Lee Deluxe Rifle Dies: No Lubrication Required?

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Nando Aqui

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I have been using carbide dies for reloading .45 ACP and it is great not to have to lubricate the cases. (Yes, I tumble the cases first, and it is nice not to have to pick the media from the primer pocket!)

But I was under the impression that bottle-neck cases had to be lubricated.

However, the Lee Catalog advertises the Lee Deluxe Rifle Die Set, which includes neck and full length dies, and for which "no lubrication is required".

What's the scoop? Does anyone have have experience with these particular Lee dies, as for .223 and .308, for example?

Thanks!

Alex
 
I read the description online,and it looks like the set includees both kinds of dies....full lenght and neck size only,and it's the neck size die that requries no lube.I'm quite sure you'd have to lube when full length sizing a case.
 
Use a little lube, especially if you are loading on a Lee press other than the Classic Cast. Life is a lot simpler and easier with a little lube on the cases, even with straight walled cartridges in carbide dies.
 
I use Lee Collett dies in 223, 308 and others and they work fine without any lube...what a time saver. I even had them make a set for my 357 Herrett.

You have to lube when using the full length die. If you are not loading for a pump, autoloader or a lever action gun, you should be able to do all of your reloading with the Collett die.
 
I have a few Lee deluxe sets, and the neck sizer does not need lube, being nothing but a precision squeezer. the full length resizing die definately needs lube, or you can take advantage of the Lee stuck case removal service....for a nominal fee....
 
I have both the full length and collet dies for 30-06. I've recently just started using the collet die.

For pistol though, i still lube with one-shot. Even with carbide dies, its SO much smoother. Smoother is faster. It takes maybe a minute difference for me, and probably saves me 5.
 
Tom,
Thank you for posting the image of the patent page.
I enjoy reading the whole patents, including the errata page 7 at the end of this one, 4,723,472. The references are a temptation to a lost night's sleep following up on Martin, Miller . . . Ken Alexander and all those loading tool inventors cited.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross
 
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