Lube for reloading 9mm cases

[retired2006]

I asked this in another forum also, so disregard if you read it there:

Hi, I am reloading 9mm on an old C-H Autochamp progressive, and am having trouble with the cases sticking in the resizing die.
Looking for suggestions for a lube I can just spray or shake on a container of loose brass to lube them. Right now I am spraying silicone spray on them, but would like something better.

 

[redhawk444]

The best solution is to buy a carbide resiging die. You do not need any lube when using a carbide sizer.

The second best way is to buy a tube of Alberto VO5 hair dressing and put a little dab on your hands and then just pick up the cases and roll them between your hands--you can do several at a time. This will apply just the right amount of lube and VO5 comes off very easily....both from your hands and the brass.

 

[Tupperware]

I don't recommend silicone spray because it can cause inert primers and/or squib loads. Ask me how I know
Hornady One Shot is the best product I have found. I use it even with carbide dies. I dump a single layer of cases (several hundred) into a clean cardboard box and lightly spray the cases. It's not important to hit them all or to cover the entire curcumfrence of the case. Then give the box a couple of shakes and allow the solvent to evaporate for about a minute and you're good to go. You will feel a difference when operating your press.
Hornady One Shot Case Lube 5-1/2 oz Aerosol - MidwayUSA

 

[scorvers]

The best solution is to buy a carbide resiging die. You do not need any lube when using a carbide sizer.

If your die is already carbide, you need to clean it.

 

[retired2006]

I have a carbide die, forgot to mention that. The Hornday product sounds good, have to try that, thanks guys

 

[dmar]

The Hornady lube works great; you should definitely give it a try...

 

[Steve C]

You can get spray lube in a pump type plastic bottle from Dillon, or Hornady or by Frankford Arsenal from Midway.
Frankford Arsenal Case Lube 8 oz Pump - MidwayUSA

 

[whelenshooter]

The Dillon stuff in the pump sprayer is very good. It is lanolin dissolved in alcohol. When the alcohol evaporates, you have the lanolin left, which is a VERY good resizing lubricant. For many years I used lanolin as a reloading lubricant. I've switched to Imperial Sizing Die Wax for most purposes, but when I want to use a spray-on lube, I still use the Dillon. Spray silicone is nowhere near heavy enough to use as a resizing lubricant, which is why you've been sticking cases. As a matter of fact, why would you ever think you could use it as a resizing lube? No reloading manual I've ever seen has suggested it could be used, and I've only been reloading for 44 years, and I TEACH reloading! Hornady One-Shot is also an excellent spray-on lube. You need to be careful with it, however. Hornady One-Shot will eat some kinds of plastics. It will eat the RCBS green loading blocks.

I don't understand why, in 9mm, your cases are sticking in a carbide die, or why you would need lube in a carbide die. Either your dies aren't worth a damn, or you don't really have carbide dies. 30 carbine cases often need lube even with carbide dies, but they are built extremely heavy and are much different than 9mm cases.

 

[Peter_S]

I have carbide dies and don't NEED lube but it sure takes the work out of it. I don't lube every case, but I throw a lubed case in every 5th or 6th one. The residual lube from one case helps keep the die lubed for the next few cases.

I use the Lee stuff...just spread it with my fingers and let it dry.

 

[Fishslayer]

Kinda wondering what you mean by "sticking?" Is it really bad? Or just an annoyance?

My first thought when you said you had carbide dies was "dirty die or dirty brass." Do you clean/polish your brass before sizing/decapping? Is your die clean?

I can definitely tell the difference decapping dirty brass or clean brass or when I've just cleaned my decapping die.. I would imagine 9mm would be easier than .357 cases.

 

[jepp2]

I add some NuFinish to my corncob media, mainly to assist in polishing the brass. But it also provides the benefit of reducing the sizing effort in carbide dies.

I find that some additives (especially the Frankford Arsenal) makes the brass "sticky" in the carbide dies. It polishes quite well, I just don't like the problem it causes in sizing.

 

[whelenshooter]

I have carbide dies and don't NEED lube but it sure takes the work out of it. I don't lube every case, but I throw a lubed case in every 5th or 6th one. The residual lube from one case helps keep the die lubed for the next few cases.

I use the Lee stuff...just spread it with my fingers and let it dry.

Just a word of warning about the Lee water soluable lube. Not only is it water soluable, but it is also very hygroscopic (it attracts water). I wanted to see how the stuff would work, so I dedicated one set of sizing dies to the use of Lee lube. The result was when I stored my dies, I came back to a set of BADLY rusted dies! I quit using it because I couldn't stop the dies from rusting unless I thoughly cleaned and oiled them after using the Lee lube. I live in Southeast Alaska, which is very humid. A person in a dryer climate may not have quite the problem, but I think you are tempting fate if you continue to use the Lee water soluable lube.

 

[tom-n8ies]

I have been using lanolin mixed with alcohol, works great, here are a bunch of homemade firearms related products:

http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm

I bought a pound of anhydrous lanolin off ebay awhile back (should have bought two)

I did not pay attention to the recommended liquid lanolin as frogspad suggested. The stuff I bought was kind of like vasoline or wheel bearing grease, still works fine just have to heat it initially to dissolve the lanolin and it separates in the lube spray container. You have to shake it before use. I use little pump hair spray type spray bottles scrounged from trash (CRB points?)

One pound will most likely be a lifetime supply for case lube.

I mix it with ISO Heet gas line antifreeze. about 4 parts alcohol to 1 part lanolin.

I bought some of that mink oil (boot waterproofing) stuff to see if it can be mixed with alcohol but have not got around to it yet.

I use it even when sizing with carbide dies just a little spritz on a cookie sheet full of casings lets them just glide through the sizer with little effort.

tom