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I switched to wet tumbling some months back. Shortly after, I started reloading on my Dillon XL 650 more than I had been on my Hornady LNL AP. The LNL wasn't set up with the PTX die like the Dillon is.
As I started loading several hundred 38 special rounds, I noticed that the press was getting "sticky" on the up stroke of the handle. I started looking to see what was not lubed enough and didn't find anything that looked likely. A call to the friendly neighborhood Dillon tech center got me the answer. They asked how clean was my brass, and of course it's pretty much sparkly clean after being wet tumbled. Apparently that is the problem. Slightly dirty brass gives a bit of a lubrication to the PTX die and keeps the inside of the case mouth from galling and sticking to the die. Super clean (or new) brass becomes "sticky". Applying some dry lube to the PTX works for a dozen or so loads and then it starts sticking again. The Dillon tech suggested that some folks use a wax in their case processing and I know I have seen that bandied about here on the forum in dry tumbling. Is anyone using a lube or wax in their wet tumbling process? If so what kind, how much, etc?
Just when I thought I had this whole case prep thing all figured out
As I started loading several hundred 38 special rounds, I noticed that the press was getting "sticky" on the up stroke of the handle. I started looking to see what was not lubed enough and didn't find anything that looked likely. A call to the friendly neighborhood Dillon tech center got me the answer. They asked how clean was my brass, and of course it's pretty much sparkly clean after being wet tumbled. Apparently that is the problem. Slightly dirty brass gives a bit of a lubrication to the PTX die and keeps the inside of the case mouth from galling and sticking to the die. Super clean (or new) brass becomes "sticky". Applying some dry lube to the PTX works for a dozen or so loads and then it starts sticking again. The Dillon tech suggested that some folks use a wax in their case processing and I know I have seen that bandied about here on the forum in dry tumbling. Is anyone using a lube or wax in their wet tumbling process? If so what kind, how much, etc?
Just when I thought I had this whole case prep thing all figured out