Lube with carbide dies?

[the86d]

That's a shouldered rifle die.
Straight wall cartridges don't need to be lubed in carbide dies.

The poll itself does not specify...

[ar15barrels]

The poll itself does not specify...

That's true.
Also true is that very few people have full carbide shouldered dies.
The ones that do already SHOULD know that they still have to be lubed so this thread is about straight wall dies for most people since that's the only type of carbide dies they have.

Solid carbide shouldered cartridge dies are made for commercial reloaders who need to size hundreds of thousands of cases a year.
If you are using steel dies, the die may wear out in as little as 150,000 cases.
Carbide die life is probably well over a million.

So for that extra cost, you don't have to replace the die as often and stop the machine to re-adjust the sizing die.

[sghart]

I size and deprime in carbide dies and I don't have to lube the cases but I do it any ways for a slightly different reason.

I load 357 mag, 44 mag and 45 Colt for rifle use. To maximize accuracy in my rifles I find that a consistent case length, hence consistent crimp, makes a big difference in accuracy just like bottlenecked cartridges.

When I size a case dry in my carbide die the case stretches by about .010". I find that with a shot of Hornady spray lube the cases size easier and the length stays the same. Since my stash of brass has pretty much all been trimmed to length in the past the lube can potentially eliminate an added step.

I don't use lube normally in 38 Spl, 44 Spl, 45 ACP or 38 Super. Although it is nice when doing a lot of 9mm.


Steve in N CA

[Loiterer]

Just my own thoughts is that brass as well as die will just do better when lubed.
I put a little unique (Hornady) on the first piece and then just every so often after that no matter what die, RCBS, Lee or Hornady.
Not sure what is really needed but I have at times done things that was not needed.

[noylj]

If you don't need it, why use it? If you do need it, WHY?
I know that for some unknown reason, about once every year or two everything aligns and I find my 9x19 cases to be hard to size. So, I lube them. Next day, however, no lube is needed and I go on for a year or two without any issue.
Always lube bottleneck cases, of course.

[bigbossman]

Only a gentleman who is bad at it.

Please don't assume his sexual orientation.

[Tankhatch]

I make my own lube with lanolin and alcoholic. Works well. I also use the process mentioned earlier of spraying the inside of a large ziplock bag, putting the brass inside and shaking it.

I do tumble my completed rounds for 10 minutes afterwards just to remove the lube. It's not functionally required. They shoot the same without this step. I just do it because it makes me happy. LOL

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Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought tumbling any loaded ammo, is not recommended.

[anonymouscuban]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought tumbling any loaded ammo, is not recommended.

Ive tumbled 10s of thousands of loaded, 9mm cartridges without any issue whatsoever. In a vibratory tumbler with crushed walnut media. About 10-15 minutes.

Not saying I'm right. Just speaking to my experience.

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[EBR Works]

When I'm sizing/loading pistol calibers with carbide dies I place clean brass in a Ziploc bag, spray a little Hornady One-Shot in bag, shake for maybe 5-10 seconds, than toss them into shell feeder and crank away.

Same here, except I put the spray in the bag first & rub the sides of the bag together, then add the brass. Seems to avoid getting lube inside the case/contaminating the powder load better. I do tumble 500 at a time and gauge every round after.
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[Tankhatch]

Tumbling live ammo, in true rifle calibers, is definitely not recommended.
(Loaded .50 BMG and 30-06, tumbled to rid of corrosion, has a kaboom factor)

[RandyD]

I started reloading without carbide dies. I like not having to use lube and that is why I shifted over to carbide dies. I reload .38/.357, 9mm, 44 Mag and .45 ACP on a Dillon 650, and the force to size is minimal.

[Kurgan]

I'm in the use case lube camp. Load on a Dillon 650 and find that my press is significantly smoother to operate.

[croue]

[Denver Dick]

I use a single stage press. With my carbide dies, I usually lightly lube every fourth or fifth case. It just helps smooth up the process. While everything works without lube, it just doesn't feel right to me. I've used a single stage press since I started reloading in around 1972 when I left the service. So, I feel the difference when sizing completely without lube.

[Bigedski]

I use lube on rifle cases only .223, 308, pistol cases don't need lube.