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Case Lubrication in Reloading

trstone
Sometime soon---after getting a few more neccessaries---I'll be reloading for my .45-70 Marlin. I've never reloaded before, and I'm a bit confused: do you lube the OUTSIDE of the case only, or do you lube the inside of the case neck too? My friend who donated his press told me you don't lube the inside of the case, ever. What's the real story here?
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Snellstrom
    There's some real good info out there for beginning "loaders", Sierra has great info in their re-loading manuals, might even have some of it on a website. Lube the case exterior only, excessively lubing the interior can contaminate the powder/primer causing missfire/hangfire. Try not to get too much lube on the outside of the case as it will cause some dents in the case ( these will blow out on firing though ) not enough lube and you will stick the case and pull the rim off and be heading down to get a stuck case remover ( $20). one other thing in the beginning stick to the reloading manual, these loads have been tested and are safe, do not go under or over these loads until you know a lot about what you are doing. Get a good manual, I've used a Sierra manual for 25 years.
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  • p3skyking
    Stoney,
    Your friend is correct. Normal lube can deactivate the primer or goo up your powder.

    An inkpad with lube is used to lube rifle cases and just on the outside.

    Some reloaders use mica and just dip the case in it.

    Most dies for pistol cases don't need lube unless pretty old. Your instructions will say if their carbide or something else.

    Trust me, you do not EVER want to have to deal with a stuck case.
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  • TRAP55
    Outside, Don't remember who makes them, but there is a carbide sizer made for the 45-70, and that eliminates the lube mess. I haven't tried the dry spray lube yet. If anyone knows who makes the carbide sizer for the 45-70, please tell us as i need one soon.TRSTONE...you will find a great variety of loads for different guns in 45-70. Make sure the load you use is for the gun you have. That way you get to keep all your original body parts![:D]
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  • rong
    trstone
    I reload 444's and use the "One shot" (dry spray) by Hornady.
    It comes in a red aerosol can and I think it's great.
    Just spray outside and a bit inside (will not contaminate powder or
    primer) wait 60 seconds and have at it. The instructions also recommend spraying the inside of the sizing die which I do occasionally (you can feel the resistance when you need a bit more spray). I won't even give the common lube a try after using this stuff.
    Rong
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  • deadeye46
    Here's my .02,I recommend getting a good case tumbler also which cleans the inside of the brass.It also is better for your dies to size a clean case.I've loaded many shells and with the tumbler,it is a good bid easier for the expander ball to come out of the case after they have been cleaned.Another good idea is to purchase some powdered graphite for lubing the inside of your cases.Good luck with your reloading,Bob.
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  • Iconoclast
    trs, only time you need to lubricate any portion of a case interior is a bottle neck design, and then, as Saxon noted, it's best to use a dry lubricant of some sort - I've seen graphite and moly powder used for this purpose and used the latter myself. Petroleum lubricant is fine for the neck if one is careful and will shoot the ammo soon after loading. You will not need to worry about this with the .45-70. There is a company which will make a carbide sizing die in most any caliber, but the price is astronomical and the benefits are limited unless you plan to load massive amounts of rounds. The carbide pistol sizing dies are entirely a different matter. A straight wall rifle case will be a great way to start reloading.

    "There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain) ". . . And DemoCraps" (me)
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  • trstone
    Thank you, one and all, for the wonderful advice. I guess Step #0 WOULD be getting a set of reloading manuals---I've heard that there's specific recipes for reloading .45-70 for the Marlin 1895 Cowboy, especially in terms of OAL of cartridge. And as far as lubing inside vs. outside: You lube inside with NECKED cartridge cases, but NOT with STRAIGHT cases like the .45-70, right? (I plan to reload 8mm Mauser too.) I've been told---with great enthusiasm---by an old reloader that the Hornady spray lube is marvelous stuff, so I guess I'll get some of that, and some graphite lube too while I'm at it, and see which one works better. Ultimately, I want to reload for everything I've got: 6.5mm Swede Mauser, 8mm Mauser, .308 Winchester, .30-'06 Springfield, .303 British, 7.62mm x 54R, and .45-70. Hoooweeee....I'm gonna go broke buyin' dyes!

    But, I figure it'll be fun. Like Pogo said about untangling fishing worms: "It's quiet but absorbin' work."
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  • buddyb
    Get about an 8 oz. spray bottle, put a quarter to a third of a tube of Lee case lube in and fill the rest with rubbing alcohol.Shake well.Spray your cases and let them dry .You will see a white film on them and they are ready to size.On new dies or dies that have not been used for a while,I lube a case or two with lube right from the tube. Lee Case Lube will not degrade powder or primers and you can do hundreds of cases for a few cents.Cheap and works well is what most handloaders are looking for.Good luck on reloading.It is not difficult ,just use common sense and follow what the manual says.
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  • warcrob
    I like to use Imperial sizing die wax. A little on your thumb and forefinger will do, just rub rhe case using these two fingers. Comes in a can like shoe polish does. About $5 a can and lasts a very long time.


    If you ain't got a sense of humor you got no business bein here!
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  • ryan_marine
    Hornady's one shot is a good lube. And it is fast to aply to 50 rounds. I like it alot. Another thing that has worked well for me and for some friends of mine (they showed it to me and it is cheap) is STP Smoke Stop. But it has to be STP brand. One bottle will last some where in the 10,000 round mark at least. This is my experince.

    Ray

    More Powder, More Lead, More Dead
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  • Pinhead
    Agree with the Imperial wax - just not anything out there that is better. It is particularily good for case forming operations on non-standard cartridges and for necking up or down for case conversions. I also use Midway's Micca powder for dipping necks. The case necks passes over the case neck twice during the sizing operation. Once going in to size(the case neck is usually larger than the expander ball in a fired case)and again on the way out after the case is sized. This second pass over the expander ball is where a problem can(not often) occur. The case neck has been sized down slightly smaller than the expander ball, it must now be expanded by the expander ball back to the proper size. This is where a the problem can start. The un-lubricated neck can(theoretically at least) have enough resistance to the expansion to pull the shoulder slighty forward enough to cause the case to be slightly too long to chamber easily. Does this always happen-absolutely not. Can it happen - absolutely. This does not create an unsafe condition -- if this occurrs the cartridge might not chamber but the worst thing that will hapbathtub is just that-the cartridge might not chamber. When I first started reloading back in the late 50's I had a couple of cartridges that would not chamber at the range one day, an older reloader asked me if I was resizing without lubing the necks of the case. When I replied that I did notlube the necks He asked me to try lube and see if it helped--I haven't had a cartidge fail to chamber since. Maybe yes it does help-may no. Just my experience on the subject.
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