Case lube alternatives???

[codenamepaul]

Any case lube alternatives out there?

I hate One Shot-need too much. I do like the Frankford Arsenal stuff. Just want something cheaper that comes in a 5 gallon bucket!

 

[EddieCoyle]

It doesn't come in a 5-gallon bucket but I've had the best luck with Imperial Sizing Wax.

All you have to do is get some on your fingers and handle the cases. A little goes a long way.

 

[codenamepaul]

Does it dilute in alcohol, so you can apply it with a sprayer? How much and in what quantity does it come in?

 

[EddieCoyle]

Does it dilute in alcohol, so you can apply it with a sprayer? How much and in what quantity does it come in?

I've never diluted it; it's the consistency of Chapstick. It comes in a small tin about the size of a Skoal can.

 

[codenamepaul]

Gonna have to try-just found on Gunbroker forums. Its pure lanolin, and Dillon case lube ingredients is lanolin and alcohol, so I'm gonna give it a go

 

[EddieCoyle]

Is that Tackleberry in your avatar?

 

[codenamepaul]

Yep-my wife suggested it

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Gonna have to try-just found on Gunbroker forums. Its pure lanolin, and Dillon case lube ingredients is lanolin and alcohol, so I'm gonna give it a go

Why buy from GunBroker and pay shipping? You can get the ingredients from your local pharmacy or Wally World pharmacy.

One tube of Lanolin Hydrous...about $2.50

One bottle of 90% or better Isopropyl Alcohol.

Squeeze the entire contents of the tube into the bottle of alcohol (you may have to pour out a little to make room, but save it for cleaning other things)
Leave some headspace for aggitation when shaking.

Cap the bottle tight and put it in a sink full of HOT water and shake around until the solution warms up well.
Then shake well until the lanolin goes into solution and the liquid appears a yellow color. You now have enough lube to do thousands of rifle cases. Put it in a spray bottle and use just like Dillon lube.
If you encounter separation, run the bottle under hot water and shake well before use.

Been using this for years and never had a stuck case in any caliber....tens of thousands of rifle rounds.

NOTE: This mixture is also NON CONTAMINATING so you don't have to worry about getting it inside the case when spraying.

 

[codenamepaul]

Thanks- I just made all the arrangements for 2 cans of Imperial and a 3 oz can of anhydrous lanolin for susperimenting.

I can get it by the pound for about 12 bucks delivered.

Thinking about denatured alcohol vs. rubbing-any thoughts????

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Thanks- I just made all the arrangements for 2 cans of Imperial and a 3 oz can of anhydrous lanolin for susperimenting.

I can get it by the pound for about 12 bucks delivered.

Thinking about denatured alcohol vs. rubbing-any thoughts????

Anhydrous Lanolin is a mistake. You will have an extremely difficult time disolving it. Been there done that and still have 80% of the jar I bought seven years ago, collecting dust on the shelf.

You want "Hydrous" lanolin in a tube.

The type of alcohol makes no difference, the purer the better.

 

[rscalzo]

Is that Tackleberry in your avatar?

I used to call one of my Patrol Sgts. Tackleberry. He would show up at the qualification sessions with five guns strapped all over the place. That would be ten qualifications just to get him through the process.

 

[codenamepaul]

Imperial is anhydrous and if heated, it will dissolve great. I'll post my results. I'll try the rubbing alcohol and the denatured. I may as well get some Hydrous lanolin too. This way I can test all the variables and see what come out best. Worst case, I'm out 30 bucks or so.

 

[bpm990d]

STP works very well, but you have to tumble or wash them to get the stuff off.

B

 

[tony stark]

how much of each

reading the post "squeeze the whole tube of lanolin, into the alcohol"
how much lanolin into how much alcohol?
3 oz. into 8 oz.
just trying to get an idea of proportions

 

[tony stark]

how much of each

did i ask a boneheaded question?
anyone,

 

[codenamepaul]

Results so far-

Anhydrous lanolin was a bust in both acetone and denatured alcohol. Was only somewhat soluble. Didn't leave enough lanolin behind to work well. Figured I'd give it a go despite advice to the contrary (thanks Finallygotabeltfed) Couldn't find the hydrous, but still looking.

Imperial sizing wax is insoluble in either as well. I did find it worked great by using some nitrile gloves and rolling the cases in my hands. Did a couple hundred this way without a hitch. This will be my primary method for a while. Still need to try it on some .50BMG cases. The Lee goop seems to work well there.

Tony-
I used a 2oz tube in about 12 oz of denatured alcohol. This was the anhydrous. I would suspect the hydrous would be similar.

 

[guywithglasses]

codenamepaul: you could use your leftover anhydrous lanolin to mix up some Ed's Red.

Hydrous lanolin can be found with the baby stuff in the drug store. Breast feeding mommies use it. Lansinoh is a popular brand. It's just the thing for sore, tired cartridge cases....

 

[tony stark]

it works

my wife picked up some liquid lanolin marketed by Home Health in a 4 ounce bottle & some 91% isopropel alcohol.
i poured out about 2 ounces of the alcohol and added the lanolin.
i've full lenght sized about 200 308 Winchester cases so far and had good results.
i am using a carbide rifle die, don't know if it's important information to add.

 

[JackO]

Sorry if my question is a little of topic.
Does one have to clean lanolin off of the cases after resizing or is it OK to leave it until finished in the progressive press? Is it OK to leave it on the finished cartridges?

 

[IPSC_DRL]

So happy I saw this.

I was worried because my spray bottle of case lube that I’ve been using for around 10 years was almost empty. Then I read this post and looked at the bottle. The manufacturer was nice enough to print the two ingredients on the bottle. Lanolin and Alcohol.
I just picked up some 91% and a tube of lanolin from the baby care section of the local CVS. Now to see how it works while re-sizing the 500 magnum cases.
Off to the basement.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Results so far-

Anhydrous lanolin was a bust in both acetone and denatured alcohol. Was only somewhat soluble. Didn't leave enough lanolin behind to work well. Figured I'd give it a go despite advice to the contrary (thanks Finallygotabeltfed) Couldn't find the hydrous, but still looking.

Imperial sizing wax is insoluble in either as well. I did find it worked great by using some nitrile gloves and rolling the cases in my hands. Did a couple hundred this way without a hitch. This will be my primary method for a while. Still need to try it on some .50BMG cases. The Lee goop seems to work well there.

Tony-
I used a 2oz tube in about 12 oz of denatured alcohol. This was the anhydrous. I would suspect the hydrous would be similar.

------------------------------------------------
Paul,
Hydrous lanolin will go into solution much easier than anhydrous.

I've used up to 2 onces(two 1oz tubes of Hydrous Lanolin) in about 16 onces of 90% isopropyl alcohol.
but this mix was a little "heavy on the lube" and I've diluted it a little to lessen the amount of lanolin residue.

The Hydrous lanolin I buy comes in 1oz tubes and I've found that one tube is sufficient for about 16 ounces of isopropyl. You may have to spray the brass twice to get sufficient lube but its better than too much on the first spray.

 

[DrEvil]

I just made some now. Prices are a little steep...$12 total but compared to one shot($8.50), it's worth it as you get more.

I picked up a spray bottle, 2oz lanolin, 1 bottle of 91%. Mixed in HOT water and now I have plenty of case lube. I wont be able to test it until tonight, but It should work good if I use it in the same way I use one shot.

Typically to avoid stuck cases I arrange 50 rounds into an old plastic ammo tray. I spray both sides then use another tray to flip the rounds over. I then spray both sides and dump them into my collator. After I dump them I prep the next 50. That way I get ample drying time for the lube. Next step process the rounds.

 

[guywithglasses]

I spray both sides then use another tray to flip the rounds over. I then spray both sides and dump them into my collator. After I dump them I prep the next 50. That way I get ample drying time for the lube. Next step process the rounds.

Awesome tip, thanks!

 

[DrEvil]

Grr just got a stuck case....


I'm not sure if it was due to me not cleaning the die before use and there is a problem with having oneshot still in the die.

Will test more and post. After I remove the stuck case

 

[RKG]

For what it may be worth, I have been using RCBS for [classified, but a large number] years and have never had a problem. I have no idea what it costs, as I have to buy another little squeeze bottle not because it has run out but because I can find it. The lube is thick and applied with an ink pad. I have used this for low stress applications (resizing 5.56 brass) and high stress applications (forming .308 x 1.5 cases from .308 or .300 Savage), all without an issue.

In answer to the original question, I can think of no reason to hunt around for anything else.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

I am working on testing some Dry Film Lubricant that I got at Home Cheapo on clearance. It seems to have an evaporating aerosol (use in well ventilated areas), and leaves behind a dry to the touch clear lube surface. It dries so fast that it doesn't have time to migrate over the brass. Have tried a few 5.56 brass pcs with spraying one side. Went through the die OK, but not as easy as the RCBS pad lube stuff normally does.

I'll post results when I have a chance to run more tests. I'll try spraying, rotating the cases, and spraying again.

Oh, and I also have some electricians lubricant (the stuff that they spray on wiring to slide it through conduit.) that I will try.

I'm looking for what everyone else is looking for:

• *cheap
• *easy to use
• *little or no cleaning when I'm done

 

[wahsben]

If I remember correctly I saw someone use synthetic motor oil as a lubricant on you tube.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Don't forget, there's a danger in what and how you use something for a case lube:

Any combustibles that get INSIDE the case will burn during powder burn, and will add, unexpectedly, to the pressure inside the case.

So, it's important, in my opinion, that anything that will get sprayed, and MIGHT get somewhat inside the case, should be somewhat inert. Inert doesn't make for good lube. Rolling cases on a pad with lube is the best way to avoid getting anything inside the case.

Having said that, when I do use a spray, I always spray with the open end of the case facing AWAY from the direction of the spray. Avoid getting any spray inside the case.

 

[DrEvil]

I know you are refering to the motor oil but I was not worrying about the alcohol/lanolin mix entering the case mouth as it most all evaporates. It may leave a thin film, but for the purpose I am using it for is not benchrest so I am not worried.

Also, more trials last night. 2 more stuck cases. I found that using a drill with a cut self tapping screw works better than a tap and die at least for the Lee die as you do not have to drill into the case. You drill till about the end of the primer pocket and that's just enough... saving your de-capping pin.

As far as the lanolin/alcohol mix... I found it needed to go on heavy and you have to process fast. I was doing this on a Lee Pro 1000 and it was causing a lot of jams and excessive case spillage. I also went through about 4Oz. in 250 rounds. That too seems a little excessive. I also found that the case loading block was not as effective as laying them in a cooking tray and spraying while shaking. I did 50 at a time and this changed the amount I was using considerably.

I will continue to use this solution until I run out. If I wasn't doing such high production I would possibly use the ink pad method. Also, the spray bottle I am using is one for applying hair product. I might consider changing to a smaller spray pattern bottle when I find one.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

DrEvil.... LeePro 1000 on pistol cases????

The Lee pro 1000 has carbide dies, and on pistol cases theres no need to lube. I have never gotten a stuck pistol case in a Lee pro 1000.

5.56/223 cases is another matter on the Lee Pro 1000. Those dies require lubrication. I removed the dies from that press, and only use the press for installing primers (very fast at doing that.) I lube the 223/5.56 cases, and run them on the RCBS press. I do the powder fill and bullet seating on my RCBS also. For $140 the Lee Pro 1000 was worth the $$$ for doing fast primer installs.

The Pro 1000 was dumpin too much powder, and causing too many fits in 223/5.56 to be worthwhile trying to do a total progressive. Besides... I am running mil brass, and had to do the de-crimp out of the machine anyways.