Removing Case Lube

[dan belisle]

What lube did you use? RCBS Case Lube II has been my go-to as long as I have been reloading, it comes off with a quick roll through a damp T-shirt, regardless of temperature.

Depends what I'm doing. For heavy sizing jobs or reshaping for wildcats and such, Imperial Sizing Wax. For regular reloading, One Shot. Never had an issue with it, though "one shot" is a lie. Put them in the reloading tray, do a quick coat from each side and one from the top. Never stuck a case doing that, knock on wood. - dan

 

[I Dont Care About You]

how do you remove that case lube somewhere somebody had said brake clean. I reload hundreds at a time so sitting with a rag and you know rubbing case lube off of the casings not really something I wanna do

Throw a bunch of brass on an old backing sheet and spray brake cleaner on them liberally. Roll them around a bit. Either pour all of it onto a towel and roll around a bit to let them dry or into a bucket or sieve or something. Brake cleaner is good for mass degreasing of parts.

What is the problem with leaving the case lube on?

It stops the case griping the chamber wall and massively increases bolt thrust forces .... which the rifle is not designed to handle.

Supposedly the lube causes the case to slide backwards against the bolt face upon firing instead of sealing itself to the chamber and causes excessive pressure.

Supposedly? Not supposedly, it absolutely does increase bolt thrust.

A greasy or slippery case isn't going to result in destruction of the rifle but its just not a good idea to do many, many times over and over.

 

[track]

I've been handloading since 1982 and started with RCBS lube, then switched to Imperial Wax. The way I always cleaned my brass cases is with the RCBS Vibratory Cleaner, using corncob and walnut media combined. It arrives with a gleaming shine and free of lube/Imprial wax.

 

[BattleRife]

The product I’m using is called RCBS case slick. I bought a couple bottles about six or eight years ago. This is the first time I’ve got to use them, but I noticed that they are quite a bit evaporated out of the bottle so I think what it is is. I’m using the extra thick mixture more concentrated mixture.

Next time I use it, I think I’m gonna thin it down

And what do you propose to thin it with?

Ultimately, everything being discussed here comes down to the chemical basis of the product you are using. If you are wanting the lube to be removable with water, you should use a water-based lube, such as Lee lube or the RCBS Case Lube II.

Lubricants based on petroleum distillates will require solvents with a similar base to remove. You might be able to achieve acceptable cleanliness by mechanical means (tumbling) or using detergents but it is likely to take much more time and energy.

Edit to add: I looked up the MSDS for Case Slick and it appears to be based on hexane, 80-90%. To remove by dissolution you will require a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent, so paint thinner / mineral spirits should work.

 

[woodchopper]

after sizing and trimming I chuck the brass back in the tumbler with walnutshell and tumble to clean off the lube

 

[y2k]

And what do you propose to thin it with?

Ultimately, everything being discussed here comes down to the chemical basis of the product you are using. If you are wanting the lube to be removable with water, you should use a water-based lube, such as Lee lube or the RCBS Case Lube II.

Lubricants based on petroleum distillates will require solvents with a similar base to remove. You might be able to achieve acceptable cleanliness by mechanical means (tumbling) or using detergents but it is likely to take much more time and energy.

Edit to add: I looked up the MSDS for Case Slick and it appears to be based on hexane, 80-90%. To remove by dissolution you will require a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent, so paint thinner / mineral spirits should work.

To clean up the metal tray that I had cartridge casings in when I was spraying the casings I used gasoline and it got rid or the lube very well.

I used. I think it’s called rubbing alcohol. The alcohol used as hand sanitizer type alcohol to thin the lubricant. Gasoline should get people gasoline might be redneck with boys. It works.

Gasoline might be a bit redneck, but it works wonderfully been using as a solvent on the Farm ranch for over 40 years

 

[Smokinyotes]

I try to resize my brass in batches of 100 to keep them all the same number of firings. After resizing I just wipe the lube off with a paper towel.

 

[y2k]

To clean up the metal tray that I had cartridge casings in when I was spraying the casings I used gasoline and it got rid or the lube very well.

I used. I think it’s called rubbing alcohol. The alcohol used as hand sanitizer type alcohol to thin the lubricant. Gasoline should get people gasoline might be redneck with boys. It works.

Gasoline might be a bit redneck, but it works wonderfully been using as a solvent on the Farm ranch for over 40 years

This new phone always screws up what I say. Maybe I better go back to typing things out but yes, I used and boy does it ever work good

 

[kevin g]

When I was using my lube pad and heavy lube, doin lots of brass, I always tossed em back into my tumbler for a bit and got rid of it that way.
A buddy of mine made some home made stuff with lanolin, alcohol & a few something else's...gave me a gallon of it ! Same as the dillion lube...spritzer bottle application...used it for eons, but it needed to be shook up good prior to using.
Never had a stuck case, but always had to wipe the residual lanolin off afterwards. Not doing volume any more, just 7 or 8 hunting rifles and a few 223 plinkers. I've never used my old case lube pad since I garage-ee-ated to the thin alcohol based one shot stuff !

 

[saskgunowner101]

It stops the case griping the chamber wall and massively increases bolt thrust forces .... which the rifle is not designed to handle.



Supposedly? Not supposedly, it absolutely does increase bolt thrust.

A greasy or slippery case isn't going to result in destruction of the rifle but its just not a good idea to do many, many times over and over.

Have you read any good studies or testing regarding this that you could share? I've always wondered about this (yes, I believe it increases bolt thrust) in the sense of where is the fine line?

 

[DinduNuffin]

I put resized brass in dry tumbler for 1 hour to remove lube.....20/40 grit corn cob media treated with mineral spirits and NuFinish car polish.
That size of media is large enough not to get stuck in flash holes.

 

[FLHTCUI]

I kind of think I didn’t have the water as hot as I should. I remember years ago, turning the hot water tank full blast or full up an hour before.

Ole Ladies electric kettle works fine.
Is someone running 10k of prepped brass that one requires a full 40 gal. from the hot water tank?
Sometimes less is more a Simple Green goes a loong way in cleaning your brass and firearms bits and pieces.
Tight groups.
Rob

 

[kjohn]

After surviving a session with those sticky pads and sticky lube, not sure of the brand, (over 50 years ago) I started using LEE lube and never looked back I put it on either with my fingers or use Ganderite’s method in a tub. After resizing I simply wipe the cases clean with a shop towel. Loaded many hundreds/thousands of rifle rounds over the years, no problems. I definitely do not leave the lube on rifle brass!
Edite: I usually only load maybe 20 or 30 rounds at a time.

 

[Garand]

I wash the lube off using Acetone from Canadian Tire for the last 36 years.