Anyone use Imperial Sizing wax? How to take it off?

Rule3

Rule3

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I was loading some 223Rem and decided to try the Imperial wax instead of the Lee. The stuff is great and just touched it with a finger and put it on. So after sizing and no stuck cases I tried to take it off with a paper towel, then a damp rag. Could still feel it on there. I finally gave up and threw the brass in the tumbler which I do not usually do as it sticks the media in the empty primer pocket. So then I had to go through every case and poke out the flash holes. What a PITA. At least the Lee is water soluable and comes off with a damp rag.
Can you just leave it on there or what ever is left after using a rag?
 
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I was loading some 223Rem and decided to try the Imperial wax instead of the Lee. The stuff is great and just touched it with a finger and put it on. So after sizing and no stuck cases I tried to take it off with a paper towel, then a damp rag. Could still feel it on there. I finally gave up and threw the brass in the tumbler which I do not usually do as it sticks the media in the empty primer pocket. So then I had to go through every case and poke out the flash holes. What a PITA. At least the Lee is water soluable and comes off with a damp rag.
Can you just leave it on there or what ever is left after using a rag?
 
Back in the old days of RCBS lube that was sorta like STP oil treatment, it wasn't water soluble and we just left it on the cases. It doesn't hurt anything, but it does give old brass that unique odor.

It might also be noted the lube is going to penetrate the pores of the metal, which means even tumbling isn't going to remove it.

I use RCBS II mostly and since it's water based, it doesn't present much of a problem.

Imperial, Mink Oil, Kiwi neutral shoe polish, lanolin and etc. are all about the same as far as lubing a case. The wax, lanolin and hydrocarbons are what's doing the lubing.
 
I use it with no problems on all my rifle rounds. I use it lightly on the first couple of cases and then only as I notice an increase of force needed to resize. I use a single stage press and tend to process each step in batches. When lubing I use my left hand thumb, index finger and second finger to lube. I only add lube to my index finger when I feel no transfer of lube. A dry paper towel is all I feel necessary to remove lube any residue is not a problem.
 
Originally posted by tbury:
I use it with no problems on all my rifle rounds. I use it lightly on the first couple of cases and then only as I notice an increase of force needed to resize. I use a single stage press and tend to process each step in batches. When lubing I use my left hand thumb, index finger and second finger to lube. I only add lube to my index finger when I feel no transfer of lube. A dry paper towel is all I feel necessary to remove lube any residue is not a problem.
Click to expand...

Pretty much how I go about it. Do you put any in the case mouth? When I use the Lee brand I dilute it in rubbing alchol and use a little spray bottle so it goes everywhere.

Paul, as you said, even after a 2nd tumble the brass is still slick but sure is bright and shiny! Can't believe you used STP, I rember that stuff. Ring job in a can. That and Marvel Mystery and you had a whole new engine.
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I use Imperial wax all the time with my rifle cases. I put just a little bit on the case and turn it in my finger to distribute it over the case. I size the case and then wipe the wax off with an old bath towel. I do not use water or anything else to take it off. Works for me.
 
I do lube the case mouth. I run the mouth across my finger to put just a litte bead for every 3rd or 4th case to keep the expander ball lubricated. A quick wipe with a Q-tip removes it enough from the neck/mouth to prevent problems when charging with powder. I have never found a problem with powder contamination. I do tend to use stick powders rather than ball or flake.
 
Imperial wax is great stuff to lube cases with. I usually get 4 unlubed to one lubed in my resizing step. Most of my brass has crimped pockets so getting the primer out can be a real pain. When I have a tough primer it almost always seems to help in getting a dry case stuck! Maybe coincidence but it sure seems that way.

I use the same method described above. I put a little in the case mouth too just like tbury.
I have use a bunch of different stuff, even Pam. With the 223 I have had a ton of stuck cases though. Hornady One Shot just doesn't seem to get the job done. Works for 30/06 just fine but .......

Mink Oil, leather preservative, RCBS II (second favorite) are all great case lubes. With the RCBS II I get about the same amount of dry cases to lubed ones.

I don't worry about cleaning it off either.

Bullet lube though is a different story!
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FWIW
 
Sir, I use Imperial Sizing wax a good bit, mainly with .308 and .223 cases for high power competition. I just wipe it off with a rag and tumble the cases again.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.
 
I use it exclusively. I clean off the sized cases with a paper towel dampened with a bit of rubbing alcohol. Not fast but I'm using it in single stage loading of rifle & pistol rounds and case forming. Everything else is carbide die loading.
I can see where it would be a pain in a very high volume situation.

What ever small amt is left from wiping it off the cases has not caused me any problems over the years.
 
I noticed the other day, I have some Norma and Rem .244 Rem brass that was bought over 40 years ago. All it was ever lubed with was the original RCBS case lube and it's still going strong.

I believe the only lubes I've every used that stuck cases was Hornady One Shot and Imperial. I bought the Imperial specifically because of the sticking problem and it didn't help a bit.
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Originally posted by 2152hq:
I use it exclusively. I clean off the sized cases with a paper towel dampened with a bit of rubbing alcohol. Not fast but I'm using it in single stage loading of rifle & pistol rounds and case forming. Everything else is carbide die loading.
I can see where it would be a pain in a very high volume situation.

What ever small amt is left from wiping it off the cases has not caused me any problems over the years.
Click to expand...

I will try using the alcohol, that should help. I too am only doing batches with a single stage so that should not be a problem. Thanks
 
If I'm full length re-sizing I use it and remove it with a soft rag, a good cotton diapers are perfect and a little acetone.

I load for about 80 different rifle calibers and have been using the same can of wax for the last 30 years, in another 30 it might be gone.

I was talking to the gfuys at Sinclair a while back because they had a SALE on it. We were laughing because somebody had just called an order in for 6 cans for persnal use.

When neck sizing I use a bit of Imperial Dry Neck lube. Just dip the case mouth in the can and run it in the die. After two or three applications the necks are impregnated with graphite, shiny, slick and black and then it only requires an occassional application. It's another one of those things that will out last you.

For the last 3 years I've been using the NECO neck lube kit. A small canister of steel shot with dry moly. Dip the case mouth and run up into your die. After a few applications I just dip every 5th case mouth. THey provide a second tin of moly for when you run out. Of course the guys at Sinclair say the intial canister should neck lube approximately 100,000 cases.

The new system uses ceramic beads instead of the steal shot, they hold the moly better.

Those are the only products I use any more.

An additional up side to the moly applications is the exspander ball becomes impregnated also. Not quite the same as a carbide exspander ball, but very close.

RWT
 
After I have shot all this brass out of my bolt action 223, I will only be neck sizing for a while untill they need a full resize again. I have one of those little neck lube kits with the different size brushes. It came with a pack of mica. I will try that on the necks. Actually on the 223 I can do them without lube or just whats left on the die. Thanks for the graphite tip I wonder if the spray lock lube would work?
 
I have had great success with spray pam. I put brass in a zip lock bag, a couple of shots of pam, shake and rub brass around and resize. Easy to clean up and cheap. I do 50 rounds of 223 at a time that way.
 
I do service work for a company that does contract bottling. One of the products they do is Pam. They have a store for odds and ends, defects, overruns and such. You can buy any can of almost anything they do for 50 cents.

I like that!
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Yes, but do we use regular Canola, Butter flaver or Olive oil? Is it caliber specific?
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I like extra virgin Olive oil myself for cooking and it has a higer burn temp then regular veg oil.
 
I wash the brass off with a little soapy water and then dry them on a cookie sheet in the oven for 10-15 min at 200 degrees.

-Edit- spelling
 
You can easily remove the case lube residue from your cases with the use of your tumbler. I have the Dillon large vibratory tumbler. I save my "used up" tumbling media just for this. I fill the tumbler with cleaning media (I use the "corned" corn cob media), put a couple of caps of odorless mineral spirits on the media, and tumble the loaded rounds no more than 15 minutes. I immediately remove the rounds when finished to keep any residual fumes from possibly damaging the primers over a long time exposure.

It IS important to limit the time tumbling. A short time will NOT damage the powder, etc. The factory tumbles their loaded ammo to clean it (I have seen the factory tumblers and you wouldn't believe how large they are).

FWIW
Dale53
 
Originally posted by Dale53:
You can easily remove the case lube residue from your cases with the use of your tumbler. I have the Dillon large vibratory tumbler. I save my "used up" tumbling media just for this. I fill the tumbler with cleaning media (I use the "corned" corn cob media), put a couple of caps of odorless mineral spirits on the media, and tumble the loaded rounds no more than 15 minutes. I immediately remove the rounds when finished to keep any residual fumes from possibly damaging the primers over a long time exposure.

It IS important to limit the time tumbling. A short time will NOT damage the powder, etc. The factory tumbles their loaded ammo to clean it (I have seen the factory tumblers and you wouldn't believe how large they are).

FWIW
Dale53
Click to expand...

You tumble them loaded and with spirits???
 
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