Lube for seating and crimping?

[AKMac]

This may be a dumb question, but I can't seem to find the answer.

On a rifle cartridge, do I need case lube for the bullet seating and crimping die?

 

[Steve in PA]

No, you only need to lube the case during resizing, when you are "working" the brass case.

 

[rcmodel]

It is a good idea to clean the case mouth with a nylon or bronze bore brush though.

I actually do it before sizing, and I roll the brush on a sizing lube pad first just to pick up a frog-hair of lube on it.

It makes the expanding plug much easier to pull through the neck.

rc

 

[AKMac]

Cool, thanks for the help guys.

The reason I ask is this is what I'm wanting to do: lube, size/deprime, tumble, reprime, NOT LUBE, charge, seat and crimp......

 

[rcmodel]

Yep! That's what you do all right.

Except you probably don't really need to crimp.
Unless loading elephant gun recoil levels, or for a lever-action tube magazine..

rc

 

[AKMac]

In this particular case, it's a .223 going into a AR-15, and the bullet does have a cannelure, so I put the slightest of crimp on it.

I'm not sure if that's the correct procedure, but everything worked!

 

[Cemetery21]

Crimp is okay, but not needed, in my experience. I shoot 1000s thru an AR without a crimp. Prairie dogs don't notice the difference.