Lubing pistol cases?

[tcoz]

I use Lee lube for pistol cases. It's water soluble and won't harm powder.

[Toyotafrank]

I tend to over clean/polish my brass to avoid this issue. Slick brass, heavily polished, works like butter in my SDB 99.99% of the time.

This!!!! I have a 550B, and high polish long tumble time never had an issue.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Toyotafrank

[KustomHolsters]

I tried the bag trick and i can not believe how much easier it is. I guess before i was not getting lube all over the case. My oal is much more consistent.

Thanks!

[mjohn]

Can you lube the cases in advance and then not load them for several months and still have the lube intact and functional?

[ToddKS]

Yes. I have done it but would not recommend this. Tarnished the cases in a way that took a long time in the tumbler to clean up.

[tcoz]

Lee lubricant is effective when it's "wet" or after it dries so I sometimes lube a bunch the night before, but I don't think I'd let them sit for an extended period of time.

[mjohn]

Thanks.............

Usually I tumble several bowls of a caliber and then reload batches as needed from the tumbled brass.

I was hoping to do the same with the lube, but now will not.

I appreciate sharing your experiences.

[tcoz]

Thanks.............

Usually I tumble several bowls of a caliber and then reload batches as needed from the tumbled brass.

I was hoping to do the same with the lube, but now will not.

I appreciate sharing your experiences.

You might want to go ahead and try a batch your way and see what happens. The worst that can happen is that you'll get some discoloration which you can watch for by checking them every once in a while. This may also be dependent on which lube you're using. Since it isn't necessary to lube pistol cases anyway, you won't risk a stuck case like you would with bottleneck rifle cases. I'd be interested in knowing how it would turn out.

[mjohn]

Thanks.............

Usually I tumble several bowls of a caliber and then reload batches as needed from the tumbled brass.

I was hoping to do the same with the lube, but now will not.

I appreciate sharing your experiences.

You might want to go ahead and try a batch your way and see what happens. The worst that can happen is that you'll get some discoloration which you can watch for by checking them every once in a while. This may also be dependent on which lube you're using. Since it isn't necessary to lube pistol cases anyway, you won't risk a stuck case like you would with bottleneck rifle cases. I'd be interested in knowing how it would turn out.

I will go ahead and lube some brass up and let it rest. I will be making ammo again if Feb, so we will see how it goes then. I also will test it against some freshly lubed brass to see if there is any difference.

[littlehendrick]

I lube mine the night before. Though the 9mm through a Hornady AP press is easy, once lubed it runs with virtually no effort. It keeps the transitions smoother as the press lowers.

[Taroman]

I started with 1 Shot loading 357 Sig. No carbide for that one.

After sizing, I scramble them in a towel wet with alcohol to clean off most of the lube.

Getting ready to process 3000 9mm, so will use it on them, too.

Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk

[theslasher]

If you havent lubed pistol brass you have no clue what a smooth press is!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stick]

Like others have said, I have carbide dies and didn't lube for quite a while, but now that I've tried One Shot, I'll never go without it again. The bag trick works great, the cases are easier to size, and I just tumble the rounds for a few minutes afterwards to remove the lube.

+1

[Matt1]

I spray my brass in the case feeder. Tip brass in (1000 ish), couple of squirts of One Shot, give it a bit of a stir, load away. Simple.

No need to clean off after. A small can lasts for yonks.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[njl]

I haven't heard of anyone else doing it "my way", but I keep a little dab of lansinoh "lanolin" at the outside base of my right index finger. When my thumb and index finger tips feel dry, I'll touch the thumb to the spot of lanolin and rub the thumb and index finger tips to spread it out. My pistol brass get lubed on the way from the brass bin to the press.

It's easier on the brass, the press, and my shoulder this way.

[Sarge]

I spray my brass in the case feeder. Tip brass in (1000 ish), couple of squirts of One Shot, give it a bit of a stir, load away. Simple.

No need to clean off after. A small can lasts for yonks.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I love when things last a long time too. But a yonk? Sounds like a long, long, time!

[Matt1]

It's an Aussie thing

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Droolyn]

I've been using Hornady One-Shot for "yonks" too (it was recommended to me by an ammo manufacturer friend).

This is with 9mm & 357SIG brass, with a #650.

I lay the cleaned/tumbled cases flat in a baking tray & spray a "liberal" amount of lube, lightly coating the outside of the cases. (avoid spraying directly from the side!)

Then stir up the cases, lay out flat again & repeat!

Allow the cases to dry for at least 1 hour before loading! No need to remove the One-Shot. (Tumble or wash!)

Once dry, the cases are not as shiny bright as straight from the tumbler, but more a dull finish, like factory brass.

I have left cases lubed for months before loading. Once dry the One-Shot leaves a "waxy" layer which stops the brass dis-colouring or tarnishing, but still re-loads as easily as when just applied!

I've recommended this procedure to many shooters & converted many die-hard "I don't need lube" loaders!

Tungsten dies or not, it can only be easier on your loading press! (and the old shooters elbow;)

Not sure about the Dillon lube, but One-Shot is the only lube I have tried that dries to the touch!

Matt1, a friend of mine got lazy & did the case feeder/tumbler method & had a bunch of "dead" rounds (suspect wet powder!)

Cheers Andrew

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited December 30, 2014 by Droolyn

[Matt1]

Interesting about the dud rounds. I've done many thousands of rounds in either the feeder or a ziplock bag without any problems. Could have been lucky I guess.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[docskeet]

Nickel brass is another option, loads very nicely with no lube. I do use lube (Dillon) on regular brass cases.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ramairbrc]

I've used One Shot for over 10 years. I didn't use any lube for 45 reloads, but once I started with 40 and 38 Super, I found lube was necessary. Currently, I load 9mm on a 650. I tried mink oil for about 4 months, but I don't like the build-up on the powder die, so I just went back to One Shot... which is really One LONG Shot.

[Sti40edge]

When I switched to stainless steel tumbling,I noticed an increase in the "pull" from the belling component on my 650. Wanting to load some "major" match ammo, I wanted to avoid luring the cases. What I came up with, was using baby powder! I put about 4-500 .40 cal. Case in a 1 gal. Ziplock freezer bag and added about 1/2-1 tsp. of baby powder. Close the bag and agitate for a couple of minutes. I pour the case into my media separator to remove any excess and then load them in the case feeder for loading. After loading, I pour the ammo down the center of an old towel,fold over outer third on both sides and agitate back and forth..works great.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[RDA]

Interesting about the dud rounds. I've done many thousands of rounds in either the feeder or a ziplock bag without any problems. Could have been lucky I guess.

Nah, not lucky, the commercial lubes are specifically designed to not foul powder. Lanolin and alcohol should not have any impact on powder. I probably need to caveat this though. If one was to fill the case with lube to the rim, then attempt to pour powder in it and seat a bullet, I'd imagine you'd have a problem. But, using proper case lubes as intended won't cause problems. I have always thought it was a bad idea to use WD40 and silicone as some do.

[Sarge]

Interesting about the dud rounds. I've done many thousands of rounds in either the feeder or a ziplock bag without any problems. Could have been lucky I guess.

Nah, not lucky, the commercial lubes are specifically designed to not foul powder. Lanolin and alcohol should not have any impact on powder. I probably need to caveat this though. If one was to fill the case with lube to the rim, then attempt to pour powder in it and seat a bullet, I'd imagine you'd have a problem. But, using proper case lubes as intended won't cause problems. I have always thought it was a bad idea to use WD40 and silicone as some do.

I have used silicone without any problem at all. I don't put any lube of any kind inside my cases. I always spray a container and dump brass in. Maybe some slight incidental contact on the rim but not enough gets inside that way.

[RDA]

Interesting about the dud rounds. I've done many thousands of rounds in either the feeder or a ziplock bag without any problems. Could have been lucky I guess.

Nah, not lucky, the commercial lubes are specifically designed to not foul powder. Lanolin and alcohol should not have any impact on powder. I probably need to caveat this though. If one was to fill the case with lube to the rim, then attempt to pour powder in it and seat a bullet, I'd imagine you'd have a problem. But, using proper case lubes as intended won't cause problems. I have always thought it was a bad idea to use WD40 and silicone as some do.

I have used silicone without any problem at all. I don't put any lube of any kind inside my cases. I always spray a container and dump brass in. Maybe some slight incidental contact on the rim but not enough gets inside that way.

Good to know, I know a lot of people use silicone or WD40 for lubing cases and there have been tests done where they didn't cause an issue with primers (not sure I recall one on powder). I simply prefer the more dedicated case lubricants. I imagine your technique helps ensure success as well as you probably have a very limited amount that ever gets inside the case (and that may not be a bad thing anyway).