Case Lube on progressive press

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Tim Stapp

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I'm loading 9mm and

38 spl/.357 Mag on a progressive press. What case lube are others using on 9mm especially when running through a progressive???
 
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This may be irrelevant to your situation, but I don't use case lube on pistol calibers because I got carbide dies. But for rifle cartridges which need case lube I use Lee sizing lube in the tube. Inoffensive white cream stuff with no odor that I detect and probably non toxic. I just ordered a new tube to size some rifle brass the other day, as my tubes had sort of dried up. But looking at the 1.49 price tags and the shop name I realized I had them since the 80s so you got about 35 years to use it up I guess. I ordered mine as the local shop shows some kind of RCBS spray stuff and I don't want to use a spray and risk a mess.
 
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I've been using Hornady One Shot on my 9mm cases, just to keep the jostling down when priming, without case lube, the jostling when extracting the case from the sizer can knock the primer off the priming pin. My press prime on the down stroke, coming out of the sizing die. I've found that using case lube minimizes the jostling.


Rifle cartridges, I've always done single stage. Tumble the brass after lubing/sizing to remove the lube.
 
Biggest reason that I'm asking is because I may start reloading .223 for the son in law and grandson and grand daughter progressively. Case lube will be mandatory for these.
 
I’ve never had a lot of luck with resizing rifle cases on my Dillon 550B. I resize and deprime on a single stage press. Then the cases get tumbled. And I’ll prime, charge, and seat with the Dillon. You’ll have better results with a ball powder in a progressive.

*The 9MM is a tapered case. And yes, a carbide die will work. Someone will surely chime in and declare they’ve used one for decades with match grade results. Cool.
My Beretta 92, which is normally very accurate, HATES my carbide resizing die. So I have to treat 9MM cases as I do rifle cases. Lube. Resize on the single stage. Tumble. Finish on Dillon.

I use Hornady Unique. It’s a little different way of lubing. I think it’s overall just as fast as a pad.

Maybe I’ll re-try a spray lube sometime.

**I don’t know if this is legal, but if anyone wants that carbide 9MM, let me know.
 
About the only case lube I have ever used is STP thinned a little with mineral spirits. A can of STP should last close to a lifetime. But there are many commercial case lubes available if you want to pay the price. Case lube does make sizing with a carbide die a little easier, even though not necessary.
 
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I should add that I deprime off the progressive. Clean and then on to the progressive. 38 spl has never been a problem with carbide dies. With the tapered case of the 9, "jostling" has been an issue. BTW, I'm loading on a Lee Load Master progressive. Had one years ago, loved it. Just now getting back into shooting (life, divorce and so on got in the way of shooting). So, based upon my great experience previously with the Lee, I went that way again. Don't bash me for my Lee. It's what I could afford and what was available at the time. I'd love a Dillon, but not able to do it at this time.
 
If your question is about lubricating the press ram then just use gun oil or similar like Three-in-One. If you are asking about the cases then buy a carbide size die that does not require lubrication. The Hornady One Shot is good if you have steel dies or want to reduce sizing effort with carbide. If you already have a die set you only need to buy a separate carbide size die, the other dies are the same in either type die set.
 
Hornady One Shot.

Case lube, while not strictly necessary, can make life easier on a progressive press regardless of the caliber. If you feel it helps, use it. I mostly use it with the big magnum handgun cartridges on the Dillon. I can load without it, but it's smoother with it. But I've used it with 9mm too.
 
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When progressive loading 223 family of cartridges (223, 300 Blackout, 221 Fireball & a few others) on my Dillon 550. If I have to deal with military crimp primers: I size and deprime on a single stage and then work on the primer pockets. All sizing in this family with or without carbide sizing dies (regardless of type of press used) get a two second shot of Hornady One Shot in a bucket of 50 to 80 cases, swirled around and a 2nd two second shot and swirled. This coats them completely with the wax lube. A little gets in the case mouths which helps keep the powder funnel from sticking.

If already processed military brass OR commercial brass, FL sized on the progressive with the same type of lube and process.

In 1985 I loaded a 20,000 round batch of military brass. One Shot didn't exist back then so I used Break Free CLP on a larger batch of cases (about 300) to avoid too much residue. Some people just wipe a small amount on the shoulder of every 2nd or 3rd case.

CLP and One Shot won't foul your primers or powder! Be sure whatever you use it listed the same.

Ivan
 
I always use a single stage press for bottle necked rifle cartridges. Re-size and de-prime on the press. Then I do whatever case prep needs doing. I use a bench mounted Forster Co-Ax primer for several reasons. Seating rifle primers may require a fair amount of force. Also, early on I was hand loading primarily for an M14/M1A rifle and wanted to avoid a slam-fire. Priming in an isolated step lets me check primer depth by feel quickly. It also gives me a bit more mechanical advantage. Then it’s on to dropping powder and seating back on the single stage press.

Obviously I’m not in “production mode” for bottlenecked rifle cartridges.
 
I use one shot or Dillon Spay lube on pistol cases with the Dillons. I don't really load 9s although I can. I load 32s 38/35741 both 44s and both 45s. Not necessary with carbide but makes them all load easier. The larger cases give more hump and bump
 
glenwolde said:
Hornady One Shot.

Case lube, while not strictly necessary, can make life easier on a progressive press regardless of the caliber. If you feel it helps, use it. I mostly use it with the big magnum handgun cartridges on the Dillon. I can load without it, but it's smoother with it. But I've used it with 9mm too.
Click to expand...

What do you do to remove the One Shot? Or do you? I've considered using it with stainless pin cleaned brass. Cases get so clean, squeaky clean, that they drag on the expander plug. It makes processing on a progressive difficult. I'm thinking One Shot would be the solution provided I can figure out a suitable removal technique.
 
Loading .38's on a Dillon SDB, I lubricate with Imperial Sizing Wax. I very mildly lube the first case, then every ten cases afterward (VERY light dab on index finger wiped around the case).
Yes, I have a carbide die, but it helps with ease of operation.
I wipe each one off with a rag as they drop into the bin (grabbing it before it hits the bin of course).
I deprime first without sizing, tumble with wet stainless-steel pins, dry, then prime by hand (I don't like the Dillon primer tubes and the way the seat on the machine).
 
On my single stage,

I have to use a very light amout of lube, on my 9mm cases.
If not tumbled and just wiped clean, if I get cheap with the lube, I will
evenually get a stuck case, that will pull free from the case holder.

I will have to gut the die and pound the case out of it and re-set the die, again.

It only happen twice last year, not bad for all the 9mm shells that I reloaded.
 
First I tumble clean in Walnut hull media heavily charged with Dillon tumble case cleaner/wax. Then just a fine mist on the full hopper of brass of a composition of lanolin dissolved in technical alcohol.
Run them through the carbide dies and nothing to it.
38Spl and longer get laid on a baking sheet and a little more aggressive spritz of lanolin/alcohol.
 
per the OP: "I should add that I deprime off the progressive."

OK. So do I. After washing the brass initially, why not just deprime and resize your lubed cases in that one step? A quick run through the tumbler (I use a Thumler's wet with SS pins) and your brass is ready to prime and reload.

Cheers!

P.S. I have found the Frankford Arsenal Non-Aerosol Case Lube 8 oz. to work great on 223/5.56 cases and am still on the 1st bottle I ever bought! Just a couple squirts in a gallon Zip-Lock is good for quite a few cases. For 338 Lapua Magnums I do use Hornady Unique in the jar: never heard of someone reloading them on a progressive, either...?:eek:
 
On my hand gun loads done on Dillon presses ,I do not worry about removing the hornady one shot. Not enough left to really make any difference. Many years of handgun loads with no problems
 
Surgically clean brass, post sizing

Now that case sizing is fully covered, the age old question is; "How to remove case lube?" I use ground walnut shells, using the same tumbling media I bought 20+ years ago, and simple add new media when it gets low from losses sifting the brass.

Dump brass into vibratory tumbler, add media, run tumbler intermittently for 1 minute to mix brass and media. I have a window cleaner pump bottle that contains water and Dawn dishwashing liquid - about 2 teaspoons to 24 ounces of water.

While the filled tumbler is running, I spray the media with the water/Dawn mixture. When the media starts to get clumpy, I place a flat heavy plastic parts bag on the hopper, install the cover, and tighten the cover nut. Dawn is the magic ingredient that will "lift" case lube off the brass.

Come back and check the brass, clean brass -- empty the tumbler, dirty brass -- replace cover & turn tumbler back on for another hour.

I add 1 to 2 double handfuls of triangular ceramic tumbling stones. New stones are 1/2" triangles x 1/4" thick. I have been using the same container of stones for 20+ years. You can buy them at Harbor Freight or Grainger.
 
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