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Resizing case lube


Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L

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Been reloading for way longer than I care to remember, never had a stuck case until today. I've been using Hornady One Shot with good results. My can was almost empty but I gave it a good long shakin' and sprayed a tray full off .223 Wolf Gold cases. These cases have a crimped primer, so I had already decapped them in a separate decapping die so I could ream the pockets.

 

Ran about 10 or so cases and thought they were resizing kinda hard. Next case and poof, stuck in the die. Now maybe since the One Shot can was almost empty it was mostly carrier and little of the slick stuff, don't know. Anyway I went on You tube and looked up case lubes. Seems a lot of people make their own out of liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol, which they say is the exact stuff Dillon sells at 10 dollars per bottle. Think I'm gonna give this a try.

 

So what are you guys and gals using?

 

ETA: my bad on the Dillon lube price, should be $10 not $18

Edited by Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L
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The very best there is-period. ;)

Far better than Dillon's. BTW: Dillon's ain't $18.00 a bottle. -_-

You can get the Sage lube in smaller bottles.

http://www.sageoutfitters.com/catalog/item/7209324/7599865.htm

 

OLG

Edited by The Original Lumpy Gritz
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I use liquid lanolin and HEET which you can get at an auto parts or wally world. It's 99% alcohol so it evaporates quickly.

 

found a cheap spray bottle at CVS and use a 12 to 1 ratio. I control amount of lanolin on cases by how much I spray.

 

sometimes will put regular rubbing alcohol on towel and slide reloaded rounds back and forth to remove lanolin or few minutes in tumbler or most time just not worry about removing it.

 

Latest batch is 5 months old and really can't see that the level has gone down in spray bottle

 

cr

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Howdy:

 

I used to use Lee Lube to do the job. However, one day I was in Rural King and I picked up a small can of Bag Balm - you use it on cow udders in the winder. It is also very good on hands - my skin takes a beating, and in doing so I found that it also does a decent job of lubing cases - just a small amount. So now I have soft udders on my cows, soft hands, and (not so soft) lubed cases. Works for me - a quick wipe off after sizing and we are fit to trim etc.

 

STL Suomi

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I have always had good luck with One Shot but I had the same thing happen to me with some 30-30 cases years ago. The can was almost empty and I got a case stuck. Now when the can gets low I toss it.

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OLG, that stuff you're buying is the same stuff I'm talkin about makin, liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol. BTW, I thought I saw 18 dollars online for the Dillon stuff, it's really $10.

 

Cheyenne Ranger, I saw that most recipies called for that HEET stuff, I was just bein a little more general.

 

I do use the Lee lube for my 45-70 and 38-55, don't know why, just do.

 

Looks like I'll be headin to the store.

Edited by Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L
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Been reloading for way longer than I care to remember, never had a stuck case until today. I've been using Hornady One Shot with good results. My can was almost empty but I gave it a good long shakin' and sprayed a tray full off .223 Wolf Gold cases. These cases have a crimped primer, so I had already decapped them in a separate decapping die so I could ream the pockets.

 

Ran about 10 or so cases and thought they were resizing kinda hard. Next case and poof, stuck in the die. Now maybe since the One Shot can was almost empty it was mostly carrier and little of the slick stuff, don't know. Anyway I went on You tube and looked up case lubes. Seems a lot of people make their own out of liquid lanolin and isopropyl alcohol, which they say is the exact stuff Dillon sells at 10 dollars per bottle. Think I'm gonna give this a try.

 

So what are you guys and gals using?

 

ETA: my bad on the Dillon lube price, should be $10 not $18

 

I am one of those who make my own lube and have been for many years now with nary a regret as it works fantastic. I mainly use it for my 223 brass and have loaded thousands of cases using the lube with never a hint of a stuck case. I recently started using it on my 44-40 cases, while not required, the cases are a little thin and the lube allows for very smooth resizing. If you choose to try it, there are a few important things to remember:

 

1. Use 99% Isopropyl alcohol, the lesser strengths will not dissolve and blend with the liquid lanolin as well.

2. Use the liquid 100% lanolin NOT the cream or suave variations as they are not pure lanolin and take FOREVER to blend with the alcohol and are worthless for this use. I found my liquid lanolin at a local health food store

3. I found that an 8-1 ratio of alcohol to lanolin works best for me and many friends who use it. Just pour the alcohol in a spray bottle first, add the lanolin and shake well. Before each use a quick shake will make sure it is still mixed.

 

I lay out several dozen cases on a towel, lightly spritz, rolling the cases back and forth with my bare hands to insure good coverage then allow a few minutes for the alcohol to evaporate and I'm good to go! A side benefit is that the lanolin residue left on your hands does away with dry skin in short order! After loading the rounds, what little lanolin residue remains can easily be wiped away just like any other case lube.

 

Cost - Well the bottle of alcohol is under $1, the 4oz bottle of lanolin was approx $6 and has lasted me for approximately 5 years and there is still 1/4 bottle left.

 

Here is what I use............

 

case%20lube.jpg

Edited by Deadeye George
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Still quite satisfied with Hornady One Shot for cowboy loading. For rifle cases, good old case lube on an ink pad.

 

Good luck, GJ

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Have been using Dillon case lube, which almost gone. Got a bottle of liquid lanolin and am going to try the 12-1 mix with HEET (red bottle). I've heard you can get large quantity's of liquid lanolin at an auto parts store but didn't check---got mine at the drug store--same brand as Deadeye George uses.

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I have always had good luck with One Shot but I had the same thing happen to me with some 30-30 cases years ago. The can was almost empty and I got a case stuck. Now when the can gets low I toss it.

Thanks for the tip,

 

I use One-Shot on my 45-70 cases. When the can gets low I will just use it to lube my pistol cases for my SDB. It has carbide dies but a little lube sure makes them a lot easier to resize.

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Thanks for the tip,

 

I use One-Shot on my 45-70 cases. When the can gets low I will just use it to lube my pistol cases for my SDB. It has carbide dies but a little lube sure makes them a lot easier to resize.

Even with a carbide size die, I've found lube to be much easier on the press and brass. Some of my old brass that had been loaded without lube actually started to have a slight brass burr down at the groove at the head and wouldn't pass the chamber gauge. I assume it was from being sized by someone without lube as none that I started out with new have ever had this problem. JMO

Edited by Eyesa Horg
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Have used One Shot since it first came out.....totally satisfied with the results!!!

 

Bugler

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For serious stuff I use Imperial Sizing Wax. Now made by Hornady. Every benchrest shooter has used it exclusively for as long as I can remember. It is also the lube of choice for making wildcat cases.

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For serious stuff I use Imperial Sizing Wax. Now made by Hornady. Every benchrest shooter has used it exclusively for as long as I can remember. It is also the lube of choice for making wildcat cases.

What I thought at one time. NOT any more.

The stuff I linked in post#2 changed my mind forever.

Much better lube and needs so much less effort to size a case.

BTW: I know many BR shooters than feel the same as I do.

Try it-Then you will really know of what we speak.

OLG

Edited by The Original Lumpy Gritz
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I use One shot or Lee case Lube .

But I have read some people use Lemon Pledg with good results.

I Have Never Tried it Myself.

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I use One shot or Lee case Lube .

But I have read some people use Lemon Pledg with good results.

I Have Never Tried it Myself.

Don't waste your time with the pledge nonsense. :huh:

One shot is a wax. No way near as slick as pure Lanolin is. ;)

Try the lanolin based case lube and you'll never use that wax based stuff again.

OLG

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For serious stuff I use Imperial Sizing Wax. Now made by Hornady. Every benchrest shooter has used it exclusively for as long as I can remember. It is also the lube of choice for making wildcat cases.

For straight wall I use One-Shot and rifle stuff gets Imperial.

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What I thought at one time. NOT any more.

The stuff I linked in post#2 changed my mind forever.

Much better lube and needs so much less effort to size a case.

BTW: I know many BR shooters than feel the same as I do.

Try it-Then you will really know of what we speak.

OLG

According to the web site from the link on post #2-- Sagebrush is just isopropyl alcohol & liquid lanolin as is HEET and liquid lanolin for way less money. Homemade mix is about $2 for 12 oz. where I bought mine JMHO

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Wow............

 

alcohol & liquid lanolin

HEET and liquid lanolin

Dillon case lube

Ballistol

Bag Balm

Crisco

One-Shot

Imperial Sizing Wax

Lee case Lube

Lemon Pledge

 

I wonder what you would get if you mixed them all together? :D

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I wonder what you would get if you mixed them all together? :D

Probably a concoction that will wrinkle the skin on your fingers!

And then you rub your hands with the Bag Balm and they will be as soft as a baby's, you know what!

George, cows love to have their utters rubbed with it too :)

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For high pressure and bottle neck rifle cases I use imperial wax or Rcbs case lube on a pad. This includes 50 BMG. For sass revolver type cases I use clean cases in a carbide die. Clean cases in a nitrited die works ok also.

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The Sage stuff is so much more slippery than what Dillon sells.

 

OLG

The Sage stuff also looks a little darker, may just be a stronger mix. Maybe 8 or 10 to 1, easy enough and cheap enough to experiment with the mix. Sumpin about homemade that always makes me grin! Although I've found not always cheaper!

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It very well could be 'stronger'. It sure works better than any other case lube I have ever tried.

Sure makes those wax based lubes look weak. :huh:

I won a gallon of the Sage lube in a shooters raffle. Think I'm set for a spell. :lol:

OLG

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I picked up a bottle of the HEET at Walmart, but couldn't find the lanolin anywhere, so got on good old Amazon. She came to the rescue and with Prime I ordered on Thursday and got it today! Mixed it up 12 to 1 solution in a 16oz water bottle and poured it into the spray bottle. Sprayed a few 223's and WOW does this stuff work. No more One Shot, Lee lube or case pads for me.

 

Thanks for the replies fellas.

Wyatt

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