[SSN Vet]

are they worth the extra $$ if your only reloading a couple hundred a month with them?

I know the mfg. literature says you don't have to lube with carbide dies. But I'm wondering if you experience re-loaders don't lube with them anyway.

thanks

[benedict1]

Buy the Lee DeLuxe carbide pistol dies and you will never regret it. You can get them in common calibers for less than $30 at most online dealers( check out--
http://www.kempfgunshop.com/products/reloading/leeprecision/dies/deluxepistol.html

This is for four dies--it includes the Lee Factory Crimp Die which is a real asset.

I wouldn't be without them. No fuss, no hassle. They just work great.

[Smokey Joe]

Yeah, they're worth it! Lubing cases and then cleaning the lube off afterwards is a hassle I can do without. I tumble-clean the cases before beginning to work on them with the dies, so the cases aren't carrying any die-scratching contaminants.

Have yet to have a problem with sizing unlubed cases in carbide dies.

[cpaspr]

They're worth it. I too only load a few hundred a month, if that. Not that I don't want to load more, just that I don't usually have the time, since I'm still in the single stage press mode (though I have two side by side: poor man's progressive - size and deprime in one, then expand in the next [I use the Lee hand priming tool to add primers at a later date, then switch dies and load powder and bullets when I need them.]).

I lubed, then deprimed and sized about 550 .357 cartridges. Messy, messy, messy! Since then I've picked up a set of carbide dies and a tumbler. Much nicer, cleaner, easier all the way around.

[ocabj]

I don't know why anyone lubes straight wall pistol brass when reloading. Resizing dry pistol brass requires the same amount of energy to resize well lubed bottlenecked rifle brass.

[Poper]

I don't know why anyone lubes straight wall pistol brass when reloading.
Not as likely to crush them thin little walls!
Poper

[hoghunting]

I'm in agreement with the others - Get the carbide dies. Lubing and cleaning the lube is a step to avoid if you possibly can.

[adweisbe]

and lube! It makes the whole operation faster, easier, and less tiring. Lube is cheap enough.
http://brianenos.com/pages/dillonfaqs.html#prepfaqs

[mete]

Clean the cases before you size !! Things like sand are VERY abrasive and will score and wear even carbide dies !

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Yes, carbide dies are worth it. The Lee deluxe die sets are tough to beat. That's all I own for many cartridges any more.

[Steve C]

I don't know why anyone lubes straight wall pistol brass when reloading.
Not as likely to crush them thin little walls!
Poper

Obviously someone who has never know the agrivation of sticking an unlubed case in a steel case is a steel die so tight the rim tears out of the shell holder.:eek:

[ilbob]

Carbide dies are well worth the little bit of extra money they cost.

It does not hurt to use a small amount of lube even when using carbide dies. The little bit of brass polish in my tumbler puts just a hint of lube on the cases.

[The Bushmaster]

It's obvious that I'm not needed here...Get the carbide dies...!:)

[tomhorn]

go to ebay type in carbide (cal) sizer i havent payed over 10.00 for just the sizer . rcbs or pacific ...you will not regret it ...

[LHB1]

...straight walled cases = carbide dies... clean brass...not necessary to lube or wipe off later...also no contaminated primers from the lube on cases, fingers, etc. Have used carbide dies exclusively since they came out back in early 70's (?).

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

[lee n. field]

are they worth the extra $$ if your only reloading a couple hundred a month with them?

Yes, in labor saving alone.

[tbtrout]

Definately worth the extra few bucks.

[fred in nc]

I use both steel and carbide and far prefer the latter. The steel dies are from my younger days when carbides were just being introduced and in one case because I didn't want to pay big bucks for 7.62x25 dies. Carbides are much easier to use. Admittedly both will do the job.

[BigJakeJ1s]

Hornady Titanium Nitride coated sizing dies for pistols also work well. I don't lube with them. And their seating dies are fantastic.

Andy

[Stinger]

Shhh! Don't tell the die makers, but I'd happily pay twice as much as they charge for the carbide sizing dies just to avoid using lube.

I don't know how you old timers ever got by, what with the whole walking uphill to school both ways, and using plain steel dies for straightwall pistol cases. :)

:what:

Stinger

[The Bushmaster]

Walkin' up hill both ways to school??? I had a horse...It was the waist deep snow that got me...:D

[highlander 5]

Most carbide dies are tungsten carbide don't worry about dirt ,sand etc you won't hurt the insert or carbide ring.Carbide is very hard BUT brittle you can chip it if you drop it on a hard surface.We used tungsten carbide inserts in my plant then went to titanium nitride which is a coating and cheaper to use in the long run. We make jet engines for the military. On the Mohs scale carbide is a 9 almost as hard as a diamond IIRC

[ranger335v]

As said above, the benifits of carbide is worth something even for small quanities. And I do lube, Imperial Die Wax (or Kiwi Neutral Shoe Wax), every 10-20 cases just to keep the carbide surface from galling on the dry brass.

For inexpensive and occasional loading on a single stage press, I would suggest you take a look at Lee's "Speed" die. It is about the same or less than some brands price for a steel die set but includes the carbide sizer ring. And it's an interesting device, worth using on it's own merits. It does three functions very well with a single die body!

To size, you first remove the decapping pin and bullet seater plug and run all your cases thru the carbide sizer ring. Next, you unscrew the sizer ring and insert the decap/expand/belling plug, then run the cases thru that step. Prime them too. Charge. Remove the plug and install the bullet seating stem, then seat your bullets. Easy! And reconfiguruing the die body between steps is as fast as swapping dies.

I tried one on a whimsy several years ago. Now I have one for each of my pistol rounds - .38/357, 9mm, 44, 45. :)