the Lee multi tube feed unit and colator) in a bit over an hour, and that was at a leisurely pace!

Anyway, plenty of WET lube and this press will size like crazy and you will never want to go back to your old press.

[robg]

Just about every post says something like "I've used XXX case lube for 22 years and never stuck a case", XXX being every case lube used today. Which leads me to believe proper application, amount, and method will work with nearly every method of lubing cases...

correct

[gwpercle]

Bag Balm www.bagbalm.com

Lots better than Boudreaux's Butt Paste

STP is greasy but cheap and good , old school heavy duty type lube .
One bottle will last for decades...apply to a case lube pad and roll cases across the pad .
You can reform brass with STP and it will work when no other lube can get the job done .

Bag Balm is just a lot nicer and neater to use and good for many udder uses , check ot website .
Gary

[Lloyd Smale]

Imperial Sizing Wax for me.

i agree. But i use anhydrous lanolin which is the same thing but MUCH cheaper. You can get a tub of it on ebay for what a little container of imperial costs.

[Three44s]

Imperial is great but I prefer the Hornady Unique lube in the tub. It is inexpensive compared to Imperial on a volume basis and it lasts about as long as Imperial ounce for ounce.

It is firmer than Imperial so it’s easier to meter out thin applications as well.

Three44s

[SaltCreek]

I use the pure lanolin liquid and 99.9% alcohol as well. However, I go a little more lanolin liquid. I use 4 oz of lanolin to 32 oz of 99.9% isopropyl alcohol. I poured it all in a 40-oz spray bottle, shake for about 30 seconds.

I have a big bath towel that I lay out all of my brass out on top of the towel with all the case mouse facing away from me. I don't want to spray any into the brass mouth. Then I give all my brass a light spritzing. It's very easy to lubricate your brass too much with this so use it very sparingly. Once I have spritzed the brass, I pick up the ends of the towel and just work the cases back and forth in the towel about 10 times. You can then open the towel up and you can feel the lube on it. Once the lube is on the brass evenly, I let it set to let the alcohol evaporate off for about 5 minutes.

The alcohol is expensive, but you cannot use 70% or even 90%. It has to be 99.9% otherwise you're just wasting your money.

When buying the alcohol they make two different grades. One is a medical-grade and the other is industrial grade. I buy the industrial-grade because it is cheaper. This is the only place you can cut a corner on the alcohol.

Absolutely the best case lubricant you can make. You can't buy better. You can buy the liquid lanolin and alcohol on Amazon.


When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - Thomas Jefferson

[Teddy (punchie)]

Growing up I use what I had. Whatever cast lube it was Lyman, RCBS, or some other company that made lube. It was messy and thick, sticky and just didn't feel right. But that what they are telling me to use.

So one day open the draw and little bottle got a whole in it. All over and what a mess. Not sure what those bottles are made of but :( they don't last long, over they years I found many that leak.

Whatever light oil I can find. If neck sizing adding a little graphite so I see the bottoming out of the neck sizing.

Don't use too much oil or too little. Best I have found is olive oil, in fact any cooking oil. I get a heavy napkin use two old style coffee can lids one is a little larger then the other. Few drops of oil at one end and dryer at the other. All you need is for enough to make the case move in the die. What is the need for some special oil. As you are reading you are seeing many ideas

STP
Non-detergent motor oil
Case lubes of many types
Oils like WD40
Any light oil cooking oil,
Powder graphite.
All in what you have or find.

[David2011]

Over many years and many thousands of cases resized I’ve only used RCBS with a pad (didn’t know any different back then), Dillon, Imperial and straight lanolin. Straight lanolin is great for difficult to size cases like .500 S&W. A tin of Imperial will last many thousands of cases. The only times I’ve stuck cases it was 100% my fault for not giving the alcohol enough time to evaporate from Dillon lube and it was always when processing large batches of 5.56 military brass. I just got impatient. I size with a Rock Chucker; no experience with the APP.

After having to use the stuck case remover 3-4 times I guess I decided it was easier to wait a few minutes longer before proceeding.

[500MAG]

10 parts 99% isopropyl alcohol to 1 part of liquid lanolin. Wait untill the alcohol evaporates off.

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Finally got around to trying it and it works phenomenally! There is actually a YouTube video of a guy breezing through some .223’s on the Lee App and he said this is what he uses. I put the cases in a baggy and sprayed it on them. Put them in the feeder and they went right through. This will be what I use for everything now. Thanks!

[JKH]

Heads up on 99% isopropyl, I ordered a bunch from Wal-Mart in one of my wife's grocery orders, very cheap! The only have 91% on the shelf when you go in though.