Carbide dies

[chief99]

Reloading pistol only now but going to start loading rifle , .223 and maybe 30.06 . If you are using carbide dies , do you still have to lube your brass ?I know they are more steps for loading rifle verses pistol . Just a newbe question on rifle loading .

 

[cfullgraf]

Yes, lubricant is still required when using carbide dies for resizing bottle neck cases.

The carbide rifle dies are designed for high volume reloaders who would regularly wear out a steel die.

Not to discourage anyone from spending the high dollars on a carbide rifle sizer die, but for the average hobby reloader they are an extravagance.

 

[Hondo 60]

Yup, just as cfullgraf said.

Lube is still needed, even with rifle carbide dies.

 

[mgmorden]

I know they are more steps for loading rifle verses pistol

Not necessarily. It's really a straight-wall vs bottleneck thing but on bottleneck cartridges you generally don't have to flare the case mouth as that can be done by the sizing die.

That's why your basic "pistol" die sets usually are 3 dies at a minimum (size, flare, seat) and rifle sets are usually 2 dies (size and seat).

As a matter of fact for single stage loading I'd say rifle is a hair faster - though I generally use a progressive for all pistol loading and a single stage for rifle so pistol certainly feels faster .

 

[ReloaderFred]

Unless you intend to load rifle rounds counted in the millions, don't waste your money on carbide rifle dies. Just buy good quality steel dies and they will probably outlast you.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[fotheringill]

My experience is that if full sizing, absolutely on the lube. If neck sizing with carbide bushings, no. I found the advantage to be (with neck sizing), not at all messy and when dropping powder, nothing is going to stick to the neck of the case.

 

[flashhole]

Excuse me if this is a stupid question but who makes carbide sizers for tapered bottle neck cases?

 

[ReloaderFred]

Dillon offers them, as well as some custom die makers. They're expensive and in most cases, unnecessary.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[MtnCreek]

A coupe reasons not mentioned for carbide being a little better.

Small base sizing 7.62 MG fired brass. Dillon carbide is very noticeable smoother than RCBS non-carbide SB die.

Loading rifle cartridges in One Pass on a progressive (fired case goes in - completed cartridge comes out). The smoother sizing will make powder drops a little more consistent.

That said, what everyone stated above about not needing carbide is correct.

 

[chief99]

Excuse me Flashhole . I do not think any question on reloading is stupid . Thanks for all the respectable replies .

 

[ljnowell]

Excuse me Flashhole . I do not think any question on reloading is stupid . Thanks for all the respectable replies .

Read his reply again, he wasn't insulting you.

 

[flashhole]

No, I was just asking who makes carbide dies for 223.

 

[chief99]

Sorry Flashhole . It had been a long day . I know what you meant now . Thanks .

 

[TenRing]

1.) Careful lubrication will always be necessary and will make you smile more on any case that is not a straight-wall.
2.) Carbide dies are always nicer but not necessary on rifle cases but Lubrication is.
3.) My thoughts on lubrication: A THIN film of Imperial sizing wax for the body and powdered mica (motor mica) for the necks.

4.) THERE is NEVER any such thing as a dumb question related to handloading unless you don't ask it.
We use machinery that exerts huge amounts of force on things (e.g. your finger if it is in the way of a decap pin), extremely and lively flammable substances (powders) and explosives (primers and black powder).
THEREFORE always ask. Noted reloading specialist and author C. Rodney James is missing two hands due to assumptions about these items as a young man.
RELOAD AND SHOOT SAFELY

 

[[email protected]]

I even lube straight wall pistol cases with hornady/imperial wax. They size a lot easier that way. First run through the LNL resizes and decaps. Then an critic acid bath. Followed by a good polish tumble. Check the flash holes for tumbling media as I prime on a RCBS bench primer. Then back into the case feeder for final loading. Then a final light tumble and straight into an ammo box. It's a lot of extra work, but that's how I do it. Sometimes my ammo is stored for years before I shoot it. It's my opinion that the final light tumble removes any oils from my hands that causes my brass to tarnish in storage.

 

[ljnowell]

I even lube straight wall pistol cases with hornady/imperial wax. They size a lot easier that way. First run through the LNL resizes and decaps. Then an critic acid bath. Followed by a good polish tumble. Check the flash holes for tumbling media as I prime on a RCBS bench primer. Then back into the case feeder for final loading. Then a final light tumble and straight into an ammo box. It's a lot of extra work, but that's how I do it. Sometimes my ammo is stored for years before I shoot it. It's my opinion that the final light tumble removes any oils from my hands that causes my brass to tarnish in storage.

I lube 38 special, 45 colt and 9mm.

 

[IWAC]

FWIW: I've lubed my straight wall pistol brass lightly ever since I bought my first carbide dies, and found it makes things go much smoother. YMMV

 

[highlander 5]

I use Redding dies for my various bottle neck rifle calbers and the first thing I did was to relate the expander ball with one made of carbide made sizing a lot easier. Horgandy makes carbide expanders for RCBS,as far as the other die makers I don't know.

 

[fotheringill]

Flash-

Redding makes carbide bushings for the .223 neck sizing dies (in the Competition Neck Sizing Die anyway). I have and use them in .244, .245 and .246.

Redding does not call them carbide, but rather Ti something.

 

[Schwing]

I have started lubing everything as well even though all of my dies are carbide (except .223). It just makes everything run so much smoother that it is well worth the effort. I know people don't put a lot of stock in Lee lube but I love it. It is really inexpensive, it dries well and isn't sticky and it is extremely easy to apply.

I have posted this on a couple of other threads today already. I mix 1 tube of Lee lube in about 12-16 oz of alcohol. I then put my brass in a zip-lock bag or even my wet tumbler (with it dry and clean) put some of the lube/alcohol mixture in and let it run (or if using zip locks, I roll them around).

The thing I love about this mixture is that one tube lasts a very long time yet you have the luxury of getting the lube all over both inside and outside of the case. It won't harm anything being left inside the case and most of it rubs off when you size your cases so you don't see it much, if at all, when you are done.

 

[ljnowell]

I have started lubing everything as well even though all of my dies are carbide (except .223). It just makes everything run so much smoother that it is well worth the effort. I know people don't put a lot of stock in Lee lube but I love it. It is really inexpensive, it dries well and isn't sticky and it is extremely easy to apply.



I have posted this on a couple of other threads today already. I mix 1 tube of Lee lube in about 12-16 oz of alcohol. I then put my brass in a zip-lock bag or even my wet tumbler (with it dry and clean) put some of the lube/alcohol mixture in and let it run (or if using zip locks, I roll them around).



The thing I love about this mixture is that one tube lasts a very long time yet you have the luxury of getting the lube all over both inside and outside of the case. It won't harm anything being left inside the case and most of it rubs off when you size your cases so you don't see it much, if at all, when you are done.

I use a ziplock bag myself with my lanolin and alcohol mixture. It works very well.

 

[Schwing]

I use a ziplock bag myself with my lanolin and alcohol mixture. It works very well.

I'm curious on the lanolin, do you have to remove it or can you just keep it on there? I like using it in some stuff because it doesn't dry out your hands but I have never thought of it as case lube.

 

[subierex]

I lube 38 special, 45 colt and 9mm.

I've just started doing this myself, for 9mm and 45Colt. Just makes it easier to decap and resize. Less wear and tear on the biological half of the machine.

 

[tonyjr]

I only do maybe 200 a year [ each 270 , 30 carbine - a few other rifles ]
The 25 , 32 and 380 - only lube is in the tumbler .
The 38s , 9 mm , 357 , basically anything larger than the 380 gets mica dust .
I have not had any stuck cases but I deprime , clean tumble and reprime off press .
One die resizes , then powder die , seating die , OAL die and then the crimping die . My load master will take 5 dies so why not use them all ?

 

[ljnowell]

I'm curious on the lanolin, do you have to remove it or can you just keep it on there? I like using it in some stuff because it doesn't dry out your hands but I have never thought of it as case lube.

When mixed with alcohol it dries very well and there is no need to clean them after. Just load and go.

I've just started doing this myself, for 9mm and 45Colt. Just makes it easier to decap and resize. Less wear and tear on the biological half of the machine.

Exactly. So much easier on the shoulder and back, and with a progressive gives a much better feel. Especially with 9mm.