Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Who has used Redding Imperial Sizing Die Wax???

Long story here so bear with me, but I have used Hornady One Shot for the last 20 years with great results up until yesterday. I was sizing some 280ai and some 300 RUM cases for load work on them. I have always used Hornady 1 shot since I started reloading and over the 20 years I have stuck 2 cases. Yesterday I went to do some resizing for the 280ai and I stuck a case. They seemed a little hard on the first two but I didn't give it much thought. On the third one I stuck a case. OK, I tell myself, this happens. So in my struggles I end up with case neck separation with the neck still stuck in the case.

I am a little agitated but I decide to resize the 300 RUM as I had planned on it anyway. I do my usual routine of spraying them with the one shot. I wait a few minutes and set up the sizing die while I wait. After 10-15 minutes I get to work on the RUM cases. Again, they feel harder than they should be. I do three and then on the fourth I stick one in the die and pull off the rim. I get the case out with my homemade stuck case remover. I decide to give it another go. After doing one I end up sticking the third case of the day. By this time I am pretty irritated and I get it out. I give up at this point and decide to give up for the day. Well, by the end of the day this is eating at me as I have only stuck two cases in 20 years and now I have three in one day in two different cartridges. So I get out a set of spare RCBS 300 RUM dies and see what happens. I get three or four more done and then....you guessed it, another stuck case.

I email Redding and Hornady to ask if redding can fix my 280ai die and see if Hornady has changed the one shot recipe in the last couple of years. The can I was using is probably 2-3 years old but I have used them much longer than this in the past. I hear back from Redding very first thing this morning and they are more than happy to take care of it for me. They even offer to send me a sample tin of imperial wax to try. Well, this sparks my memory and I remember that I have a tin of this I had boughten a couple of years ago. I get home from work tonight and I proceed to give it another go. I clean all the cases to make sure they are free of one shot and then I start in using the imperial. I do have to say the first 3 or 4 were hard but not as hard as they were with the one shot. Then about case #5 they start getting easier and work like they should. I do the last 45 with no problems and most of them required minimal effort to do.

I have to say that whatever has happened to my one shot it is no longer providing any lubrication for the cases. The imperial works very good and I am impressed with it. I have yet to hear back from Hornady to see what they have to say but this provides no doubt in my mind that it is the one shot that is to blame for my troubles. I can't give the people at redding enough accolades for responding so fast and being so willing to help me solve this issue. I have used their dies for many years but I will always have a tin of imperial on the bench from now on. As far as Hornady, well, I'll see what they have to say before I pass judgement there.

Thanks for listening and has anyone else had an experience like this with one shot??

Reno

I use the imperial wax for all my full length resizing, it's good stuff.

No experience with one-shot.

One shot is great for mass producing varmint stuff on a Dillon. Imperial is the cats meow for anything else.

Didja shake it? Never had an issue with Reddings or One Shot. Been digging the One Shot Cleaner & Lube as well....

I've stuck a few with One Shot when i didn't let it dry.

I shook the heck out of it. The 280ai I had lubed the day before so it was dry. I have learned in the past to let it dry well. The redding works very well.

Reno

I use the Imperial sizing die wax, and it provides very good lubrication. It takes noticeably less effort than with other lubes I've tried, and a little bit goes a long way.

I clean my virgin dies with brake cleaner then start with Imperial. It takes a few cases to get spread out then life is good.

Been an Imperial fan for a long time now. Great stuff.

I ran into that very same thing about ten years ago when I first started reloading. Worked great for a little while then started sticking cases. Been using the RCBS lube on a pad ever since and have stuck nothing. miles

I would wonder if your dies had something in them that the very thin film of One Shot was not able to overcome?

That said, Imperial works very well, as does the seemingly similar material found in cans of Kiwi Mink Oil leather dressing.

One Shot can have problems if it's old, if it isn't given a few minutes to dry on the cases, or possibly if it's not shook up well.
Imperial is slightly less convenient, but it is slick and sure.

The problem is it was three different size dies. Some of the lube had dried over a day and I shook it very very well. I think it is just a matter of an old can and for whatever reason it is no longer good.

Reno

One-Shot can be a little tricky. It has to be shaken well before use, must be allowed to dry until it feels sticky, and a person can spray too much or too little. The good outweighs the bad though, so I contine to use it. I also find that I have to wipe the necks and shoulder with my finger just before inserting into the die or I might dent a case. I may one day try Imperial. How hard is it to remove?

Used to use One-Shot for FL sizing. Did it for about 1 or 2 years. Stuck one case. Went to Imperial and never looked back. I still use One Shot for neck lube. Sprayed onto a Q-tip and applied that way.

I simply wiped the brass with a blue shop paper towel when I was done. No trouble at all to get off. No matter what I use I wipe it off so it is no more work than say one shot.

Still no word from Hornady today.

Reno

I do the same, dump half dozen or so on a towel as I size them, then fold the towel over them and roll it a couple times on the bench. Cleans the wax with almost no effort.

I have only been reloading for 6 years or so and have yet to use up this small tin of Imperial Sizing Die wax. Tried RCBS and LEE lube but I prefer the wax. I shoot about 500-600rds a year. At this rate, I think these 2 tins will last me a lifetime.

One Shot doesn't seem to be very forgiving if you don't follow directions or are very thorough with coverage. Add the fact that it is very expensive compared to almost everything else. I trialed one can, loved the convenience, but nothing else. Returned to Imperial Wax, which has served me well for decades.

Will Imperial Die Wax contaminate powder if left on the inside of the neck?

Regardless, what is the best way you have found to remove wax from the inside of case necks?