Author Topic: Sizing Lubes (Read 7832 times)

THE NORSEMAN · « **on:** January 08, 2009, 10:39:56 pm »

That's it guys. What and why? Habit? Because dad did? Or is it because you've tried them firsthand and settled on the best?

Me? I use one shot on straight wall pistol rounds, dillon lube on some rifle, and RCBS lube for anything 308 and larger. Doing it this way has eliminated cases stuck in dies.

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xsquidgator · « **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2009, 12:08:27 am »

Hornady One Shot is the daddy. Easiest to apply and leaves the least film on the cases. Only downside is being an aerosol can, so I don't think a can lasts as long as a container of some other kind of lube.

Rooster Jacket isn't bad either, it's an alcohol-based spray in a bottle (like a bottle of windex kind of sprayer). Leaves a little bit more of a film but is easy to use.

Least favorite is the rcbs gel that you put on a pad and roll the cases around. Yuck. Still have some from when I started reloading rifle but the top two on my list are what I use 99% of the time.

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professor gun · « **Reply #2 on:** January 12, 2009, 04:01:26 pm »

Hornady One Shot because it works.

It is also more convenient, less lube left on the case. Great stuff.

I tried a lot of different stuff before I found this, wish I had started with this.

armoredman · « **Reply #3 on:** January 12, 2009, 05:07:02 pm »

I use One Shot for cast lead bullet sizing, and sometimes rifle case resizing, but often the One Shot just doesn't make it, and I use Lee Lube off an RCBS pad.

cpaspr · « **Reply #4 on:** January 12, 2009, 07:59:13 pm »

I use the RCBS lube that came with the lube pad a friend loaned me with his press 25 years ago. It was all I knew existed till I started visiting gun forums three years ago. I have carbide dies for all my pistol calibers, so only have to use lube for the one rifle caliber I load for. And I haven't loaded any of those for probably 12-15 years (I don't shoot it very much).

shredder · « **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2009, 02:45:03 am »

With my Lee turret, I shoot the bottom of the turret and the insides of the dies with One Shot, shoot the cases in the block at a 45 degree angle from bothe sides, and by the time they are sized, primed and ready for powder it has almost dried.
If I'm not comfy with a charge, I drop it back onto the scale and all of the powder releases. So I know One Shot is not sticky. I do not spray pistol cases, not required.
Luv this stuff.

Manlaan · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2009, 03:58:58 am »

I originally started using some Hornady Unique case lube (kinda like the pad type, but thicker and they want you to use your fingers). It took a long time to apply it and would never really dry, so I'd end up having to clean it off after. While playing around with it, I did figure out I didn't have to apply to every case though, and could actually get by with about every 3rd or 4th case, which also told me that either I was using too much or its leaving a lot of residue in my die.

Later I moved to Hornady One Shot, and although, like xsquidgator, I dont feel I get as much to a can as I would otherwise, it is a lot quicker and I dont have to remove it later.

I have been tempted to try some Dillon (or even make my own as people seem to have very similar recipes), but I need to use up what I have first. This is probably the route I'll end up taking as with things how they are, I'd rather know how to make my own then to be stuck with out.

Then again, I was watching a guy use some synthetic motor oil as well. He'd just dip about a 1/8" in and use the residue in the die to do a few cases. No clue how motor oil will react with powder though, so I think I'll pass on that one. Doesn't seem like a fantastic idea though. ( - starts about 4:30 )

THE NORSEMAN · « **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2009, 09:34:48 am »

Oil and powder may not be too bad. But mixing oil and primers is VERY bad. No thanks. There's doing things inexpensively, then there's asking for it. He's asking for it.

xsquidgator · « **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2009, 10:57:08 am »

Through my thread on getting a 308 case stuck bad ("must not strangle the cat" thread) I learned about Imperial sizing wax. I don't have any personal experience with it but the people that have seem to be of a very strong opinion that it's way better than One Shot. I'll probably try some once I use up all my One Shot.

THE NORSEMAN · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2009, 01:05:50 pm »

It's very good. It's just a little tricky getting the just right amount down.

It may be there's an easier way, but when I'm running bottle neck calibers, I do a size and deprime on the whole batch on my rockchucker, then trim them to length and chamfer the necks. Then I run them through the tumbler for a few minutes. After that it's time to put them all back through the rest of the steps on the dillon 650. I've found it easier to do this way than end up with a stuck or a messy case(with dented shoulders on occasion) from too little or too much lube respectively.

I just haven't found a lube that lubes well enough without leaving too much behind for my liking when trying to do it all at once.

BowfishRP · « **Reply #10 on:** January 19, 2009, 02:49:00 pm »

Imperial Sizing wax....cheap, doesn't stink, and REALLY easy! You got to touch the cases when loading them in the press any way....put a little of this on your fingers ever 4-5 and you wont need anything else. Have ZERO stuck cases on thousands of 223 and 308 cases so far.

Hornady case lube made it about 250 cases before I stuck my first one in the die. If you are using this, then pour a bunch of cases in a cardboard box and spray them down A LOT. Roll them around and spray them again! I let them sit for about 15 minutes and let the stink stay outside and then they were ready to go. Since I started using this method I didnt stick any more and didnt have too many dimples from too much lube. Only problem is it uses lots of the can.

Al Norris · « **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2009, 02:59:38 pm »

Another Imperial Wax user.

I've tried them all. Gotten stuck cases (large magnum rifle calibers) with everything but the wax.

ljnowell · « **Reply #12 on:** January 22, 2009, 02:52:43 am »

I only load for .45acp, and use lee carbide dies. I'm one of those guys that doesnt use any, even though people say I still should.

K.W. · « **Reply #13 on:** February 07, 2009, 09:45:28 am »

I use, already over 20 years, "LEE Resitzing Lubricant". (Never stugged cases).

xsquidgator · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2009, 11:17:44 am »

I've seen the light and renounce Hornady One Shot, I take back what I said about it being so great. It's ok.

What is great is Imperial Sizing Wax, that stuff is truly great. I still use Hornady one shot (I have 2 and a half cans of it left) but fairly frequently I get a case that I can tell by the feel is going to stick. Rub a dab of Imperial on it, and I have not yet had one single case that I couldn't get sized, and fairly easily, with Imperial Wax. It is far better (slicker, I suppose) than the other 3 lubes I've tried... Imperial Wax has even let me resize 308 cases that got CETME'd with those flutes from the chamber.

Hornady One Shot (ok)
Rooster Jacket alcohol spray (ok)
RCBS goo and pad to smear it on (barely ok and much messier than anything else)

StevenTing · « **Reply #15 on:** January 26, 2012, 10:37:55 am »

I realize that I'm bringing up a thread that is almost 3 years old.

I'm starting to use my new press with 45acp and the sizing part is a little tough. I'm sure sizing lube will make things much easier. In a 1 hour session yesterday, I was able to load 300 rounds. That is much slower than I used to load with a Dillon SDB.

I was interested in trying the Imperial Wax, but since I have a case feeder, I'm going to guess that it's not going to work well for me.

So, it looks like Dillon or the One Shot. Do you think I'd be safe in spraying the cases inside the case feeder? Or should I lay them out on a cookie sheet and spray?

xsquidgator · « **Reply #16 on:** January 26, 2012, 08:32:22 pm »

I don't know your Dillon equipment that well, but, my instinct is to spread the cases out and hit them with some One Shot, let sit for a minute to dry, then put them in your case feeder. You may want to wipe or tumble them off after loading the ammo to remove the residue.

THE NORSEMAN · « **Reply #17 on:** January 26, 2012, 10:51:27 pm »

With straightwall pistol calibers and carbide dies, it takes very little lube to do the job. I run my cases in the tumbler, separate the brass from the media with one of these- http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/176956/rcbs-rotary-case-and-media-separator then dump them in a 2 gallon pail, hit them with a good dose of one-shot, then reach in and stir them all around quickly before the carrier agent dries up. Hundreds of thousands of straight wall cases this way, none stuck yet. No worn out dies, no troubles.

The key is to get the cases clean before you size them.

Bottleneck cases are a completely different matter.

StevenTing · « **Reply #18 on:** January 26, 2012, 11:17:55 pm »

I bought some One Shot from Sportsmans. The stuff is pricey for 5.5 ounces. I've already cleaned my cases. I ended up spraying the cases inside the case feeder. It made a huge difference. Previously, after loading 100 cases, I felt like I was working out. My bicep was enlarged and full of blood.

After using One Shot, it was smooth as butter. This is how I was assuming things would be with a carbide die, but whatever works.

THE NORSEMAN · « **Reply #19 on:** January 26, 2012, 11:27:58 pm »

Spritz them like you would with aerosol deodorant just after you put them in the case feeder. Fill the case feeder between 1/3rd-1/2 full, turn on. Two short bursts, stir well for a couple seconds with a wooden spoon. Get to loading.

The reason I put the lube on in a bucket before putting the brass in the hopper? I found that over time, extra lube and over spray built up in the feeder hopper, and cleaning it and the shell disc were more work than a bucket that I have yet to do more than a quick wipe out on.

Outbreak · « **Reply #20 on:** January 29, 2012, 11:32:43 pm »

I dump a few hundred cases in the case feeder, do a couple pumps on the Dillon Case Lube bottle, and the feeder rotating and tumbling seems to spread it evenly.

I use it because it was the only thing available locally when I started reloading, and I haven't run out yet.

hi-power · « **Reply #21 on:** January 30, 2012, 08:18:25 pm »

i use RCBS because the tiny bottle that came with my press kit still hasn't run out, but i've been very happy with it. nary a stuck case to be seen around here. i even use a little with carbide pistol dies, partly from habit and partly because i can feel an improvement.

i did have a bit of a learning curve with the case lube pad, the instructions make no mention of it but i find it helpful to let it soak into the pad rather than rolling cases immediately. lately i've been lubing and flipping the pad, even after a month or two the back of the pad is usually good to go, though a light dab to freshen it up might be in order