Do you Lube pistol brass

Discussions covering the components and techniques of reloading for your handgun.
jertex
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 24
Joined: 28 Oct 2019 12:00
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Texas
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by jertex »

Glad I read this post as I’m a new reloader & noticed both 44 spcl & 45 ACP hanging up a bit on the powder through charging die even though I bought the carbide set. I found that little lee case lube on every 9 or 10th case helped quite a bit but I wasn’t sure if something was wrong with my dies.
Kaiser
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 83
Joined: 09 Mar 2019 17:59
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Mid America
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 22 times

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by Kaiser »

I don't lube cases for carbide dies. I've always thought using lube, when not necessary, would just make cleaning the dies more of a mess (lube attracting "gunk").
User avatar
Macd
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 1009
Joined: 16 Oct 2017 16:12
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: Far East
Has thanked: 362 times
Been thanked: 403 times

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by Macd »

Kaiser wrote:I don't lube cases for carbide dies. I've always thought using lube, when not necessary, would just make cleaning the dies more of a mess (lube attracting "gunk").
+1
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator & Supporter
Moderator & Supporter
Posts: 2035
Joined: 26 Jan 2016 22:39
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 330 times
Been thanked: 500 times

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by GasGuzzler »

...but as stated the carbide die manufacturer says to lube them...well, Lee does anyway.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from goin' insane.
User avatar
JenLightly
Posts: 1
Joined: 17 Jul 2020 19:50
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: Baskerville Virginia

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by JenLightly »

I don't use it either, but it's more about laziness than best practice.
PBaholic
Posts: 24
Joined: 28 Aug 2018 22:29
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: WI
Been thanked: 9 times

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by PBaholic »

Yes I do, but not in the way you're thinking.

I clean all my brass off the press. I shoot 38, 357, 45ACP and 45LC. I Ultrasonic (6L Vevor, eBay) with LemiShine and Simple Green and then SS pin tumble with just a squirt of ArmorAll Ultrashine.

The Oxalic Acid in the LemiShine will condition your brass in a VERY good way. When they come out of the Ultrasonic, they could actually be reloaded at that point, but I do an extra step by pin tumbling in the car wax. I want my primer pockets to be perfectly clean, and I don't want to do anything to them mechanically that would remove brass.

My brass come out looking better than new. It has a very slight coating of wax on it, so it slips on the dies very well. My primer pockets have a little wax to, so they seat easily. An added side effect is the wax prevents the brass from darkening.

Best of all, my 45 ACP's cycle perfectly in all my pistols.
Lean64
Posts: 9
Joined: 28 May 2021 19:49
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: GA

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by Lean64 »

Although I have Lee carbine die sets for 9, 40 and 45 I still lube the cases. Just seems to work better.
User avatar
farmerjim
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 315
Joined: 29 Jan 2015 14:27
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Saint Francisville LA
Has thanked: 20 times
Been thanked: 114 times

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by farmerjim »

I use hornady one shot on pistol brass. It makes things go much smother.
I use lanolin on rifle cases.
User avatar
reloader762
Posts: 123
Joined: 03 Jul 2016 10:42
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: NC
Has thanked: 42 times
Been thanked: 80 times

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by reloader762 »

I have a friend that lubes 9 mm brass because his FL sizing die is steel not carbide but he loads so few 9 mm rds. that it not a big deal to him, I've asked him several times if he wanted a carbide sizing die for 9 mm but he just blows it off. Me personally, I've never lubed a single pistol cartridge case or found a need to.

I use a variety of brands of die sets and some are a mix and match of different brands within the same caliber and I've never noticed any of the functions of the die being impeded by sticky cases. There must be something to it or individuals wouldn't be lubing their pistol brass, but I just haven't found the need to do so yet.
The Reloaders Network discord Channel
https://discord.gg/Nafuzht
User avatar
RBHarter
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 2040
Joined: 13 Mar 2014 19:45
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: The green hell 90 miles north of Texarka
Has thanked: 76 times
Been thanked: 670 times

Re: Do you Lube pistol brass

Post by RBHarter »

Steel dies need to be lubed , carbide not so much . Lube does make even the carbide dies work easier . In my case it also provides rust prevention . I don't lube for carbide but maybe 1/10 or 15 .
Just a Red neck,White boy, Blue blood American.....
Post Reply

Return to “Handgun Reloading”