Imperial sizing wax.
- Thread starter bruddah
- Start date
Best thing going for Full length sizing. I prep all cases prior to sizing by touching the wax w my first finger and rubbing it on three cases before lightly touching the wax again. One tin will last years. The process goes fairly quickly and I NEVER worry about a stuck case. And like horstie, I clean w a paper towel.
easy to clean, no stuck cases and lasts forever for the most part unless you are doing high volume (in which case you probably aren't rubbing each case). Also invaluable if you are doing any wildcatting as it makes forming cases much easier. win-win
I have a separate tumbler with dry corn cob that I use only for lubed cases. I use either Hornady One Shot or Imperial. Just need to clear the primer holes and brush the inside of the necks after.
I keep a batch of funky media to clean cases before I size them. I dip my forefinger in the wax and grab a case an place it in the shell holder making sure to run my fingers around the neck. After sizing I throw the cases back in the tumbler with clean media and tumble for 1/2 an hour to clean off the lube. Imperial sizing wax is the best product out there as far a clean and easy goes. I have never had a case get stuck on me since I went to Imperial which is why I switched in the first place.
I've used Imperial (Redding ) Wax for 20 years. All I ever do is twist it through an old TEE shirt. If you use it right a tin will last 10 or 20 years.
I am with the on-with-your-fingers and off-with-a-rag crowd, but have found that a micro-fiber cloth works exceptionally well. Much better than a paper towel or old t-shirt.
Paul
Paul
With all due respect, those of us who tumble the wax off think its a waste of time to sit there wiping off cases lol. Dump 150 in the tumbler for an hour and go do something else.
Anything else.
More seriously, for a few cases wiping them off is fine by me. But for any significant batch size, tumbling allows me to . . . well eg, go resize more while the others get clean.
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I forgot something in my earlier post I just thought of. ANY lube should never get on the SHOULDER of a bottleneck rifle case. It causes ugly dimples in the shoulder brass. Every once in a while may not make a big difference. BUT it CAN weaken the brass at a thinner point on the case.
Imperial is nice for doing a couple cases, but for working with a batch (as in 150+), I find it to be inconvenient and time consuming to individually apply/remove the lubricant from each case.
Much prefer a mass-application technique. Lots of good ones but my favorite is dawn/ivory/ajax/Palmolive liquid dishwashing detergent.
Much prefer a mass-application technique. Lots of good ones but my favorite is dawn/ivory/ajax/Palmolive liquid dishwashing detergent.
Just straight dishwash soap? Really? Never, ever heard of doing that.
As to the OP, I got turned onto to Imperial Size Die Wax by a long time Palma shooter back in the late 90's. I put on a pair of nitrile gloves, put some wax on the palms, then rub the cases between my hands. I also use it as a release agent when doing bedding.
Yep. About one tablespoon does a full gallon ziplock bag of cases. I keep a USPS medium flatrate box as my lubing box. Dump the cases in, give it a couple squirts of the detergent, and shake it up good. The "trick", if there is one, is to be sure to give the cases 15-20 minutes to dry to a waxy film. The soap doesn't lubricate for a shit while it's still wet.
So, when you shoot in the rain, does your rifle blow bubbles?
j/kHaven't heard of using dish soap before either; interesting.
Oxidation
I found that some of my "not so thoroughly wiped of cases" turned dull- looking, after a while. Kind of a slower process, but akin to waxing a car. Also , I bet you're gonna get a hell of a "wax build up", in your chamber, if you don't. Now that I'm back to doing volume reloading, I wish I hadn't given away my tumbler.
You know, I've heard this time and time again, but have never actually seen a build up in the chamber of any rifle or pistol from using Imperial. (And I've been using it for at least 15yrs now.) Does anyone have some documented proof other than internet lore?
I'm not calling BS on you, just curious if anyone had some hard evidence.
I rarely clean the chambers of many of the firearms I have, and have never seen an issue. Am I just lucky?
If I'm loading on the Dillon 650 I use the Dillon / alcohol / lanolin pump spray. I put the cases in a copy paper carton lid 1/2 a layer. And spray per instructions. Like everyone has said, LET IT DRY. I usually lube the cases last thing before stopping for the day. Then they have at least all night to dry.
I use Imperial on 100-300 cases at a time sometimes even more. Rather than apply to one case at a time, put all your clean brass in a big tub/box. Apply a marble sized dollop of wax to your palm. Smear it around on both hands. Last step... dive into the tub of brass with both hands. Toss them all around like you are tossing a salad (the lettuce salad, not the prison type). Done. Size as you see fit. The entire process takes about 30 seconds beginning to end. Only added step is you need to wash your hands...but you might as well wait until you are done sizing, if you are sizing one piece at a time.
just my "theory"
I haven't heard or read of it. Just my over obsessive thoughts or maybe a self justification, for the blisters on my fingers, when i'm wiping my 600th case of the day. Man I miss my tumbler. Only 250 to go, so ....... also ,looking at my die, there is a good sized ring of wax around the bottom. By the way, you're the second guy to mention "pistol", and wax to me in a week. Do you use it on your s? In 25 yrs, I've never used lubes on my straight walled pistol cases. 44 mag,357/38,45ACP, etc.
I haven't heard or read of it. Just my over obsessive thoughts or maybe a self justification, for the blisters on my fingers, when i'm wiping my 600th case of the day. Man I miss my tumbler. Only 250 to go, so ....... also ,looking at my die, there is a good sized ring of wax around the bottom. By the way, you're the second guy to mention "pistol", and wax to me in a week. Do you use it on your s? In 25 yrs, I've never used lubes on my straight walled pistol cases. 44 mag,357/38,45ACP, etc.
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The first time I tumble clean with SS.
I resize using Imperial wax.
I then tumble dry with walnut.
It works but I am getting tired of cleaning the walnut shell stuck in the flash bum hole.
Any other media work better?
I resize using Imperial wax.
I then tumble dry with walnut.
It works but I am getting tired of cleaning the walnut shell stuck in the flash bum hole.
Any other media work better?
Lizard Litter, from a pet store. Smaller pieces of walnut shell. To qualify: I heard/read this in one of the gun mags. I gave my tumbler to a friend when I got a sonic for Xmas. Wish I hadn't!
I agree with the shoulder cratering in because of too much lube. I don't agree with "ANY lube on SHOULDER". There's got to be just a ittttyyyy bity bit or it will stretch your brass and your head space will actually increase with say Rp brass.
Not all dies of corse but a redding body die sure as hell will
Imperial is really the only lube worth discussing.
Rub your thumb in it, rub it on pointer finger and thumb, then rub a case or two. A little goes a LOOOONG way. If you are getting dents on your shoulder you are using entirely too much.
For precision cases I'll rub it off individually - takes a half a second. For bulk cases I throw them all on an old tee and throw another tee on top of it then rub it around.
Easy peasy.
Rub your thumb in it, rub it on pointer finger and thumb, then rub a case or two. A little goes a LOOOONG way. If you are getting dents on your shoulder you are using entirely too much.
For precision cases I'll rub it off individually - takes a half a second. For bulk cases I throw them all on an old tee and throw another tee on top of it then rub it around.
Easy peasy.
I use it on 9mm if they feel a little resistant to going in the die. Sometimes I don't need it, but many times I do it out of habit/process...
