reloading dies

[oldbear1950]

I am fairly new to this reloading, but is my understanding, that a carbide sizing/depriming die, needs no oil, and can be used in conjunction with steel expanding die and steel seating die.
My question is , is that correct?

[Three44s]

With a straight walled case you can pass on using lube.

I still do lube to reduce wear but it’s optional.

Three44s

[Taterhead]

Correct, but many of us use a light spray of Hornady One Shot case lube when usimg carbide pistol dies to make the resizing process smoother. It does not need to be removed after sizing.

[oldbear1950]

I was given a set of Bair 30-06 2 die set. Never heard of them, anybody know anything about them, how good they are, how do they compare to what is made today?

[Iowa Fox]

If you don't lightly lube the cases sooner or later friction is going to start plastering brass on the carbide ring that will start scratching cases.

It comes right off with a Q-tip and bore solvent but its a pain.

Another one is the lever pulls about half as hard when the cases are lubed.

[Walks]

Bair was one of those small reloading companies that was either bought out or folded in the 1960's. They did make good stuff. My Dad had a set of Bair .270Win dies that worked well for Him. They may have been bought out by Pacific, which was bought out by Hornady.

As long as the cases are dies are clean, you shouldn't have any problems. Disassemble the dies and Clean then thoroughly. Check for scratches and polish them out if practical. The sizing die will hopefully have a decapping rod with a expander ball. Any of the reloading co.'s will have die adjustment instructions on their websites. The cases will need to be lubricated before being sized.
You can buy a carbide sizing die in .30-06, for about $200. And you will still need to lubricated the cases.

PM me if you need more details.

[oldbear1950]

Any of you guys ever load 45-70 paper patched bullets? My brother, who passed away at the end of March, always told me he could not get cast bullets to fire accurately from a rifle without a gas check.
Seems to me if you paperpatched a bullet, could do away with the gas check. I have never paper patched a bullet at all I have two 45-70 rifles. One is a Henry lever action, that the Henry company told me could accept the same loads as a Marlin rifle. The other is an old shikari H & R that I wanted to lengthen the chamber, and fire both paper patched bullets and gas check bullets.

[oldbear1950]

Back in the mid 1970s when I was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, and started to reload, was always told rifle cases had to be lubed. Actually that was before carbide dies got really popular, and was
told all cases had to be lubed. I till lube all rifle cases, but was generally told carbide die reloads do not need to be lubed. But if that makes it easier, will still lube.

[super6]

You will still get a stuck case even with carbide, Lube it!

[Land Owner]

Lightly lube cases. It is "good practice" if you change between steel and carbide dies - so you won't forget. You don't want to stick one.

Lubing cases before resizing only takes a minute. Put a tiny dab of case lube (RCBS used here) in your palm. Rub cases back and forth between palms vigorously. Very thin coat per case or "build up" inside of continuously used die may affect resizing (will affect bottle necked cases). Drop lubed cases in a container. Then resize.

There is a "Black Powder Paper Patch" forum here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?38-Black-Powder-Paper-Patching

[414gates]

I am fairly new to this reloading, but is my understanding, that a carbide sizing/depriming die, needs no oil, and can be used in conjunction with steel expanding die and steel seating die.
My question is , is that correct?

It's correct for straight wall pistol calibers that have a carbide sizer in the set.

Rifle dies are never carbide, so all rifle brass has to be lubed.

With one exception - Dillon .223 and .308 carbide sizers - they still require cases to be lubed.

[414gates]

Any of you guys ever load 45-70 paper patched bullets? My brother, who passed away at the end of March, always told me he could not get cast bullets to fire accurately from a rifle without a gas check.
Seems to me if you paperpatched a bullet, could do away with the gas check. I have never paper patched a bullet at all I have two 45-70 rifles. One is a Henry lever action, that the Henry company told me could accept the same loads as a Marlin rifle. The other is an old shikari H & R that I wanted to lengthen the chamber, and fire both paper patched bullets and gas check bullets.

The bullet you paper patch should star out at least 5 thou less than bore diameter. That's about two wraps worth, 8 thou will need 3 wraps.

It's very important to start out with an "undersize" lead bullet, it saves a lot of time and frustration.