Lubing cases with oil?

Rick Courtright · Dec 21, 2011

Hi,

Don't want to hijack the "lube dies" thread, but it brought something to mind.

Not sure where I read it (mighta been Ol' Elmer's "Sixguns?") but one of the old timers once recommened lubing cases w/ oil instead of "fancy" case lubes. Seems he was talking about straight walled revolver cases, whoever it was.

For giggles, I've tried a few rifle cases w/ a touch of 3 in 1 or whatever's in the little oil can at the time. Seems to work ok, and isn't that hard to clean off after sizing w/ a quick wipe outside and a Q-tip in the neck.

But then there's always the "conventional wisdom" that oil will ruin your powder, kill your primers, or cause international wars (oops, wrong forum for that last one!) I didn't load my "trial" cases to check that out...

Just curious: has anyone got any goodly amount of experience, good or bad, using oil instead of the other case lubes we prefer today?

Rick C

WIL TERRY · Dec 21, 2011

BAD IDEA !!! You will get away with it 'till one day it's film strength craps out on a snug one and then all hell is out for noon.
LANOLIN is the best case lube there is and it is CHEAP. DILLON'S case lube is this with an alcohol carrier; EXCELLENT !!!
WAXES like HORNADY'S ONE-SHOT are also excellent, but do not confuse the propellent with the ONE-SHOT when you're applying it. I buy this stuff by the case.
REDDING's case wax lube is also mighty fine stuff with an extreme film strength. I've used this one a lot too in particular situations.

Tellico · Dec 21, 2011

WIL TERRY said:
BAD IDEA !!! You will get away with it 'till one day it's film strength craps out on a snug one and then all hell is out for noon.
LANOLIN is the best case lube there is and it is CHEAP. DILLON'S case lube is this with an alcohol carrier; EXCELLENT !!!
WAXES like HORNADY'S ONE-SHOT are also excellent, but do not confuse the propellent with the ONE-SHOT when you're applying it. I buy this stuff by the case.
REDDING's case wax lube is also mighty fine stuff with an extreme film strength. I've used this one a lot too in particular situations.

+one IMHO

Jimbo357mag · Dec 21, 2011

I use a few drops of Hornady water soluble Case Sizing Lube, which I believe is a vegetable oil, when sizing a batch of revolver cases. Easy to apply any number of ways and easy to take off. It does not work very well on rifle cases though so I use a wax on those. :D

...Jimbo

mattsbox99 · Dec 22, 2011

I'm hooked on Imperial/Redding Die Wax. I stuck a few cases with Hornady one shot, and that bottle went in the garbage. I don't mess around with that kind of stuff. Its just easier to use what works.

sourdough44 · Dec 24, 2011

I use the Imperial die wax too, a little goes a long way. Even with the straight wall pistol cases in carbide dies I put a touch of lube on every 4th case or so.

Since a little of the proper lube goes a long way I figure may as well use the correct stuff. I would only try alternatives if I was out of lube & wanted to size some cases. I have a few types of case lube around so that will never happen.