Lube for 5.56

[treillw]

What is a good lube to use on thousands of rounds of 5.56 ammo? I've always used Redding wax for other calibers and lesser quantities, but it's probably not ideal in this application.

I'll be tumbling the brass, so need something for inside case mouth as well.

Lots of products out there - what have you found to work the best in this application?

How do you remove the lube after the reloading is complete? Tumble in corn cob? For how long?

Thanks!

 

[MGYSGT]

For range brass that is all different sizes, I will use imperial with a small base die. It is amazing how big some chambers are. For brass that I shoot in my own rifle, I use Hornady spray. It's quick and easy. Put the brass in a large baggie and spray into the bag. Keeps the mess down.

 

[RustyInBend]

For "volume" case lube, I spread cases on a cookie sheet and use the Hornady One-Shot Spray Case Lube from each of the four directions at about a 45° angle. For my smaller cases like 300-BLK, I can do a few hundred on each cookie sheet. It's the fastest way I've figured out to lube lots of cases in a short period of time. Wet-tumble afterwards (without steel pins) cleans them just fine. Bottom line ... any plan that requires you to touch-lube every case ... is a non-starter for me.

 

[jelenko]

any plan that requires you to touch-lube every case ... is a non-starter for me.

++ for me also.

 

[SKWERLZ]

I use one shot for 223
apply liberally and let dry thoroughly and it works well.

 

[jepp2]

Also use a cookie sheet, mouths toward me when I spray and roll them around. I use 12:1 BootLeg case lube. Outstanding lube and cheap. Don't even have to let them dry. I just tumble them in fine corn cob for 30 minutes to remove the lube.

 

[divingin]

What is a good lube to use on thousands of rounds of 5.56 ammo? I've always used Redding wax for other calibers and lesser quantities, but it's probably not ideal in this application.

I'll be tumbling the brass, so need something for inside case mouth as well.

Lots of products out there - what have you found to work the best in this application?

How do you remove the lube after the reloading is complete? Tumble in corn cob? For how long?

Thanks!

I like the Royal spray lube for large batches. It goes on with a greasy wax coating. No need to wait for it to cure like Hornady.

I lay out large batches of cases in rows on a piece of butcher paper, oriented the same way, and spray from about 45 degrees into the case mouths and along the case body. For the first several, roll the rows a half turn and spray again. After 3 - 6 batches, you'll end up with enough lube on the paper that just rolling (without spraying) will get enough on the case body.

If you are doing a lot of cases, prep half as above, the rest put in a large bag, spray, and shake. When sizing, alternate between fully lubed and bag-lubed cases. There will be enough on the expander for the non-neck lubed cases.

The Royal does need to be removed (I use about 15 minutes in walnut shell. Works for me.)

 

[jpx2rk]

I use the RCBS lube & pad, lay 10 on the pad and roll back & forth, you can run/scrap a finger tip with lube from handling the cases over the mouth of the brass as needed to keep the expander ball working correctly. Time consuming yes, but I'm retired, so I work on it as I feel like it or need to. A good past time when the weather is crappy, or it's too hot to be outside sweating like a stuck pig.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I put 3-500 cases in a plastic bread box, spray with Dillon, shake around, spray, shake, then size. Tumble in fine corn cob to remove the lube. Run back through the Dillon 650 without the sizing die to load.

 

[SSchnd]

I have been using the Lyman spray for years. Shake well and little goes along way. Used to use a gallon baggie and hand full then a shot of spray. I now use an old 9x11 plastic container and the same method, swish it around and start sizing. I have yet to make my own Dillon type spray lube with lanolin and alcohol.

 

[treillw]

Does wet tumbling remove lube? If so, do you need to use the stainless pins?

 

[jepp2]

Does wet tumbling remove lube?

Depends on what lube you use and what soap you use. Easy to check. Put some lube on your hands and wash them with the soap you intend to add to the tumbler. The lanolin in the BootLeg comes off easily with any soap I use. Pins are not necessary for removing lube. Now if you want the primer pockets clean, yes the pins are required.

 

[WVRJ]

I use One Shot.I put the brass in every other hole one the back side of a MTM loading try in the holes meant for 9MM.That leaves most of the cases exposed.I spray them at an angle as I rotate the tray with the other hand and can control how much goes into the necks by changing the angle.Wait a minute or two and start sizing.If they feel a little draggy,I put a little more on.Haven't dented a shoulder or stuck one yet.

 

[mdram]

i use the lanolin-iso mix 10:1, works for me

 

[6bra1k]

cheap lube is midway pump spray..about 300 in a 1 gal baggie 4-6 squirts, tumble bag about 20 turns. next.\
for cleaning..the same i said when you asked about cleaning

 

[gdbleb]

For volume lubing of .223 I would spray and use a cut-off top to a Lapua blue box. Holds them all vertical with adequate separation. See if you can snarf one from somebody if you don't have one. Reloading blocks work similarly you just have to clean them off with brake cleaner.

For spray lubing "mixed nuts" picked up at the range, I think you may get frustrated with One Shot. Some folks swear by it. Some swear at it. I've had good evenings and horrible evenings with it. The Royal spray mentioned above by "divingin" is much slicker but you do have to deal with the odd smell. That's what I use now with the exhaust fan on. It tumbles off with corncob media.

 

[Ken]

I use Dillon then tumble.

 

[divingin]

Does wet tumbling remove lube? If so, do you need to use the stainless pins?

Wet tumbling does remove the lube, but you may need an extra amount of soap in the mix. If you don't get enough in there, it seems to form an even more noxious coating (alters the lube makeup, which takes a full cleaning cycle to remove.)

If you get satisfactory results wet tumbling without pins, you likely won't need them to remove lube. The pins are there to impact the brass surface to remove dirt and carbon and crap; lube should dissolve in your detergent mix.

 

[karrarararararar]

One shot. Spray, load, shoot, reapeat. No need to remove it.