Lubing .223 ?

atr

atr

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Been reloading .223 for 30 years and i've only done it one way . I lube my cases before sizing including inside the neck so the expander doesn't stick . Just had a discussion with a fellow who tells me that i've wasted my time for 30 years , it doesn't matter if it's a steel die or a carbide die , .223's are too small to stick . I've never stuck a .223 case in 30 years but i have no answer because i've always lubed . Decades ago i did stick a couple of 30-06's in a sizing die , had a gunsmith remove the stuck cases and i've been anal about it ever since . Am i the only one who lubes .223 ? 3 Mini-14's so i full length size everytime also so when we go shooting everybody grabs the same ammo from the same ammo can and it all shoots 3" to 4" groups in each gun . Next , the fellow tells me that i should be neck sizing only to extend case life but in one of the Mini-14's i've had refusals to chamber when i tried neck sizing only . Just one of the 3 rifles and it never happened often but it did happen . The fellow has a hard time believing that because Rugers have generous chambers and a case that is fireformed to one Mini-14 will work in all . I'd like an opinion on that also guys .
 
You most certainly can get a 223 case stuck! Get a stuck case remover and see for yourself.

Usually semi-auto rifles require at least full length resizing and often perform better with a small base die.
 
i have had one 223 case stick in my size die, and i always lube, after that i lube generously, dont want that to ever happen again...

i've wondered about neck sizing my 223 brass for my ar15's, but dont know if i'll work or not. i have a collet die so i can try it, just i've always been told to full size the brass for ar type guns.
 
30 years of experience, and you question yourself when presented with nonsense? I've been in this for 18 months, and have a fairly decent BS detector. Bottleneck cases require lube for sizing. Semi-auto's require full length sizing. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. You've got as much experience loading, as I do at life. Trust yourself and what has worked for 30 years. Over the entire 30 years, I doubt lubing cases has taken more than 1 week of your time total. I can think of a lot things I've wasted more than a week on. Imagine how much time you'd spend pulling cases out of dies if you didn't lube them. Seriously, just smile when your friend is talking, nod your head, and let all his wisdom slide right out the other side.
 
rollie100;3358032i've wondered about neck sizing my 223 brass for my ar15's said:
I'm debating with this fellow over the internet . I know he owns an AR-15 and know that he reloads and shoots a lot . It makes me a little more than 'curious' to hear that he neck sizes only and never lubes . I can understand neck sizing as unlike me , he's loading one caliber for one gun . I'm also loading the same caliber but for 3 guns . Since he's using cases fireformed to one chamber , maybe it works for him but never lubing does make me wonder .
Click to expand...
 
atr said:
I'm debating with this fellow over the internet . I know he owns an AR-15 and know that he reloads and shoots a lot . It makes me a little more than 'curious' to hear that he neck sizes only and never lubes . I can understand neck sizing as unlike me , he's loading one caliber for one gun . I'm also loading the same caliber but for 3 guns . Since he's using cases fireformed to one chamber , maybe it works for him but never lubing does make me wonder .
Click to expand...

Neck sizing does not require lubing the case. FL Size does.

I have pulled 3 stuck .223 cases due to either not lubing the case or figuring out that my pad had run dry and id not put enough lube on the case to let it release from the die.

If you are going to try it just to see for yourself, have a stuck case remover handy. :D
 
all auto loaders and pumps need full length sizing with small base dies for reliable functioning neck sizing is for bolts only that's the the rule I was raised with that's not to say that an auto loader wont function with neck sized but it is going to fail when you need it stick to your old ways
 
I think the only way you can get around not using lube is to use carbide dies. I was FL sizing .223 and got a case stuck from not lubing it properly.
 
I can attest that just yesterday I had to use my RCBS stuck case remover for the second time yesterday. Both times were reloading .223, lack of lube was the problem both times, got to the bottom of my brass pile where the lube was spotty at best.

I always give my .223 brass a few shots of Dillion case lube.
 
it seams to me that your 30 years of experience is spot on for reloading semi's.
and i use alot of lube when i FL resize my 223 brass or it will get stuck.
 
KDX said:
I've just been using LEE lube. Is there something better?
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Never tried the Lee stuff but if you aren't using the case extractor on a regular basis it must be working right?:D

I go homebrew all the way. A bit of lanolin (try your local hippie health food store;)) and some 99% iso alcohol in a freezer sized zip lock. Mix. Pour in brass and work it to coat. Pour out on a tray and let the alky evaporate. Reload...Works well for me and cheap too.

Heres a page on it:
http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm#Sizing
 
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You buddy is a tool. The ONLY time you MIGHT get away with no lube is straight walled cases - pistol calibers at that.
 
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