Dies for 450

[khamill2000]

Aren't these carbide dies? I've reloaded several hundred of these on my dies and never lubed them.

[pitted bore]

Aren't these carbide dies? I've reloaded several hundred of these on my dies and never lubed them.

khamill2000-
A couple of things:

1) The Hornady dies are not carbide. Page 1 of the instruction pamphlet included in my die set says "Wipe cases clean with a solft cloth to remove grit and other foreign matter which may scratch the die." Scratching would not be a concern with carbide dies (unless you dropped your cases in diamond dust). The Hornady dies are pretty hard steel, but they can be internally scratched with a file, so they are softer than some steels. Carbide is harder than any steel.

2) Page 1 of the instruction pamphlet continues: "Before sizing, lubricate the cases with one of the case lubes available from Hornady. . . . No matter the method of lubrication, all rifle cases must be lubricated."

If you have never lubed your cases, and have never stuck a case in a die, you've been very fortunate.

--Bob

[wildcatter]

I always tumble my brass for a few hours after sizing. Never had any problems and the cases don't have any lube on them after. If you don't have a tumbler (I'd suggest you get one) maybe lay them out on a rag and spray with brake cleaner or some kind of other degreaser that leaves no residue.

Two great suggestions..

..t

[pitted bore]

What do you find is the best process for removing the lube?
I have been using a damp rag, but always wonder, if I am getting it all off.

tkknc-
Other posters will recommend tumbling to remove lube, which is certainly efficient. However, as in most reloading steps, the cat can lose it's skin in a variety of ways. I'm a bit of a troglodytic Luddite, and take off the lube with manual wiping. This permits an additional inspection of the case prior to trimming and other processing. The type of lube determines the process.

I've used the Lee lube for a couple of decades. (Yeah, I know It's only a really overpriced wax used for pulling wire through conduit, but a tube lasts me about 5 years.) This and similar waxes come off with wiping, and if necessary the wiping cloth can hold a bit of water with detergent for the first pass.

For really grim sizing problems I've used Imperial wax; Redding distributes it now. I remove it with a couple of swipes with clean dry rags; old terry cloth towels work well.

Friends who use RCBS and similar petroleum-based lubes give the cases a wipe with a towel/rag that has a squirt of lighter fluid or naptha or acetone on it. This technique is best in well-ventilated places.

--Bob

[khamill2000]

Aren't these carbide dies? I've reloaded several hundred of these on my dies and never lubed them.

khamill2000-
A couple of things:

1) The Hornady dies are not carbide. Page 1 of the instruction pamphlet included in my die set says "Wipe cases clean with a solft cloth to remove grit and other foreign matter which may scratch the die." Scratching would not be a concern with carbide dies (unless you dropped your cases in diamond dust). The Hornady dies are pretty hard steel, but they can be internally scratched with a file, so they are softer than some steels. Carbide is harder than any steel.

2) Page 1 of the instruction pamphlet continues: "Before sizing, lubricate the cases with one of the case lubes available from Hornady. . . . No matter the method of lubrication, all rifle cases must be lubricated."

If you have never lubed your cases, and have never stuck a case in a die, you've been very fortunate.

--Bob

Knowing that they are not carbide, I will start using lube. However, sizing has never required any extra effort on my part. Always felt the same as sizing pistol brass through my carbide (I hope) dies. I never worried too much about what the instructions said because they were extremely vague (as discussed earlier).

[1377thumper]

Wow, took me awhile to read all the posts. I sure appreciate all the response and info, thanks guys.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

After resizing my lubed cases, I put them in a coffee can of paint thinner and shake vigorously, drain the liquid into a mason jar and put the cases in a colander, squirt just a bit of Dawn dishwashing liquid over them or on my hands then wet down the cases and sort of "Kneed" the cases until they lather up. Then I turn on the water, rinse them off with HOT water. Once they are rinsed, I pour them immediately from the hot water onto a plushy towel and dry them off as best I can while they are still hot. The residual heat in the brass seems to aid in the drying process. After the cases are cool, I tumble them again, for about an hour.

[wildcatter]

After resizing my lubed cases, I put them in a coffee can of paint thinner and shake vigorously, drain the liquid into a mason jar and put the cases in a colander, squirt just a bit of Dawn dishwashing liquid over them or on my hands then wet down the cases and sort of "Kneed" the cases until they lather up. Then I turn on the water, rinse them off with HOT water. Once they are rinsed, I pour them immediately from the hot water onto a plushy towel and dry them off as best I can while they are still hot. The residual heat in the brass seems to aid in the drying process. After the cases are cool, I tumble them again, for about an hour.

Way-to-go-Tex, I've done variations of this and it really works well when doing a bunch, at one time.

My recipe is to use 409 cleaner, from the grocery store and lemon juice. It cleans them well, before lubing, and again when you want to remove the lube..

..t

[Texas Sheepdawg]

Dawn is so cheap and cuts oils so well and since I have septic system, I don't worry about phosphates as much.
PS:In regards to the paint thinner, once it's in the mason jar, I let it sit for a few hours so that the solids and gunk
will settle to the bottom then I carefully pour most of the thinner back into a storage container to reuse. What's left in the bottom of the jar, I wipe out with a paper towel and throw in the trash. A gallon of thinner lasts a LONG time.
I don't use acetone as it's got a very strong odor and its been known to be bad for the liver. Naphtha has a very high evaporation rate and a low flash point like acetone so I don't use it either.
Paint thinner has a much lower odor but you still need to be careful as it's flash point is low too.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

After resizing my lubed cases, I put them in a coffee can of paint thinner and shake vigorously, drain the liquid into a mason jar and put the cases in a colander, squirt just a bit of Dawn dishwashing liquid over them or on my hands then wet down the cases and sort of "Kneed" the cases until they lather up. Then I turn on the water, rinse them off with HOT water. Once they are rinsed, I pour them immediately from the hot water onto a plushy towel and dry them off as best I can while they are still hot. The residual heat in the brass seems to aid in the drying process. After the cases are cool, I tumble them again, for about an hour.

Way-to-go-Tex, I've done variations of this and it really works well when doing a bunch, at one time.

My recipe is to use 409 cleaner, from the grocery store and lemon juice. It cleans them well, before lubing, and again when you want to remove the lube..

..t

Have you or anyone else tried Simple Green?
Just wondering about how brass would react to it.