In my thirty five years of reloading I have always used EITHER the RCBS Sizing Lube that came in a plastic toothpaste type tube and now the "new" RCBS Case Lube 2 that comes in a small plastic bottle OR the Lyman Sizing Lube of the "grease" type that came in a toothpaste type tube or the Lyman Sizing Lube that superseded it that is a clear brownish liquid pretty much identical, except in colour, to RCBS's offering.
This I have always applied to the case between thumb and forefinger and I have never used a lubricating pad.
However in the interests of our "modern times" I have in the last six months tried the Imperial Sizing Wax. Being dubious of "miracle" claims and mean and tight fisted with spending money of "new fangled" products.
My opinion?
It is pretty much a revelation. I
t doesn't have, or seem to have, the problems of dimpled shoulders that you get with a build up of too much liquid lubricant of the RCBS or Lyman type in the sizing die.
Also it doesn't have the very real nuisance of being "sticky" like RCBS or Lyman and so difficult to then remove from the sized cases.
It also as a feature of that not being "sticky" a benefit in that it doesn't pick up a load of grit if you are careless enough to let a lubed case roll onto the floor or off the bench.
Does it work as well as the RCBS or Lyman types?
I have only used it for sizing cases fired in normal chambers for that calibre that are then sized in normal sizing dies of that calibre. So 270 Winchester in 270 Winchester dies, both STANDARD and SMALL BASE and 280 Remington in STANDARD. I have not used it for case forming from one parent case to another calibre (say 30-06 to 8x60S) or anything of that sort.
From my six months I can say that it is, for standard use, sizing cases fired in standard chambers back to normal size for that calibre in either standard or small base dies as good as the RCBS or Lyman liquid sizing lubricants AND IN NON-STICKINESS, RELUCTANCE TO PICK UP GRIT AND EASIER TO REMOVE FROM SIZED CASES IS SUPERIOR.
In fact whilst I still keep my RCBS and Lyman sizing lubricants on my shelf for all day to day use I now use only the Imperial Sizing Wax and would for standard use as noted recommend it to you with confidence.
I got mine from Norman Clarke at Rugby.