Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Hornady Unique case lube

I bought a tub of this on a recent Midway order and tried it for the first time a few weeks back.

Anyone else have powder sticking to the inside necks and serious issues with shoulder denting upon sizing rifle cases?

I'm using such a small amount of the stuff right now I'm afraid of stuck cases...

Nothing like the routine stuff to get you all fired up...

I'm fixing to trash the stuff...

I have had a tub of this lube for years and use it all of the time. The trick is to lightly touch your finger to the lube and wipe the case. You can lube a number of cases with what you pick up on your finger. You may not even have to wipe the lube on every case since there is residue left inside of the die. After I lube and resize the case I throw it in the tumbler for a few hours. If you have dents in the shoulder of your case you are using way too much lube.

I just use STP on a rag. The STP goes on the rag first and allowed to soak in. Then just wipe the case with the rag. Yes, it does have to be put on thin, but it works when thin. There should be no visible oil on the case. Also don't forget to periodically clean out your die with a solvent.

Used it for years without any problem. I think the key is "less is more" when using it.

VarmintLooney got it right - just lightly touching a thumb and forefinger is usually enough for 2 or 3 cases. If you're doing more than that it's too much.

I just use a rag to wipe off the case after sizing. A small tub lasts an awful long time for the average guy.

Just a sheen of it on your fingertips is plenty, and then simply handle the cases - just as the guys above said. If you actually see the stuff on the case, you are using way too much.

For inside the neck, it may not be ideal. But it can be used. Swipe your fingers as above, then pull a nylon bore/neck brush through your fingertips. Once. That's enough.

By the way, if you read the tub label, it says it's also good for leather. That brings me to the conclusion that it is more or less identical to Mink Oil paste. If so, it's largely anhydrous lanolin, plus a wax and/or oil as active ingredients. I've tried Mink Oil as case lube and it is indistinguishable from Hornady Unique.

I used RCBS lube for years, in spite of the fact that I'm actually mildly allergic to it, and it makes my hands (and whatever else I touch) itch like a son of a gun. I did this because I'm at times inherently cheap, and i recieved large stockpiles of the stuff from my dad.
Finally I came to my senses, and started trying other lubes. Of all the other lubes I tried; unique is the best that I've found. In fact, I think that it's even better than the RCBS that I suffered with for years. As far as what it's made of, it smells, and feels suspiciously like bees wax to me. It may be mink oil as well, but I suspect that bees wax would be a bit more water soluable.
Mike

Dude...Hornady One Shot. Problem solved.

I've tried one shot, and I personally don't like it. I find the spray lubes are messy, and they don't work as well in my oppinion.
Mike

No sprays for me, either. That crud gets everywhere, and doesn't work as well or as easily as simply handling your cases as usual after you've swiped your fingers across a tin of Imperial Sizing Wax or Hornady Unique.

BTW, there is no mink oil in Mink Oil. They just call it that because mink are well waterproofed. You also may be confusing a product called Sno-Seal (which IS largely beeswax) with Mink Oil, which contain little if any, AFAIK.

Used it on my boots this past fall to avoid a trip to town. Seems to work just fine although not as good a pure beeswax.