Rifle case lube

radioman

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I've been reloading for 30+ years. Most all that I do is pistol so no need for lube. I do reload my 300 WinMag but I just resize the neck because it's for a bolt gun and the cases are for that gun only. I only need a very small amount of lube for that caliber.

I just started reloading 308win. It's for my AR10. Since it's a semi auto the cases need to be full length resized. Also since it's a semi-auto it's very hungry. I'm going to be in the hundreds of cases. I don't want to be paying big money for store bought lube. Does anybody have a home recipe for a lube I can put in a spray bottle? I'd like to get away from rolling each case on a lube pad. I find this method slow and your always rubbing your hands on a rag so as not to contaminate your reloading machines. I've used commercial spray lube before but I don't know how to reproduce it. I use single stage presses. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you
 
Lanolin mixed with ISO-HEET (red bottle, the auto dept at your local WalMart is likely the cheapest place). About a 1:8-1:10 mix, depending on personal preference for how "thick" you want it. (Thats 1 part lanolin to 8-10 parts ISO-HEET)

The other types of HEET contain methanol and are very toxic. Make sure you buy the red one, it's Isopropyl Alcohol.
 
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The lanolin I see for sale looks to be a solid at room temp? Is that what you use? I do see liquid lanolin but that's big money over 2 bucks an ounce. The ISO-HEAT is that 100% isopropyl?
 
You need the liquid stuff. With 1oz making 8-10 ounces of lube, it goes a long way.

ISO-HEET is 99% if i remember correctly.
 
IIRC there's no point in buying ISO-HEET because any 99% isopropyl basically absorbs moisture from the air and lowers its concentration anyways.

The concentration and ratio of alcohol just determines how quickly the alcohol evaporates -- ie, how soon after spraying them can you size them.

If you mix it really thin (like 16:1) with 99% alcohol, the lanolin may stay in solution -- but more than likely, you'll need to shake the bottle before using.

I use 91% at an 8:1 mix because well, I had a 32oz bottle of 91% in the cabinet, and the lanolin I bought came in a 4oz bottle [laugh]
 
Thanks guys!

I found some lanolin for a buck an ounce on Amazon and some 99% isopropyl cheep. Looks like I'll be good on case lube for a long while!
 
I use the 100% pure lanolin it's more like vasoline.
Also use the highest IPA I can find locally. Which seems to be 91%.
I mix 1-10 and mix in small amounts.
It works great but I find it has a smell I don't like much.
Good thing....it's Good for your hands.
I have not a stuck case since I started using it.
 
I don't even buy Vaseline, generic petroleum jelly works just fine. Obviously, I use a lube pad, not spray method (I don't work fast, of course).
 
This. There are videos on youtube that cover what they buy and use and the ratios they use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olahEwJMUi8 NAPA and probably other places also sell their own version of HEET.

Lanolin mixed with ISO-HEET (red bottle, the auto dept at your local WalMart is likely the cheapest place). About a 1:8-1:10 mix, depending on personal preference for how "thick" you want it. (Thats 1 part lanolin to 8-10 parts ISO-HEET)

The other types of HEET contain methanol and are very toxic. Make sure you buy the red one, it's Isopropyl Alcohol.
 
The lanolin allows you to spray a binful, shake and you're done. I'm talking 500-1000 at a time. To handle individual cases and lube them with your fingers is a crazy amount of wasted time.

Also a little lanolin goes a LONG way.
 
To handle individual cases and lube them with your fingers is a crazy amount of wasted time.

Also a little lanolin goes a LONG way.

Not so .... I keep the cases in a bin on the left of the press and pick them up with the left hand on the way to the press. It adds no extra time to roll them between the thumb and index finger on the way. And the unique is far easier to clean off the cases than the lanolin is.
 
Not so .... I keep the cases in a bin on the left of the press and pick them up with the left hand on the way to the press. It adds no extra time to roll them between the thumb and index finger on the way. And the unique is far easier to clean off the cases than the lanolin is.

Adds a ton of time when you're running a case feeder.

With lanolin spray you can lube 500+ cases in 10 seconds, dump a couple hundred in the feeder and go.
 
Adds a ton of time when you're running a case feeder.

With lanolin spray you can lube 500+ cases in 10 seconds, dump a couple hundred in the feeder and go.

True ... I resize and trim on a single stage press, then throw them into the tumbler before going to the progressive for loading, I don't want the possibility of any case lube contaminating the inside of the case and I want all the lube off the loaded cartridges.
 
Use a dollar store spray bottle, and put the 99 iso in. Throw in a few tablespoons of the lanolin.

Straighten a wire coat hanger, and create a small "paddle: loop at the end, and using your drill motor, spin the "mixer blade" to stir the lanolin into the iso. That's the best way to get the two to mix.

The lanolin/iso combo is what Dillon sells for their spray lube. You can make a quart of the same stuff for a small amount of $$$.

BTW< I buy PURE Anhydrous (no water) Lanolin from randy rat at CastBoolits:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?96820-Pure-Anhydrous-Lanolin

Randy is a great guy and has previously donated beeswax samples for the NES cast bullets workshops. He's a good guy to support. The Anhydrous lanolin goes a long way, and works the best of all of the options that you could buy for this stuff.
 
I just made some the other day because I couldn't find my large bottle I made a long time ago.
I place the bottle of 99% Alcohol and the of Lanolin in to cups of hot water and then mix this mix was 10 oz. of alcohol to a little over an 1 oz. of Lanolin. I later threw in a couple of damaged bullets to help mix it later.
20170319_123229.jpg 20170319_123519.jpg
 
With lanoline alittle goes a long way..i bought a gallon, i have no doubt you could size more than a million .223 cases with 1 gallon..i use it when sizing projectiles too.
 
I view mixing your own lube right up there with making your own paper and light bulbs.

You can buy a pint from Dillon or Frankford Arsenal and it will lube >20K cases.
 
It's just easier on the sizer and has the added benefit of keeping your bullets from tarnishing.
 
I load a lot of .223 for a full auto and don't make case lube. The stuff seems to last for such a long time that making it isn't worth the effort.
 
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