Carbide die, lubrication.

Do you use lube despite it being unnecessary when using a carbide die?

  • No, it may help but I do not bother.

    Votes: 59 64.1%

  • Yes, it is worth using despite being not absolutely required.

    Votes: 33 35.9%
  • Total voters
    92
  • Poll closed .
D

dahermit

New member
How many handloaders lube straight-wall handgun cases (except .30 Carbine) despite when using a carbide sizing die?
 
I've never bothered doing it, but lots of folks report they feel of the press operation getting smoother and easier, so if I had shoulder motion problems operating the press, I might well do it. Also, some complain the super smooth clean surface from stainless steel pin case cleaning increases friction with the carbide. I've only done SS pin cleaning with rifle cases at this point, so I can't say from experience if that's so or not. If it turned out to be true on my press, I would lube the cases then.
 
I don't. Not even for .30 carbine. It will go smoother with lube. But I don't care as long as casing doesn't get stuck. It is still smoother than lubed rifle brass.

I don't really enjoy cleaning the lube off the brass.

-TL
 
I DO on some calibers. I find 44 mag can be a bit of a bear so Ill throw a little lube on to make it smoother. Ive also ripped the rims off hornady brass so I dont reload those anymore.

For 9mm I do not. No need.
 
I give pistol brass a LIGHT spritz of spray lube. Reduces the effort on the handle and if you use little enough, most of it rubs off in the dies and you don't have to clean the finished ammo.
 
Maybe, sometimes. Depending on the case (38, 9mm nope, .44 Mag., .357 Mag., yep, sometimes if I got a lot to do). But there is a definite reduction in force needed to size any case when lightly lubed...
 
If you have to lube your dies, maybe you need better ones?

The wonderful thing about carbide is that it is so dense and hard that it can be polished to a water smooth, nearly frictionless surface. Look a tungsten jewelry and this will be clear. Wait, look at a ten year old piece of tungsten jewelry.

If jamming a .38 round into a carbide die feels like hammering through cinder blocks, there is a problem of some sorts and it is probably because you are trying to shove a piece of brass through a 3/8"insert that has the texture of 800 grit alumina paper.
 
Yes, I lube the cases all the time ( and I load on a Dillon 650)...with very good Dillon Carbide dies..../ I know its not necessary...but I use the Dillon spray lube - easy to use..and then dump 500 or so cases in the case feeder.

I've run it both ways...with and without case lube...and the press runs significantly smoother when I use the case lube.

I shoot and reload about 10 boxes a week of 9mm....and usually 2 boxes a week of .357 mag ---- and a few boxes a month of .45 acp, .40 S&W and .44 Mag.

But do whatever works for you the best.
 
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Lubing and cleaning cases is completely unnecessary with any straight-walled pistol cartridge except .30 Carbine when using a Carbide sizing die.

Work smart, not hard.
 
I do it (straight wall handgun cases) because I'm going to ss pin tumble afterward anyway; and that'll wash off the lube. Since I know the lube will wash off, seems I might as well apply some spray lube. Only takes an extra few seconds, and it makes the process go a lot smoother - and that's gotta be a good thing, right?
 
To me, lubing a straight wall pistol case defeats the whole purpose (and wastes the extra money carbide dies cost).

Sure, it runs a little smoother, perhaps but the whole reason I got carbide dies was to dispense with that particular step.

And, yes, I started in the days before the light spray lubes we use today. The heavy lubes we used on the lube pads take more to clean up, so back then carbide was a bigger time & effort saver than it is today.
 
Lubing adds to the steps when using a progressive like my Dillon 550b. If I lube the cases, somewhere along the line I will have to clean it off. If one lubes, sizes and then cleans the cases before going to the flaring/powder dispensing step, it defeats the purpose of a progressive press. I handload to shoot...my hobby is primarily shooting (in the Summer I shoot every day, seven days a week), not handloading. I want to get the handloading done as quickly as possible. No lubing of straight-walled cases except for .30 Carbine, but I shoot mostly handgun anyway.
 
I've been reloading for 50 plus yrs too...and yes lubing used to be a mess and a pain - but with today's spray lube ( easy & quick to use / dries in about 10 min -- and I just dump the whole batch of lubed cases into case feeder ( 500 or so ).and run them thru the press in 30 min or less ....and if there is a little residual lube left on completed rounds, I just dump them on a terrycloth towel on my bench - roll them around a little and you are done.

I would never buy a die today that wasn't carbide......we used to use non carbide dies..../ but today's carbide dies are not expensive ( and they last virtually forever )...

I think a bottle of dillons spray lube is under $10....and I think the last bottle I had ran at least 5 yrs of cases, so 125,000 cases or so..../ ...so it's cheap too...
 
I mostly use a hand press at the moment and I manage to resize .44Mags without lube. Provided the cases are clear of grit that might damage the dies or cases, then no need for lube, IMO.

In fact, lube makes attracting grit more likely.
 
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