Do you lube with Carbide dies?

[Dave R]

I have talked to several reloaders who lube their straight-walled pistol cases when using carbide dies.

I thought the whole point of carbide dies was you don't have to lube?!?

Tried it both ways, and it takes a bit less lever pressure to resize when lubed. Or maybe its in my head....

Anyway, do you lube or trust in carbide?

 

[HSMITH]

Dave, although I readily admit I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, I urge people to lube even with carbide dies on some cases. 9mm is VASTLY more pleasant to load with a little lube, as is 38 special, 45 Colt, 44 Mag etc. 45 acp is not as big of a difference but it helps. Take a gallon plastic bag, shoot 2 pumps of Hornady One Shot in the empty bag, then put a couple hundred cases in and shake it around. Lube ONLY gets on the outside of the cases and a bottle lasts forever. Don't remember who originally posted this method but THANKS!!!!!

You will find you have less problems with priming systems and press operations due to much smoother operation with lubed cases. Your ammo will be more consistent due to being able to make a smooth even stroke on the handle each time too. WIN/WIN situation for sure. If you haven't tried it you should.

 

[warrior23]

I lube also,it just makes it easier to load,less stress on the cases too.

 

[Unisaw]

I don't lube when using carbide dies. However, I do tumble all of my brass before resizing and I clean the dies periodically. The cartridges that I reload are .45 ACP and .357 mag. FWIW, I use a single station press.

 

[Neal Bloom]

When reloading 9mm I lube every 10th case. I read since the nine is a tapered case it would help lubing a case every so often. Don't lube the .357 or .44.

 

[larryw]

Sometimes. New 44 brass (or fired brass when I'm feeling lazy), for example is much easier to load when I lube about 1/4 of the cases and mix them in with the rest. Ditto 357. Lube from the occasional case gets on die and keeps thing moving smoothly along without needing to wipe down all the loaded cartridges. Never lube 45ACP, new brass or not...

 

[m1911joe]

I lube all my brass. When I hurt my right shoulder this fall and had a hell
of a time pulling the handle. I tried lubing some 45 ACP and it was a
world of difference. With out the lube could only pull the handle about
5X and had to stop. Then tried the lube on the cases and did 200 rds.

Do you have to lube with carbide dies. No. Does it help with the operation
of the press. Yes, if you have a progressive it will.

I now lube all cases I load 9mm, 40, 38/357 and 45acp.

 

[461]

I've never lubed with carbide dies before, but I'm willing to give it a try. Nothing to lose, and it might prove useful. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[Gary H]

A little lube just makes things easier. I'll lube every fifth case.

 

[Cortland]

With carbide dies, I only lube when it makes operation of my 550B significantly easier. Specifically I lube .45s and .357s, but don't lube 9mms, .380s, or .32 S&Ws.

 

[JimC]

ALL of my brass, unless it's new, is tumbled for a minimum of 4 hours and most likely 5-6 hours before it's loaded in treated corn cobb.

If it's real dirty, it gets the walnut treatment first but this is unusual because if you tumble your brass prior to each firing, it won't get that dirty.

I have never lubed any brass that was to be used in a carbide sizer die and this includes thousands of rounds of 9mmx19 loaded in either RCBS or Dillon dies on a 550B or XL650.

The same goes for the .45 ACP brass in these machines.

I've been loading other handgun cartridges for a good number of years using carbide dies and haven't used lube in any of them. The one that comes to mind first is the .44 Rem. Mag. Been loading that one for 30 years or so and never found that I needed lube.

in regard to those who do but, whatever works for you.

 

[Ala Dan]

Happy New Year To All-

I have NEVER lubed any handgun cases when
using the tungsten carbide sizing die; this includes
.38 SPL/.357 MAG, 9m/m AUTO, .44 SPL/.44 MAG,
as well as the .45 ACP.

While I'm using R.C.B.S. dies now, I use to use
Lyman dies exculsively; and NEVER had a problem
with either brand. It definitely sounds like a very
good idea, and I too am willing to give it a try!

Many thanks for the thread, post's, and suggestion.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[JimC]

I can't imagine for the life of me, lubing my .45 ACP cases and then dumping them into my 650 case feeder and running them thru the system.

What a mess!!!

 

[Hoser]

I load a lot of of IPSC ammo. Close to 30K a year if its a busy one and I am not traveling all the time.

I lube every piece of brass I load with Hornady One Shot. I use a 1050, with all that leverage it not that hard to begin with. Using lube feels like you are resizing brass that has already been resized. Much easier on the shoulder.

Its one of those cant hurt, might help things.

 

[HSMITH]

Jim, the Hornady One Shot will dry quickly and will not make a mess in your case feeder. It's not like anyone is saying "dump a bottle of RCBS case lube or a quart of STP on them and then load them up", the suggestion here is to lightly lube maybe 1/4-1/3 of the cases with a dry lube and realize the benefits of doing so.

If you don't believe it is a good idea you don't have to do it. If you think that there is a chance that someone else might have a trick up their sleeve to make things faster and easier WITH more consistency that you didn't think of first give it a try. If you are really nervous about it call the Dillon tech line, have the guy that picks up take a poll of the guys in the room to find out what they use and how they use it. I know what they are going to say....

 

[Sisco]

I also tumble before sizing, only time I use lube with carbide is when sizing .30 carbine. Found out the hard way that a long tapered case can be a b***ch to pull out of the die if not lubricated.

 

[JimC]

If you don't believe it is a good idea you don't have to do it. If you think that there is a chance that someone else might have a trick up their sleeve to make things faster and easier WITH more consistency that you didn't think of first give it a try.

Interesting. Someone always has a better idea.

I have a couple cans of the One Shot. I use it for conventional rifle case sizing. I don't know that I'll try it in the 650 though but, thanks.

 

[SASS#23149]

I don;'t lube,but might consider it for my next session.The old shoulder will probalby thank me.

 

[MoNsTeR]

Yes indeed. If you're not using Hornady One-Shot you're really, truly missing out. A can is like $6, give it a try, you'll never go back.

 

[C. H. Luke]

Always use One-Shot, even for 9mm. It helps make the machine tempo
much smoother and 400+ 9mm's per hour is easier sustain especially with having arthritis. 3-4 min. in fresh Pet Store 'Cob takes it all off in batches of 200 or so in the small Dillon tumbler.

Am applying it with brass spread out in a large cake baking pan, spraying lightly then shaking back and forth for 5 seconds or so. use the lightest coating that gives the level of smoothness of press operation you like.
Cases never get completly coated but enough stays in the die to even out the difference. Great Stuff!

 

[SC_shooter]

I lay out my cases on an old towel and spray a couple of squirts of the Dillon case lubricant. Then I sort of roll it all around. I do this on all the brass that goes through my 650 and SDB. It makes it much smoother, even though it was bad with no lube.

Paul

 

[Dave R]

Interesting comments, thanks.

If I am interpreting the posts correctly, about 10 posts say they lube occasionally or always or they're going to try it. 3 or 4 said no way, no lube.

But in the poll, its 3-to-1 for no lube.

Do people who lube post more?

I resized a batch of 9mm and some .380acp today with light lube (One-Shot). Sure did make it easy.

 

[MrPhil]

I voted "no lube", and thought this was a cut and dried matter for me. But, HSMITH's tip sounds good. Instead of "shake & bake" it'll be "shake & lube". Quick and easy, just how I like it.

 

[Gary H]

Yesterday I loaded about 500 45 Colt. These were new brass and boy it was tough going without lube. I lubed every case and saved my arm.

 

[Sunray]

No. That is the whole point to carbide dies.