Die Lubrication
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just plain joe
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The main purpose of the carbide die is to eliminate the need for resizing lubricant which is needed with regular steel dies. However, I have heard others on this forum mention using lube in conjunction with carbide dies.
Speaking for myself, with straight-walled pistol/revolver cases, i.e. .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9 m/m, .45 Auto, & .41 Magnum, I have never had the need to apply lubricant when utilizing carbide resizer dies. I do make certain to tumble/clean the cases to eliminate scoring and to minimize wear on the carbide insert.
Others may know more though. Good Luck!
JPJ
P.S. I approached this post from the standpoint it was a question on "lube". If you were merely asking how to clean your die, my apologies for rambling on. Post 2 provided good info. For cleaning per se, I just use a Q-Tip with Hoppe's Solvent to pick up any debris.
Speaking for myself, with straight-walled pistol/revolver cases, i.e. .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9 m/m, .45 Auto, & .41 Magnum, I have never had the need to apply lubricant when utilizing carbide resizer dies. I do make certain to tumble/clean the cases to eliminate scoring and to minimize wear on the carbide insert.
Others may know more though. Good Luck!
JPJ
P.S. I approached this post from the standpoint it was a question on "lube". If you were merely asking how to clean your die, my apologies for rambling on. Post 2 provided good info. For cleaning per se, I just use a Q-Tip with Hoppe's Solvent to pick up any debris.
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Gun scrubber will work to wash them out.I spray a little cabelas lube on some of my 44 and 45 colt brass when I'm resizing them
I will clean my Carbide Revolver die after 1,000 rounds or
if it starts to bind up.
Any cleaner, then wipe dry and put away.
I also use clean cases w/o any residue on them, to help the dies out.
Desert dust, sand or powder partials on the case is a no, no.
if it starts to bind up.
Any cleaner, then wipe dry and put away.
I also use clean cases w/o any residue on them, to help the dies out.
Desert dust, sand or powder partials on the case is a no, no.
bigggbbruce
Member
My 10mm and 44mag brass are difficult to size with my carbide die.
In fact the die gets warm from the friction.
I use Hornady Unique Case Lube. Dab on my fingers then as I pick up each piece it transfers a little and eases the sizing stroke.
In fact the die gets warm from the friction.
I use Hornady Unique Case Lube. Dab on my fingers then as I pick up each piece it transfers a little and eases the sizing stroke.
fredj338
Member
If you want lube for sizing, put it on the cases. Anything you put in the die will be gone after 2-3 cases. For storage, any good rust prevent will do.
fredj338
Member
For cases with a lot of surface area, a shot of oneshot greatly helps with sizing. Even every 4-5 cases will make a noticeable diff in effort needed.
If I'm loading jacketed bullets, I clean maybe every year or so. If I'm loading lead bullets, clean after maybe 500 rounds due to wax/lube build up.
That is two differnt questions
Clean them with any "cleaner" not a CLP, I use brake Kleen
You do not need to lube the die. As mentioned lube the brass
(I lube all my brass with a little spritz of diluted water based lube.)
If you want to protect dies from rust in storage use silicone spray or WD 40 (yes the dreaded WD 40) it works and works well.
elpac3
Member
Like most, I do not lube cases when carbide dies except: Have had some really sticky .30 carbine cases even after cleaning. Trying to push them through the sizing die requires quite a bit of effort. To reduce the wear/strain on the equipment I use a touch of Imperial sizing wax on the case before running it through the die. Makes all the difference in the world! Only need to do this every 5-6 cases. When I am done I clean the die with they typical gun cleaning solvents or spray brake cleaner, let dry then reassemble the die.
Qc Pistolero
Member
Same here...and it's been working for me since longer than I care to remember.
DWalt
Member
I am not sure your question has to do with lubricating cases used in carbide dies or cleaning the dies themselves.
Lubrication of cases to be resized in carbide dies is usually not needed. But if the cases are lubed, they are resized a little more easily. STP makes a great lubricant, and Johnson's paste wax also works well.
I have never needed to clean any dies other than seating dies which may accumulate some bullet lubricant from cast bullets. I usually just scrape it out with a small screwdriver or something similar. I do oil the threads occasionally so that they screw into and out of my presses more smoothly.
Lubrication of cases to be resized in carbide dies is usually not needed. But if the cases are lubed, they are resized a little more easily. STP makes a great lubricant, and Johnson's paste wax also works well.
I have never needed to clean any dies other than seating dies which may accumulate some bullet lubricant from cast bullets. I usually just scrape it out with a small screwdriver or something similar. I do oil the threads occasionally so that they screw into and out of my presses more smoothly.
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Other than cleaning bullet lube out of seating or crimp dies for handgun cartridges, I seldom clean and never lube a die. I load for at least twenty-five cartridges, mostly rifle.
However, it hurts nothing to clean and/or lube a die; maybe even a good idea. In fifty-three years of handloading, I've scratched a couple of sizing dies from grit on cases that weren't adequately inspected and wiped off prior to sizing. Cleaning or lubing dies wouldn't have helped in such instances.
However, it hurts nothing to clean and/or lube a die; maybe even a good idea. In fifty-three years of handloading, I've scratched a couple of sizing dies from grit on cases that weren't adequately inspected and wiped off prior to sizing. Cleaning or lubing dies wouldn't have helped in such instances.
Thanks for all the replies. I should have clarified I was questioning how I should clean the inside of the carbide die and how frequently. I routinely don't use any lube when resizing using my RCBS carbide dies. The notable exception is I do use Hornady One Shot spray when resizing 460 S&W cases per recommendations from RCBS.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
MichiganScott
Member
I clean die sets with BrakeClean when I first get them and store them with VCI chips to prevent corrosion. The only time they get cleaned after that is when bullet lube builds up on the eating stem. I've never found it necessary to clean out the RCBS water soluble lube that I have used for decades. It may even help prevent corrosion.
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I do not lube handgun cases and use Dillon Carbide Dies for Handgun cartridge loading on my Dillon 650. I DO lube my rifle cartridges with Hornady One Shot Spray lube. The One Shot works GREAT - even in non Carbide Rifle Caliber Dies!! For Rifle calibers I use an RCBS Rock Chucker and RCBS Dies.
hdwhit
Member
Tapered cases like 9mm and 30 Carbine will benefit from being lightly lubricated even when using carbide dies.
As far as cleaning dirt and residual lubricant out of a die, there is no universal answer. You need to pick a cleaner that will clean the lubricant you put on the cases. Hornady One-Shot, for example, uses lanolin, but Hornady Unique uses tallow. Others may use mineral oil, glycerin, plant sterols, triglycerides and other stuff I can't even spell. What works to clean one won't necessarily work on another.
I clean my dies using at patch on the end of a piece of cleaning rod and then very lightly lubricating the die, inside and out, with light machine oil. No solvents. No cleaners. I've been doing this since 1979 and my guns can't tell the difference between ammunition assembled with them in, say 1982, and ammunition assembled today..
As far as cleaning dirt and residual lubricant out of a die, there is no universal answer. You need to pick a cleaner that will clean the lubricant you put on the cases. Hornady One-Shot, for example, uses lanolin, but Hornady Unique uses tallow. Others may use mineral oil, glycerin, plant sterols, triglycerides and other stuff I can't even spell. What works to clean one won't necessarily work on another.
I clean my dies using at patch on the end of a piece of cleaning rod and then very lightly lubricating the die, inside and out, with light machine oil. No solvents. No cleaners. I've been doing this since 1979 and my guns can't tell the difference between ammunition assembled with them in, say 1982, and ammunition assembled today..
I run a dry Q-tip around the inside of the die at the end of each session and that keeps them clean enough. Once in a great while I'll break them down and clean with alcohol or some solvent and apply a light coat of rust preventative, but that's the exception rather than the rule.
I wouldn't spray anything into my carbide dies, I have no idea the long term effect from the chemicals in lube, maybe none, maybe degrade the cement holding the ring, or any gummy residue build up. My 44 Magnum brass gets a bit tiresome to size after 40-50 cases so I use the same case lube as I do with my rifle brass, Mink Oil Boot Dressing Cream. Just a dab on my fingers and roll every 5th or so case in my fingers...
I keep a container of my "soak" on my bench; mineral spirits, Marvel's Mystery Oil, and some Kroil. I just guess at the ratios, but it's 80% mineral spirits. I soak my dies in it when the need cleaning and also use it for rusty tools and even cleaning my mics...
I keep a container of my "soak" on my bench; mineral spirits, Marvel's Mystery Oil, and some Kroil. I just guess at the ratios, but it's 80% mineral spirits. I soak my dies in it when the need cleaning and also use it for rusty tools and even cleaning my mics...
Lube the brass & keep the dies clean.
I prefer to use some case lube on all cases (yes, even with carbide pistol dies) because it makes the press run smooooth. I like a light spritz of One Shot spray, but there are others that work great too. I spray some into a big freezer bag, throw a few handfuls of cases in, zip closed & shake.
Give it a chance to set up/dry before you dump them in the hopper or start sizing.
I prefer to use some case lube on all cases (yes, even with carbide pistol dies) because it makes the press run smooooth. I like a light spritz of One Shot spray, but there are others that work great too. I spray some into a big freezer bag, throw a few handfuls of cases in, zip closed & shake.
Give it a chance to set up/dry before you dump them in the hopper or start sizing.
9mm doesn't need lube.......
....but anything bigger is much easier to resize with a little lube. After trying several the Imperial wax is my lube of choice. It takes so little on the cases that I just pat my left hand fingers in the wax and turn the cases in my fingers when putting them into the shell holder.
....but anything bigger is much easier to resize with a little lube. After trying several the Imperial wax is my lube of choice. It takes so little on the cases that I just pat my left hand fingers in the wax and turn the cases in my fingers when putting them into the shell holder.
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