Homemade case lube

[AZGEEZER]

Since I'm considered a tight azz I figured I would write and let folks know how I make my own case lube. A lot of folks modify this recipe by using alcohol and lanolin but I'm not very fond of using it.

I use a small canning jar and set it hot water in a pot, I melt Anhydrous Lanolin and Vaseline at a 50/50 ratio. Has to be Anhydrous Lanolin though since it has the moisture removed, I melt it first till half of that small jar is filled, then I mix in the Vaseline. And don't get fussy with the 50/50 part, it just has to be close not perfect.

Once the 2 ingredients are mixed just take it out of the water and let cool, either by air or fridge. It gets hard and you only use a very small amount on your finger tips, very sparingly. I always apply it to the base of the case, never around the neck on any bottle necked cases.

Never had a stuck case using that stuff, and it's super cheap. A jar of that stuff lasts me over a year and that's when I was doing 20k cases a month.

I use the wet tumbling method to clean, I haven't used dry media in years.

It also doubles as my swage lube...

 

[792mauser]

I'm gonna have to try that.
Looks life it could make a usable black powder lube as well for me.

 

[Harrier]

I'm gonna have to try that... where can I get Anhydrous Lanolin ?
I currently use that Hornady lube in a tub and like you just apply it to the head area not the neck.

I found that wearing a Nitril glove make the lube last a long long time- I also discovered I can lube 10-15 cases and do a whole block of 50-100 as the little bit of lube on one is enough to lube the die for the next 3-4 cases. You will feel the resistance when first starting a dry case - that's when you take it out and use a lubed one first.... now you know how much of a tight azzz I am.

 

[AZGEEZER]

I got mine from the cast boolit site which is my main hang out by a different name. I just looked and the seller is no longer there, glad I stocked up while I had the chance.

https://www.thesage.com/catalog/products/Lanolin.html

I try to explain to folks you have to use it sparingly. I put it like this: Ever clean a mirror? Take your index finger and run it about an inch down the mirror, see that streak? Now that refers to how much lube goes on the base of the case.....That's what I mean by SPARINGLY.

 

[Azbuilder]

Thank you, I am going to try it on some fifty cases this weekend!

 

[Harrier]

Thanks for that link...

 

[AZGEEZER]

And before I forget... Makes a jim-dandy lip balm.

 

[87jeep]

Note to me: Forget the "Bat wings & Eye of Newt"

Carry on

 

[shooter444]

AZGEEZER, I like making my own bullet lube, I much prefer making my own everything, but, I have a couple questions.

First I understand why you don't put lube on the shoulder/neck, that was one of the lessons no one warned me about when I first started sizing. Which is why I use Lee Case Lube, it allows me to use it wet or dry. Using it DRY completely eliminates the problem of dented cases.

So, one of my questions is, could I use your formula DRY?

I also use Lee case Lube because they advertise that it will not have any affect on powder if any gets inside the case throat. Do you think your formula would do the same?

Lastly, I use plastic gloves also, really makes the lube go on extra thin and a long way, but, I still like to clean them off by dry corn cob tumbling. Do you recommend cleaning your lube off after sizing?

thanks

 

[AZGEEZER]

I'm kinda fuzzy on what you mean by "dry".

I always clean my brass twice, once to get the dirt off and again to get the lube off. I used to do a lot of case forming, at least 20K a month and needed a cheap lube that I can make.

This is me and some of what I do as a reference.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?117-Grumpa

Even for my own use I clean them after using my homemade lube. Vaseline is a petrolium product and I'm not having it touch the powder. Living as remote as we do just getting things is harder than you know, ordering media or anything for that matter and having it delivered just didn't happen. FedEx and UPS didn't deliver so that was a factor switching to the wet method.

Be sure to read the sticky I have, it explains things.

That lube is stiff when cool, but when the temp goes up it wants to liquify at about 80deg or so.

 

[shooter444]

Thanks!

 

[Ranger1]

I go down to sprouts and get a small bottle of Lanolin oil. I go over to Walgreens and get 2 bottles of 92% alcohol and mix them all up into a 1 gallon water container. No water of course and fill up a spray bottle. I go to walmart and get a shoe tote. Put some brass in spray it and put the. In the hopper.