CARBIDE DIES....To lube or not to lube?

The best reason for lubing cases before sizing them, don't forget the inside of the necks, is that your brass will last longer.
 
Thanks everyone.
From what I am getting from this is some lube and some don't.
I was able to get a PDF of instructions and Lee says to lube including inside the neck. This goes against the sales propaganda. Or at the least seems easily misinterpreted.
Conclusion: Pistol don't bother but rifle seems to be a little up in the air. I will use a little lube for re-sizing to be on the safe side.
I was mistaken about these dies being carbide so thanks to those that corrected me. The high end pistol dies are carbide and I falsely assumed these were as well.
 
Last edited:
Only my pistol dies are carbide and I don't use any lube for them. I spray lube all the brass for my rifles .
 
Last edited:
I didn't know they had so many Ewoks in Canada.

dry_zpsbvuxp9sf.jpg



And sometimes it helps to very lightly lube every 5th case depending on the condition of the brass. And some of the new Titamium Nitride dies can use a little lube until they are broken in.
 
Lanolin and alcohol here. i do 10 or so every time I fill the casefeeder and chuck them in. the lube seems to stay in the dies and definitely lightens the press stroke on my progressive press. I find it helps me feel when things go wrong also.
 
You don't need to lube with the carbide but I find that it helps me to lube them anyway so that it lightens the loading effort on the progressive. By making the cases easier to size it also makes it easier to feel the effects of the other dies as well. And over a longer lever pulling session it's a little easier on the old guy's arm that is pulling on the lever.

So it's not that you NEED lube. Just that it's optional.
 
I've never used carbide rifle dies. For carbide pistol dies I still lightly lube with Hornady One Shot. It's not necessary, but the press runs MUCH smoother and the One Shot leaves almost no residue.

Auggie D.
 
Firehoser said:
Thanks everyone.
From what I am getting from this is some lube and some don't.
I was able to get a PDF of instructions and Lee says to lube including inside the neck. This goes against the sales propaganda. Or at the least seems easily misinterpreted.
Conclusion: Pistol don't bother but rifle seems to be a little up in the air. I will use a little lube for re-sizing to be on the safe side.
I was mistaken about these dies being carbide so thanks to those that corrected me. The high end pistol dies are carbide and I falsely assumed these were as well.
Click to expand...

Rifle (bottle necked cartridges) is not really up in the air.
If you are using the full length sizing dies you will have to lube or your case will eventually get stuck in the die.
If you are using a collet neck sizing die you do not need to lube. (bolt action rifle using brass fired from the same rifle it's going back into)
Since you were originally asking about .223, if you are reloading for a semi automatic action you should definitely be full length resizing.
 
trebor2880 said:
Where does one get "lanolin"? Couldn't find any in Sudbury. Walmart USA lists it, but not in Canada stores.
Click to expand...


I've gotten all I ever needed, for free, just by going to the drug counter and asking a pharmacist.
First, tell him what you want it for and engage in talk of the subject.
 
I use lube on my Lee 223 rifle dies. So far as I know (and I could be wrong) a bottle neck case always needs lube.

If you are sizing a few cases, the case lube technique does not matter very much. If you have a bucket or two of brass to size, there is a fast efficient way to lube the cases. I lube 100 or so cases (rifle) at a time. Takes about 30 seconds.

I use Lee case lube. It is a water soluble cream that is easy to clean off.

Dump brass in a plastic pail that has a lid.

lubebrass1.jpg


Then take a 1" worm of lube and smear it around the top inside wall of the pail.

lubebrass.jpg


Put lid on and swirl and shake for 15 seconds. This will lube all the cases and deposit a tiny dab on the case mouth, to lube the expander button.
 
Carbide/clean cases

wITH WET TUMBLING AND REALLY SQUEAKY CLEAN PISTOL CASES I JUST WAVE A CAN OF HORNADY CASE LUBE OVER THE BRASS AND PUSH THE BUTTON TWICE.
YOU JUST NEED A WIFF OF LUBRICANT ON SOME OF THE CASES TO AVOID GALLING. TOO CLEAN CASES TEND TO STICK IN CARBIDE DIES.

Please, excuse my accidental CAPS use, I had my muffs on.
PP. :redface:
 
Permatex engine assembly lubricant also works well as a case lube. A couple drops in a large freezer bag with the brass and shaken to distribute does the job.

I originally bought this product to lubricate my ratchets. When my bottle of lanolin/alcohol spray got spilled, I tried the assembly lube and it worked.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom