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Any reason not to lubricate cases?


400driver

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I have since the beginning been using case lube on all my 9mm reloads for IPSC and target shooting.

Today a friend of mine told me that Spain's premier shop which is run by the Ballasteros family , suggested that he only use lubrication for rifle rounds.

This family is very well respected in the world of IPSC as the son is a top shooter along with many members of his family.

Have I missed something? Is there a negative to lubrication of a case? Can accuracy be affected in any way?

Thanks

Mark

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The effort to reload cases that are lubed is considerably easier than non lubed cases.

Try it for yourself and see if there is a difference for you or not.

As Peterthefish mentioned excess lube will get your dies messy and cause issues but if you're diligent and clean them every so often you'll be ok.

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If you do it correctly, light lube will make pistol cartridge reloading easier on you and the equipment. If you prefer to have more wear and tear on you and your equipment, or you can't do it correctly, don't lube.

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Lubing straight walled cases that are sized with a carbide die adds an extra step that is not needed. There is no harm IF you clean off the lube thoroughly, but that's also an extra step. I have carbide dies that are 20 years old and are still loading 10,000 rounds a year without wear, or lube build up. I see no merit in lubing.

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If you do it correctly, light lube will make pistol cartridge reloading easier on you and the equipment. If you prefer to have more wear and tear on you and your equipment, or you can't do it correctly, don't lube.

listen to this and save your equipment. or just try both ways and decide for your self.

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I lube because it makes the press run smoother. I theorize that a smoother running press yields more consistent ammo.

I use Hornady One Shot Case Lube on pistol brass (never on rifle). A light coat creates virtually no mess. I used to clean it off but after a while realized there's basically nothing to clean after handling/case gauging the rounds.

I'll never go back to not applying a coat of light lube to pistol brass... the proof is in the tighter Standard Deviations I'm getting with a smoother running press. (Full Disclosure, I'm running a Dillon 650 and other presses may not run noticeably smoother with lubed brass (ie. Dillon 1050).)

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I'll add that I resize while depriming before wet tumbling. As I'm not operating a powder measure, seating, and crimping, it's easy to run the press. The die may take some more wear but hasn't worn out yet.

When loading I still run a sizing die with decapping rod (to catch any stainless pins that may be caught in the flash hole) but more of a precaution than a necessity.

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If you use the right lube, the right way, and in the right amount, it does not build up excessively and makes the process so much smoother. And you get more consistent oals as a bonus!

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I didn't lube pistol cases in carbide dies for years, without incident. I also recently switched to using Hornady One Shot prior to loading and I much prefer it. The press cycles smoother and it saves effort, especially with the U die. I don't do anything to remove it. I wouldn't use a gummy lube like RCBS case lube without cleaning it off.

As far as any additional slickness causing issues in function or accuracy Max Michel recommends wiping ammo down with a silicon rag before loading the mags:

http://maxmichel.com/tips/tip-3-magazine-maintenance/

I haven't noticed any impaired function, but if you use a lube that picks up dirt when you drop mags you may need to wipe off the ammo before loading it up on the mag again.

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I also use Hornady One Shot. I dump my cases on a tray, give them about a 1.5 to 2 second spray, shake the tray around some and let it set while I fill the primer tube. Then just dump the lubed cases in the feeder and start loading. Even after a couple thousand rounds, the dies aren't getting gummed up.

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I use the Dillon spray lube on 40 and 45

If the rounds "feel" sticky I throw them in the tumbler for about 10 minutes and that solves any problems and actually gives them a brighter final finish

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Not necessary but makes reloading much easier.

Just put cleaned brass in a bucket, spray with Hornady One Shot, swish brass around and spay a bit more, then reload, you'll feel the difference.

Edited by CeeZer
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Thanks all. I have always used one shot and have found it to make the task easier when reloading 9mm on my 650 , it was just the fact that such a BIG name in Spanish shooting was suggesting it was better not to!

I wondered had I missed the point somewhere along the line. I have suggested my friend tries out some case lube and sees for himself. He is a very highly ranked target shooter and wants to look at every facet of his shooting to get more precision. Unfortunately he can't read English so I thought I would put it to the voice on BE.

Thanks

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No need to lube .40 and .45. Lubing a 9mm case greatly reduces the effort required to size the case. I make my own Dillon lube. I take a gallon freezer bag and spray a couple of shots against the sides of the bag. Dump the brass in and shake it.

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