Wow, DONE with testing out case lubes on .223

[koehn,jim]

I think something is not adjusted correctly. A little growth is expected but the x-die is supposed to eliminate the need to trim the cases ever. I use the x-dies and have never had that much growth in the length of the cases.

[Fishslayer]

Is there any issue with wax buildup on the dies?

[50 Shooter]

Everytime I buy Unique someone pops up and says "best kept secret in the reloading world"! The stuff is great, use it on 50 BMG and the cases size easy.

I think its a toss up at which is better, Unique or Imperial. Either way they both get the job done, you get more Unique per tub then Imperial.

[chknlyps2]

Where are you guys buying your lanolin from?

I got mine at Walmart. You would think it would be in the pharmacy dept but it is not. Look in the baby section where diapers and wipes are and then find breast pumps and stuff for nursing mothers, it is in that isle.

[kdsd731]

I have only used unique. Works great.

[jchappies]

I just did 500 rounds of .223 using lanolin and 91% at a ratio of 8:1 and they deprimed and resized without any problems.

[bohoki]

i use vaseline keeps my hands supple

[stilly]

I think something is not adjusted correctly. A little growth is expected but the x-die is supposed to eliminate the need to trim the cases ever. I use the x-dies and have never had that much growth in the length of the cases.

This was the FIRST time I ever resized brass and I started with the X-Die so the growth and trim is supposed to be normal at this point. But the next time is when things should be not as long...

amazon though I have heard that you can get it from some health food stores.

also I used "ISO HEET" from the local auto parts store for the alcohol.

Clarks Health store in Riverside (Downtown) sells ANHYDROUS Lanolin. It is liquid I think. Costs almost $2/oz or something.

Is there any issue with wax buildup on the dies?

I have not noticed any. The only reason why I even bothered to post this was because the price is excellent, the lube itself is more like a long lasting lotion (give it up for alliteration!). But with this and the imperial sizing wax you only need such a small amount, in comparison with other lubes that I have seen, there is no real mucky mess afterwards. The die also has a vent hole, but anyways. Great stuff.

[baffomet]

+2 on the lanolin/rubbing alcohol homebrew stuff. doesn't make my left hand smell nice though..

+3. I use to use Imperial Wax but have had good results with the lanolin/alcohol solution. As for the smelly hand, use latex/vinyl gloves.

[Wrangler John]

I purchased two tubs of Hornady Unique Case Lube about a decade ago, I'm barely half-way through the first one. It is fantastic for seasoning a new F.L. die and heavy case forming.

When I use a new sizing die for the first time, it is cleaned using either carburetor cleaner or acetone on the inside only, then dried with compressed air. I coat a Q-Tip with Unique and apply it to the inside of the die, paying attention to the area above the case head where the greatest mechanical pressure is generated. Next, five cases are treated with Unique and sized in the die. This pressure coats the metal with a film of lube. Thereafter I use Hornady's One Shot Spray Case Lube w/ Dyna Glide Plus, SKU 9991 to lube subsequent cases. With the empty cases placed neck down in an MTM cartridge box, I place a cardboard square over the box and turn it upside down on the bench. This leaves the cases standing in rows where the spray lube is applied. Easy and fast. repeat as necessary. Always season a new die stripped of preservative oil before switching to the spray lube lest a case stick. In a pinch the spray lube can be sprayed directly into the new sizing die and the excess removed with a clean patch.

For sizing large magnum cases or case forming by necking down or up, or any other case forming tasks, I use the Unique Case Lube exclusively.

For those that like a liquid case lube for applying by rolling across a pad there's Hornady's Case Sizing Lube, SKU 050009. For $4.45 it will last a long time.

I used lanolin as a bullet swagging lube. However, the lanolin should be pure pharmaceutical grade anhydrous lanolin containing less than 0.25% water. Anhydrous lanolin has a water absorption rate of more than 200% of its own weight and reluctantly forms water-in-oil emulsions. It was purchased by special order from a local drug store, but that was before there was an Internet. The lanolin was mixed with pure food grade mineral oil as equal parts of both. This made a light sticky paste that could be applied to bullet jackets for swagging or cartridge cases for sizing. It was applied by saturating a large ink pad and rolling the jackets or cases.

I did not use isopropyl alcohol as it contains water while mineral oil does not. I did not want any emulsified water in the swagging dies as they were very expensive. Between uses the swagging dies are stored submerged in jars of synthetic oil.

Over all, Hornady's Unique is about as good as it gets, and for the price mixing my own is no longer viable. The spray lube is even quicker and easier, with a short cleaning in the tumbler all that is needed to remove any traces although this isn't necessary. Hornady mentions that the dry lube properties of One Shot prevents cases from tarnishing, and aids in extraction of fired cases.

[50 Shooter]

WJ,
Do you work for Hornady? Just jokin' as that's about the best sales pitch for Unique that I've ever heard!

[Fishslayer]

I have not noticed any. The only reason why I even bothered to post this was because the price is excellent, the lube itself is more like a long lasting lotion (give it up for alliteration!).

I'm just getting into rifle reloading & bought a tub because I have a ton of LC 10 NATO brass that needs prepping & the Hornady One Shot is a bit pricey.

[CK_32]

^ those looks like 308

That must be really good lube then, to park a semi in a prius.

[Kevin.st]

Im sure most of your left hands smell good from lotion, anyway.

[Vicious_138]

Im sure most of your left hands smell good from lotion, anyway.

I doubt "most" of us are left handed tho