Case Lube - What do you use and why? - Page 3

David Wile · April 21, 2012, 08:04 AM

Hey William,

It would appear that you and I are the only ones who use case lube and a lube pad. Then again, you did not mention a lube pad, but I don't know how anyone would apply the stuff without a lube pad.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

m&p45acp10+1 · April 21, 2012, 08:08 AM

I put some on a patch and roll it between my fingers. I then rub my fingers on the body of the case. I scratch the case mouth across a finger to get lube inside of the case mouth. It works for me.

PawPaw · April 21, 2012, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m&p45acp10+1

I put some on a patch and roll it between my fingers. I then rub my fingers on the body of the case. I scratch the case mouth across a finger to get lube inside of the case mouth. It works for me.

That's pretty much my method, except one of my frugal habits is to cut old tee shirts into shop rags. I've always got a big stack of shop rags ready, so I simply apply a little lube to a shop rag. Then use my fingers to apply the lube.

603Country · April 21, 2012, 12:52 PM

To Davie Wile and William Watts - add me to your list of RCBS users. David's first paragraph in his first post in this thread could have been typed by me. It's exactly the same way I've been lubing for 30+ years. I just NOW finished the first little bottle of the RCBS lube, so hearing folks talk about how cheap this or that other lube is seems hard to believe. As for removing the lube, I just wipe it off with a towel I keep in my lap while I'm resizing. There isn't much to wipe off because I only put lube on the bottom 25% or 30% of the case. I haven't ever, not even once, had a stuck case.

hodaka · April 21, 2012, 02:36 PM

I used Imperial for years until I discovered that Kiwi Mink Oil works just as well for a fraction of the cost. One Shot was terrible to use. I bought 2 cans on sale and threw 1 and 7/8 of the other away.

For pistols in my progressive, although not completely necessary, I use some olive oil mixed with isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle. A few BB's in the bottom help to shake it up before use since the oil settles.

zxcvbob · April 21, 2012, 03:20 PM

Quote:

For pistols in my progressive, although not completely necessary, I use some olive oil mixed with isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle. A few BB's in the bottom help to shake it up before use since the oil settles.

Castor oil is one of the few that is actually soluble in alcohol, and it's a better lubricant than olive oil. Might be worth a try next time you need to refill your spray bottle.

hodaka · April 21, 2012, 04:41 PM

Thanks for the tip. I thought castor oil was something that was only for my grandmother to frighten me with.

jepp2 · April 21, 2012, 05:07 PM

My progression through case lubes:

First used the original RCBS case lube at first on the open cell foam pad. Really hard to remove. Open cell foam pads fell apart. Switched to the closed cell pads when they came out.

Second, switched to Lee water based lube on the RCBS closed cell pads, great lube, as you mention it dries out in low humidity and it is easy to get too much on and dent cases. Easy to remove. Can rust your dies due to moisture.

Third, tried Imperial applied with my fingers, great lube but kind of slow for volume sizing. Easy to remove.

Fourth and final, switched to Castrol 5W-20 synthetic motor oil. It is an outstanding lube, easy to apply, takes very little, is easy to remove, almost impossible to dent a case with excess, and leaves the inside of your dies protected but not build up.

I do polish the interior of my sizing dies with Flitz, and the sizing effort is so low when using Castrol for lube is almost like they have already been sized. The only knock on Imperial is I couldn't find a way to apply it to cases in quantity or I might have stayed with it.

snuffy · April 21, 2012, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Imperial. Easy to apply. Easy to remove. Easy to keep it off the shoulder and neck.

I hate getting any kind of oil on my hands. I call that a mess! Once on your hands, you have to get it off before touching your loader. Towels, or a trip to the sink to wash hands, I hardly call that easy. It's also very slow to have to handle each and every case to apply it. Lastly, it doesn't even work that well, try sizing a 45-70 case, or a 500 S&W mag with imperial, you'll nearly rip the loader off your bench.

For a long time I used Bonanza case lube on a pad for all my rifle sizing. It works very well. I own a co-ax. Then I discovered RCBS spray lube, which is either lanolin in alcohol, or castor oil. Midway spray is what I'm using now, it's better than imperial. Quicker, cleaner and a bottle last a long time.

Marco Califo · April 21, 2012, 10:46 PM

Motor Oil or Lithium Grease
I have not had a stuck case with either. Currently I am liking the Lithium Grease. It really reduces the effort required to resize. It takes very little of either; a little inside the neck too with a Q-tip.
At Home Depot $5 for an 8 oz tube thay may last my lifetime.

April 21, 2012, 08:08 AM	#52
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I put some on a patch and roll it between my fingers. I then rub my fingers on the body of the case. I scratch the case mouth across a finger to get lube inside of the case mouth. It works for me. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

April 21, 2012, 10:46 PM	#60
Marco Califo Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2011 Location: LA (Greater Los Angeles Area) Posts: 2,598	Motor Oil or Lithium Grease Motor Oil or Lithium Grease I have not had a stuck case with either. Currently I am liking the Lithium Grease. It really reduces the effort required to resize. It takes very little of either; a little inside the neck too with a Q-tip. At Home Depot $5 for an 8 oz tube thay may last my lifetime. __________________ ............

April 21, 2012, 08:04 AM	#51
David Wile Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Posts: 585	Hey William, It would appear that you and I are the only ones who use case lube and a lube pad. Then again, you did not mention a lube pad, but I don't know how anyone would apply the stuff without a lube pad. Best wishes, Dave Wile

April 21, 2012, 12:52 PM	#54
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	To Davie Wile and William Watts - add me to your list of RCBS users. David's first paragraph in his first post in this thread could have been typed by me. It's exactly the same way I've been lubing for 30+ years. I just NOW finished the first little bottle of the RCBS lube, so hearing folks talk about how cheap this or that other lube is seems hard to believe. As for removing the lube, I just wipe it off with a towel I keep in my lap while I'm resizing. There isn't much to wipe off because I only put lube on the bottom 25% or 30% of the case. I haven't ever, not even once, had a stuck case.

April 21, 2012, 02:36 PM	#55
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	I used Imperial for years until I discovered that Kiwi Mink Oil works just as well for a fraction of the cost. One Shot was terrible to use. I bought 2 cans on sale and threw 1 and 7/8 of the other away. For pistols in my progressive, although not completely necessary, I use some olive oil mixed with isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle. A few BB's in the bottom help to shake it up before use since the oil settles.

April 21, 2012, 04:41 PM	#57
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	Thanks for the tip. I thought castor oil was something that was only for my grandmother to frighten me with.

April 21, 2012, 05:07 PM	#58
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	My progression through case lubes: First used the original RCBS case lube at first on the open cell foam pad. Really hard to remove. Open cell foam pads fell apart. Switched to the closed cell pads when they came out. Second, switched to Lee water based lube on the RCBS closed cell pads, great lube, as you mention it dries out in low humidity and it is easy to get too much on and dent cases. Easy to remove. Can rust your dies due to moisture. Third, tried Imperial applied with my fingers, great lube but kind of slow for volume sizing. Easy to remove. Fourth and final, switched to Castrol 5W-20 synthetic motor oil. It is an outstanding lube, easy to apply, takes very little, is easy to remove, almost impossible to dent a case with excess, and leaves the inside of your dies protected but not build up. I do polish the interior of my sizing dies with Flitz, and the sizing effort is so low when using Castrol for lube is almost like they have already been sized. The only knock on Imperial is I couldn't find a way to apply it to cases in quantity or I might have stayed with it.