View Full Version : What about case lube?
Been using RCBS case lube for years but I'm finally getting low. Wondering about any of the new stuff that's out there that may be cleaner and less sticky.
I have always been impressed how little imperial sizing wax is needed to resize rifle brass. Just a small dab on your fingers rubbed onto the neck shoulder junction. After a while, enough residue exists on your fingers that frequent dips into the wax tin is not required to get enough wax on subsequent cases. Cleans up well enough in my dry media tumbler.
I have tried other case lubes including the spray stuff to streamline/speed my reloading process and reduce mess. However I have always come back to sizing wax (imperial makes some, Hornady's is pretty good too). Sizing effort is way easier and it cleans off very easily.
gunnerblue
02-24-19, 09:40
Imperial sizing wax for single stage press use/low volume reloading. Progressive/high volume gets my homemade Dillon counterfeit (liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol). I'd avoid Hornady One Shot- imo it's garbage
diving dave
02-24-19, 09:56
I still use RCBS for my big cases (50 BMG) but use Hornady one shot in a zip lock bag for everything else.
I use Hornady One Shot for .223 and for getting inside case necks for larger cases, for which I use Imperial sizing wax. The wax goes a very long way, many thousands of cases. But it requires individual application which is OK for my larger calibers and lower quantities loaded. The wax is superb for larger cases like .30-06, really lets it slide through the die. I then wipe off each case after loading.
For the much greater quantities of .233 cases the One Shot allows me to place 40-50 cases upside down in a loading block and a quick spray one two sides is good enough. The .223 case is so small it does not need a lot of lube. Also, One Shot dries so there is no sticky mess and I don’t need to clean the cases after loading. Great for small cases like .223 but I have not found it lubes well enough for .30-06, at least not compared to Imperial wax.
hotrodder636
02-24-19, 11:00
I use Hornady One-Shot for .223 cases (bulk reloading) and a lanolin/isopropyl for .308 and 6.5CM (single stage reloading).
I have used many type case lubes but last summer I tried Hornady One Shot and didn't read the instructions and got stuck cases.
When using One Shot you "MUST" read all the instructions and clean and remove "ALL" other type wet lubes from the die, and then spray the inside of the die.
After this your Hornady One Shot will work fantastic and this "dry film" lube does not need to be removed. And when the spray is angled correctly the inside of your case necks are also lubed correctly.
Bottom line, Hornady One Shot is slicker than snot on a door knob and does not have to be wiped off. Just read all the instructions and don't bugger things up.
Oh, I can't wait for MarkM to chime in about One-Shot!
I like Dillon's lube, which is just lanolin and alcohol. Yes, I'll be making my own, from here on out.
Imperial sizing wax for single stage press use/low volume reloading. Progressive/high volume gets my homemade Dillon counterfeit (liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol). I'd avoid Hornady One Shot- imo it's garbage
WORD UP!
I use the homemade Dillon lube with approx 12/1 mix of isoheet or 99 alcohol and liquid lanolin. Toss brass in a box, spray, shake and spray again. Toss cases into casefeeder on dillon 650, then tumble in dry media when done. You can process allot of brass this way without making a mess or handling cases all that much.
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Ned Christiansen
02-25-19, 11:08
I have never used One Shot without sticking a case.
Wait, there were instructions?
WORD UP!
Cue MarkM posting the video of when he blew up his remaining supply of OneShot...
Cue MarkM posting the video of when he blew up his remaining supply of OneShot...
I wish I knew how to unlock my youtube channel. We could make some cool videos, but we've become lazy.
If Hornady One Shot is not properly applied and the sizing die cleaned and sprayed with One Shot you will have stuck cases.
Hornady One Shot is a dry film type lube and the cases must be allowed to dry before sizing.
I have home made alcohol and lanolin spray lube, and tried any other type wet lube you can think of and they also work well. "BUT" these type lubes must be removed and it can be time consuming and extra work.
But as long as you follow the Hornady One Shot instructions I have not had any stuck cases. I would not recommend One Shot for once fired machine gun fired 7.62 cases, but for normal sizing conditions it will work fine.
If you do a Google search you will find people who love Hornady One Shot and also find people who hate Hornady One Shot. Now ask yourself why do some people hate it, and why they hate it.
I can think of a few reasons why some people do not like Hornady One Shot.
1. Not applied properly and evenly to the entire case.
2. Die not cleaned.
3. Dirty rough die that needs polishing.
4. Ask yourself why the cases are sticking and not blame the Hornady One Shot. It works for many other people why doesn't it work for you. (don't shoot the messenger)
5. Did you ever have a stuck case with any other type case lube and why did it get stuck.
6. Hornady One Shot didn't work because you were in the Marines and slept through that class.
7.There is the right way, the wrong way and the Army way.
8. And if the Army USAMU doesn't get stuck cases what are "YOU" doing wrong.
P.S. Aim High Air Force.:sarcastic:
http://accurateshooter.net/Blog/usamutop01.png
Slick Tricks: Techniques and Tools for Big-Batch Case Lubrication
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2018/09/slick-tricks-techniques-and-tools-for-big-batch-case-lubrication/
http://accurateshooter.net/junepix/biglube01.jpg
http://accurateshooter.net/junepix/biglube1605.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3zGgFu1aC0
I sure hate guys that know what they are doing! And read “instructions!”
Very excellent demos. Even a caveman like me could do that.
I've never understood making lube. The DCL goes a long way, and it's not that expensive. Pappabear went nuts and bought us a whole case of it. Probably outlast the both of us.
Gunnar da Wolf
02-26-19, 09:39
I play with different spray lubes but keep going back to RCBS Case Lube 2.
Put a few drops on an RCBS pad, smear it all over, lay @10 cases on the pad, roll back and forth a couple times with your palm on the cases, dump cases in a bin, add more cases, repeat, up to 150 or so cases with each lube application. I have a .17 bore mop mounted horizontally from my bench that I put a couple drops of the case lube on and run it inside each 5.56 case just before I size it to prevent case stretching.
Once the cases are completely prepped I wash then in hot water with Simple Green and Lemi Shine, dry and load. I get less dented or stuck casings with this method and use it from 5.56 to .416 Remington. Water soluble, non toxic, and they sell it at Walmart so the cost goes on our grocery budget (along with Hornady bullets, CCI primers and beer). ;)
I see all these "processes" and wonder why not just dump the brass in a tray and spritz them with DCL. You don't even have to hit them all evenly. The stuff is so user friendly.
I've never understood making lube. The DCL goes a long way, and it's not that expensive. Pappabear went nuts and bought us a whole case of it. Probably outlast the both of us.It's cheaper, admittedly not by much. I was more curious than anything and was out of case lube at the time. As a bonus my wife has found other uses for the lanolin so there's that.
Cheaper is assuming however that Dillon mixes it to a similar ratio.
All that said, it works very well so my time and effort wasn't a waste.
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Hadn't tried making dcl. Haven't found easier than dcl, I have an old shoebox with a rag in the bottom. Dump brass in until it mostly covers the bottom, spritz over them a bit, shake 'em around in the box a bit, dump out and repeat. Put the lid on the box and set aside when done. Been using the same box with the same rag in it for almost a decade.
It's cheaper, admittedly not by much. I was more curious than anything and was out of case lube at the time. As a bonus my wife has found other uses for the lanolin so there's that.
Cheaper is assuming however that Dillon mixes it to a similar ratio.
All that said, it works very well so my time and effort wasn't a waste.
That's cool.
Hadn't tried making dcl. Haven't found easier than dcl, I have an old shoebox with a rag in the bottom. Dump brass in until it mostly covers the bottom, spritz over them a bit, shake 'em around in the box a bit, dump out and repeat. Put the lid on the box and set aside when done. Been using the same box with the same rag in it for almost a decade.
Yeah... I have old black plastic meat trays from MAP packaging. Pour a load in and mist the brass. A completely non-process step.
Been using RCBS case lube for years but I'm finally getting low. Wondering about any of the new stuff that's out there that may be cleaner and less sticky.
I still use the RCBS glycerin lube. I start with putting the cases in a plastic freezer bag and then putting in some of the lube. I stir the bag around and if I have some time I let the lube crawl over the brass. This technique really works well with .223 and similar bottle shaped cases. I prefer to do this 24 hours before I want to resize. This lets the lube crawl into the mouth of the cases as well.
Once I have resized the cases I simply spray them with some windex and rinse them in hot water. The glycerin will go down the sink with the windex and hot water so you will not have a sticky case when you are done. The lube is gone. Once the cases have dried I finish with what ever needs to be done, either trim or remove primer crimps. I finally tumble them after everything else is done. The walnut shells seem to last longer since I am not contaminating them with glycerin or sizing wax.
kwg
Gunnar da Wolf
02-27-19, 11:17
I see all these "processes" and wonder why not just dump the brass in a tray and spritz them with DCL. You don't even have to hit them all evenly. The stuff is so user friendly.
I’ve tried spray lubes and gotten too many bumpy case shoulders. The 120+ cases from playing with Hornady 62 gr bthp loads took fifteen minutes to lube, size and put in the hot water and LemiShine bath this morning. They are laying in the sun today and will be clean , shiny and reloaded tomorrow.
I’ve tried spray lubes and gotten too many bumpy case shoulders. The 120+ cases from playing with Hornady 62 gr bthp loads took fifteen minutes to lube, size and put in the hot water and LemiShine bath this morning. They are laying in the sun today and will be clean , shiny and reloaded tomorrow.
With any type case lube you should wipe the case shoulder and neck off before sizing. And any excess case lube on the case body can be squeezed upward onto the shoulder.
Hornady One Shot is a dry case lube that does not flow or buildup on to the case shoulder and cause dents. And One Shot does not have to be wiped or cleaned off after sizing.
I’ve tried spray lubes and gotten too many bumpy case shoulders.
With what caliber and dies? I've literally NEVER had a hydraulic dent in a shoulder.
There's spritz, and there's drench.
Spritz is only enough to barely wet them. Actually, the reason I have the bottom of the box covered with a rag, is that I spray the rag first, pretty much cover it with a layer of cases, lightly spritz them, and then shake them around to distribute the lube. The rag helps to wet the bottom side, as well as wipe off excess.
BTW, I only spray the rag at first, not before each box load.
Gunnar da Wolf
02-27-19, 16:59
I’ve had dents mainly in .223/5.56 using RCBS dies with RCBS lube , Franklin Armory lube and some isopropyl alcohol / lanolin mix from a professional reloader. I’ve also had dents in .30-30, .308 and .45/70 using spray lubes. If I get heavy handed with the RCBS liquid lube I get dents. I’ve learned to go easy with the liquid lube and as a benefit I don’t have to wipe the case shoulders or necks since only the case body contacts the surface of the pad.
The trick with the rag in the box to help moderate lube is something I may try in the future if I buy more spray lube.
I'm at a loss. I've loaded over a hundred thousand rounds of rifle ammo since I started 25+ years ago, and have never hydraulic'd my shoulders.
I think whether you get lube dents is in part somewhat dependent on the type of die. Some have small holes near the shoulder that will allow lube to be vented instead of denting the shoulder. It also depends if lube gets on the case shoulder.
I have had a few small dents early in my reloading career but it was cosmetic only.
That being said spray application of liquid lubes has been the worst offender for me in terms of these dents. No issue with wax lubes particularly when applied reasonably.
Imperial sizing wax for single stage bolt action cases. I don’t mind wiping the wax lube off 100-200 cases.
DCL for sizing brass that’ll be used in my semi autos. I size the .223/5.56 brass single stage and then tumble the DCL off tbe cases before loading them on my XL650. I prefer this two-press method because I hate wiping the lube off 1k cases by hand, and media getting into the hollow point cavity of my 62 BTHP loads makes my teeth itch. I just run a universal decapper in station 1 in case I get a kernel in my primer pocket.
I recently made my own DCL type lube because I’m getting low on my bottle of authentic DCL. I’d estimate it’s been 7k rounds or so and I still have 2 finger width amount of DCL. I made a much larger quantity for the same price, but I haven’t gotten to use it yet. I still have enough lanolin and 99% isopropyl to make another batch, but I’m holding off until I see this batch in action.
It also depends if lube gets on the case shoulder.
Spray all of my .223, .308, and 300 WM brass, including the shoulders, and don't see dents. :confused:
Gunnar da Wolf
02-28-19, 11:53
Spray all of my .223, .308, and 300 WM brass, including the shoulders, and don't see dents. :confused:
What dies are you using?
Well for .223 I have the Dillon Carbide die with the expander ball removed. But for the other calibers, Stainless steel RCBS (I think) Body Dies to squeeze and bump.
Well for .223 I have the Dillon Carbide die with the expander ball removed. But for the other calibers, Stainless steel RCBS (I think) Body Dies to squeeze and bump.
Just curious, why no expander ball? Since you said Dillon I’m assuming you load progressively.
fedupflyer
02-28-19, 16:16
Just curious, why no expander ball? Since you said Dillon I’m assuming you load progressively.
Expander ball tend to stretch the neck and shoulder of the case when it is pulled back through on the up stroke. I get more consistent cases by using an expanding mandrel after the case has been sized. Not such big deal on hoser ammo but I like to be consistent with my match nd hoser ammo.
I've tried several liquid case lubricants over the past 20+ years and had issues with them. For the past several years, I have been using Hornady Unique case lubricant for resizing rifle brass with a great deal of success.
Is Dillon case lube considered a liquid case lube? I always thought of lanolin more like a natural wax type substance.
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Like the dillon case lube. Imperial is good if you have three rounds an hour to load. But if you're running a progressive, dillon works great.
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Is Dillon case lube considered a liquid case lube? I always thought of lanolin more like a natural wax type substance.
The lanolin is suspended in the alcohol, so it applies to the brass in a liquid mist.
Like the dillon case lube. Imperial is good if you have three rounds an hour to load. But if you're running a progressive, dillon works great.
Agreed. An Imperial can should last a lifetime. If you're burning through those cans, you're torturing yourself.
One Shot. Why would anybody use that horrible sticky pad? I started out with that so long ago. When I started using One Shot, I threw the pad far away.
Never a problem with it, because i followed the directions. $10 for a small can ain't cheap but it works.
I sized about 450 .223 earlier this evening with one Shot. Tomorrow we case-gauge, trim as needed, and swage primer crimps. Later in the week prime, throw charges and seat bullets.
Hornady one shot is great.
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