First time loading for .308 Winchester and need some help/advice.

[AMT]

Along these lines, i was searching last night and someone mentioned something and it made a lot of sense. At least "a lot of sense" in my limited knowledge of this.

Someone on the interwebs mentioned that Hornady One Shot is roughly $15 for a 5 or 7 oz can (depending on how you read the label).

Liquid wrench Silicon spray is $6 for an 11oz can. They said the silicon spray is super slick and works just as good. BUT, you must clean the brass inside and out after using it. (I assume that it lingers and can affect the powder?)

I normally run the brass through a wet tumbler with SS pins (and of course thoroughly drying them) before loading anyway (as my OCD only allows me to load clean shells ).

So, is there a reason the silicon spray can't work too?

 

[No_Regerts]

the lake city was prob fired from a machine gun meaning its been expanded more than it would from say a bolt action rifle.

second, in my experience one shot isnt ideal for sizing 308. i use rcbs case lube and a lube pad for it. the largest caliber i use one shot for is 6.5 grendel or 300 blackout. i put about 200 cases in a gallon zip lock spray a ton of one shot in there and then shake the bag.

Same here in regards to case lube and pad. Also, I never mix lots of brass, even of the same manufacturer. They go from new, to bags marking once fired, twice fired, etc. and what rifle. They will remain together until they are discarded.

 

[American123]

Royal case lube spray is the best in my opinion. I put a bunch of cases on a cookie sheet (actually an upside down Tupperware lid) spray them lightly, they are good to go after that.

After I load them, I just put all the cartridges in a towel and rub them around so there is no residue.

 

[Mikej]

Along these lines, i was searching last night and someone mentioned something and it made a lot of sense. At least "a lot of sense" in my limited knowledge of this.

Someone on the interwebs mentioned that Hornady One Shot is roughly $15 for a 5 or 7 oz can (depending on how you read the label).

Liquid wrench Silicon spray is $6 for an 11oz can. They said the silicon spray is super slick and works just as good. BUT, you must clean the brass inside and out after using it. (I assume that it lingers and can affect the powder?)

I normally run the brass through a wet tumbler with SS pins (and of course thoroughly drying them) before loading anyway (as my OCD only allows me to load clean shells ).

So, is there a reason the silicon spray can't work too?

It might work. For me, personally, I hate the feel of silicone on my hands. And I certainly don't want it on anything/everything my hands touch afterward. I believe it also has a petroleum carrier in it, which may be an oil and therefor not fully evaporate. In my, so far limited, experience with shouldered brass and case lube, I've come to the conclusion that using case lube just sucks, period. What ever you do, have to get it on your cases and hands. And, it has to be cleaned off.

I'm using the RCBS lube, on a pad with powder graphite for the neck...at least for now.

Food for thought.

I've recently learned, through extensive reading, that .308 bass and 7.62 NATO brass are not the same. I had to research because of a new gun that recommended only using 7.67 NATO because of the possibility of tearing rims of of the higher pressure .308 ammo. 7.62 NATO brass is heavier (thicker) than .308 brass. That tells me that LC (7.62 NATO?) brass is likely to feel different when sizing than .308. And also thicker brass may mean higher pressures when using .308 data in 7.62 NATO.

7.62 NATO vs .308 Winchester Ammo, What’s The Difference?

Gun nut, Tom McHale, risks a fight to explain the subtle nuances between 7.62 NATO vs .308 Winchester Ammunition.

www.ammoland.com

That's where I'm at in this discussion anyway.

 

[po18guy]

As to One Shot, it is a dry lube that is carried by a rapidly evaporating liquid - otherwise it would spray a cloud of powder. The lube is slick, while the carrier liquid is not. Some liquids actually increase friction. Ever try to get those plastic wastepaper and garbage bags open once they are off the roll? The clear/white are the worst. Wet your fingers and the grip increases to where you can get the danged bag to open. I suppose this is why "wet" One Shot does not work as well as when it is allowed to dry.

 

[Spitpatch]

As to One Shot, it is a dry lube that is carried by a rapidly evaporating liquid - otherwise it would spray a cloud of powder. The lube is slick, while the carrier liquid is not. Some liquids actually increase friction. Ever try to get those plastic wastepaper and garbage bags open once they are off the roll? The clear/white are the worst. Wet your fingers and the grip increases to where you can get the danged bag to open. I suppose this is why "wet" One Shot does not work as well as when it is allowed to dry.

Finally! Yes. One Shot is actually powder in suspension. It is important to shake well before use, allow to dry prior to sizing.

A dedicated nylon bore brush (of appropriate or near-caliber) is also sprayed, allowed to dry and run into each neck: not only to lube the interior of it for the expander plug, but to remove powder residue for easier seating. The treated brush is good for about 10 cases. I would be very leery about spraying anything in any measurable quantity into the case main cavity.

I have NEVER stuck a case in a die that was properly lubed. I HAVE made the pedal-to-the-metal dash to the gun shop to get the Stuck Case Remover because I became distracted and put an un-lubed case on the shell holder. One more lesson toward the "one step for all cases" rule.

I lay 10 cases down on a cotton sock, all facing same direction and next to each other. Spray toward the shoulder area, rotate all at once with the palm of my hand, one more shot, brush each and go to town.

For heavy work (i.e.: forming, necking down, etc.) The RCBS lube and pad come out and see service.

Rarely do I size and prep cases all the same for more than one rifle. .30-30 is an exception: all of those here are fed the same exact recipe, and all full-length sized.
Mostly, brass is dedicated to one gun. It has to be for best results. Best example of that is my .250 Savages. (One a Remington 700 and one a Savage 1920: bolt guns). Even each of the 99's (4 of them) likes a load that is different and a case prep that is different.

I realize most discussion on this thread is toward military .308's. But some of what I have learned regarding individuality of guns and sizing accordingly might be worth a look, even for the war horses.

 

[orygun]

Let them completely dry. It DOES make a difference.

Hugely important. I made the same mistake of thinking wet was ok. It's not.

 

[po18guy]

The more cases you size, you can develop a feel for when one is not lubed sufficiently. About 2/3-3/4 into the die, the force will multiply. Best time to yank it back out and check. Even if it is stuck and the rim tears off, you still have sufficient case outside the die body to work on it.

I made my own stuck case remover. Ground the head of a 1/4-20 bolt (grade 8 or 10 is best) until it would slide into the shell holder. You can use a smaller diamter shell holder if you need more grip on the bolt head. Then, I drilled and tapped the primer pocket of the stuck case 1/4-20. Two ways here: raise the ram while spinning the bolt and threading it into the case, or raise the ram and spin the die and case onto the bolt threads. It still might take a hefty pull to get it out, but with patience, you can get the case out.

By using the primer pocket to pull the stuck case, the force will cause the case walls to pull slightly inward, relaxing the die's grip on it. After the case is out, clean the heck out of the die interior and maybe even give it a polish with some crocus cloth - NOT sandpaper. Only crocus, which will not change the interior dimension of the die.

Find the hardest shell holder you can. RCBS tends to be soft and you might pull the lip off the shell holder. I have some ancient (1970s) Herter's and they are as hard as a file.

 

[orygun]

Hugely important. I made the same mistake of thinking wet was ok. It's not.

And it is the reason I have an RCBS stuck case remover.

 

[orygun]

I HAVE made the pedal-to-the-metal dash to the gun shop to get the Stuck Case Remover because I became distracted and put an un-lubed case on the shell holder.

Perfect description for the trip to Fisherman's when I needed mine! I'm 10 minutes away. I discovered I needed it at ten til 8. They close at 8. I didn't have to make 2 trips.

Not to discount the rest of his post. Like usual, Spitpatch is full of great info.

 

[Spitpatch]

That panic trip is a rite of passage that I have seen admitted over and over and over again. In print and speech.

 

[Spitpatch]

The more cases you size, you can develop a feel for when one is not lubed sufficiently. About 2/3-3/4 into the die, the force will multiply. Best time to yank it back out and check. Even if it is stuck and the rim tears off, you still have sufficient case outside the die body to work on it.

I made my own stuck case remover. Ground the head of a 1/4-20 bolt (grade 8 or 10 is best) until it would slide into the shell holder. You can use a smaller diamter shell holder if you need more grip on the bolt head. Then, I drilled and tapped the primer pocket of the stuck case 1/4-20. Two ways here: raise the ram while spinning the bolt and threading it into the case, or raise the ram and spin the die and case onto the bolt threads. It still might take a hefty pull to get it out, but with patience, you can get the case out.

By using the primer pocket to pull the stuck case, the force will cause the case walls to pull slightly inward, relaxing the die's grip on it. After the case is out, clean the heck out of the die interior and maybe even give it a polish with some crocus cloth - NOT sandpaper. Only crocus, which will not change the interior dimension of the die.

Find the hardest shell holder you can. RCBS tends to be soft and you might pull the lip off the shell holder. I have some ancient (1970s) Herter's and they are as hard as a file.

I made a stuck case remover pretty darned fast: At a friend's house who was still learning about reloading. I knew the principle, had the store-bought tool AT HOME, but we cobbled same together and part of it I remember was a U-joint bearing cap: get them pencil bearings outta there, get rid of the rubber rim seal, and you have a real nice cap that fits over an RCBS die face. The rest (regarding drilling and tapping of the brass) is so easy even a cave-man can do it.

I will acknowledge that the construction of this remover with materials at hand probably took less time than the epic panic ride.

 

[orygun]

One of my college profs said, "One you understand the theory, you can fix anything". He was a wise man.

 

[Mikej]

I just wanna know how long ago it was that Fisherman's had something like a stuck case remover on their shelves? Their reloading stuff was in poor supply for years before the Rona even.

And, no stuck cases for me yet. We'll see down the line as I only have a little over 100 done between 6.5x55 and .30-06, but I'm believing there's a "Feel" that will tell me if lube isn't sufficient.

 

[3MTA3]

I just wanna know how long ago it was that Fisherman's had something like a stuck case remover on their shelves? Their reloading stuff was in poor supply for years before the Rona even.

And, no stuck cases for me yet. We'll see down the line as I only have a little over 100 done between 6.5x55 and .30-06, but I'm believing there's a "Feel" that will tell me if lube isn't sufficient.

Hearing @AMT 's experience makes me glad I went with Dillon dies for 223 and 308. They have a stuck case feature built in to their sizing dies. Just pull the retention pin and use a wrench to remove the case. If it's really stuck you might need to resort to channel locks and a #1 universal repair tool (hammer). Handy feature for resizing military brass. Never had any issue with 5.56, but will be doing some once fired 7.72 for the first time after the new year. Makes me wish I'd spent extra for the carbide dies now after learning more about military brass.

Also have the Dillon primer pocket swedge tool as well. Thankful that I have primers to put back in them.

 

[AMT]

Well, a couple days ago i got my lanolin oil delivered and i made a mixture of 10:1 lanolin oil and 91% ISO alcohol. To clarify...... 10 parts ISO and 1 part lanolin oil.

I saturated 50-60 pieces in a large zip-lok bag and agitated the heck out it. I dumped the shells out on an old cookie sheet (that my wife doesn't know is missing ) and let dry overnight.

Last night i went out and those suckers are slippery now the the liquid evaporated and the oil is still coated on it. I started running the shells though the sizer/decapper die and they all ran as slick as i would expect!

Imagine the difference in letting the liquid dry and leaving the slick stuff on the shells!!! Whodda-thunk it?!?!?!

Now i need to figure out why i am snapping decapper pins, as posted in another thread....

Thanks to everyone's help so far. Any other hints, tips, tricks will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Sniperwannabee]

Well, a couple days ago i got my lanolin oil delivered and i made a mixture of 10:1 lanolin oil and 91% ISO alcohol. To clarify...... 10 parts ISO and 1 part lanolin oil.

I saturated 50-60 pieces in a large zip-lok bag and agitated the heck out it. I dumped the shells out on an old cookie sheet (that my wife doesn't know is missing ) and let dry overnight.

Last night i went out and those suckers are slippery now the the liquid evaporated and the oil is still coated on it. I started running the shells though the sizer/decapper die and they all ran as slick as i would expect!

Imagine the difference in letting the liquid dry and leaving the slick stuff on the shells!!! Whodda-thunk it?!?!?!

Now i need to figure out why i am snapping decapper pins, as posted in another thread....

Thanks to everyone's help so far. Any other hints, tips, tricks will be greatly appreciated!

does lanolin inside the case effect anything? Or are you washing them with water afterwards

 

[Member 5605]

I started running the shells though the sizer/decapper die and they all ran as slick as i would expect!

every so often, make sure to take a q-tip soaked in alcohol or something similar and clean the inside of the die on top of making sure the vent hole is clear and lanolin hasn't hardened inside of it blocking the escape. Otherwise you will get dented cases.

Your hands will be soft too after working with the lanolin. I like it because I don't have to worry about chemicals on my hands from lubricants.

 

[Member 5605]

does lanolin inside the case effect anything? Or are you washing them with water afterwards

Most wash/clean cases afterward. Lanolin would make the powder stick to the inside of the case if some were there. Lanolin being a non-petroleum product would have no impact on making primer or powder inert. You may see some issue with clumps of powder stuck together. I have not experienced any in the cases I only rolled on a pad sprayed with lanolin/ISO. I'll still do it that way when doing small batches of chamber tailored brass.

The worst is when it sticks just inside the mouth and prevents powder from dropping into the case, makes a bridge that makes a mess when you aren't paying attention to the funnel or powder drop. Don't ask. Stick powder is the Wurst.

 

[AMT]

does lanolin inside the case effect anything? Or are you washing them with water afterwards

Most wash/clean cases afterward. Lanolin would make the powder stick to the inside of the case if some were there. Lanolin being a non-petroleum product would have no impact on making primer or powder inert. You may see some issue with clumps of powder stuck together. I have not experienced any in the cases I only rolled on a pad sprayed with lanolin/ISO. I'll still do it that way when doing small batches of chamber tailored brass.

The worst is when it sticks just inside the mouth and prevents powder from dropping into the case, makes a bridge that makes a mess when you aren't paying attention to the funnel or powder drop. Don't ask. Stick powder is the Wurst.

I absolutely plan on running them through a cleaner prior to assembling.

I am trying to decide if i want to run them through a vibratory cleaner with walnut shells prior to throwing in the wet tumbler for a super shiny end-product.

As someone mention previously, the oils tend to get the wet tumbler "dirty" and it needs to be cleaned more often. Cleaning it isn't "THAT" big of a deal, it's just a pain and I don't like scrubbing it out....

I might used the walnut media as the "sacrificial" cleaner. Then I can just dump it and start over with fresh/clean media every-so-often.

Thoughts? Ideas? Comments?