Reloading Question --Sizing Lubricant

[Bullard4075]

In over 35 years and 10's probably 100's of thousands of rounds of ammo reloading I have never stuck a case (that I can remember !!) in a sizing die.
This weekend I've had three !!! I have studied my process, checked the die and shellholder ( 30-06 /RCBS #3) and even the die geometry for the cause. By die geometry I mean that I hadn't adjusted the decaping pin to somehow hit inside the die. The only new factor is the sizing lube I am using. I looked up the lube on the Internet for any reviews or comments and only found three, all positive.
Anyone have good or bad to say about Iosso Sizing Lubricant and Cleaner ?

And before everyone says it ..............Yes, I'll just go back to using what I was using before.

But I'm still curious about this stuff.

I'm going to go back and double-check everything.

[Bullard4075]

I just went back to my old lube (RCBS Case Slick) and the sizing went butter smooth.
I am more convinced the problem was the Iosso.

[COSteve]

I use a squirt or two of Dillon's sizing lube and I'm good to go.

[TX Gun Runner]

This is the best I've ever used . Read the reviews everyone has giving it a 5 stars .. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=758495 ..

[TedH]

All I've ever used is the RCBS lube with the pad. I figger if it aint broke, don't fix it. In 20 some years I've yet to stick a case.

[O.S.O.K.]

I use RCBS or Imperial Die sizing wax - depending on the application the latter is for the tougher stuff...

[Borregos]

I've always used the Dillon case lube and never had a problem.

[Chas.]

My .44 dies are carbide so I don't usually lube them, but I lube my 45-70 cases with Crisco. Loaded 1500 +/- without a stuck case.

[gimdandy]

In resizing down 30-30 brass to 219 Zipper it not only changes neck diameter but has to taper the body a lot more . I ran comparisons 3 different times because of the pressure that was needed on RCBS Rock Chucker in reforming. Hornady One Shot spray , and liquid , RCBS Case Slick , Dillon Case Lubricant ( D.C.L. )RCBS Case Lube-2 , and Imperial Sizing Die Wax .
Best #1 D.C.L.
#2 RCBS Case Lube-2
#3 Imperial Sizing Die Wax
#4 RCBS Case Slick
#5 Hornady One Shot (pump)
#6 Hornady One Shot ( aerosol )
This was a complete surprise to me as I figure the Imperial was the best that could be had . Not so and it wasn't even that close . Because of the force necessary for reforming I'm still going to try a few more including the Lee that I read about in a test of this sort where it came out best of about 15 different kinds of lubes (D. C. L. wasn't in test).

[KirkD]

The best lube I've ever used for sizing cases is 40% Castor Oil and 60% lanolin, both purchased at the local drugstore. To give you an idea of how good it is, I used it to re-form Starline .45-90 brass down to .40-82 and with that lube, I was able to do it with one single swing of the handle on my Hornady single stage press, using Custom made Hornady 40-82 dies for reloading. And, to top it off, there was very little dimpling of the brass from too much lube. Most had no dimpling and the few that did had only very shallow dents which disappeared the first time the brass was fired. I keep a supply of lanolin and castor oil on hand that should last me the rest of my life (one bottle/tube of each), as well as a small plastic container of the mixed lube. I see no reason to use anything else given how good this mix works.

[Charles]

Up until recently I used C-H and RCBS lube on a pad. They worked to perfection. I have also used Imperial SizingWax for cases that need some reforming.

In the past couple of year, I have lost my enthusiasm for carbide dies. Many times, they size cases too much and too far.

These days I take my can of Mobile Vactra 2 way oil off my lathe bench and either squirt it on the pad, or squirt it on my hands and kneed a large volumn of handgun cases. Way oil was designed to stay put on the angle surfaces of the lathe ways. It also makes an excellent lube for autopistol raceways. I squirt a little on the bolt of my Clark custom Ruger MkII . I wipe off any excess with a paper towel and what remains is still there at work several thousand rounds later.

While I am at it Mobile Velocite Oil No. 10, also used for machine tool lubrication, is a good general all purpose firearms lubricant.

I have always wiped and inspected every round I have loaded.

[KirkD]

Charles, I'm interested in a good gun lubricant. With the oils you mentioned they sound good, but I'm wondering how they perform in cold temperatures. You've probably not had the opportunity to test them out in sub-zero temperatures (say 20 or 30 below), but just in case you have or know how they perform in those temperatures, I thought I'd ask before going out and buying some. Currently, I use 3-in-one as a gun lubricant, which seems to work fine in really cold temperatures without binding up the action.

[Tycer]

Charles, I'm interested in a good gun lubricant. With the oils you mentioned they sound good, but I'm wondering how they perform in cold temperatures. You've probably not had the opportunity to test them out in sub-zero temperatures (say 20 or 30 below), but just in case you have or know how they perform in those temperatures, I thought I'd ask before going out and buying some. Currently, I use 3-in-one as a gun lubricant, which seems to work fine in really cold temperatures without binding up the action.

I've shot several autoloaders in sub zero weather. Ed's Red, CLP, and FP-10 all did great in Ruger 10/22, 22/45, Marlin 60. Others got sticky, especially on the Marlin. These days about all I use is Ed's Red.

[KirkD]

Tycer, thanks for that info. The very first thing I think of, having done a lot of shooting and hunting in sub-zero weather and in snow storms (which have their advantages when it comes to stalking), is how a gun lube performs at 30 below zero. Some oils turn into an adhesive at those temperatures.

I really should not hijack this thread, which is about sizing lubes, so I apologize for it, but the subject is of interest to me.

[Sixgun]

Gun Lubricant------Synthetic EE-Zox--expensive, but Jeff Croze of Smith & Wesson tells me thats all they use at the factory--it semi dries to the touch---gunparts don't slip out of your hands

Case Lube for high pressure rifle ammo and case forming------RCBS (pump)

Case lube for low pressure ammo --Hornady One Shot (aerosol)

I load thousands of rounds of ammo and no longer have the patience/time for hand rollin' 'em. I use carbide dies (if available) in all of my straight wall cases and even those get a quick shot of Hornady.--------------------------Sixgun

[KirkD]

I don't use any case lube at all for normal, low pressure resizing (usually just neck sizing). For full length resizing that is not going to be too brutal, I also use Hornady one shot spray on case lube and it works fine. For serious stuff, like reforming cases from one caliber to another, I use the mix I mentioned earlier.

[Bullard4075]

Somebody might want to go back and see (just for grins) what the original question was.

Not that I didn't get a lot of good information.

Bullard

[stretch]

I'm with Bullard!!! LOL!!!

-Stretch

[PaulB]

I use RCBS or Imperial Die sizing wax - depending on the application the latter is for the tougher stuff...

Exactly what I use. Imperial for the heavy-duty work, RCBS for normal sizing.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I use Imperial sizing Die Wax. I have a lifetime supply.

[Tycer]

Somebody might want to go back and see (just for grins) what the original question was.

Not that I didn't get a lot of good information.

Bullard

Anyone have good or bad to say about Iosso Sizing Lubricant and Cleaner ?

Ummm, apparently not.

[Old Shatterhand]

Castor Oil from the chemistry - cheap and rather efficient. I drench a RCBS lube pad sparely.

Earlier I used the Lee tooth paste or RCBS lubricant. Neither was good enoug, and cases often got stuck in the dies.

Old Sh.

[gimdandy]

Kirk; I will add this your recipe the next time I reform for Zipper brass , thanks. Also Bullard 4075 ,I got another recipe off castboolits from a fellow that swages jacketed and does case reforming , he uses anhydrous thinned w/ mineral oil . So w/ these two and comparing them to the Dillon (which is anhydrous cut w/ something ) and the Lee Resizing lube , I should end up w/ a very good reforming case lube since just about anything will work for just std. resizing already formed cases. Kirk's statement that 1 pass through press w/ std. 40-82 dies w/ very little dimpling is more than just noteworthy , and something to compare others to.

[Bullard4075]

Losing sight of our objective we redouble our efforts.

And seriously, thanks to all who submitted.

Gosh I love this place.

[Griff]

RCBS lube pads. And, I have stuck about 3 cases over nearly 40 years of reloading. 1 .30-30, 1 .30-06, & 1 .40-90SBN. Each and every instance was a lack of lube, none were due to any failure of the lube. I'll just stick with that.

[Old Time Hunter]

accidently used a generic intensive care hand lotion to lube shells at the hunting cabin to resize on a Lee Hand Press, never had a shell stick.

Figured if that worked with that cantankerous Hand Press squeezing over sized 45-70 shells from a way too generous chamber of an 1880's rifle, I'd try the stuff on a gun for use in moderately cool weather. Used the stuff on my '96 Swede last February in mild -5F to -10F ambient while 'yote hunting without any sticking, 'course I only used it on the bolt, firing pin, and trigger sear...and very lightly to say the least. Back at home I wiped the stuff off and used my standard RemOil that alot people complain about.

[KirkD]

Losing sight of our objective we redouble our efforts.

Bullard, the thread has taken on a life of its own and is completely out of control.

[Rusty]

I think the last time I used sizing lube was about 18 or 20 years ago, but an old timer at our local shop told me to just use a little STP oil treatment. Just a touch on your fingers and handle all the case you'll be running through, then go wash your hands. That was for an old '03A3 I had and a few thousand round for my Garand.

I've never heard of the brand you mention.

[Buffboy]

All I've ever used is the RCBS lube with the pad. I figger if it aint broke, don't fix it. In 20 some years I've yet to stick a case.

I've stuck one, I let the pad get a little dry, and it's been 30 years for me.

[Charles]

Kirk.. Where I live, cold weather properties of oil are not an issue. Mobil Velocite Oil No. 10 is a 10 weight oil and I think should do well in very cold weather. I should think you could contact Mobil and they will have full specs on their products.

[KirkD]

Thanks, Charles. That sounds like a synthetic oil, if I'm not mistaken. Synthetic oils tend to work well in the cold ..... keep their viscosity pretty uniform. I make sure I've got synthetic oil in my vehicles in the winter for that reason.