Cheap Case Lube????

xphunter

xphunter

Active member
Got this from a F-Class customer. I have not used this myself yet. I will soon though.

A few weeks ago, I was mulling over the various case lubes available to reloaders. In all these years (40+), I have tried & fought with just about all of them except the "wonder waxes" (Imperial, Hornady, etc.). I was about to order a tin of one of them, but was then hit with a "revelation". My wife & I use coconut oil for cooking, skin conditioner, therapeutic massage oil, and all the other typical/normal uses. Then the though occurred to me about trying it as a case lube. I am using the solid (wax consistency, rather than liquid) form of coconut oil. It melts at ~90 degrees F (body temperature).

I applied a bit to some of my match (.223) cases as one would with the "waxes". When I (slowly) ran the cases into the full-length sizing die, they slid in & out as easily as if they were previously sized. As a convenient worst-case (pun intended), I tried several .308 cases that were fired from my M1A, and ran them through a small-base FL sizing die with the coconut oil . The results were "hot knife through butter" smooth, again.

I then experimented with "how little" coconut oil can one get away with before cases are difficult to size. Long story short, one can ALMOST not use too little (discretion is advised)!

Here are the key positive characteristics of coconut oil as a case lube:
It works! Smooth, easy case resizing.
Cheap, up front, economical to use, available at any supermarket. A few bucks for a jar or tub that will last years, and can be used for other purposes.
All natural, non-toxic (for those tree huggers out there), non-corrosive. Inert on brass, dies, skin, etc. easy to clean-up. It even removes other residual crud from cases when they are wiped down. No odor: The coconut fragrance is removed from most coconut oils, too.
Application is easy: Fingertips or some sort of case-lube pad (I use a Swiffer-like floor-cleaning pad, or my fingertips). Lube case bodies only: Will cause dented shoulders as with any other case lube if applied there.
Clean, non-sticky, easy to wipe off excess with a warm rag/towel. It even leaves a thin coat of water-repellent "film" that does not attract dust dirt. Much easier to clean sized cases than with any other case lube.
In the "solid", waxy form, it will not spill or make a mess.
Does not go bad - especially for reloading. It is almost like honey, in that it it does not go rancid like vegetable oil/shortening, or dry out.
BONUS for pistol-case reloaders (manual & auto-feed; single or progressive - even with carbide dies): Smear some coconut oil on/in a towel or old tee-shirt, heat it & the cases with a hairdryer or heatgun, then roll/shake the cases in the towel (or whatever), then size. The amount of mechanical effort to run the press decreases by at least 50%, thus reducing the stress on the cases, dies, press, & operator.
Here are the negative characteristics or drawbacks of using coconut oil - that I have found:
NONE - Zip, nada, null, nothing, when compared with other case lubes!
I really encourage you to try coconut oil as a case lube! If unconvinced, I will give you all my old lubes.
Warren J. Tanaka
 
Looks like you never used what may be the best of the best;
Imperial sizing wax. I was put on to it by BR shooters that I know, all the other junk lube got thrown out after using it.
Sounds like you found something that works well, if you decide to try something else grab yourself a can of the Imperial, you won't be sorry!
 
For years I just used the RCBS stuff as I knew no better. Over the next 30 odd years I have tried the man other lubes, One-Shot, home made lanolin spray, Imperial, some good and some....well.. crap.

Around 10 years ago I tried Kiwi Mink oil on some .223 brass that I was sizing and to my amazement my brass slid and out of my dies better than ever before. Right before I started using the mink oil (which really is a paste like shoe polish) I have been a fan of Imperial but after I started using the mink oil I never when back to anything else.

My can of Kiwi was only a partial can when I started using it and it lasted me for thousands of rounds of sizing. Before I was completely out I got my a 3 oz tub of Angelus mink oil and now about 5 years later there is about 1/8th of it gone.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Angelus-Mink-Oil-Paste-Leather-Waterproof-Conditioner-3oz

If you have any mink oil in your shoeshine kit or what wherever then give it a try. I just get a tiny smidge on my fingers and do 5-10 cases at a time and I put it on very lightly.

Something that so cheap to buy and works so well is great. It's the only case lube I use now. Has been for years.
 
I've been using hornady one shot for some years now. the key with it is to give it enough time to dry before resizing. it sounds counter-intuitive, but it's not a good lube when it hasn't dried out enough & the instructions do state to let it dry. I've found that waiting 10 minutes after applying has been working fine.
 
Yes, again with the tip of my finger. Just scrape end of the case mouth over my fingertip with some mink oil on it.

Oh, and I have not stuck a case in a long long time now. Not since I started using mink oil anyway.
 
Just to be fair I went and got my huge (84 oz) jug of Kirkland coconut oil out of the pantry and tried took a small dab to try on some .223 and .220 Swift brass that I had on hand. You know what? It did work. Smells good too. On the couple of dozen cases I tried it seemed to work as good as the Mink oil did but it is a bit more messy. If I ever run out of Mink oil I may have to try it some more. It does work I can attest to that.
 
I've used all sorts of lube to resize, not in huge volumes but a hand full of cases here and there. One of the smoothest I tried was moly engine assembly lube, like greased lightning.

I just got a can of Hornady case lube, a lot easier to apply than using your finger but I can't find a great way of getting the inside of the necks without pretty much wasting 75% of the spray. I like that I can just put a squirt inside the dies too.

There's a lot of stuff that works, what I always get uneasy about is when I see powder sticking to the inside of the neck, sometimes even after using a Qtip to try to clean it off.
 
I set the cases in a loading block, spray from above at about a 45 degree angle. I hit them from all four sides.

This gets enough in the necks.

I also spray the inside of the die & let it dry as well.

I've only stuck one die in my life, after years of loading. I don't recall what lube I was using, pretty much had to be either Dillon or Hornady, but I stuck that one so good I had to send the die back to Redding to get it out. 30-06.

It may have been hornady & I just didn't let it dry enough, I think that was before I understood that's what you were supposed to do.
 
I use to use Imperial until I ran out. Then I bought a can of Hornady One Shot paste. Works every bit as good as Imperial and I can get it local and cheaper too. I tried the home made stull using Heat and notice if you let it set very long on brass cases, its discolors them and is almost impossible to get the tarnish off. So, I don't use it anymore. The One Shot Spray works good but it seems to not last very long. That and I hate buying air which seems to be what you end up with in an aresol can. I think I have some Mink oil in a can, guess I'll give it a try.
 
Originally Posted By: Stu FarishI set the cases in a loading block, spray from above at about a 45 degree angle. I hit them from all four sides.

This gets enough in the necks.

I also spray the inside of the die & let it dry as well.

^^THIS!^^ It takes longer to load the tray than it does to
lubricate the cases! Once a person gets "the hang of it", the
process uses very little of the One Shot per tray.

I like the idea of having an alternative that we use for many
other things, as well. Will have to give our coconut oil a
try!
 
Originally Posted By: DannoBooneOriginally Posted By: Stu FarishI set the cases in a loading block, spray from above at about a 45 degree angle. I hit them from all four sides.

This gets enough in the necks.

I also spray the inside of the die & let it dry as well.

^^THIS!^^ It takes longer to load the tray than it does to
lubricate the cases! Once a person gets "the hang of it", the
process uses very little of the One Shot per tray.

I like the idea of having an alternative that we use for many
other things, as well. Will have to give our coconut oil a
try!

I use HOS and Imperial but I do have to laugh as I just bought a BIG bucket of coconut oil to help my Bostons dry coat issues. I'll have to scrape me some off and try it for grins.

Greg
 
Originally Posted By: xphunterGot this from a F-Class customer. I have not used this myself yet. I will soon though.

A few weeks ago, I was mulling over the various case lubes available to reloaders. In all these years (40+), I have tried & fought with just about all of them except the "wonder waxes" (Imperial, Hornady, etc.). I was about to order a tin of one of them, but was then hit with a "revelation". My wife & I use coconut oil for cooking, skin conditioner, therapeutic massage oil, and all the other typical/normal uses. Then the though occurred to me about trying it as a case lube. I am using the solid (wax consistency, rather than liquid) form of coconut oil. It melts at ~90 degrees F (body temperature).

I applied a bit to some of my match (.223) cases as one would with the "waxes". When I (slowly) ran the cases into the full-length sizing die, they slid in & out as easily as if they were previously sized. As a convenient worst-case (pun intended), I tried several .308 cases that were fired from my M1A, and ran them through a small-base FL sizing die with the coconut oil . The results were "hot knife through butter" smooth, again.

I then experimented with "how little" coconut oil can one get away with before cases are difficult to size. Long story short, one can ALMOST not use too little (discretion is advised)!

Here are the key positive characteristics of coconut oil as a case lube:
It works! Smooth, easy case resizing.
Cheap, up front, economical to use, available at any supermarket. A few bucks for a jar or tub that will last years, and can be used for other purposes.
All natural, non-toxic (for those tree huggers out there), non-corrosive. Inert on brass, dies, skin, etc. easy to clean-up. It even removes other residual crud from cases when they are wiped down. No odor: The coconut fragrance is removed from most coconut oils, too.
Application is easy: Fingertips or some sort of case-lube pad (I use a Swiffer-like floor-cleaning pad, or my fingertips). Lube case bodies only: Will cause dented shoulders as with any other case lube if applied there.
Clean, non-sticky, easy to wipe off excess with a warm rag/towel. It even leaves a thin coat of water-repellent "film" that does not attract dust dirt. Much easier to clean sized cases than with any other case lube.
In the "solid", waxy form, it will not spill or make a mess.
Does not go bad - especially for reloading. It is almost like honey, in that it it does not go rancid like vegetable oil/shortening, or dry out.
BONUS for pistol-case reloaders (manual & auto-feed; single or progressive - even with carbide dies): Smear some coconut oil on/in a towel or old tee-shirt, heat it & the cases with a hairdryer or heatgun, then roll/shake the cases in the towel (or whatever), then size. The amount of mechanical effort to run the press decreases by at least 50%, thus reducing the stress on the cases, dies, press, & operator.
Here are the negative characteristics or drawbacks of using coconut oil - that I have found:
NONE - Zip, nada, null, nothing, when compared with other case lubes!
I really encourage you to try coconut oil as a case lube! If unconvinced, I will give you all my old lubes.
Warren J. Tanaka
Great idea. I have to try it cause I know we have it around here. I've tried all the usual products. They are either wasteful in overspray and ineffective or messy to clean up. All are excessively expensive given their comparable consumer products. Grease, Vaseline, wd40, motor oil, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogI use to use Imperial until I ran out. Then I bought a can of Hornady One Shot paste. Works every bit as good as Imperial and I can get it local and cheaper too. I tried the home made stull using Heat and notice if you let it set very long on brass cases, its discolors them and is almost impossible to get the tarnish off. So, I don't use it anymore. The One Shot Spray works good but it seems to not last very long. That and I hate buying air which seems to be what you end up with in an aresol can. I think I have some Mink oil in a can, guess I'll give it a try. pyscodog, when using the heat and lanolin did you clean with SS pins or corn cob media. I use the lanolin mixture and have had no problem. Will have to try the coconut oil and mink oil also. Use imperial wax and well pleased with it just slow in application. Always willing to try most anything new.
 
I didn't like the Hornady spray very well, probly wasn't letting it dry enough.

I have been using imperial and like it quite a bit. Someone posted on this site that the best way to apply the wax is rub it onto the sides of a round plastic container, throw in brass, put on lid and roll it around in there. Works great. I'm using a large yogurt tub to apply wax and I can do about 30 cases at a time easily.

Coconut oil and mink oil sound good, will have to try them. anything cleaner is better.
 
ive found that applying the hornady spray works quite well when done in one of those plastic shoe boxes.

i spray them, shake em around, and spray some more. usually repeat 3-4 times to know 100% sure i'm covered, with about a 5-7 second spray each time.

you can lube several hundred cases like this (pending on caliber) and because the case head is the heavy point, they often end up mouth up for ease of getting the inside of the necks lubed too.


as others have mentioned, if you run hornady while its still wet - its an awful case lube. give it time to dry and it works fantastic.


even using quite a bit of the stuff like i do, i still get 4000-5000 cases lubed per container of the stuff. so i'm looking at it from a cost perspective of 4-5 cases per penny to lube them.

for the convenience, lack of mess (compared to lanolin or other mixes) and the ability to basically never over lube - i've yet to see a hydraulic dimple using it - its a win for me.


[edit] and its not detrimental to powder/primers, which is a legit concern for some methods of lubing cases making post sizing cleaning incredibly important.
 
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