I am fairly new to reloading rifle rounds I am using the generic Dillion spray on case lube.On all the forums that I have read every one said they polish then re-size and then through them in media to clean off case lube my question is couldn't I re-size then tumble to polish to save the extra step? I am useing stainless steel media.
- Thread starter Ifly67
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Depends on whether/not you wanna get your panties in a wad over running "dirty" brass through your sizing die.
Personally, if my brass isn't crusty/muddy/gnarly, I just lube them up and size them, THEN tumble in stainless.
If the brass IS nasty-dirty, I'll tumble them for a few minutes in the vibrator before lube/size.
I've done tens of thousands of cartridges this way and my dies don't seem to be scratched or any worse for the wear.
FWIW, I use liquid dish soap (Ivory) for caselube. It works nicely, is much cheaper than anything else, and it comes back off the brass MUCH, MUCH easier than the the lanolin-based lubes (like Dillon).
Personally, if my brass isn't crusty/muddy/gnarly, I just lube them up and size them, THEN tumble in stainless.
If the brass IS nasty-dirty, I'll tumble them for a few minutes in the vibrator before lube/size.
I've done tens of thousands of cartridges this way and my dies don't seem to be scratched or any worse for the wear.
FWIW, I use liquid dish soap (Ivory) for caselube. It works nicely, is much cheaper than anything else, and it comes back off the brass MUCH, MUCH easier than the the lanolin-based lubes (like Dillon).
Thanks for the reply's wish I would of herd about the soup thing before I spent 9 bucks on lanolin and 15 on 99% alcohol reason it was so much was pharmacy made me order three pints at a time. Btw when I say dirty brass i don't mean dirt and crud it is a Little tarnished that shouldn't mess up the dies right?
I use imperial sizing wax to resize brass. Works REALLY well, and it lasts a SUPER long time. On the tin I have here I'm done about 3500 pieces of brass, and judging by how much is remaining, it'll probably be good for at least another 15k more.
I dry tumble to clean/polish, then size, then it takes only 20-30 minutes to ensure all the case lube is gone on the second tumble. That gives me enough time to wash the lube off my hands and make a sammich before trimming (if necessary) and loading.
Quick and easy.
I dry tumble to clean/polish, then size, then it takes only 20-30 minutes to ensure all the case lube is gone on the second tumble. That gives me enough time to wash the lube off my hands and make a sammich before trimming (if necessary) and loading.
Quick and easy.
No, it'll be fine.
Undoubtedly though, all things otherwise being equal, you can expect a die used to size "dirty" brass to wear out before a die used only to size "clean" brass.
427Cobra says the dies will last a lifetime (or 5) if properly used. He's right.
That assumes you never lose them, break them, let them rust out. To be of any value, you must have a NEED for them to last your whole life.
For the $40 my Forster FLS die cost, if it wears out or needs replacing after 100,000 sizing operations (instead of 500,000 sizings?) I'm not too concerned. As I said, mine has tens of thousands of sizings under its belt and it's happy. I mean come on, it's made out of 61Rc heat treated tool steel, not butter.
I like to tumble the cases to get the grit off before running them through my sizer die. to get the sizing lube off, I use rubbing alcohol on pieces of towel in a big bag like a pillow case. the alcohol dries almost instantly, and my media doesn't get gunked up,with lube, so it lasts longer. Plus the alcohol is far faster than re-tumbling the cases and having ti inspect flash holes to make sure they aren't full of media.
How do you handle lube inside the case then?
I don't spray on lube. I made a huge case lube pad out of a giant cookie sheet and a quarter inch thick piece if sleeping pad. I can roll about 125-140 cases for 308 at the same time. After tumbling the cases, I use a nylon bore brush to clean out the inside of the case neck, then roll the cases on the pad. I don't lube inside the case neck. However, if I don't brush the neck inside, there is way too much friction as the necks go over the expander ball. I think the friction is from the carbon in the neck.
My method is to dump spent brass from the ziplick bag, or MTM ammo box into a 15"x15"x6" cardboard box. I do 250-500 cases (308ish size) at a time. I squirt about a tablespoon or so ivory liquid dish soap in there, then knead the cases with my hands for a minute. Then I shake the box around for a minute. I let the soap "dry" to a wax-like sheen for about 10 minutes.
Then I dump them into the case feeder of my 650.
The tool head is configured:
Station 1: Lee universal decapper
Station 2: Empty
Station 3: Forster FLS die - no decapping stem or expander ball
Station 4: Sinclair expander die with "neck turning mandrel" (.002" under bullet diameter)
Station 5: empty
They get dumped into the stainless and run ~1hr, get strained via an RCBS separator, towel dried as if polishing a bowling ball, then dumped in a 50 calammo can fitted with a wire mesh rack above a 100W lightbulb (had to stock up on these).
Next the cases get trimmed via Giraud. Then dumped back into the case feeder to be loaded.
Then I dump them into the case feeder of my 650.
The tool head is configured:
Station 1: Lee universal decapper
Station 2: Empty
Station 3: Forster FLS die - no decapping stem or expander ball
Station 4: Sinclair expander die with "neck turning mandrel" (.002" under bullet diameter)
Station 5: empty
They get dumped into the stainless and run ~1hr, get strained via an RCBS separator, towel dried as if polishing a bowling ball, then dumped in a 50 calammo can fitted with a wire mesh rack above a 100W lightbulb (had to stock up on these).
Next the cases get trimmed via Giraud. Then dumped back into the case feeder to be loaded.
Unless it is range pickup brass that has dirt all over it (which I soak in hot water to remove the dirt), I fill four 50 round trays (each case gets wiped off as it goes into the tray) then lightly spray them with Hornady 1 shot lube at a 45 degree angle down and a 45 degree angle from the rows and columns (otherwise only the front row of cases get lubed) let 'em dry for a minute, FL resize and decap, clean the primer pockets, then vibrate 'em in corn cob for 2 hours. The Hornady lube dries on the cases; I think it's wax.
I ran at least 10,000 cases through the media before I tossed it.
It got very dark but the cases come out well scrubbed and dry, and I more than got my moneys worth out of the $3 in polishing media.
As for prematurely wearing out the dies, I only hope that I get to reload that many.
That's what I do for gas gun ammo.
Pistol cases get tumbled then run through a progressive, carbide die so no lube.
Bolt gun cases get decapped and Lee collet die'd so no lube there but after cleaning primer pockets they go for a swim in the vibratory polisher.
Rifle cases get blown out with compressed air from both ends before priming and charging.
Joe
I ran at least 10,000 cases through the media before I tossed it.
It got very dark but the cases come out well scrubbed and dry, and I more than got my moneys worth out of the $3 in polishing media.
As for prematurely wearing out the dies, I only hope that I get to reload that many.
That's what I do for gas gun ammo.
Pistol cases get tumbled then run through a progressive, carbide die so no lube.
Bolt gun cases get decapped and Lee collet die'd so no lube there but after cleaning primer pockets they go for a swim in the vibratory polisher.
Rifle cases get blown out with compressed air from both ends before priming and charging.
Joe
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Thanks for the reply's .I guess my coarse of action is going to be tumble to polish then lube and re-size. I tried the generic spay lube I made and waited a half hour and wiped it off with an old cotton rag and lube came off. BTW any one live need Sadalia,MO?
First off, how dirty is your brass? If you just target shoot it should be clean already, yeah the neck might have some soot on it, wipe it off with a rag, lube it with, I use Hornadys Unique, then resize, and tumble away the lube, done.
I hate to ask how you are liking that Giraud! ): That's got to save alot of time in case prep. Just wish I reloaded enough brass to warrant the cost. Rolls of trimmers for sure... 
Pete
Pete
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