• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Lanolin/Alcohol Sizing Lube Recipes?

I use mineral spirits to clean the outside after lube and resizing and it does dissolve. Lee chuck and drill. Rag soaked with a little spirits. Also, use a little of your favorite lube in 70% rubbing alcohol and heat the spray bottle 10-15 seconds at a time until it melts and suspends. It will stay like that for a long time. Doesn't have to be pure lanolin and 99% alcohol. White board cleaner spray bottle works good, microwave safe, and will last forever. Spray bottle method only saves time for like hundreds of cases at a time for a single loading session. I never dedicate clean or anneal brass. WTF for? Let's continue.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yeah, lanolin isn't water soluble so it'll require a petroleum distillate to dissolve it. I'll look into the parts washer. See I do have lots of brass to work, I do it all and we're talking on order of 10,000 rounds of .50 alone, more of 5.56. I use a cement mixer which was working awesome until I put brass with lanolin in it.

So yesterday I just used a piece of steel wool and it got it nice and shiny and removed any of the gunk. But it's time consuming so yeah, I'll be checking into the mineral spirits. I have some on hand I can test it out on.

Lanolin is such a pain in the ass but it works so well. I was thinking about trying some KY jelly on a few and see if that does anything. That IS watersoluble big time and would be super easy to clean off --if it works. I'm sure someone has tired this before so I'm assuming it doesn't work since I never heard of it. So I'll try it out here in a little bit.
 
Yeah, lanolin isn't water soluble so it'll require a petroleum distillate to dissolve it. I'll look into the parts washer. See I do have lots of brass to work, I do it all and we're talking on order of 10,000 rounds of .50 alone, more of 5.56. I use a cement mixer which was working awesome until I put brass with lanolin in it.

So yesterday I just used a piece of steel wool and it got it nice and shiny and removed any of the gunk. But it's time consuming so yeah, I'll be checking into the mineral spirits. I have some on hand I can test it out on.

Lanolin is such a pain in the ass but it works so well. I was thinking about trying some KY jelly on a few and see if that does anything. That IS watersoluble big time and would be super easy to clean off --if it works. I'm sure someone has tired this before so I'm assuming it doesn't work since I never heard of it. So I'll try it out here in a little bit.

Have you considered switching the mixer to corn cob media? I am not sure if tumbling the brass for 4-5 hours would be economical in a cement mixer. A fine corn cob media has a lot more surface area than stainless pins. It takes it longer to clog up. Not sure how fast the lanolin clogs it up, since I just stared using it.
 
I must be way over on my ratio. I was told a while ago to do 4:1 for alcohol to liquid lanolin. It does work really well and I haven't stuck a case in years.
 
I have used One Shot for years.

Ran across the 65guys secret recipe awhile back and figured I'd check it out.

I recently got a new Redding .223AI FL Type S die that chattered like a SOB with Imperial wax.

Ran some of the 10:1 lanolin and shit got WAY more better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hawk in WY
Okay, so I got a very high grade of organic lanolin, thick stuff, and pure 99% non-denatured alcohol. I emulsified it in a double boiler below boiling for both water and alcohol, and made an 8:1 ratio mix. It's strong stuff due to the lanolin, obviously stronger than Dillon. Once emulsified properly, it just takes a quick shake to get it all back in solution at room temp.

I've got enough that I'm mixing it and selling in 16oz. refill bottles for $12ea. plus actual shipping, so that's a stronger lube at half the price. I listed it in the Reloading For Sale section under "very high quality lanolin case lube". Or you can just PM me now.

Sure, you can DIY it, but my prices are more than reasonable and it's a superior product. And you don't have to overbuy or mess with mixing it. Can also dilute with 99% or 91% alcohol for less difficult brass and make it go further. I made it for sizing .50BMG cases easier than the Dillon lube but easier to apply than Imperial wax.
 
I just pored some liquid lanolin in some 99% and shook it up. It has not separated yet, thats been about 2 weeks now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dmozz
I'm using these heavy duty spray bottles and they are very well made and dont leak.

Houseables Spray Bottle Cleaner, Plastic, 24 Oz. Professional Sprayer, Adjustable Nozzle, Pack of 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z86FRPO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ClwPBbYZKYX8K

I use liquid lanolin and 99% alcohol and it works great. Mixed 8:1. Sizes beautifully and comes off quickly in the dry tumbler.
 
10:1 99% alcohol:liquid lanolin for smooooth sizing then 1 hour SS tumbling with a healthy dose of Dawn and 1/2 tsp of lemishine. No issues with clogged pins and super clean and shiny brass. Easiest system I've found. Been doing it for the last couple of years and see no need to change - at least in the foreseeable future...
 
10:1 99% alcohol:liquid lanolin for smooooth sizing then 1 hour SS tumbling with a healthy dose of Dawn and 1/2 tsp of lemishine. No issues with clogged pins and super clean and shiny brass. Easiest system I've found. Been doing it for the last couple of years and see no need to change - at least in the foreseeable future...

Replace the dawn with wash&wax and that’s my process. It has been working out great.
 
I skip this question entirely and use RCBS Case Lube 2.

It's water soluble, and I apply it to the tips of the fingers on one hand, giving the case a spin along its length, leaving a spiral deposition on the case sidewall just before inserting it into the shell holder/base plate.

This leaves a light coating inside the die that does the job well. It also eliminates overspray, and is easily removed entirely by wiping the cases down with a shop rag dampened in Rubbing Alcohol; I do this after the cartridge is completed. This also removes residual traces of neck soot. By not applying the lube above the sidewall, lube dents are virtually eliminated.

I remove the decapper and swab out the die with rubbing alcohol when done loading. Because the lube is essentially thickened detergent, the dies get a good cleaning. I oil the die interior lightly before reassembly to reduce/eliminate corrosion.

Just don't rub your eyes if there's lube left on your fingers, no need to ask me how I know...

Greg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: velvetant
I'm having one heck of a time getting my ratio correct Too much lanolin in the cases stick in the chamber causing failures to extract. Too little lanolin and they wind up getting stuck in your sizing die. I've almost given up.
 
I'm having one heck of a time getting my ratio correct Too much lanolin in the cases stick in the chamber causing failures to extract. Too little lanolin and they wind up getting stuck in your sizing die. I've almost given up.

Get a bottle with graduations. Pour a bottle of iso-heet in the bottle. Then do either 1/12 or 1/16 parts using the graduations.

Also, most people at a minimum wipe off the cases with a rag after sizing. Many dry tumble.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BillLoader1
I took my spray bottle and I measured up 4” from the bottom and make a line. Fill it to there with 99% alcohol.
I then used my calipers to measure another .4” up. Now top it off with lanolin to that point. 4.4” total of 10-1 mixture.


Yes, you need to clean the cases afterwards otherwise they will still be covered in lube…
image.jpg
 
I definitely made a mistake using 70% IPA and that left a horrible amount of residue on the casing easy to size but it was causing crazy extraction problems on my otherwise reliable AR-10 platform. The whole time the problem was an improper ratio so now isonicate after that is using ultrasonic cleaner after sizing trimming if necessary cleaning the primer pockets then drying them and I'm good to go. Here qty: 40, 62gn Fmjbt with 28gn.of Hornady Superpeeformance. Not 23 but 28 and my Chrono numbers are staggering.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20210728_192032_01.jpg
    IMG_20210728_192032_01.jpg
    753 KB · Views: 38
03-13-2021 15:37:24Hornady SuperPerformance 62gn fmjbt223 to coopberate the shattering performance150.275
#FPSFT-LBSPF
3930271265.7188.28
3830111252.35187.28
3729641213.56184.36
3629931237.43186.16
3530201259.85187.84
3430441279.96189.34
3330231262.36188.03
3230421278.27189.21
3130081249.86187.1
3030271265.7188.28
2930371274.08188.9
2830451280.8189.4
2730471282.48189.52
2630431279.12189.27
2529921236.6186.1
2429951239.08186.29
2329901234.95185.98
2230011244.05186.66
2130001243.22186.6
2030021244.88186.72
1929921236.6186.1
1830331270.72188.65
1729981241.56186.48
1629841230185.6
1530211260.69187.91
1429481200.5183.37
1330451280.8189.4
1230661298.52190.71
11ERROR 3
10ERROR 3
9ERROR 3
82646967.13164.58
72688998.08167.19
62523879.31156.93
52606938.11162.09
42661978.13165.51
3ERROR 10
22638961.29164.08
12614943.88162.59
AVGStdDevMinMaxSpreadTrueMV
2936.4161.34252330665432954.62
 
I use this stuff yo clean my desk and lube and disinfect my trimmer and garden shears also. Its a really handy concoction to have around. I used it on flea beetles on my Brochilini this year also. I would pul a grocery bag down over them, all the beetles jump off, I pull the bag up and spray some of the mix in there, sticking them to the bag. I tied the bag shut and put it the trash.

I bought a 4 ounce bottle for lanolin, put four marks on it, I put a 12oz bottle of 99% in my spray bottle, then I pour liquid lanolin out until the next line. 4 ounces goes a long way. I still use One Shot when I am in a hurry.