Carbide dies + no lube?

alphabrace · Jun 10, 2009

Hello,
New to reloading and looking to buy a set of 9mm dies. I think
that I read somewhere if you use a carbide die you don't need
to lubricate the case. Is that correct? Is the Dillon carbide set
a good one for any press? I have Dillon, RCBS and Lee available
for my use (good to have friends). Thanks for your response!

lafayne · Jun 10, 2009

It's not necessary to lube with a carbide handgun die, but doesn't hurt either. More importantly is that the cases are clean before loading to remove any dirt or grit.

Amici · Jun 10, 2009

alphabrace said:
Hello,
New to reloading and looking to buy a set of 9mm dies. I think
that I read somewhere if you use a carbide die you don't need
to lubricate the case. Is that correct? Is the Dillon carbide set
a good one for any press? I have Dillon, RCBS and Lee available
for my use (good to have friends). Thanks for your response!

Get carbide dies.

Excuse me; I may not have made myself clear.

GET CARBIDE DIES! Now.

I made the mistake of going cheap and bought plain dies for my first set (.357). STUPID, short-sighted move, even though everyone said - wait for it - GET CARBIDE DIES.

If you don't you will waste time lubing cases, more time cleaning the crap off the sticky cases so it doesn't scratch the cheapo dies you shouldn't have even bought, and then cleaning them AGAIN after loading (if you don't, the recoil is not diffused as the case expands into the chamber).

Oh - the crap on the cases I warned you about - ask me about the striations on my beautiful nickel cases from garbage sticking to the lube and getting embedded in the dies.

But I digress....

GET CARBIDE DIES!

Spotteddog · Jun 10, 2009

Get Carbide AND lube them conservatively once clean, JOMO?

Storm52 · Jun 10, 2009

Carbide dies + lube (sparingly). The addition of the lube on a progressive press will save your arm. I have 2 routines
1. Tumble & separate brass, lay brass out on old towel, 2 second spray of One Shot, pickup towel by corners and roll/bounce around...Viola` done.
2. Get a tube of pure lanolin from your drug store (you might have to ask the druggist to located it for you), after you have your brass cleaned, dump in a box or towel, put lanoline the size of pencil eraser in your palm, rub palms together to soften and melt lanolin, rub hands thru brass (not necessary to touch each case) and viola` done. With lanolin you don't have to worry about powder/primer contamination or wiping down in the case of too much One Shot.

OU812 · Jun 10, 2009

Amici is correct

amici said:
get carbide dies.

Excuse me; i may not have made myself clear.

Get carbide dies! Now.

I made the mistake of going cheap and bought plain dies for my first set (.357). Stupid, short-sighted move, even though everyone said - wait for it - get carbide dies.

If you don't you will waste time lubing cases, more time cleaning the crap off the sticky cases so it doesn't scratch the cheapo dies you shouldn't have even bought, and then cleaning them again after loading (if you don't, the recoil is not diffused as the case expands into the chamber).

Oh - the crap on the cases i warned you about - ask me about the striations on my beautiful nickel cases from garbage sticking to the lube and getting embedded in the dies.

But i digress....

Get carbide dies!

get carbide dies they work

MrPhil · Jun 10, 2009

Storm52 said:
Carbide dies + lube (sparingly). The addition of the lube on a progressive press will save your arm. I have 2 routines
1. Tumble & separate brass, lay brass out on old towel, 2 second spray of One Shot, pickup towel by corners and roll/bounce around...Viola` done.
2. Get a tube of pure lanolin from your drug store (you might have to ask the druggist to located it for you), after you have your brass cleaned, dump in a box or towel, put lanoline the size of pencil eraser in your palm, rub palms together to soften and melt lanolin, rub hands thru brass (not necessary to touch each case) and viola` done. With lanolin you don't have to worry about powder/primer contamination or wiping down in the case of too much One Shot.

3. 2 second spray of One Shot into a plastic bag, add a couple hundred cases, shake and roll around . . . Viola`.

Oh, if Amici wasn't clear GET CARBIDE DIES!

Amici · Jun 10, 2009

I load .38 Special/.357, .38 Super, .40 S&W and .45 ACP on carbide dies with NO lube and no problems.

Where DO I use lube and carbide dies? On .30 Carbine and .223 cases.

sjmjax · Jun 10, 2009

I can confirm Amici's suggestion with lube on .30 carbine brass. Recently tried to treat it the same why as regular pistol brass in carbide dies... no lube. After tearing the rims off several cases, I learned my lesson.

Otherwise, I've had no problems with any caliber, straight walled cases in carbide dies with no lube.

flash60601 · Jun 11, 2009

sjmjax said:
I can confirm Amici's suggestion with lube on .30 carbine brass. Recently tried to treat it the same why as regular pistol brass in carbide dies... no lube. After tearing the rims off several cases, I learned my lesson.

Otherwise, I've had no problems with any caliber, straight walled cases in carbide dies with no lube.

30 Carbine cases have a significant taper. And pulled rins is just te beginning without a little bit of lube even in carbide dies.

And regardless of what ever anyone else says about it, GET CARBIDE DIES.

Flash

Rule3 · Jun 11, 2009

I use a tiny bit of the Lee Lube diluted 1 part to 10 of rubbing alcohol in a little spray bottle. Put your cleaned cases in a small plastic container or bag. Give it one or two spritz and shake the cases around.

It makes life much easier even with the carbide dies, even with straight wall cases. Use just a tiny bit and you will not have to clean off the cases after.

Wayne M · Jun 11, 2009

If you like to load then lube away! I load 10,000 a year and even with the Dillon it just ain't fun anymore(but necessary if you want to shoot!). For straight walled pistol brass use carbide and leave the lube at the store.

Hoptob · Jun 11, 2009

Lubing helps reduce effort needed to resize staright wall cases. I use 1 squirt of Dillon spray lube per 100 cases. For example I may put 400 dry 9mm cases into the case feeder, apply 4 squirts of the spray lube directly into the feeder and mix the cases by hand. You have to try it to believe how much difference it makes for smooth operation of the press.

Mike

38-44HD45 · Jun 11, 2009

I've never used lube on carbide dies with straight-wall or nearly straight wall handgun cases, and I've loaded literally hundreds of thousands of rounds of handgun ammo over the past 40+ years. As noted, ones like .30 Carbine are another matter, so you'll need some lube. Get Dillon carbide dies, or Redding. You'll be glad you did.

n4zov · Jun 11, 2009

There isn't much reason to pay the extra cost of carbide dies if you are going to lube them anyway! I cannot remember ever lubing for carbide dies, but it might be helpful if you run into an unusual situation (e.g. .30 Carbine) or oversized cases.

NFrameFred · Jun 11, 2009

n4zov said:
There isn't much reason to pay the extra cost of carbide dies if you are going to lube them anyway! I cannot remember ever lubing for carbide dies, but it might be helpful if you run into an unusual situation (e.g. .30 Carbine) or oversized cases.

Kinda the way I've looked at it. I've never used lube with any carbide dies with the exception of the 30 carbine which seems to be the one exception to the rule that I've encountered.

MrPhil · Jun 11, 2009

Don't knock it if ya ain't tried it.

Amici · Jun 11, 2009

NFrameFred said:
Kinda the way I've looked at it. I've never used lube with any carbide dies with the exception of the 30 carbine which seems to be the one exception to the rule that I've encountered.

I take it you've never loaded .223 dry. I spent $80 just for the Dillon carbide sizing die (when I finally got around to ordering, it was just AFTER the price increase). The carbide is far better than plain steel, but it still works a LOT better with just a kiss of lube on the cases.

38-44HD45 · Jun 11, 2009

Amici said:
I take it you've never loaded .223 dry. I spent $80 just for the Dillon carbide sizing die (when I finally got around to ordering, it was just AFTER the price increase). The carbide is far better than plain steel, but it still works a LOT better with just a kiss of lube on the cases.

Dillon specifically says that you should use lube with their carbide .223 and .308 dies. I've never used them without it, having been afraid to try. (I've had to remove stuck cases before, and I really don't enjoy it!) Have you actually used them dry?

NFrameFred · Jun 11, 2009

Amici said:
I take it you've never loaded .223 dry. I spent $80 just for the Dillon carbide sizing die (when I finally got around to ordering, it was just AFTER the price increase). The carbide is far better than plain steel, but it still works a LOT better with just a kiss of lube on the cases.

Nope - never have - don't use carbide rifle dies since the cases have to be lubed anyway

I use a somewhat different arrangement in preparing the rifle cases by re-sizing/de-capping on a single stage press, then a short trip to the tumbler to clean off residual lube.

Then I use a Lee de-capping die at stage 1 on the 550 just to ensure the flash hole is clean and they load just like pistol cases, one for every crank of the handle.

Sure, it's an extra step, but if you're gonna have to mess with the lube and the clean-up anyway . . . . works for me.

Carbide dies + no lube?

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