goodbye Imperial

[locknloader]

@Seamus Mc - What kind of pistol rounds need lube, something long like a 38 special? I just did some 9mm for first time with no lube and didnt have any issues with them binding up (carbide and titanium dies though).

[Stats Shooter]

Spray and shake keeps the EXCESS lube off the necks so shoulder dents are few & far between, which makes much cleaner looking ammo, and I'd have to guess better cycling in semi-autos.

I cant say if it is better cycling, but certainly not worse. I usually do big batches of bulk ammo I am making. For instance, I am in the middle of prepping another 3,000 pieces of .223 brass. It is all once fired. After sizing it will need trimmed because after sizing once fired lake city, many of the cases are over 1.77" long!!! With this procedure, I go ahead and tumble it and get all the lube off with walnut media.

But, if I have trimmed it already, and it has only been fired one time since, I just decap it, clean it, then lube it and load it. And so far, the spay lube doesn't adversely affect anything.

[Fotheringill]

Coincidentally, I just did 150 .223 cases using lanolin an 91% alcohol. It worked well.

[cdoc42]

Despite the numerous claims for acceptability of the mixture of lanolin and alcohol I find the following of interest.

I was checking out whether or not "Light Liquid Petrolatum" (Light Mineral Oil) would be an alternative to Lanolin. As it turned out, it is INSOLUBLE in water or alcohol, so scratch that thought.

But when looking at Lanolin in a reference called "Remington's Practice of Pharmacy," under "Pharmaceutical necessities" I found that Lanolin is also called "Hydrous Wool Fat" and is insoluble in water, but soluble in chloroform and ether. There is no statement about alcohol, probably because the usual products are 70% alcohol and 30% water which is not likely going to dissolve Lanolin.

That said, there is an "Anhydrous Wool Fat" - also called Anhydrous Lanolin. It differs from Lanolin in that there is practically no water (hence, "anhydrous"). It mixes without separation in twice its weight of water. It is sparingly soluble in cold alcohol,more soluble in hot alcohol, and freely soluble in chloroform and ether.

My guess is those who use it as described are probably buying Anhydrous Lanolin, so any combination with twice its weight in water (or 70% alcohol) should not produce problems with separation of the liquids.

Another interesting point is Lanolin is often considered a fat, but based on its chemical composition, it is more accurately classified as a WAX. I'd be interested in what is on the container of "lanolin" that you buy -is it labeled "anhydrous?"

[hounddawg]

The stuff I am using is called Liquid Lanolin, I believe the anhydrous is more of a waxy substance

[Metal god]

I used oneshot ( still do sometimes ) , Imperial ( still do sometimes ) , Unique ( still do sometimes ) but switched to the Lanolin homemade mixture maybe 2 years ago . All others work just fine but the homemade stuff is by far faster then most and far cheaper then the rest . That's the only two reasons I use the homemade mixture .

As some of you may know I generally prep in large-ish batches ( 500+ pieces at a time ) . I use a plastic tube that's about 12" x 18" and is about 7" deep . I dump the cases in the tube and shake it a few times to get most of the case mouths facing up . I then spray the mixture all over the cases ( 3 or 4 sprays ) and this get it all over the bodies and on the inside of the case necks . I then let dry while shaking the tub a few times while drying to allow the lube to fully coat the outside of the cases . I should add this is when using a single stage press where I tumble the cases after sizing . I use a 1-10 ratio and it works just fine .

Time wise there is no comparison to sizing waxes . Cost wise there is no comparison to any commercial spray lubes . Two years ago and several thousand cases later I'm finally close to the end of my "first" 11oz mixture . I estimate I would have already been through 6 cans of Oneshot . That adds up to $43 worth of Oneshot to my $4 of homemade mixture .

The only down side for me is the cases are very tacky after sizing and need to be cleaned . The mixture does wipe off OK but when working in large batches It's easier for me to just tumble them real quick and this gets the lube out of the inside as well . If using a progressive press having all the case mouths facing down as UN does seems like the better way to go .

[Seamus Mc]

locknloader: I spray lube for all pistol calibers, even when I use carbide dies which are not supposed to need it. Just the way I learned. It's easy enough to spray. Not sure if I am really preventing problems but I know I haven't created any. Calibers include straight walls like 45 Colt, 44-40, 44 Special, 45 Autorim etc.

[CommandoX]

I just got done finally putting the chemical components together and resizing 200 .223 cases with the 99% iso and lanolin mixture.

I won't be going back to the pad ever again. It was phenomenal.

[Heavy Metal 1]

I use Imperial, but in perhaps a speedier way (not as speedy as spraying) than just dabbing individual cases with it. I don nitrile gloves, put a small amount of the product in my palms, rub them together to cause some heat, then lay perhaps a dozen cases in my palms and give a quick rub and drop the brass into a ziplock bag. I can do several hundred rather quickly.

[Metal god]

I just got done finally putting the chemical components together and resizing 200 .223 cases with the 99% iso and lanolin mixture.

I won't be going back to the pad ever again. It was phenomenal.

I know what you mean , here are a few things I've said in the past that reminds me of this topic .

I don't need spray lubes this wax works just fine

I don't need a cell phone , my house phone works just fine

I don't need an IPod my CD player works just fine

I don't need a smart phone , my flip phone works just fine

Do each and everyone of those things have some down sides ? Sure but there benefits far out weigh them is all I'm saying .

[locknloader]

So are the red bottles of "iso-heet" really 99% rubbing alcohol? Label did not give a full list of what was in it, just said "contains isopropyl alcohol".

[cdoc42]

From Wikipedia:
Isopropyl alcohol is a major ingredient in "gas dryer" fuel additives. In significant quantities water is a problem in fuel tanks as it separates from the gasoline and can freeze in the supply lines at cold temperatures. Alcohol does not remove water from gasoline; rather, the alcohol solubilizes water in gasoline. Once soluble, water does not pose the same risk as insoluble water, as it will no longer accumulate in the supply lines and freeze, but will be consumed along with the fuel itself. Isopropyl alcohol is often sold in aerosol cans as a windshield or door lock de-icer. Isopropyl alcohol is also used to remove brake fluid traces from hydraulic braking systems, so that the brake fluid (usually DOT 3, DOT 4, or mineral oil) does not contaminate the brake pads, which would result in poor braking.

[Doublehelix3216]

As mentioned earlier, I use 100% Lanolin in Red Iso-Heet for rifle cases.

I use Hornady One Shot for my pistols cases. I know people will argue that it is not necessary, and while that may be true, it helps A LOT to make sizing easier, especially on a progressive where you have a lot going on at once. My choice...

But... I *still* have a tin of Imperial on my bench. I find uses for it periodically. No bench should be without it.

[cw308]

Is everybody shooting that much at one shooting session ? I take my time preping my brass but I only shoot 30 rounds per trip. How mush time is taken up in sizing , checking case headspace , trimming & seating primers .

[hounddawg]

for me it is not so much about the speed, the spray is more convenient and just as effective if not more so. My Imperial tin has no expiration date and it sits quietly on the shelf and does not eat much and rarely talks so it will be there if ever needed

[disseminator]

Is everybody shooting that much at one shooting session ? I take my time preping my brass but I only shoot 30 rounds per trip. How mush time is taken up in sizing , checking case headspace , trimming & seating primers .

For me, I only use spray lubes when doing bulk brass processing. I do 5.56 and 300 blk in 1000 round batches and then clean and store them for future use.

[Stats Shooter]

For me, I only use spray lubes when doing bulk brass processing. I do 5.56 and 300 blk in 1000 round batches and then clean and store them for future use.

Same here, except you can add 7.62x51 AR-10 and VEPR-.308 ammo to that mix. I do 1,000 round batches and store them. But they do not stay in storage long, even though I have several thousand 556, 762x51.

Is everybody shooting that much at one shooting session ? I take my time preping my brass but I only shoot 30 rounds per trip. How mush time is taken up in sizing , checking case headspace , trimming & seating primers .

An F-class match is at a minimum 68 rounds, 60 for score..I shoot 2 per month. XTC and precision ar matches are over 100 rounds, I shoot 1 of those per month. Then there is practice where I will usually take a few guns, and practice with both.

1,000-1,500 rounds per month probably if I also add in pistol practice

[cw308]

If you have a lot of brass I could see doing that , what is your system , do you let's say clean 500 cases , shoot 150 at a session , when you have fired all 500 you clean . I clean 60 at the start of the warm weather with once fired brass , two different head stamps , 30 ADI 30 HSM . Fire 30 each range trip & clean that 30 each week , following week the other 30 and clean .

Gives me plenty of time for reloading , time at the range is around 2 hours . Shooting & BSn with friends. That makes for me a good day. Then it starts all over again . Right now I'm cleaning 30 rounds in a HF wet tumbler & nursing a blown out lower back after playing stick ball with the Grand kids . Shooting is easier on the body .

[Stats Shooter]

If you have a lot of brass I could see doing that , what is your system , do you let's say clean 500 cases , shoot 150 at a session , when you have fired all 500 you clean . I clean 60 at the start of the warm weather with once fired brass , two different head stamps , 30 ADI 30 HSM . Fire 30 each range trip & clean that 30 each week , following week the other 30 and clean .

Gives me plenty of time for reloading , time at the range is around 2 hours . Shooting & BSn with friends. That makes for me a good day. Then it starts all over again . Right now I'm cleaning 30 rounds in a HF wet tumbler & nursing a blown out lower back after playing stick ball with the Grand kids . Shooting is easier on the body .

I have about 3,000 or so cases of .308 lake city brass, about 4 thousand or so cases of 556 lake city brass, about 3 or 4 thousand cases of .40 S&W mixed HS brass, and hundreds of pieces for each long rifle, or revolver pistol with the same headstamps.

I am in the middle of processing 2000 .223 pieces of brass. It is all once fired so I have to trim it all and swage, but then I will load it all at once. Shoot it, then next time I won't trim, I will just clean/decapp, and size and load all 2000 in about 4-5 hours on an XL 650.

That also leaves time to do my single stage press work on my precision rifle ammo.

Oh...and after about 3 loads on my bulk .223 or .308 I will run it all through my annealing machine.

quite often I am doing about 3 things at once, I have a batch of 500-1,000 tumbling, a batch being annealed, and then im trimming, or decapping or something all at once. Saves time.

[cw308]

Mississippi
Never got into neck turning or annealing , your burning through more rounds then me for sure . Your round count must be up there , In three years I have 2000 rounds through my 308 l do shoot hand guns in the cold weather at a indoor range , 50 rounds max.

[Stats Shooter]

Mississippi
Never got into neck turning or annealing , your burning through more rounds then me for sure . Your round count must be up there , In three years I have 2000 rounds through my 308 l do shoot hand guns in the cold weather at a indoor range , 50 rounds max.

On certain rifles, I keep a very accurate round count. Eg. There are exactly 784 rounds down my F-class rifle, 56 rounds down my Model 70 Super Grade .300wm hunting rifle. On my AR's, AK's, and Pistols, I try to stay within maybe +/- 500 of what has been fired through it....basically I just make a mark in each rifles log when it has fired another thousand or so. My Varmint/Match AR 556 that I got new in September of last year has nearly 4k rounds down the pipe already, and loaded hot.....that barrel is going to need changed someday.

It helps that I can shoot year round. There may be a few days in January when the high doesn't rise above 32 degrees. But mostly it is in the 40's or 50's

[cdoc42]

I chose not to search for Lanolin on the internet, fearing I could not see the label of actual ingredients. So I unsuccessfully went to CVS, then to a local herbal and health food specialty store, where there was only pure Lanolin in solidified form. The owner suggested that I try CVS, but I deferred and bought the solid formulation. I mention this just in case someone else has a similar experience.

I used a small digital kitchen food scale and made a 10% solution of lanolin in 91% isopropyl alcohol. That would be a 1:10 solution. I weighed out 12 Grams of lanolin and poured 108 ml of the alcohol which gave me a 4-oz (120ml) bottle of final product. As indicated on a previous post, lanolin is less soluble in cold as compared to hot alcohol, so I placed the mixture in the microwave for 20 seconds, at which time the alcohol just started to boil. The lanolin easily went into solution. I put it in a 4-oz spray bottle and tried it on five 25-06 cases. Absolutely worked like a charm. It seems to me there is no reason to make it more concentrated than 1:10.

[cw308]

I'll stick to store bought stuff . The RCBS Lube works well for me.

[rg1]

Store bought Dillon Case Lube---about $9.00 for 8 oz.
Homemade with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Bought from Amazon
2 bottles- 16 ounce- 32 ounces total approx. $8.00 to $10.00 per bottle
one 4 ounce bottle of liquid lanolin--$7.00-$8.00 for one bottle
So a rough estimate of $23.00 to $26.00 for 36 ounces of homemade case lube. You would have to buy 4 1/2 bottles of factory at about $40.
36 ounces of case lube should last even a volume reloader many years. Figures are approximate depending on the prices you pay plus the mixture ratio you use.

[FrankenMauser]

Everyone has their own preferences.

Personally...
I use One-Shot for general sizing.
For stubborn cases or forming, I use Imperial.
And, occasionally, I break out the Unique.

Why pay for One-Shot when I can make it so much cheaper?
...Because I make enough other stuff that I just haven't felt like dealing with it yet.