Started loading .223, Lubrication issue?

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Cloudwraith
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Re: Started loading .223, Lubrication issue?

Post by Cloudwraith »

Cabela's sells a spray case lube similar to Dillon case lube. I believe it is just lanonlin and alcohol. As the alcohol evaporates it leaves the lanonlin behind. I have some plastic steralite storage containers that I take about 50 cases at time and put in then mist with the spray lube and role the cases around to evenly coat. I do this if I'm full case sizing (which I do for .223 even if they are just out of my rifle).

My other rifle rounds (.308, 30-40krag, 30-30, 7.62 x 54r etc...) I will neck size by dipping the case mouths into imperial sizing wax.

Sometimes I'll find some extra rifle military brass. I've found depriming them with a universal decapping die works better than depriming them with a sizing die which includes a decapper. For some reason my lee dies like to have the decapping pin push out the top on some military brass (probably the crimp) on the sizing dies. I've had the decapping pin on my sizing die get stuck in a .308 primer and ended up bending the decapping/sizing pin trying to get the case out. Since then I've used the universal decapping die to deprime.
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JustaShooter
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Re: Started loading .223, Lubrication issue?

Post by JustaShooter »

evan price wrote:
JustaShooter wrote:
evan price wrote:After resizing I trim, chamfer and deburr. Then the cases go into my low-speed tumbler with corncob to get the lube off. Takes a half hour or so.
I tumble first then trim to length, chamfer & deburr under the theory that the tumbling peens the case mouth & work hardens it (see http://www.varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Neck_Chamfer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Probably meaningless at my level of competency at reloading and shooting, but it makes sense to me to do it in that order.
I tumble first, deprime, swage, resize, trim, chamfer, deburr and tumble again in a low agitation tumbler with corncob to clean off the lube but not ding up the case mouths.
Oh, you want the *whole* process do ya? :wink:
Deprime with universal decapping die, tumble, uniform primer pocket, resize, tumble again for shorter duration to remove lube, trim, chamfer, deburr, uniform flash hole (1st time I reload the brass only). I haven't yet ventured into the realm of neck turning or sorting cases by weight or the other truly OCD steps some perform, although you'll note I have adopted a few steps many consider unnecessary. However, after having run into poorly formed flash holes and primer pockets on a couple of occasions I just do them all and avoid the problem entirely.
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mreising
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Re: Started loading .223, Lubrication issue?

Post by mreising »

evan price wrote:When I'm doing rifle, I save the plastic trays from pistol ammo. 308 Win, I use 45 acp trays. 223 Rem, I use 9mm trays. I like the heavy thick ones like Remington uses.

Stand up the brass in every other hole alternating. You'll have 25 pieces on each tray. Shake up the Lyman Qwik spray, spray across one side, rotate the tray 90 degrees, repeat, do this for each of the four sides. I angle the spray so that it also gets in the case mouths. Don't go nuts with the lube, apply it as if you were just putting on a light first coat of spray paint.
Let the sprayed cases sit long enough that the carrier evaporates, leaving the lube on the cases. With spray lubes you cn't just sptray and immediately size, the carrier dilutes the lube so it is sprayable and it will stick a case if you don't let it sit.

After resizing I trim, chamfer and deburr. Then the cases go into my low-speed tumbler with corncob to get the lube off. Takes a half hour or so.
My exact process but I use Hornady One-shot (never had a problem in spite of Seven's comment). it is important that you allow the Lee and the spray type lubes to completely dry before trying to size.
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Re: Started loading .223, Lubrication issue?

Post by shooterwolf »

BigV wrote:I only occasionally clean my rifle dies and I only use home made case lube. It's better than anything you can buy and is cheap and easy to make.

Home Made Case Lube

Step One -Gather contents -
Liquid Lanolin (100% pure was $7.00 at the local health food store)
Isopropyl Alcohol (at minimum 91% $1.19 at the local drug store - 99% is best couldn't find it)
If you go to an Auto Store ISO HEET is 99% Isopropyl
New or Clean spray bottle (from the "Dollar" store) has ratio markings and ounce markings so it helps


Step Two
Warm the Lanolin in warm tap water (110 to 120 degrees F - NO OPEN FLAMES!)
Do the same for the IPA, this will help in the mixing process.

Step Three
Pour 2 (two) ounces of the warmed Lanolin into the spray bottle

Step Four
Pour 16 (sixteen) ounces of the warmed IPA into the spray bottle giving you an 1:8 ratio
This seem to be the ratio that best mimics Dillon Spray Lube (add more IPA if you feel it is too thick in your dies)

Step Five
Shake until contents becomes homogonized and label the bottle accordingly (so you don't confuse it with CLP or something)

Then proceed to lube cases as needed. I left some room in case I needed to adjust the ratio depending on the dies and how finicky they may be. This Ratio seems to work fine for me. I did about 300 once fired LC headstamps and it was smooth as silk.

Let cases dry for 15 minutes before sizing begins

This is the lube I use, works great and it's cheap. :wink:


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stephen45-70
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Re: Started loading .223, Lubrication issue?

Post by stephen45-70 »

I agree with the fellas above one the imperial it is great stuff .i love it as well but i mostly save it for case reforming
Mostly i use a regular lube pad with good old fashioned stp as a lube . I have never stuck a case useing either of the two .

I dont have much more to add that has not already been said except one thing .. i do lube case mouths as you have found out that expander ball comes out a bit hard at times . And i have had issues with it pulling the shoulder out as it exited the case .
To solve that i bought a container of powdered graphite to lube case mouths with .
I havent has a issue since ... all i do is dip the case mouth in the can and. Run it threw .
You dont have to use it on every case. I use it on about one in every 10 cases .
Powdered graphite is very cheap and about an ounce of it is a lifetime supply .
Just be very careful not to spill it as it will be everywhere and you will spend the next year cleaning it up
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Klingon00
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Re: Started loading .223, Lubrication issue?

Post by Klingon00 »

I like inexpensive. I'll have to give that Lanolin spray a try.

I'm also fond of dry lubricants for many things around the house and am intrigued by that idea as well. I understand that many powders contain graphite anyway, so if any got inside the case, it's not like the case would need washed to remove the lube before charging anyway right? Almost sounds too good to be true if it works. I generally keep small tubes of graphite around for use on squeaky door hinges. I'll have to look around for larger containers next time and give it a try.

After having a rather large Xerox toner cartridge explode on me at work, I figure a smaller container of graphite will probably be a breeze to clean up after that. :lol: :oops:
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