Am I missing something on case lube?

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kutter

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I admit, compared to most of you I am a veritable youngster at this, but I am still puzzled by something. Why is it everyone considers case lube to be such a pain? Especially for pistol rounds. The way people talk about it you would think it added hours to the process, not 30 seconds. Ok, I admit, I use One Shot and just dump all of them into a plastic container and spray them for a few seconds while shaking them around. I even do it for .40 and I have carbide dies for that. So what I am missing, what is the big deal about case lube?

Oh, as a caveat, I do not lube my .308 that way, they go on a loading block, but .223 goes in the tupperware and I have never had a problem with it either.
 
Contrary to what a lot of guys post, I too don't have a problem with lube. I use Imperial and don't find it to be a problem. I just toss the rounds in a tumbler for 15 minutes or so after loading and they come out bright and clean.
 
It isn't a big deal kutter, its just one of the first steps in reloading. Its a messy step for some, others, like the gentleman that posted previously, its gotta be done in order to reload. When the cases are deprimed, resized, then throw 'em into a tumbler and 20/45 minutes later, they're ready to go, no biggy!
 
I don't mind lubing my rifle cases. As mentioned, a run through the tumbler takes it off. I clean it off the empty brass after sizing and trimming so I have bulk brass ready to go. The air compressor does a great job of ejecting any media stuck in flash holes. I got tired of using a punch or straightened paperclip to pick the stuff out.
 
Not an inconvenience for me. I only shoot reduced loads in my bolt rifles these days -- I neck size and only use lube (Lee) on the inside of the neck (I do not remove the lube residue).

James
 
Unlike pistol cases that use carbide dies that don't require lube, it is just a extra messy step that is a pain to mess with. I mean, roll on a lube pad and lube the inside of the neck. then throw them in the tumbler for a while in which you always get media in the flash hole. It is a extra step that is a pain. It just slowss down the whole process. After all, you also have to trim the case.
 
One Shot is not the lube that most people complain about considering there's no reason to wipe that lube off. As for rifle rounds, I use Imperial Sizing Wax and wipe it off with a rag. Again, there's no mess there but many of the other lubes out there are a total pain to work with.
 
It's like shaving. Fun at first, then it becomes routine, then there are those days you would rather skip it.:rolleyes: Fortunately, case lube has come a long way since the greased pad and sticky ammunition. A solution of Lee lube and rubbing alcohol works very well for me and is easy enough.
 
Oh, as a caveat, I do not lube my .308 that way, they go on a loading block,
Click to expand...
I'd stop doing the .308 that way too.

A loading block covers up one end of the case or the other, so one end isn't going to get lubed properly.

I think that is the cause of a lot of folks problems with spray lube.
A rifle case is hardest to size on the back end web area.
Right where standing mouth up in a loading block prevents any lube getting on it where it needs it the most.

rc
 
One Shot is fine for straight-walled pistol cases, but fails miserably with bottle-necked rifle cases. Imperial Sizing Die Wax goes on and wipes off easily, and is the best lube I've found for rifle cases.

Don
 
USSR said:
One Shot is fine for straight-walled pistol cases, but fails miserably with bottle-necked rifle cases. Imperial Sizing Die Wax goes on and wipes off easily, and is the best lube I've found for rifle cases.

Don
Click to expand...
One Shot seemed to work fine on my .300WM brass.
 
I have good luck with RCBS case-slick on my 223. But so far, it's the only tapered cartridge I reload.
 
USSR, I would agree that Imperial is probably better at lubrication than the One Shot, but to say it is not for bottleneck cases I have to disagree with, and I think the thousands of .223 and 357 Sig I have reloaded would probably agree with me.

RC, your point is a good one, I will have to think some about that. Typically I do not go through more than 60-80 .308 rounds in a trip to the range so lubing with a pad would not be that much more work for the low volume I shoot. Now if my wife gets the hints for Christmas and Santa brings that Savage 12 F/TR, then my volume will go up just because I suspect I will be at the range a lot more frequently.
 
One Shot is fine for straight-walled pistol cases, but fails miserably with bottle-necked rifle cases.
Click to expand...

I hope you didn't just jinx me. :neener: I have been using Hornady One Shot for a few years now to lube 223 brass and have had zero problems.
 
When reloading for my handguns it's an inconvenience for me.

I tumble
resize/deprime
reprime
charge
add bullet
crimp

If I had to lube them I'd have to tumble again or somehow get rid of the lube.

I won't tumble primed cases and I load on a turret.
So if I lubed I'd have to size/deprime, take them off the press, tumble then put them back on the press to finish the job.

It would add at least an hour or more to the time it takes to reload.
 
" I am still puzzled by something. Why is it everyone considers case lube to be such a pain?

You may be a youngster but you are wise beyond your time! :)

I strongly suspect "most" of the people who have problems with One-Shot have problems with reading and following instructions.
 
Hondo, my first question is why would you have to tumble them again to get the lube off and next, are you of the opinion that 10 minutes in a tumbler after loading is in any way measurably detrimental to loaded rounds?

I wipe off the .308 rounds, pistol and .223, I just shoot them as is. I have never had a problem yet. Admittedly my sample is relatively small, but others on here have done the same, it was because of this I stopped tumbling post loading. Not because I am worried about damaging the round in some way, just don't perceive a need to do so.
 
No need to make lubing the cases a chore. One Shot works like a charm. I've loaded thousands of rounds using the stuff.

As far as cleaning the cases after loading, there is no reason to put them in the tumbler. Take 30 or 40 rounds (depending on the size) and set them on an old towel or t-shirt. Wrap them up and massage for a few minutes and they will come out clean as can be.

Carbide pistol dies = no need for lube. Don't waste your time.
 
To me, lubing is easy and no big deal...I simply wipe them off when all is done. On the other hand, trimming cases is the real pain, even with my motorized Lyman trimmer because I do hundreds at a time!!!
I have used all kinds of lube products and feel One Shot is excellent for both rifle and handgun cartridges. At the moment I'm using a lanolin/alcohol lube only because I ran out of One Shot.
 
It's not exactly a pain, but I don't see the point to it, either - at least with cases for which carbide dies are available. It would be sort of akin to touching each case with a "healing crystal" before loading: it wouldn't hurt anything, but it's not likely to help either, so why bother? I don't go out of my way to add unnecessary steps to my activities unless I'm being paid by the hour. :p
 
10:1 alcohol and Lee lube in a squeeze bottle. Dump casings in a ziplock bag. Squirt. Shake. Dump on towel before going to bed. Reload in the morning. No problem.
 
I load on a progressive. the way I do it is:
1.tumble to remove range dirt.
2. lube/resize/deprime with no other dies uninstalled (No problem there, the press ejects into a container so I only handle once)
3. tumble to remove lube
4. reinsert into press with sizer die removed and other dies installed to finish loading, loaded rounds come out finished and clean

After reading all of this I have a question about One Shot lube. How do you lube the inside of the necks? I've heard the trick to place in a Zip-loc bag and shake method. But does lube get in the inside of the neck? And do you still have to wipe the clean or do they dry clean?
 
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