Wet tumbling question.

Status
Not open for further replies.
HDMontana

HDMontana

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
Messages
213
Location
Montana
For those of you that wet tumble with armor all wash and wax in the solution, do you still feel a need for occasional lube for sizing pistol brass. I know that many who use carbide dies don't use lube, but some do. I was just wondering if the film of wax from tumbling was enough to stop people from using additional lube.
 
I still lube even though I use the Armor All and always use carbide sizing dies.

Even for pistol cases, I put them in a Ziplock bag and spray then with Hornady One Shot. (The only thing I use One Shot for!!!)
 
I have never felt the need to lube pistol brass when using a carbide die, just don't feel like they are doing enough work to warrant the extra step and associated clean up.
 
I guess I am the only one, but even with the Armor All Wash & Wax, I can tell a significant difference when sizing straight-walled pistol cases when I lube with the Hornady One Shot. I had a few cans that I bought, but never used, and one day I decided to try and see if it had any effect with pistol cases. I noticed an immediate improvement vs. the cases that did not get sprayed. I have repeated this test several times, and can tell immediately which cased have been lubed, and which have not. It is not even really that subtle to me.
 
Doublehelix said:
I guess I am the only one, but even with the Armor All Wash & Wax, I can tell a significant difference when sizing straight-walled pistol cases when I lube with the Hornady One Shot. I had a few cans that I bought, but never used, and one day I decided to try and see if it had any effect with pistol cases. I noticed an immediate improvement vs. the cases that did not get sprayed. I have repeated this test several times, and can tell immediately which cased have been lubed, and which have not. It is not even really that subtle to me.
Click to expand...

I appreciate that adding the lube makes sizing easier. Do you see other benefits in addition to it being easier to size? For example, without the lubing, I assume you're not getting any case scoring or anything like that.

I'm just curious if you continue to lube because you like not having to exert as much force.......or if there is some other benefit in addition.

Thanks.

OR
 
Last edited:
Doublehelix said:
I guess I am the only one, but even with the Armor All Wash & Wax, I can tell a significant difference when sizing straight-walled pistol cases when I lube with the Hornady One Shot. I had a few cans that I bought, but never used, and one day I decided to try and see if it had any effect with pistol cases. I noticed an immediate improvement vs. the cases that did not get sprayed. I have repeated this test several times, and can tell immediately which cased have been lubed, and which have not. It is not even really that subtle to me.
Click to expand...

I’m with you 100% on this. I used to reload with no case cleaning as all my cases were my own and were not in the mud. Started wet tumbling with Dawn and found cases would tarnish after sitting for a couple months. Started using Armour All wash wax as it was on sale and never really noticed any difference when sizing but cases did not tarnish anymore even after 6 months.
However using One Shot for me it was like there was no case going in the resize die. Each to there own but after having rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders and ripping my right one again it is a must for me.
 
I don't find a need to use lube even when tumbling with just Dawn. I have some One-Shot, have tried it, and it does reduce the force required but I don't find the amount of force required any bother without the lube. And I've had surgery on my right shoulder. But if you feel it helps you, there's no reason you can't use it.
 
The only time I have ever felt it NECESSARY to lube straight wall brass is if I start having the brass stick on the expander die. Very clean brass will sometimes do that. I noticed the problem when using Dawn, but not so much when using wash-n-wax now.

I recently bought some new Starline 44mag brass, and I absolutely had to use lube to keep the expander from sticking. I put all the cases with the neck up, and sprayed some One-Shot just lightly. They ran like butter after that.
 
otisrush said:
I appreciate that adding the lube makes sizing easier. Do you see other benefits in addition to it being easier to size? For example, without the lubing, I assume you're not getting any case scoring or anything like that.

I'm just curious if you continue to lube because you like not having to exert as much force.......or if there is some other benefit in addition.

Thanks.

OR
Click to expand...

I don't really notice any other benefits really, other than ease of sizing.

And just to be clear, I don't NEED to lube straight-walled, but I prefer it.
 
ray15 said:
I don't find a need to use lube even when tumbling with just Dawn. I have some One-Shot, have tried it, and it does reduce the force required but I don't find the amount of force required any bother without the lube. And I've had surgery on my right shoulder. But if you feel it helps you, there's no reason you can't use it.
Click to expand...

Having the surgeries cured my issues. However ripping my right rotator cuff again has caused me more pain than I had before the surgery when I ripped it last time. Never had an issue after surgery and never used any lube on straight cases. There is no feeling that it helps it is a must if I want to load anymore than two cases.
If I could operate any of my presses with my left arm it would be golden as it is 100% after having surgery on it.
 
I've always used some Lemonshine and the Frankford Arsenal Wet Tumbler cleaner, but all this talk about Armour All and Dawn has me curious if it's worth a change? Any difference between the two, assuming I tried one out, do people still use lemon shine and some sort of cleaner?
 
You know, I was on the "if it ain't broke" kick since lube isn't required for pistol brass. But I was working through my 45 colt brass and said what the heck, these guys from THR can't be foolish people right? If some say they do, its for good reason, and if other don't, no harm no foul, it always worked for me. So to shorten things up, I took my 700 empties for starline brass and gave them a light squirt from my homemade concoction lube stray bottle. You know what, it was easier. I resized all 700 this week by doing a small bunch each night. Now to form the case mouth, then I will clean them using burnishing compound and some carwash in my wet tumbler with the pins and let them dry in front of the fire. Then I will store as is for when I need to load them. Leaving only a primer, a charge, and a bullet to finish up. Thanks THR.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I just recently replaced the dish soap with the wash and wax. I load .380, 9mm and 45 auto on a turret press. Prime on press after sizing. If I needed to clean lube after sizing, it would really slow things down. Although some people do it, I wouldn't feel comfortable tumbling loaded rounds. I would wipe lube off by hand if it was needed.
 
I use wash and wax, tiny squirt of Dawn and a pinch of Lemi Shine. No case lube with carbide dies and no problems. Ditto on the W&W no tarnishing. Really like that. I have had to lube new Starline brass which stuck like crazy in the flaring/mouth belling process. I want to say the W&W adds to the ease of resizing, but that could be subjective. I like shiny things and the addition of W&W to the wet tumbling process really gets the shine up!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

lpsharp88
  • Locked
Wet Tumbling
2
Replies
42
Views
2K
MDphotographer
M
tcoz
  • Locked
Wet tumbling question
Replies
23
Views
1K
WeekendReloader
WeekendReloader
A
  • Locked
How do you wet tumble?
2 3
Replies
62
Views
3K
Kaldor
Kaldor
I
  • Locked
RCBS Case Slick and Wet Tumbling - greenish gray coated cases.
Replies
14
Views
847
Kaldor
Kaldor
tcoz
  • Locked
I'm new to wet tumbling..questions
2
Replies
32
Views
1K
Buzznrose
Buzznrose
Back
Top