lanolin vs imperial

[Zero333]

Lanolin & 98 % ( 196 proof ) Moonshine mix,... 1 part Lanolin to 10 parts shine / alcohol.
100 % Rubbing alcohol works just as good as the Shine and much cheaper too.

Took me a while to switch from Hornady Case sizing spray. When the spray became expensive and harder to find locally I switched to the Lanolin/alcohol mix... ZERO regrets... works just as good and way cheaper if you size tons of cases like me.

I found my lanolin down the road at a Natural beauty shop.
Lanolin is made from natural wax from sheep wool. If you're Scottish, you just found 1 more useful thing to do with sheep.

 

[K22]

For me, Imperial Sizing Wax is absolutely perfect if applied correctly. I have never had a stuck case, dents in the case and sizing's are uniform and easy. A tin lasts me several thousand rounds. I don't have to mix anything or concern myself with finding a formulation.

The late Frank Shuster shared his method of application with me. It is simple, quick, easy and requires no equipment, just two fingers and a thumb. I like simple. If economical, that is even better. Imperial satisfies both criteria.

For me, if there is a perfect commercial product on the market, I opt for that rather than trying to re-invent the wheel, e.g. using CLP toilet bowl cleaner to clean a rifle bore. (Sorry I couldn't resist that bit of sarcasm). Just write it off as a grouchy old man lost in the 21st century.

 

[nettle]

When I started using a small base die for 308 I tried One Shot. It took both arms for small base sizing on my T7. Imperial was much better and i used it for a long time. When I tried the Dillon Case Lube (lanolin & Isopropyl alcohol) the sizing effort was much less and have stayed with the Dillon ever since. I suppose I could mix my own but prefer to spend my reloading bench time doing other stuff.

 

[jepp2]

I plan on reporting back after much use with a more perfected method.

For all the replies on Imperial, I agree it is a great case lube. But to me, painstakingly slow to apply, and I used a clean towel to remove. If I am doing 20 cases, I might use it.

But for volume reloading I much prefer Bootleg case lube. Used it at the 6:1 ratio for many years, but I found if I applied it very heavily, it could start to make lube dents on the shoulders. Not nearly as much as most other lubes, but still could. I reduced the ration to 12:1 and have never experienced any lube dents regardless how heavily you apply it. But I never viewed the plastic bag as the optimum way to apply it. My method takes slightly longer to prepare the cases, but I can assure you the lube coating is much more uniform. And that shows up both in sizing effort and shoulder bump. To remove it, 30 minutes in plain 20-40 corn cob and it is all gone and never any media in the flash hole to deal with.

 

[whatsupdoc]

IQ Test: Select One

A)Imperial Wax= Handle every piece of brass and paint case with fingers, brings back
memories of kindergarten. Increased force required to resize brass, small base sizing and case reforming requires the help of large primate.


B)Lanolin Mix = Place cases in small plastic tray, spray 5 pumps with spray bottle.
Fast, easy, dont have to handle a single piece of brass and reduced force
required to resize.

C)90W Hypoid Gear Oil= Good for everything reloading and helps with my
bowel irregularity.

 

[alintx]

Stp oil treatment and alcohol work also, as does carmex lip balm. That being said, I polish, anneal, size, and load, and am perfectly happy with imperial

 

[K22]

IQ Test: Select One

A)Imperial Wax= Handle every piece of brass and paint case with fingers, brings back
memories of kindergarten. Increased force required to resize brass, small base sizing and case reforming requires the help of large primate.


B)Lanolin Mix = Place cases in small plastic tray, spray 5 pumps with spray bottle.
Fast, easy, dont have to handle a single piece of brass and reduced force
required to resize.

C)90W Hypoid Gear Oil= Good for everything reloading and helps with my
bowel irregularity.

I failed the Imperial Sizing Wax test! It ain't the first time I failed a test, just asked my Latin teacher.

But I never claimed to be the "sharpest pencil" in the box. Don't remember much about kindergarten other than I hated it. I wanted to be in the woods.

Yes, it is slow, but I don't exactly have a full social calendar. In fact, I don't have any social calendar. Yes, it requires finger action but its the one part of my body that works reasonably well.
No, I am not a large primate, but I never had to use excessive force to size a case with Imperial. It sizes cases like to quote General Patton, "like crap going through a goose."

I have enough trouble making my own meals. Mixing a sizing lube terrifies me. I rather be mixing a stiff Martini or Manhattan. But of course, I would never waste that precious liquid on sizing cases.

But in all seriousness, your point is well made for a high volume in one session reloading. I can't load in high volume in one sitting because I hate it so much. It long ago lost its allure.

 

[nettle]

Mixing lube is just more stuff added to my bench. You can get so caught up in a thousand trivial things while reloading to the point that you can start loosing track of the important things. Extra reloading tasks for me would be something that improves the accuracy of my reloads. Mixing lube isn't one of them. In manufacturing we called this a "value added" task. Mixing lube isn't one of them.

 

[pilediver]

I searched Amazon and bought a 12 ounce bottle of lanolin, Walmart had the 91 percent alcohol
Put an ounce of lanolin into the wifes old harspray pump bottle along with about 10 ounces of alcohol and shake it. Done!

 

[nawahine]

I use the lanolin/99% alcohol mix 1:10 for the majority of my brass.
I use a kitchen colander (not my kitchen use) ; shake the colander, about 50% end up neck up, and give it a couple of sprays from a “re-purposed” hair spray bottle. Works well for me….

 

[nawahine]

Ooops…and give it a number of shakes to coat the cases ….

 

[Zero333]

I stand the brass up... Here is the trick... Took the pics when I was still using the Hornady One Shot Case sizing spray... but with lanolin same thing applies.

 

[PhilC]

In the early years I used the RCBS lube and pad, switched to Imperial long time back and used it 'til last year, when I switched to pure lanolin/99% iso mix. I was amazed at how easy and quick it was with the first batch.

I cut a rectangular slot in the side of a clean gallon milk jug, drop my brass in, 2 or 3 full sprays, swirl, add an other spray for good measure, swirl some more, then dump on an old hand towel, stand to dry. Took longer to type this than to do. Runnning brass through the dies is so smooth...

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

In the early years I used the RCBS lube and pad, switched to Imperial long time back and used it 'til last year, when I switched to pure lanolin/99% iso mix. I was amazed at how easy and quick it was with the first batch.

I cut a rectangular slot in the side of a clean gallon milk jug, drop my brass in, 2 or 3 full sprays, swirl, add an other spray for good measure, swirl some more, then dump on an old hand towel, stand to dry. Took longer to type this than to do. Runnning brass through the dies is so smooth...

Picture please and also how do you clean after.

 

[Dimner]

I use the lanolin/99% alcohol mix 1:10 for the majority of my brass.
I use a kitchen colander (not my kitchen use) ; shake the colander, about 50% end up neck up, and give it a couple of sprays from a “re-purposed” hair spray bottle. Works well for me….

OMG. That detangler bottle brings back memories!

A staple of our standard before school procedure K to 4th grade for my daughter. Most of the time while we both are cursing under our breath about snags.

 

[Dimner]

Mixing lube is just more stuff added to my bench. You can get so caught up in a thousand trivial things while reloading to the point that you can start loosing track of the important things. Extra reloading tasks for me would be something that improves the accuracy of my reloads. Mixing lube isn't one of them. In manufacturing we called this a "value added" task. Mixing lube isn't one of them.

Mixing this lube is a once in 5 years chore. It makes 1.1L of lube

Lubing 50 cases is done in less than 60 seconds.

My shoulder bumps are more consistent with this lube.

Lanolin lube is all value add in both time and accuracy.

 

[PhilC]

Picture please and also how do you clean after.

Cheesy but works...



To clean, I dump the brass in a Lyman tumbler with fine corncob for 20 - 30mins.

 

[RCE1]

I like the 1:10 lanolin mix. I spray a couple squirts into a big ZipLoc bag, rub it around so the sides are coated then add brass. I use the same bag over and over, allowing the residual lube to remain. Agitate and dump out, allowing the alcohol to flash off. I get the 99% online by the case. It's very useful as a less toxic degreaser around the shop. I size and load my brass, then give each one a wipe with a rag that has a very small amount of mineral spirits. Barely damp.

I probably have about a quart of Imperial that I've accumulated over the years, but the lanolin works better for me.

 

[Murray Brook]

For over 40 yrs I've been using Lee lube and never had a problem. I like the fact that after sizing the stuff wipes right off. I also have Imperial and Hornady One Shot. They work ok also but harder to remove the stuff off the case after sizing unless you tumble. JMO

 

[HighlandLofts]

I'm in the liquid lanolin & red can of dry gas and a $2 spray bottle.
Last a long time and works great.