How do you lube your brass?

[waldo1979]

I've had good luck with Dillon Spray applied on a flat tray with paper towels underneath. Roll around to get the backsides. One-shot gave me too many dinged shoulders in .223. For small batch loading I prefer imperial which I can apply with one-hand while the other drives the press.

 

[mic2377]

If you need to remove the lube, but without tumbling:

Place brass in tupperware with a tight-fitting lid. Spray down heavily with brake cleaner or acetone. Shake vigorously x 20 sec. Dump off excess solvent and allow to dry.

This method completely removes all case lubes from the case, including the inside of the neck.

I have tried wiping down each case to remove sizing wax, and I found it extremely tedious and annoying. You can fire with the lube still present but I find it to attract dirt/grime, as well as cause the powder sticking to the neck when loading.

 

[Homerange]

When lube is required....graphite powder, mixed with fine lead shot. plunge the case into it part way....done.
Small batches, bolt rifles mostly NS.

Interesting that no other reply mentions graphite....why?
Too dirty, too slow, doesn't work for you?

 

[Skeet69]

PAM No-Stick spray and a 1 gallon zip lock bag.

RMD

THIS. I am always surprised how many folks think it's nuts or won't try it. I've been using it for years!
Mike B

 

[amlevin]

When lube is required....graphite powder, mixed with fine lead shot. plunge the case into it part way....done.
Small batches, bolt rifles mostly NS.

Interesting that no other reply mentions graphite....why?
Too dirty, too slow, doesn't work for you?

Not just dirty, absolutely filthy. No matter how careful you are, the graphite gets everywhere.

Slow? Not just slow but really slow.

Doesn't work? Try using this method on a perfectly clean case that's fresh from being cleaned using stainless steel pins in a tumbler. Nothing sticks to the brass and you might as well not use anything.

My little bottle of Imperial Dry lube with beads and an extra refill will be at the next Club Swap Meet.

 

[Homerange]

When lube is required....graphite powder, mixed with fine lead shot. plunge the case into it part way....done.
Small batches, bolt rifles mostly NS.

Interesting that no other reply mentions graphite....why?
Too dirty, too slow, doesn't work for you?

Not just dirty, absolutely filthy. No matter how careful you are, the graphite gets everywhere.

Slow? Not just slow but really slow.

Doesn't work? Try using this method on a perfectly clean case that's fresh from being cleaned using stainless steel pins in a tumbler. Nothing sticks to the brass and you might as well not use anything.

My little bottle of Imperial Dry lube with beads and an extra refill will be at the next Club Swap Meet.

Hmmmm

I'm surprised at your negativity to graphite, maybe you need to read my post again. :-\

For hunting brass, that by many is never tumbled or put in a bath it works exceptionally well. The methodology used to apply it is the trick for speed and unlike other lubes just a couple of cases sized there is enough on the dies that only tiny amounts are needed to continue the unequaled lubrication graphite provides.

If fact I converted a mate to graphite that bathes his brass for both 6mm Rem and 7mm Practical, an experienced reloader and hunter that has taken game over 1k yds with both these rifles.
No more waxes, greases or so called dry lubes for us.

We've both got rifles that shoot sub.5 so one might think we have a few clues.

I've found nothing to reduce the effort of FL sizing like graphite and you won't change my mind.

 

[Dave Brown]

I have just started using the liquid lanolin and red bottle of heet method- 1:10+ ratio in a spray bottle.
I'm still on the fence about it- it sure saves a lot of time to simply stand up all my cases and spray them, then come back ten minutes later once they're dry.
The bad is as said above- they're greasy little boogers. I think I'll try heet and lee sizing lube mixed together since it drys to the touch mostly.

The Lee sizing lube will not dissolve when mixed with the red bottle of heet but if you shake it up real good it still works.

 

[rogn]

I use a gallon Zip-loc bag with a dozen 22 cal cleaning patches. I add about an inch or so strip of Lee cae lube and a tablespoon of 91% rubbing alcohol. Shake, rattle, roll and massage for a minute or two. You can put 50-100 308 cases in the bag and have them lubed in no time. If you want to do the necks too add abit more case lube and use 1 1/2 tablespoons of alcohol. The cases will size wet or dry, they wont stick powder and are good to handle. You can wipe them donw if you want to. Wont even stick WSM cases. No spray, only vent off the alchol when you open the bag.

 

[dantiff2]

Thanks to everybody for the great ideas. I have a plan of attack for the next go with several hundred 223 brass. I've seen some videos and talked to someone who personally uses the One Shot spray. I went ahead and picked up a can. I'll see how it works out. I want something that can be easily handled after the sizing die. I will try rough handling them in a towel after the sizing to get the bulk off of the brass but was informed that it really wasn't necessary. Keep in mind. I don't want to tumble at all. My plan is to reduce steps in the process. I do not want to effect the powder at all or have a lube in the neck that will cause powder to clump. Some of the methods talked about would require a cleaning before loading.


Dan

 

[JarheadAZ]

I do all my loading on a Dillon RL-550B; it's the only press I've ever owned or used for over 20 years. I reload about a dozen chamberings, ranging from 222 to .30-'06. My lube is the RCBS Water Soluble Lube. That small bottle lubes a BUNCH of brass.

I handle the brass by the neck of the case in my right hand. I periodically relube the fingertips of the left hand. I apply the lube to the case by twirling the case so lube is applied in a spiral from near the base to the top edge of the sidewall. The case is immediately inserted into the base plate and the loading operation is performed normally.

After the cartridge is completed, the batch is wiped down clean with a cotton shop cloth well dampened in Isopropyl rubbing alcohol. This last step also usually removes any residual exterior neck carbon.

Greg

 

[wolley]

This is for 223. Larger brass gets lubed on an RCBS pad.
Take a 5" or so tall sided card board box, dump in a couple hundred cases, while holding the box at about a 30 degree angle with corner pointed down bounce it up and down enough to float the brass off the bottom. You'll see that 90% are now standing up with the necks up. Spray with Pam. Dump into a gallon bag and kneed. Dump into the Dillon case feeder and commence resizing. After resizing I tumble to clean.

 

[Endyo]

Little late to the party. For my progressive and pistol ammo.

I've tried Lanolin (Dillon Case Lube). Too messy and sticky for my likes and powder would get stuck in the case mouth. Finished rounds would have a sticky consistency also.

I then moved to Silicon Hornady One Shot. Smells bad, still a little sticky after drying. Powder would still gravitate towards the case mouth. Completed rounds aren't as bad.

Currently using Silicon Royal Case and Die Lube and a 1 Gallon Zip Lock. "Smooth as Butter, Sweet as Honey".

I was skeptical since it cost more than One Shot and no one talks about it. If you're wanting a simple to use spray lube I recommend the Royal Case Lube HIGHLY over the above two. It's not nearly as sticky as the others and smells great. Since it's in a spray can like One Shot it applies very quickly. It's still not perfect, but so far the best I've used for volume progressive reloading. Completed cases are not sticky but do have a residue.

When prepping cases I will put a lot of brass in a bag, seal it, shake it, and than give another quick spray. I leave the bag open to dry, and if I don't get around to using the brass I zip it up and put it on the shelf for later use. I prep up to 500-1000 pistol cases in advance in a few bags. I don't bother wiping off excess lube on completed cases.

For precision rifle ammo I use Imerial Die Wax on my fingertips while placing the case in the press. I've tried Imerial graphite with the beads and did not like it's lubrication properties. Would get a lot of "friction", so I still use Die Wax, or a a roll pad and lube which is a little messier IMO.

 

[sbhooper]

It sure seems like some people want to make things complicated. Dump a bunch of casings in a gallon zip, spray in a good shot of One Shot, shake and roll them around for a bit, size, wipe and go load. Doing it this way, there is not any of it inside the mouth and I have not had a single case stick. I used to do them one at a time and had one stick every once in a while.

 

[M14AMU]

On a pad!

Simple!

 

[Mozella]

........ snip............... Some of the methods talked about would require a cleaning before loading.

Actually nearly every post mentions cleaning the cases, but many of them involve cleaning the cases individually. In other words, someone might consider picking up a piece of brass, hand lubing it (frequently the inside of the neck too), sizing it, and carefully wiping it down (often inside the neck as well) and doing that three hundred times for three hundred cases as "one step". To me it's a nightmare of nine hundred steps (1500 steps if you lube and then clean inside the neck). Plus the process is tedious and time consuming if you do it correctly. It's the one-by-one handling that I try to avoid, not the number of steps; especially if those steps batch-process a hundred or two hundred rounds at a time.

I shoot single shot from a bench and the empties fall onto a clean towel; therefore, they're never gritty. I lube before cleaning using a spritz of lanolin and HEET in a large plastic bag followed by a massage. Then I dump them into a paper towel lined baking tray to dry. If I over did the lube, I rub another paper towel over the whole batch.

Then I decap, shoulder bump, and neck size in my progressive press equipped with a home-made automatic case feeder followed by a SS wet tumble. After drying they're ready to load and assuming the cases don't need further weight-sorting, trimming, neck turning, primer pocket normalizing, or some other one-time process, they first time I have to handle them individually is when I put them into the ammo box in a ready-to-fire condition. That's the basic process if I'm making pretty-good ammo using a Lock-N-Load case activated powder dispenser.

If I'm making match ammo, I prime and then I have to handle them one at a time as I carefully weigh each powder charge, but that's just part of the accuracy game.

Bottom line: I don't try to reduce the number of reloading steps. Rather, I try to minimize the PITA factors and most of those are associated, as far as I'm concerned, with the requirement to handle each case individually.

 

[dantiff2]

I guess it's time for an update. I have to say, if your doing a high volume of cases then you owe it to yourself to give the hornady one shot a fair chance. I ran through several hundred casses with ease. I have a homemade block of hardwood that holds 125 brass at a time. I simply spray the one shot down on the cases at an angle, making sure to get inside the case mouth. Rotate and do the other side. You want a nice coat on them. Don't skimp. This is every bit as good and slick as the imperial wax without all the mess. After doing hundreds of brass I had no mess on my fingers from handling and no graphite powder all over the place. Shoulder bump and neck expansion is smooth and effortless.

The benefit I find to this spray lube is the fact that they are ready to load right away. I have no powder bridging in the neck from lube. This really helps to minimize the overall handling of the brass. No more tumbling afterwards to remove the lube. This method is so efficient that I will more than likely use this for my precision, bolt action brass and not just gas gun ammo.

Thanks for all the replies.
Dan

 

[Lightload]

Yep, what Dan said! I'm a real fan of one-shot AND don't worry about it smelling up the place! IMHO, the stuff smells wonderful! Right up there with Hoppes #9. Another use for one shot.,...the stuff works great as a release agent for glass bedding actions.

 

[dickn52]

I use a lanolin oil and alcohol mix. Put them in a round plastic cookie pan with lid. Spritz light, rold them and load them. They are tacky but not sticky. When loaded I put them in a loose towel and rub them clean again. Doesn't take a lot to make easy work in the Rock Chucker.

 

[WillyTP]

Hornady One Shot. Spray them down and let them dry while I set up the sizing die in the press.

 

[oldrem]

Hornady One Shot. I load 4-5k rounds a year and have never had one stick. Tried Dillon,
Imperial wax and graphite and some home brew lanolin mix. Keep going back to what works best for me.