Sizing Lubricants

[Sharpie]

Thinking about it, maybe we are missing a trick. Perhaps Mink oil is the ultimate ingredient, better even than lanolin. Eco, environmentally friendly, what's not to like ?

My boot grease, or Hornady Unique, contains 10% or more. And works very well. Apparently the Mink smile at it.

It certainly works well, for both applications.

I'm not sure what to think about Imperial sizing Wax. Redding I think bought or licensed the formula from LeClear (Imperial Lubricants) and nowadays have it made, coloured Redding green. They are extremely defensive about what it's made of, and have basically flat-out refused to release any information under MSDS, which is borderline illegal.

As with pretty much every other chemical compound that they sell. Personally I don't like that attitude. Hazardous or not (and I daresay it is probably quite benign.) As "considered to be, ... by our company ... trade secrets"

Brownell's asked them for it, to no avail. Read their response here:

https://www.brownells.com/userdocs/MSDS/749-008-328_BIG BOSS PRO-PAK RELOADING KIT (RD40000) - 61T_default.pdf


Compare and contrast with e.g. Hornady's competitor: One-shot case sizing wax (coloured Hornady red);

https://press.hornady.com/assets/pcthumbs/tmp/1410992899-MSDS-One-Shot---Case-Sizing-Wax.pdf Where they reveal that it has up to 5% of an antimony compound in it, probably as an extreme pressure lubricant, but not at any concerning level.


Google "Antimony dialkyldithiocarbamate" if you have a enquiring mind. I think it is probably useful to have it in such waxes.

Similarly Lee are quite open about what their lube actually is. They put it into a large toothpaste tube and sell it here, street price £3.50, with distribution, duty, VAT, profit for everyone in the chain, etc. etc. Not a bad deal, a little bit goes a long way.

MSDS here:

https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/90006.pdf

Iloform PS 700 made by Castrol.

More details: https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/...BC8E5AF80257EA50034011F/$File/BPXE-9ZN7MK.pdf

Smear it on lightly, let it dry, use it. As I said at the beginning, it's what I still prefer, not let me down yet Nought wrong either with talllow/mink oil, or lanolin concoctions either. Sometimes I think we can over-think/over spend on specific reloading and gun cleaning marketed stuff.

 

[Rory]

Thinking about it, maybe we are missing a trick. Perhaps Mink oil is the ultimate ingredient, better even than lanolin. Eco, environmentally friendly, what's not to like ?

My boot grease, or Hornady Unique, contains 10% or more. And works very well. Apparently the Mink smile at it.

It certainly works well, for both applications.

I'm not sure what to think about Imperial sizing Wax. Redding I think bought or licensed the formula from LeClear (Imperial Lubricants) and nowadays have it made, coloured Redding green. They are extremely defensive about what it's made of, and have basically flat-out refused to release any information under MSDS, which is borderline illegal.

As with pretty much every other chemical compound that they sell. Personally I don't like that attitude. Hazardous or not (and I daresay it is probably quite benign.) As "considered to be, ... by our company ... trade secrets"

Brownell's asked them for it, to no avail. Read their response here:

https://www.brownells.com/userdocs/MSDS/749-008-328_BIG BOSS PRO-PAK RELOADING KIT (RD40000) - 61T_default.pdf

View attachment 260628
Compare and contrast with e.g. Hornady's competitor: One-shot case sizing wax (coloured Hornady red);

https://press.hornady.com/assets/pcthumbs/tmp/1410992899-MSDS-One-Shot---Case-Sizing-Wax.pdf Where they reveal that it has up to 5% of an antimony compound in it, probably as an extreme pressure lubricant, but not at any concerning level.

View attachment 260641
Google "Antimony dialkyldithiocarbamate" if you have a enquiring mind. I think it is probably useful to have it in such waxes.

Similarly Lee are quite open about what their lube actually is. They put it into a large toothpaste tube and sell it here, street price £3.50, with distribution, duty, VAT, profit for everyone in the chain, etc. etc. Not a bad deal, a little bit goes a long way.

MSDS here:

https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/90006.pdf

Iloform PS 700 made by Castrol.

More details: https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/...BC8E5AF80257EA50034011F/$File/BPXE-9ZN7MK.pdf

Smear it on lightly, let it dry, use it. As I said at the beginning, it's what I still prefer, not let me down yet Nought wrong either with talllow/mink oil, or lanolin concoctions either. Sometimes I think we can over-think/over spend on specific reloading and gun cleaning marketed stuff.

Great round up. And yes, it all 'works', I think today, that people get very sucked in to marketing and also to brand allegiance. Nothing wrong with having work bench with varied makes of stuff - some bits are better than others.

 

[geraldald]

I have been using Vaseline (that is right the white petroleum jelly) for 45 years Cheap and works great. Easy to clean off cases after sizing.

 

[trickie]

Pure Neatsfoot oil, Jay-El or whatever high quality no bullsh*t leather dressing I’ve got on the go

I’ve got half a tin of neatsfoot oil, I’ll give it a go when my tin of one shot runs out, thanks for the tip

trickie

 

[Dazb1967]

Isopropyl and mineral oil, I bought a smallish bottle of each and there’s enough to last me a lifetime, I even supply it to my mates and there’s still plenty left

 

[harrygrey382]

I’ve got half a tin of neatsfoot oil, I’ll give it a go when my tin of one shot runs out, thanks for the tip

trickie

The pure one is good stuff. No sure how the blended stuff goes though

 

[User00044]

Hornady One Shot aerosol , wipes off with a cloth. Not cheap , but then , who on earth reloads to save money ?

Another 3000 rounds and I'll break even.

 

[Miki]

IPA and Lanolin ... 10:1 mix

 

[Meateater69]

Imperial wax for me

 

[nCognitos]

Just moved from Imperial to Lee, dilute it 1 part Lee to 5 parts water and 5 parts IPA, as per the instructions. Spray it on cases in a bag and let it dry before sizing.

 

[Lofty.308]

Another vote for lanolin and iso alcohol, not a single stuck case with this recipe and one batch will last thousands of rounds.

 

[geoffw]

Just about to try switching from RCBS water based liquid to Redding dry neck lube (graphite?) powder (RED07200) for reasons of speed and ease of application.
Would be interested to hear from anyone that has tried it previously...

 

[phaedra]

I've not found anything better then the RCBS Case Slick Spay, the one that comes in the 4oz pump bottles.


Unfortunately I can't get any over here

The Frankford Arsenal version is also pretty good but for pennies I can make the usual Liquid Lanolin/Isoprpanol mix which works OK.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I’m biased but I make and sell this stuff and have had very good reports - For Sale: - Lube! Save money on the big brands and support charity at the same time!

Proceeds go to charity so know that you’re supporting a good cause every time you have a resizing session!

 

[fizzbangwhallop]

Just about to try switching from RCBS water based liquid to Redding dry neck lube (graphite?) powder (RED07200) for reasons of speed and ease of application.
Would be interested to hear from anyone that has tried it previously...

Following the tip from Andrew Evans-H at Riflecraft years ago, I’ve been using CK Graphite powder lock lubricant for years when neck-sizing…decanted into a small Bodyshop type screw top pot purloined from my better-half with the lead shot from a couple of No7’s or No8’s added to give the powder something positive to cling to and coat the necks inside and out.

Lead shot over steel as they can occasionally stick inside the neck and so

less likely to damage the decapping pin/shaft although I always decap all cases with a decapping die as a first stage in reloading.

Still on my first bottle of CK ……I initially used No6 which is fine for .243’s up but had to set up a second pot with finer shot for smaller calibres…


The sized cases just get a cursory tap neck down and a wipe with a paper towel on the outside neck… I don’t worry about the inside, there’s enough grip on the bullet with the sizing process (and we seat graphite or boron coated bullets as a matter of course.

Cheers

Fizz

 

[geoffw]

Following the tip from Andrew Evans-H at Riflecraft years ago, I’ve been using CK Graphite powder lock lubricant for years when neck-sizing…decanted into a small Bodyshop type screw top pot purloined from my better-half with the lead shot from a couple of No7’s or No8’s added to give the powder something positive to cling to and coat the necks inside and out.

Lead shot over steel as they can occasionally stick inside the neck and so

less likely to damage the decapping pin/shaft although I always decap all cases with a decapping die as a first stage in reloading.

Still on my first bottle of CK ……I initially used No6 which is fine for .243’s up but had to set up a second pot with finer shot for smaller calibres…

View attachment 261689

Cheers

Fizz

Thanks Fizz, good to hear.

 

[Sharpie]

Just moved from Imperial to Lee, dilute it 1 part Lee to 5 parts water and 5 parts IPA, as per the instructions. Spray it on cases in a bag and let it dry before sizing.

Hopefully you will have good results spraying on the diluted Lee stuff per Lee instructions.

Not yet tried doing that myself.

The most important thing about using Lee lube is to smear it on very thinly, then let it dry off. Only takes a few minutes, or blow the cases over with a hairdryer if you are in a hurry. Don't just slather it on thickly and immediately stuff it into the die.

"Even if Iloform PS 700 BF also provides lubricity performance in its liquid state, the lubricity capacity increases when the
film is dried, and so does its drawing performance"

I do like it and at about £3.50 for a two ounce (approx. 60 gram or so) tube, diluting at 10 or 11:1 it would make up more than half a litre of spray. Which is a lot.

As is how long a tube lasts.

The stuff is not sticky nor difficult to clean off the cases afterwards either. A damp rag wipes it off. Tallow/Mink oil also not too bad., with a bit of detergent on the damp rag. Lanolin really needs a solvent to wipe it completely off.

FWIW, when I do take my dies apart to clean them there is very little build up. Before putting them back together I smear a little inside with a cotton bud to pre-lube them, and protect them (Provides good in-process corrosion protection to protect the parts. The remaining waxy film is ideal for ferrous parts storage)

 

[ChesterP]

Imperial sizing wax...Lanolin based for me. Use nothing else. A little in the fingers, wipe the case over sparingly, job done. Good for the skin too!

 

[PLC204]

Imperial sizing wax