To Lube or Not To Lube??

[parrott1969]

That is the question. Do you lube your pistol brass? I have been complaining about how "rough" my Hornady L-N-L is to operate. Well, this past weekend I decided to give the 45 acp brass a shot of lube. Well, roll me in pigs blood and send me to a mosque, my "rough" press was glass smooth. Do any of you do this? The other thing I noticed is that without lube I have a lot of brass flecks all over my press. Once I started lubing, the flecking went away. Anyone else do this?

[Kevin Rohrer]

Nope. Carbide dies make lubing unnecessary on all my presses. I don't have a LNL, so I can't comment on it. I'm a "blue" guy. :p

[KYCaster]

:confused: That just doesn't sound right.

What brand of sizing die are you using? Is it carbide or steel?

Something wrong with this picture!

Jerry

[GRUMPA]

Just like KYCaster said, I've never ever lubed a pistol case, all I own are the carbide dies. Although I remember in the distant past that I developed scratches on the cases but have since cleaned them before sizing and that took care of that. And for that just in case I do get scratches I have 000 steel wool to take care of it. That bag of steel wool has a price of $1.50 and I bought it over 15yrs ago.

[r1kk1]

I do lube and also a blue guy using blue dies. I have an opinion that a smoothly operating press will result in more consistent powder drops. Carbide or not, I still lube with lanolin/etoh mix. Just a very light spritz.

Take care

r1kk1

[parrott1969]

I use Lee carbide dies. For me a carbide die is a carbide die. I use Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Redding and Dillon. Lee is my die of choice.

[r1kk1]

For me a carbide die is a carbide die.

not necessarily true. There are different grades of carbide.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/pages/carbide-parts/tungsten-carbide-grades.html

Take care

r1kk1

All reloading companies who make dies do not buy the same thing.

[Ickisrulz]

I find a little sizing wax every 5 or 6 case makes sizing pistol brass much easier even when using carbide dies. It's not required, of course.

[azrednek]

I find a little sizing wax every 5 or 6 case makes sizing pistol brass much easier even when using carbide dies. It's not required, of course.

I roll a handful on my pad, start with two lubed cases then size the not lubed brass. When I feel it getting rough or a drag I will size one or two lubed cases. The lube is not necessary but it keeps things running buttery smooth.



Something wrong with this picture!

Jerry
Possibly he went to the mosque before sizing his brass and he po'd Allah with the pig's blood.

[KYCaster]

The "brass flecks all over my press" is what confuses me. I've never seen that.

Steel dies need lube, carbide dies shouldn't. Either one can get grit imbedded in them and cause scratched cases. (even then I haven't noticed any "flecks of brass" on my press.)

Jerry

[TXBRILL]

I never used to lube pistol cases because I have always used carbide dies, but lately I have been using Imperial lube on my thumb and two fingers I grab the empties with before I size them after 50 or so I reapply.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Even when using carbide dies I too still lube every fifth case. It makes sizing much smoother and cuts wear on the dies. Never had any scratches or galling or any other issues. A case lube pad makes it easy. LLS

[1hole]

Lubing cases that have been tumbled is a very good thing. It doesn't have to be a lot but a little lube sure helps. When carbide sizers came available no one tumbled, we mostly just wiped cases off with a damp cloth so a bit of bullet lube and 'smoke' remained on the cases. That served as all the lube needed so carbide dies were sold as "no lube needed", meaning no additional lube was needed. With the arrival of tumblers that changed and adding lube does make a significant difference.

No grit is likely to get embedded in a case hardened steel die and non at all in a carbide die of any grade. What happens is dry brass rubbed hard over dry steel or carbide leaves tiny bits of the softer metal galled on the harder. Each successive case makes the galled spot worse and it shows up as scratches on cases but it's rarely due to a scratched die wall. Lube will prevent galling from occuring. Grades of carbide matters in some uses but not so much in dies, our stresses are actually quit low.

Galled brass can be cleaned out of any die in a few minutes with an electric drill and a snug fitting lap made of a split dowel wrapped with fine abrasive paper. Such a lap is unlikely to change a case hardened steel die and cannot change a carbide die at all.

[dauntlessdave]

"without lube I have a lot of brass flecks all over my press. Once I started lubing, the flecking went away."

Seems to me that your lube is simply masking a bigger problem. Wonder if your sizing die has some sort of defect that causing the flecking.

Shouldn't have to lube your cases if you're using carbide.

[mxjunky78]

I never lube pistol brass and have never had a problem using carbide dies. I use a single stage press though.

[coleman]

I use 100% silicone spray for pistol brass, take a plastic bag spray a few squirts of silicone add brass and shake for a few min. Yes i run carbide dillon dies I know it not needed, but it makes it alot easier on my arm and shoulder when doing 2K of pistol. Silicone is inert so it wont kill primers. I leave it on the brass and go shoot.
Go ahead and give it a try and post back if you like it.
Coleman

[azrednek]

I use 100% silicone spray for pistol brass, take a plastic bag spray a few squirts of silicone add brass and shake for a few min. Yes i run carbide dillon dies I know it not needed, but it makes it alot easier on my arm and shoulder when doing 2K of pistol. Silicone is inert so it wont kill primers. I leave it on the brass and go shoot.
Go ahead and give it a try and post back if you like it.
Coleman

I know it is jumping a bit off subject. When I was in the uniform business the silicone spray worked wonders on the new but stubborn heavy duty metal zippers. I'm going to try it on brass, bet it helps and thanks for the tip.

[brghp]

While lubing most pistol brass is unnecessary with carbide dies, lubing the brass just makes the operation smoother. I knew one commercial loader who did exactly that and he claimed that he had faster loading rates as a result.

[mdi]

While lubing most pistol brass is unnecessary with carbide dies, lubing the brass just makes the operation smoother. I knew one commercial loader who did exactly that and he claimed that he had faster loading rates as a result.
Yep, not necessary, but it don't hurt anything if you do. Occationally I'll have some .44 Mag. brass that's a little harder to size, prolly from my Puma's large chamber, so, a bit of Mink Oil Boot Dressing on every third or fourth case makes the process go quicker/easier. I reload in batches so I'm rarely in need of some sized brass quick, so a half second longer per case won't bother me at all...:p

[azrednek]

Looks like we can pretty well sum it up as not being necessary but one's personal preference is the best answer if we lube, type of lube and how often. I'm still a bit perplexed on the "brass flex" and can only speculate. Possibly some residue from case trimming got side tracked. Personally I wouldn't worry about the flecking unless the same thing was happening with different sizing dies.

I'm certain however after "Well, roll me in pigs blood and send me to a mosque". You may consider asking Allah while you're at the mosque.

[Inkman]

Dillon press, Dillon dies, .45, .40 and every case gets lubed en masse. I dump em on a towel and spray em good. Let em sit a while and load em up.

The difference to me is night and day between lubed and unlubed cases when reloading.

Al

[357shooter]

For 380acp, 357/38, 45acp, no case lube used or needed for my handloading. All cases are tumbled, with a little Nufinish added every third or fourth batch. I think the wax smooths the press action.

[Griz44mag]

I will usually fog the dish full of brass with the traditional alcohol/lanolin pump bottle and shake them up. Enough of them have some light lube on them to keep the LNL running buttery smooth on a warm day. The brass flecks may be coming for a scratched or damaged carbide ring. Look inside the die for defects or damage and dress accordingly with fine abrasives or polishes.

[canyon-ghost]

I used a lot of Hornady One Shot, then found out I couldn't keep up with the vicious cycle of reordering it. The others were sticky or messy.

I asked, and Ed Harris told me that they used to get Alberto VO5 for case lube because it contains lanolin. This is the old "hair slick'em down" stuff!

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx228/3rdshooter/contenders/22Hornetcases005.jpg

It takes a tiny little dab to roll the case mouth in, just a couple of times during 100 rounds with carbide dies. With steel dies, it works wonderfully. The scent is the only drawback to it. You can find this stuff at grocery stores too. One tube will last years.

Good Luck,
Ron

PS: For about $3.79, it's cheaper than most!

[canyon-ghost]

Clean dies with spray oil and Q-tips myself.

I've always figured that carbide ring would wear out eventually, there's just no such thing as a completely friction-free set up. If it slides or moves, it takes lube of some sort.

[Griz44mag]

Gallon jugs of alcohol, and a pound of lanolin from e-bay. Enough to last most folks for years. It's not hard to keep in stock that way.

[jcwit]

not necessarily true. There are different grades of carbide.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/pages/carbide-parts/tungsten-carbide-grades.html

Take care

r1kk1

All reloading companies who make dies do not buy the same thing.

Can you substantiate that last statement?

[jcwit]

Do I lube my handgun cases? Yup! And, YES I use carbide cases. Why? It makes life easier, and I like easy. The easier the better.

[MtGun44]

No. Hate the mess of lubing cases, eliminating it is WONDERFUL and with Hornady dies
the cases come out SUPER SHINY - like they were polished.

Bill

[rainy191]

you only have to lube if using steel dies. i use a carbide die and dont lube

[o6Patient]

I lube slightly every tenth one or so just takes a little you can do it with your finger tip.
It is possible that the resizing die just needs a little cleaning once in awhile.

[dickttx]

For 9mm I usually puff a little graphite on my bench and roll an occasional case through it. It does ease things up a bit.

[Anyracoon]

I don't lube any of the pistol brass with carbide die use in my single stage press but I do with the 650 Dillon. A little shot of lube makes it way easier to pull the handle.

[Dave C.]

After 27 years my size die (Carbide) started to scratch cases.
When I called Dillon to order a new one they told me that it
is recommended to lube the cases before sizing.

Dave C.

[azrednek]

I asked, and Ed Harris told me that they used to get Alberto VO5 for case lube because it contains lanolin. This is the old "hair slick'em down" stuff!


I had an ol'timer tell me in the 50's he used Vitalis or Brillcream in a pump spray bottle or if it came out of a tube. Rub it into an ink pad. He claimed most of the so-called hair tonics were basically rubbing alcohol, lanolin and a perfuming agent to cover up the tallow odor.

I remember slicking down my cow lick what was often called "greasy kid's stuff" by advertisers trying to de-feminise hair spray. I often received a good butt chewing from my mother when I left a greasy stain my my pillow case.

[rasto]

When are you using a case feeder prepare a batch of lubed cases and add doze per new filling all the time and you are ready to go.
I am using alcohol together with lanolin and castor oil sprayed into bag.