Do you lube handgun brass with carbide dies?

[Three44s]

It's a mixed bag for me. I generally lube because I am reducing wear on the brass by doing so. However since the cases will not sieze in carbide dies I am not as dillegent about lubing as I would be with non carbide dies.

Three44s

[Bazoo]

I appreciate all the replies here. I actually didn't realized it would be nearly half of the votes that use some form of lube with carbide dies.

With so many that DO lube handgun cases, do you still avoid using the older steel dies? Or, do you not mind them since you're lubing anyways?

[Winger Ed.]

In the old days, you had to buy a carbide die separately, and it cost about as much as the set of standard dies.
When Lee sold their sets on the cheap with the carbide sizer included, it didn't take long for the other companies
to get with the program, and standard straight wall sizers became obsolete.

I haven't used a standard straight wall sizer since the early 90s.

[Rapier]

Yes lke this: Return from a shoot, dump fired brass in big blue, turn on and clean the guns, go eat. Turn the cleaner off. Next day or so, turn on the cleaner and scoop out the clean and polished brass. Lube 10-12 pieces on a pad, run two lubed through the carbide die then run a dozen or so unlubed, then one lubed, another dozen unlubed, etc. With a slightly modified Dillon 550B and a seal a meal I have about 500 reloaded rounds, packaged and ready to go to the next outing.

[Three44s]

I try to have carbide sizers where ever they are available.

The exception is 223 Rem. I suspect you still have to lube those anyway.

Three44s

[Wayne Smith]

I voted sometimes, because with 9mm or 45 it's about every fourth or fifth one. Just enough to keep a little lube in the die.

[warren5421]

I lube as it is just easier to run it through the dies.

[jrayborn]

No reason to lube really but for me it sure makes pulling the handle easier. I give a (very) quick blast of Hornady's One Shot when I size and de-prime prior to wet tumbling.

[GarrettP1]

I lube with WD40.

It's extremely watery, and I only need a tiny bit.
It's not necessary, but so much of my life is spent on unnecessary things.
It just makes the resizing smoother and faster.

That said, I only do this when I'm reloading hundreds of cases. WD40 is a primer killer, so I drop the resized brass in soapy water, agitate, rinse and dry. It's very little extra work for 1000 cases. It's too much trouble for 20 cartridges that I'm trying a new formula on.

[Walstr]

Guess I kinda lube. After citric acid cleaning & rinsing & drying, they're put in my Thumlers tumbler w/cAse polish. That makes a nice difference w/45 Colt & 45ACP brass.

[SeabeeMan]

Generally no. But I've found some cases in some dies just don't seem to agree, requiring more upwards force on the handle and my operation of the press isn't as smooth as I'd like. This is when the Hornady One Shot comes out and a little spray gets added to the case feeder.

[Bazoo]

Guess I kinda lube. After citric acid cleaning & rinsing & drying, they're put in my Thumlers tumbler w/cAse polish. That makes a nice difference w/45 Colt & 45ACP brass.

I too have found that brass that's new or has been wet tumbled is much easier to process after a trip through the tumbler with some case polish. Before I started using a tumbler I also found that brass that's got a little bit of soot left from firing sizes easier.

[Winger Ed.]

I also found that brass that's got a little bit of soot left from firing sizes easier.

I've noticed Unique leaves a fair amount of soot.
I've always wondered if it was partly graphite from the powder being coated with it.

[Bird]

I don't lube. I now wet tumble with pins in a wash and wax solution. When dry, cases size easily, with the added benefit of oxidizing protection during storage.

[Bazoo]

I've noticed Unique leaves a fair amount of soot.
I've always wondered if it was partly graphite from the powder being coated with it.

I had not thought of that, the graphite thing, thanks Ed. That makes a lot of sense.

[Bazoo]

I don't lube. I now wet tumble with pins in a wash and wax solution. When dry, cases size easily, with the added benefit of oxidizing protection during storage.

I use case polish with my vibratory tumbler. I never thought about it until now, that it was probably the polish that makes the cases size easier rather than the fine dust left on the cases. I always had assumed it was the dust.

[Winger Ed.]

I feel vindicated!

We've been led to believe ya got a carbide sizer to avoid lubing the cases.
Hmm, maybe there is more to it than that..

I've been having 'issues' with my Hornady taper crimp die, and gave up on it. It says its for 9mm and .38spec.
For 9mm, its fine. For .38s- it does OK if you don't mind the hole being too small, and crushing the cases.

So I got a Redding taper crimp die just for .38s. It seems like it'll be fine.
In the little instruction sheet with it--- even if that is a direct violation of Man Law rule #1,,, I read it.
They recommend lubing the cases for it to work the best. I was surprised and researched it.

Going through archives on several other forums, lubing cases with carbide dies is way more common,
and recommended, more so than I thought.
Both for the ease of sizing, less wear & tear on the sizer, as well as for taper crimping.

I don't, and won't lube pistol brass like I do for rifles, but with my practice of laying out a few hundred,
then doing a quick and light spray of One Shot makes me feel like I re-invented the wheel.

[Bazoo]

I feel vindicated!

We've been led to believe ya got a carbide sizer to avoid lubing the cases.
Hmm, maybe there is more to it than that..

I've been having 'issues' with my Hornady taper crimp die, and gave up on it. It says its for 9mm and .38spec.
For 9mm, its fine. For .38s- it does OK if you don't mind the hole being too small, and crushing the cases.

So I got a Redding taper crimp die just for .38s. It seems like it'll be fine.
In the little instruction sheet with it--- even if that is a direct violation of Man Law rule #1,,, I read it.
They recommend lubing the cases for it to work the best. I was surprised and researched it.

Going through archives on several other forums, lubing cases with carbide dies is way more common,
and recommended, more so than I thought.
Both for the ease of sizing, less wear & tear on the sizer, as well as for taper crimping.

I don't, and won't lube pistol brass like I do for rifles, but with my practice of laying out a few hundred,
then doing a quick and light spray of One Shot makes me feel like I re-invented the wheel.

Thanks for sharing you're findings. I have never heard of lube helping with the crimp die. It makes sense though. Interesting that Redding suggests it.

[LAH]

I feel vindicated!

I don't, and won't lube pistol brass like I do for rifles, but with my practice of laying out a few hundred,
then doing a quick and light spray of One Shot makes me feel like I re-invented the wheel.

It makes a difference.

[delftshooter]

If the cases are squeaky clean, citric acid wash.. yeah i do.. brand new brass yeah i do.. give the die a quick squirt of that hornady spray lube, and since i process in batches i just do 10% of the run as lubed, and every 10th case i run through is a lubed one.