Lube & Resizing Question

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Hi All,

I've been told a few different stories, and I'm wanting to get a better understanding of the why's and why not's behind it:

In one corner I've been told that I should lube my pistol cases before resizing, but I don't need to worry too much about cleaning the lube off later - just put it in the gun and shoot.

In the other corner, I've been told if I do lube, I should definitely wipe the lube off afterwards, but that lube isn't necessary if I use carbide dies, so don't worry about it at all.

Both sides seem to err on caution in one area, and disregard it in the other...

So my questions are:

1) Is lube required, and (more importantly)...

2) Why do some people say the lube need to be cleaned after loading. Will it damage the inside of my firearms, etc?

TIA

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[walker2713]

I use Lee carbide pistol dies, and have NEVER used lube on those cases.....

No problem.

[Luke]

Are you loading rifle or pistol?

[JV_]

For pistol reloading, I've tried it with and without. My 1050 feels a whole lot smoother with case lube.

I clean off the Dillon lube from loaded rounds, otherwise my hands get pretty filthy after a few hundred round range session (from loading mags).

[mtnbkr]

If using carbide pistol dies or neck-size-only rifle dies, you don't need to lube.

If you're using steel pistol dies or full-length rifle dies, you should lube.

I would endeavor to clean the lube off before loading, but it depends on how much excess your chosen method of lubing leaves behind. I use a pad saturated with wax lube and there isn't enough excess for me to bother. No issues so far...

Chris

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Thanks all for the replies. To answer the questions mentioned (and to ask a few more of my own ;) )....


Are you loading rifle or pistol?

Sorry - I should have said... Pistol rounds in a progressive press...


I clean off the Dillon lube from loaded rounds, otherwise my hands get pretty filthy after a few hundred round range session (from loading mags).

So the downside to not cleaning lube off is simply dirty hands? I don't need to worry about my firearm, additional die's in the press, etc?



I would endeavor to clean the lube off before loading, but it depends on how much excess your chosen method of lubing leaves behind. I use a pad saturated with wax lube and there isn't enough excess for me to bother. No issues so far...

How does one do this with a progressive press? (Or what would be the correct sequence of events). I'm struggling to see how you could use the progressive press to it's advantage if you have to take out every case from station 2 to wipe it clean and then go again? Am I missing something there?

[Luke]

How about the bell/powder fill stage? Any way to make that smoother or not stick coming back down.

[BN]

Reloading straight wall pistol cases, I spray lube with Hornady One Shot Case Lube. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/438512/hornady-one-shot-case-lube-5-oz-aerosol I put about 500 cases in a container and spray them, shake around and spray again. Let sit for a couple of minutes and start loading. I use carbide dies and the lube makes sizing easier.

Just spray it on and forget it. I don't clean it off. It sort of drys and isn't messy. I have loaded tens of thousands of rounds with it.

For good reloading info go here: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=4

[JV_]

So the downside to not cleaning lube off is simply dirty hands?I haven't seen any other issues.

I use carbide dies, and I still find it's smoother with case lube.


I'm struggling to see how you could use the progressive press to it's advantage if you have to take out every case from station 2 to wipe it clean and then go again? Am I missing something there?Lube it before it goes in the case feeder, clean it off when it comes out of the press (ie. the loaded round).

[Stumpnav]

Straight walled pistol cases in carbide dies do not NEED lube...however, the press runs so much smoother if you do.

Like others, I use the Hornady One Shot. Place the cases in a plastic grocery bag, spray, shake, spray again...then load.

To 'clean' them, I put them in a big towel, pick up both ends and roll then around for a minute. Gets rid of most of the lube.

Mostly though, I don't worry about getting the lube off...just shoot them.

[Edwin]

It's better to run the lube even though you don't have to. Your elbow will thank you. I roll my rounds in a rag right before I case gauge to clean it off the final product.

[Mitch]

I use hornady one shot on pistol rounds as well. It definitely makes things smoother and I can load considerably faster when I'm not fighting the press. I don't bother cleaning the lube off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mtnbkr]

Thanks all for the replies. To answer the questions mentioned (and to ask a few more of my own ;) )....
How does one do this with a progressive press? (Or what would be the correct sequence of events). I'm struggling to see how you could use the progressive press to it's advantage if you have to take out every case from station 2 to wipe it clean and then go again? Am I missing something there?

I wouldn't use dies that required case lube on a progressive. Neck size or carbide only if you want the full benefit of a progressive.

Chris

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Thanks all for the replies again.

So what I have learned from this is:

1) I don't need to lube my cases, however the press will run smoother if I do... but it comes down to personal choice.

2) If I choose to lube the cases, there is no downside (besides dirty hands) if I choose not to wipe the lube off after loading

3) If I choose to lube the cases, an easy way to get most of the lube off is to place all the rounds in a towl in bulk, and roll them from side to side by raising one end and lowering the other, and vise versa.

Please let me know if I've misunderstood or you disagree.

Cheers

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[JV_]

3) If I choose to lube the cases, an easy way to get most of the lube off is to place all the rounds in a towl in bulk, and roll them from side to side by raising one end and lowering the other, and vise versa.

It depends on the case lube. That method won't do anything to remove Dillon case lube.

[Sal Picante]

Dude... I load a lot.

Anything that makes the press run smoother is good.
Anything that get me shooting more sooner is also good.

Hornady 1-shot (red can) doesn't affect the function. (A little goes a long way...)

[olstyn]

I used to not bother lubing when loading pistol rounds (9mm and .380 in my case), and then I read some recommendations about using One Shot and figured, eh, a can of it is cheap enough that if I decide it's not worthwhile, I'm not really out any money. I tried it and haven't gone back; as others have said, it makes the press run smoother/lower effort, and the cleanup required is essentially nil unless you feel like being super anal.

[chances R]

Like others have said....I lube to make the press run more smoothly. Hornady One Shot applied very lightly and I don't bother wiping it off. In fact IMO it makes the ammo run more smoothly in the gun, just like it does in the dies.

[gringop]

I only have an old set of steel 380 dies, when I reload 380, I lube them with One-Shot. All my other pistol dies are carbide, no lube needed. Some of my rifle dies are steel, some are carbide, all my rifle brass gets lubed with One-Shot.

The issue with cleaning the lube off the finished cartridges is that if there is a lot of lube when the shell is in the chamber and you fire it, the lube can allow the brass to not adhere well to the chamber walls under pressure and put more stress on the brass and the boltface. The lube can also heat up, get mixed with combustion gasses and gunk up the gun pretty well.

I don't worry to much about religiously cleaning all the lube off of my 223 reloads, the little that is on there gets removed by handling between being QCed, loaded on stripper clips, and boxed. On my bigger high pressure calibers, all lube gets removed with a rag.

One final note, if you do lube cases, keep them, their containers and the work surface clean and do not let grit and dirt get on them. It is expensive to buy new sizing dies because the old ones are so scratched that cases start sticking in them.

Gringop

[SecondsCount]

You can always tumble your loaded rounds for a short time to clean off the lube. Your media won't last as long but it does a good job at getting them clean.

Be careful with One Shot on rifle cases. If you don't get it applied right, the cases will stick in the sizing die.

[Slavex]

Like Les, I shoot a ton, and reload most of it. Hornady One Shot is my mainstay as well. I lube the cases before throwing in the case feeder, and don't wipe it off after. On my recent trip to Jamaica I was dumping mags into the sand at the range, with rounds in them, unload the mag, wipe the rounds off quickly, clean the mags, reload them and good to go. The exact same thing I'd do with non lubed cases. I didn't notice any excessive amounts of sand sticking the cases either, and I looked for it.