Alternative case lubes?

[chris in va]

I've been using the Lee case lube that comes in a tube, but the stuff is really messy and I'd like to just use a spray. The small cans of it are running almost $10 at the store. Is there anything else available at say, Lowes I can use instead that doesn't cost a lot? I have some silicone spray lubricant in the garage and it seems to work alright on my 9mm cases.

[mdi]

Silicone is a great lube but is difficult to get it off once you use it. My preference is Mink Oil Boot Dressing (bought it at Walgreen's under $5.00), applied with the fingers. I understand Lanolin mixed in with rubbing alcohol is used as a spray case lube. Do a search on "case lubes".http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67923&highlight=lanolin+case+lube

[harrya]

I use the small $10.00 cans of Hornady one shot spray. Believe me, a little goes a long way. I know it's expensive, but I've tried a number of "hardware" Silicones and they just don't make the grade. I used to spray in a loading block, but more went on the floor then on the brass, so now I use a small dish/tray and spray into that, shake it and spray again. Let them dry for a few minutes or so and go to work. I normally have 2 or 3 small trays with brass so when I get down to 1, I fill the others and spray. I use a Dillion 550 and have had NO problems using this method. It works for me and don't have a overage on the brass that I've noticed.
harrya

[flashhole]

I use Imperial Die Sizing Wax, A 2 oz tin lasts for thousands of rounds. It's the best lube I have found.

[HeavyMetal]

I'll second the Imperial die sizing wax!

I still have the remains of my first tin bought in the 70's and a second tin I bought 5 years ago ( cause I "lost" the first tin)!

Tired a similar product from Hornady it wasn't up to the Imperial stuff.

Use the imperial very sparingly, cool part is a dip in some really hot water and dawn gets it right off.

Only use it to full length resize rifle rounds I pick up off the range and when full length sizing 44 mag case's on my little Tru line converted to 7/8x14.

The Tru line is the compound linkage version and I have an RCBS carbide die in it but I can feel the difference when using just a touch of imperial n the case.

Figure anything I can do to relive stress on an old press is a good thing!

[Bulletlube]

Imperial does not work for everything a friend brought his dies and cases because he could not size them. I started with Imperial and could not size them either then he told me that is what he was using. I then tried Hornady spray which worked great. Not a dis againg Imperial just a statement that it does not work on all cases.

[HeavyMetal]

Haven't tried the Hornady spray, I have heard it's good stuff.

The Hornady stuff I tryed was a tin of wax type material very similar in consistancy to Imperial but not as slippery.

Good to know about the spray, never had a case I couldn't size but things happen ya know!

[RobS]

I use either neatsfoot oil or a lanoline oil mixed with wal-marts higher grade isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). Start by mixing it 1 part oil to 7 parts alcohol. This will work well with smaller cases. If a person is going to size larger magnum rifle cases then a slight increase in oil can be used. I mix it in a walmart spray bottle that has the measurements right there on the bottle; if memory serves me right the bottles were in the cleaning section. Adjusting the nozzle on the bottle to the point where it is almost shut off works best as it will give a very fine mist over the brass. Give it about 10 minutes and the alcohol evaporates of and leaves the slightest amount of oil on the case. It doesn't take much.

Oil can be found where horse saddle supplies are:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?storeId=10551&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&pageSize=20&beginIndex=0&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&error1=&ip_text=saddle+oil&ip_textHH=saddle+oil&ip_requestUri=CatalogSearchResultView&ip_categoryId=&ip_mode=&ip_perPage=20

I actually use the silcon/lanoline mix saddle oil unless they are out.

And the alcohol:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-First-Aid-Antiseptic-91-Isopropyl-Alcohol-32-fl-oz/10533997

get the 91% and not the 70% one so there is less water content.

[RKJ]

I've used the cheap PAM stuff (Vegetable Oil)and it works good, you can get it at any grocery store. I'm using the Hornady One shot as I still have can of it and it's not nearly as messy, I'd use the other if I had to though.

[Throckmorton]

I also thing Imperial is THE answer. I bought a tub of the Hornady,and it works,but not as well as Imperial does. Since the tub will last me forever,I'll keep using it.

[2_Smithereenz]

I've been using the Lee case lube that comes in a tube, but the stuff is really messy and I'd like to just use a spray. The small cans of it are running almost $10 at the store. Is there anything else available at say, Lowes I can use instead that doesn't cost a lot? I have some silicone spray lubricant in the garage and it seems to work alright on my 9mm cases.
I switched to RCBS case lube and new lube pad about 6 months ago and I love it.
Although I think the lube is nothing more than KY Jelly or Glycerine because it is water soluable and very clean. Much better than the Lyamn case lube I was using which was more like Crisco, and very messy to use.
With the RCBS lube I don't even have to wipe them off, I can just resize and throw them in the tumbler and they come out all nice and shiny. The light film that it leaves doesn't hurt my tumbling media at all. It wipes off my fingers easily with a rag and doesn't leave a lingering residue. No odor, and no mess. One bottle lasts forever at around $4 bucks it's very economical also.
If you are looking for cheap, cheap, then try KY Jelly because after reading the ingredients on the RCBS bottle, I just about bet that's what it is? It can't have any petroleum products in it, or otherwise it wouldn't be water soluable.
I've even annealed right after sizing with the RCBS case lube still on and it didn't affect the process at all, then when they are dropped into a can of water to cool the cases down after they are annealed, the case lube is gone. They rinse clean with water, it's good stuff.

If you feel strange about buying KY then ask your wife or girlfriend to pick you some up.:bigsmyl2:

[Lloyd Smale]

anhydrous lanolin. Ive found nothing better with the possible exception of bullshop mold lube.

[gefiltephish]

Available at Lowes:
DuPont "Teflon Mulit-Use Dry, Wax Lubricant". An 11oz can costs about 6 bucks. Seems to be the same thing or very similar to One Shot.

[challenger_i]

Hold on to your wallet, when you go to buy anhydrous lanolin! That stuff has DOUBLED in price, in the last few months!

Hadn't thought of using it a case lube. Have to give that a whorl...

For theose REALLY tough sizing applications, STP, in VERY small quantities, works wonders. I use that for full-length resizing wildcat cases, such as 35 Herrett, from 30-30, and the like, and it makes the task lots easier.

Like I say: use it sparingly, or the case will dent.



anhydrous lanolin. Ive found nothing better with the possible exception of bullshop mold lube.

[rbstern]

I use Johnson's furniture paste wax. Had a tub of it left over from my woodworking days, and it's proved to be very good as a case lube. I juse wipe it off with a paper shop towel after sizing.

[bohokii]

i use vasaline it comes off the cases as easy as it goes on

i keep a greasy finger to rub on a case then drop them on a white towel

just rub them on a towel when there is a bunch

and its cheap if you buy the generic

[KYCaster]

I've used a lot of stuff through the years....started with a RCBS lube pad, tried Vaseline(marginal), STP(hard to remove), Hornady One Shot(convenient and easy to use, but not cheap).

For the last couple of years I've been using wire pulling lube. It's available at Lowe's/HD for about $5.00 per quart and does a great job.

I've always used it full strength by just smearing it on the case with my fingers, but when I read your question I had to try diluting it. I mixed it 50/50 with isopropyl alcohol and applied it the same as I did with the unadulterated stuff.(don't have a spray bottle handy)

It worked fine FL sizing 303 Brit fired in a grossly oversize chamber, LC 5.56 and 7.62 IVI in a small base die.

I put about an ounce in a small bottle and added an equal amount of alcohol. At first it looked like it didn't want to mix, but after about 30 sec of agitating it appears to be homogeneous and after ~three hours shows no sign of separating. It looks like it's thin enough to work in a pump sprayer....I'll stop in Wally World tomorrow and pick up one to try.

Jerry

[fryboy]

i like the hornady best yup the expensive aerosol , usually get it from midway when it's on sale ( stock up !! ) worse problem with it is u can get too much and dent the shoulders ,it doesnt take all that much tho really ,i have their pump( non aero) eh it works ,quite often for just a small batch i'll pump some in a empty tea lite container and dip my finger as needed,the imperial works and well but i dont use it alot ,alot of things will work it just has to be slippery ,i prefer non oily mostly because i often load .223's and a few other's progressively and i want something that will not contaminate the powder ,the wire pulling lube is one of the cheapest erm that and the wax ( only cuz it usually last a long long time lolz ) bag balm also works as well as some other misc ointments & lotions

[RobS]

KYCaster:

Excellent...........I always wondered about wire pulling lube as I remember wiring up a high school with new ethernet wire. Darn slick it was.........get it on your hands and you couldn't even use your pliers to cut the wire.

If you used the 70% alcohol try the 91% as it will evaporate quicker and leave just the lube on the case sooner. Keep us posted and what your measurements were when mixing.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

A small tube of white lithium grease will do thousands and thousands of cases. A light dab/touch on the finger is all it takes for several cases. Anhydrous lanolin works great and goes forever; The equivalent of a 2 ounce tin will last for many years. Both come off easily with some alcohol or other solvent on a rag. LLS

[Jal5]

+1 for mink oil boot dressing a little tiny dab goes a long way

[Echo]

I've used Alemite CD-2 for years. Put a bean-sized drop in the tumbler, smear it around, fill the tumbler half way with cases, tumble for 15 minutes, dump into CoolWhip bowl, and have at 'em. Afterwards, dump cases onto a towel that has had a dollop of mineral spirits splashed on, see-saw back & forth to get rid of the lube.

I have tried the spray-on stuff - bought some @ gun show, tried it on some .223 cases, stuck the first one. Tried again a couple of months later, stuck again. Doing something wrong, I guess...

[454PB]

+2 for Boot dressing, I also use it for swaging jacketed bullets.....that is a demanding task!

[EMC45]

I just started another thread on this topic...Oops! I have a huge tub of JPW. I also have a little tin of Imperial as well. The Imperial works AWESOME!!! I will try the JPW when I run out of the Imperial.....20 years maybe.....

[blastit37]

STP---Cheap, last forever, sizing handle falls under its own weight (almost), cleans up with mineral spirits or any other petroleum solvent. Only thing slicker is greased owl poop.

[Kevin Rohrer]

1. Imperial Sizing Wax for case bodies
2. Imperial Case Neck Lube for the necks.

Both are fast and easy, and cleanup easily.

[dbldblu]

I like the imperial lube. It appeared to be mostly paraffin so I tried using that (candle wax). I hold a case between left hand thumb and forefinger and brush on about 10-12 lines of wax from the candle more or less evenly spaced around the case. It takes much longer to describe it than to do it. This works well for normal full length sizing. It wipes off easily with a rag or paper towel. I have been doing this for years now. For case forming I still use Imperial.

[flashhole]

If I'm only neck sizing I like to use a small container of shot shell shot, #9 works well, coated with powdered graphite. Just dunk the necks in a couple 3 times and it's good to go.

The 50 cal deburring tool is much easier on the hands and I will run the flat on the shaft of a vibrating electric toothbrush up and down the side of a full case to settle the powder.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v69/GuideGun/GoodIdea1.jpg

[Alan in WI]

You can mix the Lee case lube with alcohol and spray it on. Works great, will not effect powder, and it is inexpensive
Alan

[deerslayer]

Has any one ever tried adding some case lube to a tumbler and tumble lubing the brass? I experimented with JPW and a tablespoon of that made my sized cases slicker than snake snot.

[Echo]

Has any one ever tried adding some case lube to a tumbler and tumble lubing the brass? I experimented with JPW and a tablespoon of that made my sized cases slicker than snake snot.

See post #22 above...