A little dab will do you!

I have been a faithful user of the RCBS hand held priming tool (uses standard shell holders).

I know it’s strengths and short comings well.

Yesterday I tried something new: I lubed two prime lower leverage points very lightly.

I was very impressed with the dramatically improved sensitivity and less strain to achieve well seated primers!

I know all the admonishments about no lube with primers with those tools. I did not use oil, I used Hornady die lube that is a semi solid in a tub and used it very sparingly. First I cleaned all the black oxide and ground metal out of the mating surfaces and then placed a bit of the Hornady product in there.

The seating required less strain and the feel was much improved, strikingly so.

Three44s

Yep, a little dab of lube on moving parts does wonders for decreasing drag and increasing longevity. In some places a non moving lube is much better than a runny lube.

And here I thought you were talking about Brillcream.

Three44s, what you did makes sense. I've never understood the 'no lube' approach to primer feed applications. Need something to prevent chattering.

I've use Imperial sizing wax in many areas. Including scope cap threads. It really does make a difference.


jdfoxinc, made me laugh. remember those ads from way back...

45_Colt

I have used spray-on dry film lubricant on those particular parts. Works well, lasts for about a bazillion cases (well, a couple thousand, any way...).

AND-- primers aren't nearly as wimpy in the face of lubricants than most folks think.

Seems like we all used to think that even having a can of WD40 in the same room as your primers would ruin your reloads. There's no need to be stupid about it, but also no need for paranoia either. Primers are sealed up pretty well, and the compound is very resilient, in the presence of moisture, and even waxes and oils. jd

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Originally Posted by hoodat

AND-- primers aren't nearly as wimpy in the face of lubricants than most folks think.

Seems like we all used to think that even having a can of WD40 in the same room as your primers would ruin your reloads. There's no need to be stupid about it, but also no need for paranoia either. Primers are sealed up pretty well, and the compound is very resilient, in the presence of moisture, and even waxes and oils. jd

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This ^^^^^

+2 for Tim and hoodat! I always maintained all my reloading tools with cleaning and lubing (all my tools!). I guess if I dipped my priming tools in 90W gear oil there might be a problem, but a dab here and there is a good thing. I remember when I started visiting reloading forums, 2006, a lot of fellows were warning about skin oil on one's fingers would "kill" a primer and keep any lubricant off the bench when priming. So I tried "killing" primers withWD40 and gun oil, but had no FTFs. So, don't worry about a bit o lube on your priming tools...

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Originally Posted by mdi

+2 for Tim and hoodat! I always maintained all my reloading tools with cleaning and lubing (all my tools!). I guess if I dipped my priming tools in 90W gear oil there might be a problem, but a dab here and there is a good thing. I remember when I started visiting reloading forums, 2006, a lot of fellows were warning about skin oil on one's fingers would "kill" a primer and keep any lubricant off the bench when priming. So I tried "killing" primers withWD40 and gun oil, but had no FTFs. So, don't worry about a bit o lube on your priming tools...

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I tried a couple back in the 90’s with WD. As I recall I waited a couple of days and they fired.

I am still careful to not contaminate them non-the-less but a bit of case lube on the lower linkages of my RCBS hand held priming tools.

Three44s

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Originally Posted by jdfoxinc

And here I thought you were talking about Brillcream.

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It'd probably work as a light lube too!

Dispelling primer handling myths is good. They "could" become contaminated is the way to spin it, so good housekeeping is the watchword when handling. I too followed with interest the writings on this website in trying to deactivate primers with water, WD-40, finger oils, and a host of other chemicals with varying degrees of success - most though were failures. Primers ARE hardier than the mythology indicates, but do not count on that alone...

I still have 2 of the old Lee round tray priming tools and use a tiny dab of Vasaline on points of friction. So far so good.

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Originally Posted by Three44s

I have been a faithful user of the RCBS hand held priming tool (uses standard shell holders).

I know it’s strengths and short comings well.

Yesterday I tried something new: I lubed two prime lower leverage points very lightly.

I was very impressed with the dramatically improved sensitivity and less strain to achieve well seated primers!

I know all the admonishments about no lube with primers with those tools. I did not use oil, I used Hornady die lube that is a semi solid in a tub and used it very sparingly. First I cleaned all the black oxide and ground metal out of the mating surfaces and then placed a bit of the Hornady product in there.

The seating required less strain and the feel was much improved, strikingly so.

Three44s

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Lee recommends lube grease on it's hand held units.. and they work better like that.

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Originally Posted by jdfoxinc

And here I thought you were talking about Brillcream.

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Referring to it in jest, LOL!

Best regards

Three44s

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Originally Posted by Soundguy

Lee recommends lube grease on it's hand held units.. and they work better like that.

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Ah ha! Figures .... wish I had gotten brave enough to try it sooner, my old broken Lee (early style) might still be going if I had lubed it).

Best regards

Three44s

Brylcreem might be a decent lube. It probably has lanolin and other oils in it to keep hair slicked down. I keep a tube of Vaseline in my tool box and over the years it has come in handy for many lubrication, protection uses. There are a lot of products not labeled "reloading" that work quite well (nipple cream?)

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Originally Posted by jdfoxinc

And here I thought you were talking about Brillcream.

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When I first read the post I was trying to remember what the name of that greasy kid's stuff was.

I have always used a little dab of grease on things like primer tools. Grease is good, it doesn't migrate like oil.

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Originally Posted by beemer

When I first read the post I was trying to remember what the name of that greasy kid's stuff was.

I have always used a little dab of grease on things like primer tools. Grease is good, it doesn't migrate like oil.

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"Dixie Peach Pomade"?

Kidding aside, it impressed me how the feel went from just “more pressure” to actually feeling “two stages” as it were.

You can sense contact and the slight primer crush as separate feelings plus of course less overall effort required.

In the winters during the Korea war, I have heard our troops had to get inventive to keep their M1 Garrands going during the extreme cold.

As I recall they were issued Vitalis (for hair) but barring they they had to pee on their actions.

As they say, war is hell!

Three44s