Case lubes

When I first started handloading--about 1969-70 I used STP on a piece of folded towel tacked to a chunk of 2 x 4. (My handloadng in those days was a VLB--very low budget--project!)

When I need lube these days I use Midway's house brand in the pump sprayer. I put the cases in a plastic 3lb. coffee “can", shake the bottle, spritz a few pumps, then shake the cases around in the coffee can before the volatile solvent dries. I also roll each case in my fingers just before sizing to assure it is more thoroughly lubed.

For just a few cases or when expanding .30-06s for .35 Whelen plinkers, I use Lee's sizing lube, actually a wax type product, from the tube. A little bit on the inside of each case mouth then over the expander from an 8mm Mauser, then every other case neck inside and out before going over the Whelen expander and fully into the Whelen sizing die.

For sizing a few cases, a light pass with Lee lube on a finger does the trick per the instructions on the tube. Both Midway & Lee seem to easily wipe off of completed rounds using just a paper shop towel, the kind that come in a pull out box or the blue ones on a roll.

These days I use carbide sizing dies for pistols and Lee collet neck sizers for rifles. That makes the lubing REAL easy--a touch of wheelbearing grease every 500 rounds or so put on the tapered surfaces of the top of the collet that slide against the inside taper of the die body seems to work great. ;-)