Case Lube On Handgun Brass

[vaalpens]

I am new to this whole lube thing, but I only use lube for my 357sig. I have not started using it on 9mm or 40S&W. I use Hornady Unique and will just wipe my finger on the lube before picking up the brass to debulge or size, then just turn the brass between my fingers before putting it in the shell holder. When the debulge or size feel more difficult, then I'll wipe my fingers again on the lube.

I tried to tumble after lube, but started getting some gunk in my tumbler. Now I wash it in Dawn and Lemishine after lube and before final tumble.

 

[gamestalker]

The primary reason I don't lube any straight wall brass is because I don't like to introduce any unnecessary variables, such as how could it effect the powder, and could it induce set back.

I don't really get to concerned about the contamination risk, I thoroughly clean the lube off and then tumble real good.

But I do feel that lube residue, if not completely removed, could induce set back with rimless cartridges.

GS

 

[Gravedigger56]

Lube away. I pre-clean my used brass in corncob/walnut and then deprime with a universal decapping die to save wear and tear on my press dies. Then it's off to the sizing die. Since the next step after resizing is to do a thorough clean in the rotary tumbler for a couple of hours, I go ahead and lube all my brass.

 

[Berserker]

I sometimes spray some 44 mags, not every one. I think it gets on the dies, so you don't need to do every one. The spray seems pretty clean so I haven't been cleaning the brass off afterwards.

Sometimes I wait for it to dry, sometimes not. Just look for a little help, I am using carbide dies so it is not needs.

 

[Berserker]

Lube away. I pre-clean my used brass in corncob/walnut and then deprime with a universal decapping die to save wear and tear on my press dies. Then it's off to the sizing die. Since the next step after resizing is to do a thorough clean in the rotary tumbler for a couple of hours, I go ahead and lube all my brass.

Probably opening an old debate, but do you worry about media in the flash hole? I am not going to take the time to check every one on handguns. So I been de-priming after cleaning.

 

[TimSr]

I guess I don't understand the advantges to spending money on carbide dies if you are going to lube them anyways. I'm also having trouble understanding the advantages of progressive reloading if you have to add extra steps to make it work.

 

[Toprudder]

I shoot mainly 380, 9mm, 40, 45, 38spl, 357mag. I don't lube any of them. But, this thread got me to thinking about how I have evolved my brass cleaning process.

I started out dry tumbling and quickly settled on using NuFinish with mineral spirits. No problems with running cases through the various dies.

Then I switched to wet/ss tumbling with Dawn and Lemishine. After a while, I noticed sometimes I had real difficulty with the brass coming off the expander/powder funnel (Dillon 550 press). I noticed little streaks of brass on the expander after a few hundred rounds. Simply wiping my fingers on the bottom of the expander every 3-4 rounds cured the problem.

Then I switched to using Armor All Wash-n-Wax instead of Dawn. I did this mainly because I noticed when using Dawn that the brass would darken up a little after a week or two, and in some cases I would see some tarnish. Brass cleaned with Armor All stays bright, since it leaves a thin film of carnuba wax (the "wax" part of "Wash-n-Wax").

But then I noticed that the cases don't have the problem coming off the expander anymore, and they seem to go through the sizing die easier as well. I am completely sold on using the WnW in my wet tumbling now. I've even gone back and re-tumbled some brass that I had previously cleaned with Dawn.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I guess I don't understand the advantges to spending money on carbide dies if you are going to lube them anyways. I'm also having trouble understanding the advantages of progressive reloading if you have to add extra steps to make it work.

The advantage is not having to worry about that one case you forgot to lube. Most guy's here are agreeing that a little lube lessens the force needed to use the press.

 

[buck460XVR]

I guess I don't understand the advantges to spending money on carbide dies if you are going to lube them anyways. I'm also having trouble understanding the advantages of progressive reloading if you have to add extra steps to make it work.

The advantage is the ease of resizing. The advantage is you don't have to lube if you don't want to or don't have the time, and you can still resize your brass. With the spray type lubes, one really isn't adding a step to each case, just a quick spray into a baggie full of brass. Again, even with carbide dies, die manufacturers recommend the use of lube with some handgun calibers. How foolish of them, eh?

Again, like the trimming of handgun brass, sorting by headstamp and tumbling after loading, not everyone does. In every case, it is not wrong either way, but right. Seems everytime one of these types of thread comes up, someone has to add a snark comment like

I guess we had super slick range dust on the brass we were picking up

in attempt to belittle those that do things different. Probably the same folks that feel a need to belittle folks that use catchup on steak or mustard on their eggs. I'm thinkin' it must be a form of insecurity, eh?

As for the lube contaminating powder or primers or influencing neck tension, why is handgun brass any different than rifle brass where one lubes the case and actually lubes the inside of the case neck?

Reloading is a personal thing and many folks are more meticulous than I, have different techniques than I and have different priorities than I. But most of us still make safe and accurate ammo altho our methods are different. Pretty amazing, eh?

 

[Gravedigger56]

Probably opening an old debate, but do you worry about media in the flash hole? I am not going to take the time to check every one on handguns. So I been de-priming after cleaning.

Not really. I do check but have never had a single pin stick. I just prefer the primer pocket to be cleaned also. With the wet tumbling it is very easy to visually inspect and since I don't mass reload, it isn't a problem for me. I hand prime all my brass so out of habit, I always inspect the pocket before I stick into the shell holder on the hand primer.

 

[Toprudder]

Probably opening an old debate, but do you worry about media in the flash hole? I am not going to take the time to check every one on handguns. So I been de-priming after cleaning.

I never worried about media in the flash hole. Maybe I am wrong, but it seems to me that if a primer by itself has enough energy to push a bullet into the barrel, it should have enough energy to push a tiny piece of corn cob out of the flash hole.

Now if you are talking about SS pins and wet tumbling, yeah, that could be a problem. I inspect all cases at some point anyway, before they go on the press.

 

[Kaldor]

I drop a could hundred cases in an old cake pan, give them a quick spray of One Shot, shake, and another quick spray. Let them dry for a couple minutes and drop them in the case feeder.

It makes the press run significantly smoother even with TiN/carbide dies.

 

[TimSr]

With the spray type lubes, one really isn't adding a step to each case, just a quick spray into a baggie full of brass.

Forgive my ignorance as a stone age reloader, who thinks of lube on a pad, and then wiping it all off after you resize, but do these new spray lubes not require removal?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I don't wipe One Shot off. It dries.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Forgive my ignorance as a stone age reloader, who thinks of lube on a pad, and then wiping it all off after you resize, but do these new spray lubes not require removal?

If lubing cases required rolling them on a lube pad and then removing it after sizing, I would have started reloading.

Modern handgun case lubes are usually a spray on affair and don't usually require removal.

Hornady's One Shot, that has been mentioned several times, leaves a dry lube on the case. It is important to allow it to "dry" before running it through the sizing die...many problems you'll read about are folks who aren't letting it dry long enough.

When I started out, I'd put 50 cases in a tray and spray them from all sides. Then I'd feed one case for every 4-5 unlubed cases to keep the press running smoothly. Now I'm more likely to put them in a ziplock bag, spray into the bag, tumble the bag a bit, pour the cases out to dry and feed from there (less lube per case; but every case has a bit)

I don't always lube. I almost never lube freshly tumbled (in treated media) cases and almost always lube longer (.38spl) cases

 

[LiveLife]

I guess we had super slick range dust on the brass we were picking up

attempt to belittle those that do things different.

I guess I don't understand the advantages to spending money on carbide dies if you are going to lube them anyways.

Tim, that was my sentiment.

I'm also having trouble understanding the advantages of progressive reloading if you have to add extra steps to make it work.

For my match loads, while I reloaded on progressive, I did resize and hand prime separately.

Why?

Shell plate deflection and OAL/COL variation. As OP already indicated, resizing some brass (especially if they were overly expanded in generous chambers) will take greater effort and will apply differing amount of force on the shell plate causing different amount of shell plate tilt (one of several factors that affect OAL length and bullet seating depth). For my match loads, I wanted more consistent bullet seating depth for more consistent chamber pressures. Resizing in separate step then reloading progressively eliminates this variable as force required to bell the case mouth and seat/crimp the bullet involves less force/leverage on the shell plate and more consistent OAL. I am not the only fan of resizing separately on progressive as Walkalong is another such reloader.

For those who want to lube semi auto pistol cases for progressive reloading, I really don't have an issue as it is ultimately an individual choice. I guess you could make an argument that lubing/wiping the case is easier/better than resizing/hand priming separately. Could be. If force required to resize semi auto pistol case requires the assistance of lube, how about using greater mechanical leverage and I posted the consideration for ergo handle.

OK, back to OP.

Peace.

 

[Walkalong]

I guess I don't understand the advantages to spending money on carbide dies if you are going to lube them anyways.

Between the two, the effort to size is infinitesimal. That is a good thing for old shoulders, folks with joint problems, etc.

I used to see using lube with carbide dies as a silly waste of time, and sizing cases as good exercise for my throwing arm, but then I got older. As posted, I have started doing it with 9MM cases. Yea, yea, I'm falling apart.

 

[jcwit]

Between the two, the effort to size is infinitesimal. That is a good thing for old shoulders, folks with joint problems, etc.

I used to see using lube with carbide dies as a silly waste of time, and sizing cases as good exercise for my throwing arm, but then I got older. As posted, I have started doing it with 9MM cases. Yea, yea, I'm falling apart.

Correct, it was all I could to reload 50 cases today because of arthritis in my shoulder.

Turning 70 is a whole new ballgame.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Resizing in separate step then reloading progressively eliminates this variable as force required to bell the case mouth and seat/crimp the bullet involves less force/leverage on the shell plate and more consistent OAL. I am not the only fan of resizing separately on progressive as Walkalong is another such reloader.

I prefer to do this also.

When I want to play with my reloading stuff in the garage, I just install the depriming die and sizing die in my LNL and decap, size and, prime a few hundred cases...without having to think too much or really pay much attention.

I mentioned it once to a Dillon fan, somewhat expecting him to poo-poo it, only to find that he did likewise...only on two separate Dillon 650s (both with case feeders)

 

[GLOOB]

My question is this, what is the easiest way to apply case lube?

In my opinion, it is to spray the lube into a plastic bag, and then dump a bunch of cases in. This works with FA spray lube, anyhow. A couple pumps is all it takes for, say, 200-250ish 223 cases. Knead for 10 seconds. Dump out the cases and start loading.

I also use this method on my 9mm cases. This method makes it easy to adjust how much lube you apply, and it doesn't get lube into the case mouth. Some folks lube every fourth case, or what not. With the baggie method, you could just as easily spread out 1/4 the case lube over all your cases.

 

[TimSr]

Between the two, the effort to size is infinitesimal. That is a good thing for old shoulders, folks with joint problems, etc.

I used to see using lube with carbide dies as a silly waste of time, and sizing cases as good exercise for my throwing arm, but then I got older. As posted, I have started doing it with 9MM cases. Yea, yea, I'm falling apart.

I'm 53 now, so I don't know how many good years i have left, but I'm thinking I'll try putting the case lube in my shoulder first.

 

[Dr.Zubrato]

I just mix up lee case lube with isopropyl, spray on a coffee can of cases, shake, spray on again. Repeat when you start to feel the sizing resistance build. I have the carbide sizing die from Lee, and you don't need lube. It just puts less strain n myself and the press.

I stopped tumbling them again to get them super clean, since it was an extra step and more exposure to the tumbler. Depends if I feel like it and want presentable reloads.

 

[joem1945]

While it may not be necessary to lube pistol brass it does make the amount of force required a lot less. That may not matter if your doing 100 or so cases. If you have 500 or more it helps a bunch.

 

[GLOOB]

+1, even on a SS press, I find that I can go through 500 9mm cases easier and FASTER with a little spray lube. The lever just flies back and forth.

With all my other pistol calibers, the difference is not enough to bother getting lube on the cases, for me. At this point. Give my shoulder another 20 years, and we'll see.

 

[LiveLife]

OK, how about some myth busting.

Does anyone have a force gauge/measuring equipment to measure the difference in resizing force between unlubed and lubed 9mm cases using Lee carbide resizing die and Lee progressive press (PM sent to OP to ask whether press in question is Pro 1000 vs Load Master).

I would do the testing but lack the proper equipment to do the measuring. And to ensure consistency, verified once-fired brass from the same factory box would need to be used.

Since I made the claim residual polymer on brass surface from tumbling with NuFinish polish decreased the amount of resizing force, it would be nice to add NuFinish tumbled brass in addition to bare and lubed cases.

Anyone up for this challenge?

I am curious what the actual numbers would be.