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Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

sasquatch98226

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 6, 2007
293
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I am looking for a good homemade (i.e. cheap and easy) case lube recipe. Who has a favorite?
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Imperial sizing lube is the best least messy lube I've ever used, seen, or heard about. You can't make it at home though. I think I saw a thread on this a few weeks back. A search might be worth a try.

I've used Homemade stuff in a pinch but had to clean my dies afterwards. I would not recommend it.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

My favorite recipe is Imperial lube.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I have 2000 rounds out of my latest tin and have used less than the equivalent of three good applications if it were a slutty girls lip balm. It goes a long way. My last tin was purchased circa 2004.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I have heard of using STP, but don't really know? The thing is, if you buy a 2 ounce bottle, (commercial, like RCBS) and use a ink pad, it will last you ten years, easy.

What I do is just lightly scrape my thumb, and/or my index finger with my left hand and pick up a case and just rub the case. The amount of lube used for 100 cases is hardly measurable. I like to use a nylon bore brush down the necks if I'm using standard dies and I lightly spray the brush with WD40. It must be lightly, or risk primer contamination if you don't tumble your cases after sizing.

I have never used Imperial wax? Some people coat their bullets with it, too. Just another issue to avoid, like moly. Like most handloading issues, it is a perceived need and a solution. I never saw the need for anything other than the commercial lube and run naked bullets except in rare instances, like if somebody gives me free moly bullets. I certainly wouldn't "buy" them.

But back to the subject. I'd save money other places, a bottle of lube costs about the same as a pack of cigarettes and lasts forever. I don't think you would save anything by making a homebrew lube. BB
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I'm still using the same old tube of Texaco MARFAX Multi-purpose 2 lithium grease I started with back in the late 70's. A slight dab on my finger tips and a quick twirl around the case and across the neck opening is all it needs. Just enough to give the case a slickery feeling and in the die it goes, a quick wipe with a towel after seating and in the box it goes. Cheap, quick and think it might of been under a buck way back then. Might be redneck and not the cool way but it's been working for 10's of thousands of rounds and no problems yet. Figure this tube will outlast me and maybe the kids.

It don't need to be slurped on like an old axle bearing, like someone mentioned previously about STP just a bit on your fingers to slide around a case is all you need. An occasional swabbing of your die might be necessary at first until you get the feel but I've never had any problems.

Topstrap
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Look <a href="http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm#Sizing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here !
</a>

Terry
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Mobil-1 is all I have ever used. Even works great for over expanded and thick Military 7.62x51 cases shot from GPMG's.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Imperial is great and cheap, enough said. I can't even venture a guess to how many rounds a tin will do.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I know several folks who use Mink Oil (actually a thick paste). You can find a big tin of it where they sell shoe polish and they say it's just like using Imperial at about 1/3 the cost. I bought a tin a while back but have never tried it.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Can't beat the price/case of Imperial sizing wax. I have used about 1/2 tin in 3000 rounds. No mess No fuss and it doesn't take up any room in a drawer. It will last forever if you don't get it hot, if you do set it on a cube of ice for 1 min.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I mix 10 parts alcohol to 1 part pure lanolin and use it as a spray lube. 10 squirts from an old hairspray bottle over 100 cases in a shoebox and I am off to the races 10 minutes later with all the cases having a nice thin coat on lanolin on them.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Use Imperial; forget about making your own unless you are into high volume loading where you might not want to handle the imperial application.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hi Speed</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have 2000 rounds out of my latest tin and have used less than the equivalent of three good applications if it were a slutty girls lip balm. It goes a long way. My last tin was purchased circa 2004.</div></div>

HAHA
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

<sigh> these solutions for non existent problems are caca. BB
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I have no ideas for a 'homemade' case lube but I've experimented with several commercial lubes and tried a lot of other things as substitutes.

Of the commercal lubes I prefer Imperial and Unique, applied with finger tips as each case is picked up for sizing.

Simple but excellant substitutes include Kiwi "Mink Oil" (a soft wax actually) or Snow-Proof or Sno-Seal boot treatments or any neutral shoe paste wax/polish from the shoe dept of any Mart store.

STP and some engine oils work okay as case lubes but, unlike the waxey stuff, they are all lousy-nasty to use and hard to get off your hands and cases.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: doubled</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I mix 10 parts alcohol to 1 part pure lanolin and use it as a spray lube. 10 squirts from an old hairspray bottle over 100 cases in a shoebox and I am off to the races 10 minutes later with all the cases having a nice thin coat on lanolin on them. </div></div>

I've heard that this is what the dillon spray lube is... just shake it up, spray it on and you're off to the races.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned up to this point, but all these lubes are petroleum/mineral/animal based oils/waxes/fats. They are not water soluble like polyol based lubes (i.e. RCBS).

I worked as a polymer chemist for a few years and we used dozens of different polyether/polyester polyols for urethane prepolymers. I realized right away that the RCBS case lube was a polyol and easily found a bulk substitute that we got by the drum and even railcar. Naturally, I have a lifetime supply of this (from our lab QC retains that we disposed of every 6 months), but this is not a home-made solution for your average reloader.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Imperial sizing wax, buy one can of it and it will last practically forever....I cant see why you would need anything else.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I use lee wax lube cut with water(churned up with a tooth brush) a 1 inch squeeze mixed with water will lube 600 223's in 60 seconds by tumbling in a jug (also some gets it in the neck so it lubes the ball) let them dry before sizing and I tumble finished rounds to remove the residue

comes to about 2 $ for 10,000 brass
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I use RCBS Case Lube-2, a water soluble liquid resembling a thick dishwashing detergent. I have 2 or 3 bottles of the stuff floating around around the reloading bench; probably enough for the next five years at least.

Very easy to use. I moisten a few fingers with it and spin each case between the fingers to apply. Only need to remoisten every 20-30 cases. Wipes off with s dry cloth. I use a cloth dampened in alcohol to be sure I get it all.

Greg
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Greg i use that same lube but mix it with 4 parts rubbing alcohol to make a spray lube
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I keep about 300 pieces of brass "in rotation" at a time. decap, clean, then size in one big batch - and use a Dillon 650.

I keep a tin of Imperial on the bench for doing SMALL volume stuff. Not a big deal when working with or sizing 15-20 cases, but I find it to be a huge hassle to use when working in bulk. No way am I individually wiping wax both on and off 300 or more pcs of brass!

A spray-on lube is the only choice, and I have been doing the Lanolin/99% Alcohol method... I mix about 2oz Lanolin with a 16oz bottle of 99% Isopropyl alcohol, put my cases in a ziplock bag, spray a few squirts in there, shake, then let sit with the bag open for 10 minutes or so. Goes through the FLS die like shit through a goose...

YOU DO NOT NEED MUCH LUBE ON YOUR CASES WITH THIS METHOD!!!

Also, a vibratory polisher with either corncob or walnut is a piss-poor method of getting the lanolin back off your brass. Soapy water with stainless media does it best. If you use too much lanolin, you'll have to run your Thumler 3 or 4 cycles to get all the grease off. Use the bare minimum amount of lanolin/alcohol to leave just a slight sheen on the brass.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sasquatch98226</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am looking for a good homemade (i.e. cheap and easy) case lube recipe. Who has a favorite? </div></div>

i bought this stuff and did the homemade dillons lube. i put about 100-125 cases in a plastic bag and 3-4 sprays from the bottle and i didnt stick a single case in 2000 cases.

lanolin - here - http://vitaglo.com/7730.html
99% isopropyl alcohol here - http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B...p;condition=new
lowes spray bottle - http://www.lowes.com/pd_92191-75830...rentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=spray+bottle&facetInfo=

i only used about .5-1oz, so i think im good. just combine them after warming them in a warm water bath. they have yet to come out of solution. after shaking the bag with the cases i dump them onto a towl and let them dry for about 30 seconds, then just run them through the press. it takes about 20 minutes in the tumbler to clean the lube off.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: OldTex</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know several folks who use Mink Oil (actually a thick paste). You can find a big tin of it where they sell shoe polish and they say it's just like using Imperial at about 1/3 the cost. I bought a tin a while back but have never tried it. </div></div>

that's what i've been using. not so much because it is cheaper, it's because i can easily source it locally.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I use mink oil. Softens your hands while you do the reloading... I started using it because I needed something 'right now' and didn't want to wait for it to come in the mail. Haven't ever needed to stop.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

For non reloading marketed lubes, The best ones that I've used is Mink oil, Bag Balm and Chapstick (yes, it works). They all work well, but you have to be careful not to use too much as they are softer in texture than Imperial sizing wax and it is easy to use too much.

For commercially marketed sizing lubes, I've tried almost everything.

For the marketed reloading lubes, I've narrowed it down to Imperial sizing wax for small jobs and Dillon spray lube for big jobs.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

Thanks guys, I forgot to mention this was for a progressive press, so a spray application is best.

I will try the lanolin/alcohol recipe.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I produced a large quanity of unreliable ammunition using not water base lube to save a $.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I use liquid anhydrous lanolin (Amazon.com) and 99% isopropyl alcohol mixed 1:12.

Don't use the normal 70% isohol that most drug stores sell. It won't mix well with the lanolin (too much water). Use at least the 91%. Ask the pharmacist. It can also be found in gallon jugs at IFA type stores in the livestock medicine section. Also, ISO-Heet fuel line drier in a red bottle is 99% isopropyl alcohol and is available at most auto parts stores.

I throw a hundred or so cases in a ziploc bag, spray 4 or 5 squirts in, seal it up and knead it around, then dump onto a paper towel and start feeding the press.

Works as well as any commercial product.

 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

I use a 1:8 mixture of lanolin oil and 91%+ isopropyl alcohol (respectively.) This mixture works great for me.

You can also use "iso heet" : get a spray bottle, dump a bottle of 91% or more isopropyl in it, pour some pure lanoline oil in it, and shake.

It works great. Spray on a bunch of cases, and let dry for a few minutes. Cases are nice and lubed for quick sizing operation. Tumble again afterwards.
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

<span style="color: #FF0000"><span style="font-size: 20pt">Mink Oil</span></span>

Cheaper than Imperial, works exactly the same. Tins are larger than Imperial generally.

Available in most local Dept Stores, no mail order, no shipping.

Great Stuff...
 
Re: Who has a good homemade case lube recipe?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bronco_buster</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="color: #FF0000"><span style="font-size: 20pt">Mink Oil</span></span>

Cheaper than Imperial, works exactly the same. Tins are larger than Imperial generally.

Available in most local Dept Stores, no mail order, no shipping.

Great Stuff... </div></div>


I'm just starting, but I have been using Hornady lube. I am convinced it is mink oil. It even says you can use it on leather, on the tub. It does work well.