leaving lube on cases

[james2562]

I have been in the habit of leaving the case lubrication on my cases after i resize them. I was talking to a fella the other day and he swore that i should wash my brass after I resize it to get the case lube off it. He seamed to think that the lube was not good in the action. I did not get it. Do yall wash your brass after you resize it?

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[Crohnos01]

In a word.. No.

If you slather the lube on like butter on toast, it might be a problem, but it's also a problem then causing dimples in the case shoulder which I personally find to be a bigger reason to control lube quantity. If I think I have some cases that have too much lube I MIGHT wipe them down with a rag, but in 40 years of reloading I have never washed cases post sizing.

 

[ma96782]

FORGETABOUT the lubed ammo used in certain machine guns.

For my bottle necked rifle rounds....I do.

Anyway.....lube attracts dirt, grit and grime. Perhaps, it'll hinder smooth operation. Then, I don't want the lube making it easier than is has to be. You know...the case expands and is held by the chamber's wall in that fraction of a second before it's extracted and ejected. Maybe, the bolt's rearward velocity will be affected by a lubed case? Maybe not?

The cases can just be wiped down (w/dry rag or with slight solvent used) to remove the lube. You don't have to WASH them. Though, I do bulk wash brass, as I find it easier. And, they don't have to glimmer in the sun to be considered clean enough. Anyway...clean and dry ammo is the usual call for the day.

My straight walled pistol cases are not. Fact is....no lube was necessary, as I used carbide dies.

Aloha, Mark

 

[ageingstudent]

In a word.. No.

If you slather the lube on like butter on toast, it might be a problem, but it's also a problem then causing dimples in the case shoulder which I personally find to be a bigger reason to control lube quantity. If I think I have some cases that have too much lube I MIGHT wipe them down with a rag, but in 40 years of reloading I have never washed cases post sizing.

Yeah I just give them a cursory wipe with a clean soft cloth as I final inspect them and box them. I think that's plenty good.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

After I resize and then trim the cases I throw them in the tumbler for about an hour. It cleans out any lube and left over shavings that might be around, plus it makes them nice and shiny.

 

[woody06]

Like SHPD I also run them through the tumbler after sizing. Guess I just prefer clean, dry cases over dirty, sticky ones.

 

[Crohnos01]

Different strokes I guess... I remember doing the whole lube, resize, trim, tumble thing years ago. Now I decap, tumble resize, check and trim if necessary, but I don't tumble again.... it's just an extra step, and I keep the case lube to a minimum so that's not really a worry. Once in awhile when I first put lube on it might be a little heavy on a few cases, but nothing that I can't take care of with a towel if I need to. My cases are already nice and shiny when I resize, so it seems like wasted effort to me, but whatever floats your boat.

 

[Certaindeaf]

People have been tumbling the lube off of loaded cases with a towel that has a smidge of the appropriate solvent on it for a long time.

 

[ditchtiger]

I've used RCBS's water soluable for 20 years or more. A quick raise and let dry or oven dry at low heat.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I am relatively considered a n00b at reloading but I have worked in many fields where you have many was to achieve the desired results.
That said, my process for prepping rifle brass (since I bought a Lee turret press) is inspect, decap, lube (lanolin & alcohol mix), resize, trim, cut primer pockets (if military crimps are present), clean primer pocket, tumble (1-3 hours). All the press work (decapping & resizeing) happens on my spare RCBS press since I want to keep the turret reloading press free of the depriming crap that comes out when decapping.
I do all the case prep before any cases go onto the press. I bought 2 extra 4 hole turrets originally but am considering switching to a 3 hole setup since I do not deprime or resize on the press. But that is for another thread.

 

[Certaindeaf]

.I want to keep the turret reloading press free of the depriming crap that comes out when decapping.

Jim!
The thing about that Lee turret is about every little molecule of primer detritus goes down that primer tube. It's pretty amazing, especially compared to a Rockchucker or the like.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Jim!
The thing about that Lee turret is about every little molecule of primer detritus goes down that primer tube. It's pretty amazing, especially compared to a Rockchucker or the like.

I do agree on that aspect CD, but how does one clean & trim brass after depriming & resizing In the process using the turret?
I'm still new to the process....

 

[Certaindeaf]

I do agree on that aspect CD, but how does one clean & trim brass after depriming & resizing In the process using the turret?
I'm still new to the process....

Me? I wash, dry and then load it in one go in my Lee turret.
If it needs trimming, I trim it after sizing/decapping.
If it needs degreasing, I degrease the loaded rounds with the towel tumble method.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Me? I wash, dry and then load it in one go in my Lee turret.
If it needs trimming, I trim it after sizing/decapping.
If it needs degreasing, I degrease the loaded rounds with the towel tumble method.

That makes sense, I was in the mindset of once it's in the turret it was start to finish process, like a progressive...
Silly me....

 

[Certaindeaf]

That makes sense, I was in the mindset of once it's in the turret it was start to finish process, like a progressive...
Silly me....

Doing pistol for me it is.. and I only take bottleneck off if it needs trimmed. I do way more pistol than bottleneck rifle.
Again, I wash and dry it with the primer in then load it. don't use a tumbler

 

[Caveman Jim]

Doing pistol for me it is.. and I only take bottleneck off if it needs trimmed. I do way more pistol than bottleneck rifle.
Again, I wash and dry it with the primer in then load it. don't use a tumbler

. In water?

 

[Certaindeaf]

. In water?

Lol, yes. A/the spent primer.. then I put it/them in the machine and load them.

 

[xlsbob]

I tumble all my rifle brass after its resized to remove lube. Of course I tumble all my ammo when its finished cause I want it shiny and expect it to stay that way

 

[ageingstudent]

That makes sense, I was in the mindset of once it's in the turret it was start to finish process, like a progressive...
Silly me....

I used to do the decapping on my drill press (without sizing of course) but I found a near new Lee single stage o frame for 20 bucks. Now I decap on that with a universal die. So with my brass prepped like I stated before I then still have 4 operations on the turret.

 

[Crohnos01]

I tumble all my rifle brass after its resized to remove lube. Of course I tumble all my ammo when its finished cause I want it shiny and expect it to stay that way

Wait...what? You tumble when you're finished? You don't mean a finished round do you? Say it isn't so... Everything I have ever read or been told says that's a good way to have an unpleasant day at the range