I have always used the RCBS case lube pad for my rifle reloads. Is this "good enough" , or are there better alternatives?
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Case lube
- Thread starter Igiveup
- Start date
DWalt
Well-known member
For many, many years, STP has been my case lube. You can cut it some with mineral spirits if you wish. One can should last nearly a lifetime.
A friend showed me the Imperial Case Lube just today, hence my question. He also made the "messy" comment about the RCBS lube. I haven't noticed a mess with it after 40 years or so of using it. Guess I will have to make a comparison.
Have used most of the case lubes on the market at one time or another, certainly the Imperial case lube is outstanding!
I recently tried some Royal Case and Die lube in the aerosol can.....seems to be the slickest and most slippery of anything I have used thus far. Anyone else have the same as my observations ?
Randy
I recently tried some Royal Case and Die lube in the aerosol can.....seems to be the slickest and most slippery of anything I have used thus far. Anyone else have the same as my observations ?
Randy
DeplorabusUnum
Well-known member
I used to use RCBS lube & pad when I first started. Then I found Hornady One Shot, and that's pretty much all I use. I've messed around with some homemade lubes, but that gets messy. HOS is too easy. A can goes a long way.
rockquarry
Well-known member
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Whatever is handy. I'm using some sort of of Hornady lube presently. Imperial may have an advantage over the others, but I'm not sure I've seen it. I've used plain Vaseline. In the mid-'60s, my first case lube, used for sizing .30-06 brass, was Vicks VapoRub. Not very classy, but it worked fine.
I spread lube lightly on a folded shop rag and roll rifle brass, about ten at a time, over the rag.
I spread lube lightly on a folded shop rag and roll rifle brass, about ten at a time, over the rag.
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I like Hornady One Shot too & use it on every cartridge I reload for.
I spread the cases out flat & evenly in an old 5qt oil change pan then give them a generous spraying.
Next I stir the cases around real good to spread out the lube & then repeat the process one more time for good measure.
On the occasions I feel I need extra lube for stubborn cases I use Hornady's Unique Case Lube.
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I spread the cases out flat & evenly in an old 5qt oil change pan then give them a generous spraying.
Next I stir the cases around real good to spread out the lube & then repeat the process one more time for good measure.
On the occasions I feel I need extra lube for stubborn cases I use Hornady's Unique Case Lube.
.
Ivan the Butcher
Well-known member
RCBS #2 formula and Hornady One Shot are both water soluble. (they wash off in water) so I lube and size and de-cap, then wet tumble with Lemon Ajax, Lem-a-shine, and 3.5 quarts of hot as I can stand it water. 5 pounds of stainless-steel pins and 2 pounds of brass. All goes inside a Thumbler's #2 Tumbler. I don't know the minimum time but 3 hours and old crusty Black Powder stained 45-70 cases came out looking like new, inside, outside and most importantly the primer pockets too!
Ivan
Ivan
robertrwalsh
SWCA Member
I have been very happy with the Hornady spray.
gwpercle
Well-known member
Whatever method you use is just fine as long as you don't stick a case .
The older , STP Oil Treatment type lubes applied with a lube-pad got the job done and will still get the job done when you have a tough re-forming job to do .
There are some cleaner lubes out there .
Lee Case Lube is a water soluable metal forming lubricant that is used in the sheet metal fabrication , door panels , airplane wings ... etc.
being water soluable , it isn't messy , wipes off easily and doesn't contaminate anything it touches .
I mix Lee Case Lube with alcohol , as much as will dissolve , and use a small spray bottle to apply ... spray , roll around , spray ... let dry in 2 minutes and the cases are all lubed . the Lee Lube is dry any remnants wipes off easily ... not messy in the least ... And the stuff is very economical .
Save expensive Ren-Wax for the tough jobs ... the Lee Case Lube works great for all handgun and all but the largest rifle re-sizing jobs ... I had some 303 British that must have been fired in a machine gun chamber ...
I had to break out the Lube Pad and STP Oil Treatment to get them re-sized without sticking a case ...they were a Bear to get re-sized !
Gary
The older , STP Oil Treatment type lubes applied with a lube-pad got the job done and will still get the job done when you have a tough re-forming job to do .
There are some cleaner lubes out there .
Lee Case Lube is a water soluable metal forming lubricant that is used in the sheet metal fabrication , door panels , airplane wings ... etc.
being water soluable , it isn't messy , wipes off easily and doesn't contaminate anything it touches .
I mix Lee Case Lube with alcohol , as much as will dissolve , and use a small spray bottle to apply ... spray , roll around , spray ... let dry in 2 minutes and the cases are all lubed . the Lee Lube is dry any remnants wipes off easily ... not messy in the least ... And the stuff is very economical .
Save expensive Ren-Wax for the tough jobs ... the Lee Case Lube works great for all handgun and all but the largest rifle re-sizing jobs ... I had some 303 British that must have been fired in a machine gun chamber ...
I had to break out the Lube Pad and STP Oil Treatment to get them re-sized without sticking a case ...they were a Bear to get re-sized !
Gary
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For the extremely difficult ones I break out the automotive rear end lube. Very smelly but effective, it's rare for me to resort to it. Rear end lube is the lube that is used at the location in a vehicle that encounters the potential highest metal to metal contact pressure.
I haven't used my RCBS pad in 40+ years. It was a pita. I simply squeeze a bit of Lee's case lube on my thumb and with my index finger I wipe the cases. For some hard to neck size rifle cases I also lube the inside of the neck with a q-tip. After resizing it's all pretty dry and it takes little effort to wipe them off.
The toughest case I have is loading for my 45-90. RCBS Case Slick spray has always worked for me. Lay down newspaper and line up 10 cases at a time. One quick spray sweeping across the row. Roll them over and reapply. Never had a stuck case using this product.
Sure I pay money for it, but anyone priced 45-90 cases lately? Assume that if any company knows how to formulate case lubricant it would be RCBS.
Sure I pay money for it, but anyone priced 45-90 cases lately? Assume that if any company knows how to formulate case lubricant it would be RCBS.
Another vote for Hornaday One Shot.
I have been using LEE lube for years (it is wire pulling lube) water based. You can use it straight or dilute some in iso alcohol in a small spray bottle, shake it up and spray it on. I spritz every caliber.
leadhead2
Well-known member
I've been using Bag Balm for over 10 years. It's a balm they
use on the teats of cows when they become sore.
It's also good for your hands. I just rub some between my
hands and roll the brass between them and then size.
Have never stuck a case and a can will last you a lifetime.
use on the teats of cows when they become sore.
It's also good for your hands. I just rub some between my
hands and roll the brass between them and then size.
Have never stuck a case and a can will last you a lifetime.
But it makes your rounds go Moooo instead of Bang.
