Newb question regarding case lube

So I've been reloading 38/357 and 9mm. So far so good at 4k+ rounds. Thinking about reloading 223. I keep hearing about stuck cases, and then seeing the carnage that follows as people try to get the cases out. My questions are.....

What is the most important part to make sure it gets lubed? Is it the neck? The body? The shoulders? Inside the case mouth? All? Never done any bottleneck cartridges and still need to buy dies, lube, case trimmer etc, but I was trying to figure out what probably causes most of the stuck cases. Thanks for any replies.

All of the above but mainly the complete outside of the case

Thanks Andy. I've read too much lube and they dent. Too little lube and they get stuck. Should be interesting for me lol.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

Lube the body to avoid stuck cases, inside neck so the neck expander doesn't drag on the way out.

Also be prepared to deal with crimped primer pockets. Lots of 5.56 brass available but most of it has crimped pockets.
They can be removed with various tools (and most commercial reloads have been done this way) but the best way
is to swage them - making the pocket stronger instead of weaker.
Best swager is probably the Dillon @ north of $100 while the most common way to remove the crimp
is with a $10 (eBay) case mouth chamfer/deburring tool.
Attachment 126

If you’re looking for a good lube make up a batch of your own from lanolin and red iso-heat. Or 97-99% rubbing alcohol. You can put several cases in a large bag spray some lube in and shake it around the cases will coat nicely and it works very well. There are many different strength people make I personally used 2oz of lanolin and 12oz of isoheat

An important thing with lube(especially spray lube) is to not over do it and to be sure that you allow time for the alcohol to evaporate after applying. Stuck cases often happen because the user didn’t have good coverage and/or tried resizing immediately after spraying. Give it a couple minutes and you’ll be fine. Overlubed cases cause dents and dimples. If you use a spray, just give it a few puffs from different angles and then wait before sizing and you’ll be fine.

You'll find a good method and routine that works for you. I think we all had to experiment with it for a while until we figured out what worked for us and the set up we have to use.

I use Dillon case lube and a small Tupperware container. Put cases in the Tupperware container (about 30-40 cases) give them a few shots of lube, close and shake, then let dry for several minutes and you're good to go.

Dillon

I use lanolin/ alcohol on straightwall cases but I haven’t had good luck with lanolin/alcohol on bottleneck cases. It works enough they don’t stick but takes way too much effort on the handle. Unique is the best way to size bottleneck cases. Just wipe the finger you handle brass with across the lube and rub the middle, index, and thumb together. you get enough on it by just handling the case to put it in the press. Way less effort too.
Also bushing dies take way less effort and don’t require inside neck lube.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I switched to Imperial sizing wax after my last stuck case, have not had another in 3 years. A little dab on your finger tips, rub it on the brass while your fingers are inspecting for problems.

Hornady Unique is the best we ever found :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by anigmanm

I switched to Imperial sizing wax after my last stuck case, have not had another in 3 years. A little dab on your finger tips, rub it on the brass while your fingers are inspecting for problems.

---

I’ve been using the imperial sizing wax since the late 90’s. No stuck cases, a little goes a long way too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wes Sage

Hornady Unique is the best we ever found :)

---

I’m pretty sure you’re the one that switched me over to unique years ago thanks for sharing your tricks of the trade


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wes Sage

Hornady Unique is the best we ever found :)

---

Now if I can just get you to share your corn cob polish formula. [emoji51]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lol...…
Have to keep some trade secrets :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bigun

Now if I can just get you to share your corn cob polish formula. [emoji51]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

I'm a lanolin and isoheat guy too at 1/10 oz mis. Seems to be working fine for me on 223, 300 BLK, and 308.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I used to use RCBS case lubes even though it was a little messy. Wes told me to use Unique case lubes. It's AWESOME!
I do all stages in batches of 100 to 500 cases with the Lee Handheld press. One cannot overlube with Unique and you won't stick your cases!
A doctor's and a hospital's screwup made me a paraplegic confined to bed most of the time. My reloading room is upstairs and therefore inaccessible.
I got several thousand rounds of 7.62X51 military range brass and around 5,000 rounds of 5.56X45 from Wes. All told, I sized over 8,000 rounds without a hitch!
I did end up adding 2 - 1"x16" wooden rods as extension handles on the Lee Handloader cause that 7.62X51 brass was difficult to size!
For what it's worth, I gained a lot more upper body strength!
Unique also cleans up really great too.
And it's great for leather products.

Yeah, lanolin and Iso-heet is the way to go. I toss a bunch in a cardboard box, spray them and toss them around until they get fairly well lined. Let them sit about a half hour or so, then resize and tumble the lanolin off in walnut shell with nu-finish and mineral spirits mix (50/50 mix, I squirt in about a half ounce every time I tumble)

Good luck, hope this helps! And remember to trim those .223! That's a big problem with those.

I've been looking online and asking questions and just ordered some of the Hornady Unique lube. Going to give it a go with that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wes Sage

Hornady Unique is the best we ever found :)

---

I 2nd that. A lil dab'll a do ya. I keep my my fingers lubed up as I'm inspecting. That lil tub goes a long way

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

Ok so if Wes recommends and a fellow Michigan guy says Unique is where it’s at I will give it a shot. I’ll pick some up tomorrow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use RCBS case lube most of the time. Put a little bit on your fingers and rub it on the cases as you put it in to the press. Imperial Sizing Wax is great stuff too, I mainly use it when I'm forming 300 Blackout from 223 rounds. As for the inside of the neck I like to use the Imperial dry neck lube. Just put it on before you lube the outside of the case or you will have a good mess. Good luck you'll find what works best for you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Clopez

Ok so if Wes recommends and a fellow Michigan guy says Unique is where it’s at I will give it a shot. I’ll pick some up tomorrow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

You will love unique dude! I used Lyman lube for a long time and then I got to resizing .300RUM and it was tough.. bought some unique for the hell of trying it.. that stuff is SLICK!!! Virtually no resistance in resizing .223 and resizing the .300RUM & 7mag were like resizing a .223 case. Won't ever go back to the other lubes for normal hunting & plinking loads. I still use Imperial sizing wax for my precision loads though lol.

Get a spray bottle, use 1.5 ounces of lanolin oil, and 12 ounces of 97% isopropyl alcohol, or use 12 ounces of heat. You will never get a stuck case. But you will have to clean your brass after you have gone through that process. I have never gotten a stuck case in my dies and you can spray about 20,000 pieces of brass with one application of that mixture in the spray bottle


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk