Cleaning lube from loaded ammo...

[michael martin]

I just bought a new Dillon 550B and am loading 9mm Luger, and .223/5.56.
I use a carbide sizing die for the 9 mm so I don't have to lube the cases. No problem there.
The .223/5.56, however is a different story. I have a Dillon carbide sizing die for that caliber, but I still have to lube the cases. After I have ran the lubed case through the machine and it becomes a loaded round, what do I do with the lube that is on the case?
Should I clean, lube, then re-size in a separate process, or is there something I'm missing here.
Thanks, Mike.

 

[zipollini]

I use One Shot spray lube for FL sizing and neck expansion. After sizing I rinse the cases off with 90% isopropyl alcohol which takes it right off and also dries the cases much quicker.

 

[jlow]

Tumble the loaded lube cases with corn cob media - it's been proven over and over again that this is safe.

 

[michael martin]

I use One Shot spray lube for FL sizing and neck expansion. After sizing I rinse the cases off with 90% isopropyl alcohol which takes it right off and also dries the cases much quicker.

So, you re-size in a separate process.

 

[Erud]

I use One Shot and I just don't clean it off. Works fine.

 

[zipollini]

So, you re-size in a separate process.

My steps for my 6XC

anneal
SS tumble
rinse in filtered H2O
rinse in 90% isopropyl alcohol to h\speed drying
dry
Spray One Shot lube on outer cases and inside necks
Full length size with Redding "S" type die and neck bushing but without neck expansion button
Expand neck using Sinclair Generation II expander
uniform/clean primer pockets
trim and chamfer case necks with Giraud trimmer
brush inside of necks with 0000 steel wool wrapped around bronze brush and spun on drill
rinse cases in 90% isopropyl alcohol to remove One Shot
brush inside of necks with nylon brush
dry
sort cases by weight
sort primers by weight
sort bullets by bearing surface
prime
charge
seat bullet with 21st century hydro press
sort by seating force

 

[Twoboxer]

So, you re-size in a separate process.

Unless you can find a way to trim those 223 cases on your 550 after they've been resized, at some point soon you will too.

 

[Mulligan]

I've loaded a bunch of match .223 ammo on a 550
I resized then tumbled the lube off the brass.
At that point I trimmed on a Giraud trimmer.
Now I load on the 550

It goes pretty fast

CW

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I just wipe em in a towel as i pull em out of the bin one at a time. Just give it a twist on both ends in a shop towel. Any that gets past that is fine

 

[waldo1979]

I have a 550B. I just use a paper towel and wipe off the lube. A tumbler would probably work better.

Reloading Process... Stick dirty Brass in Press. Add Powder. Add Bullet. Wipe off. Repeat.

 

[6MMsteve]

My steps for my 6XC

anneal
SS tumble
rinse in filtered H2O
rinse in 90% isopropyl alcohol to h\speed drying
dry
Spray One Shot lube on outer cases and inside necks
Full length size with Redding "S" type die and neck bushing but without neck expansion button
Expand neck using Sinclair Generation II expander
uniform/clean primer pockets
trim and chamfer case necks with Giraud trimmer
brush inside of necks with 0000 steel wool wrapped around bronze brush and spun on drill
rinse cases in 90% isopropyl alcohol to remove One Shot
brush inside of necks with nylon brush
dry
sort cases by weight
sort primers by weight
sort bullets by bearing surface
prime
charge
seat bullet with 21st century hydro press
sort by seating force

so you like a clean case but lubed after you seat bullets by force

 

[Mike Casselton]

I used to work for an ammunition manufacturer. All of our loaded stuff went into drums filled with corn cob for 10-15 minutes. Pressure testing confirmed this does not harm the ammo.
We even went so far as to take identical lots and tumble them for 30 minutes and then test against un-tumbled with no noticeable change in pressure.

 

[joshb]

You should be careful with one thing, using a progressive press. Your 223 case will grow in length when resized. After a few sizing cycles, your cases may be too long for your chamber and pinch the neck around the bullet. This can cause dangerous over pressure. I resize with Imperial sizing wax. I clean in a tumbler then trim with a Worlds finest trimmer. Chamfer, then load.

 

[amlevin]

I use One Shot and I just don't clean it off. Works fine.

Ditto here. Another lube that works the same is the RCBS spray case lube. Spray and let dry. Then process and load load. Both work great if you don't overdo the spray and let dry before sizing.

 

[eric n]

I use One Shot and I just don't clean it off. Works fine.

X3

 

[Shaggy357]

If I am FL sizing, I always do it in a separate step. I find that I can lube in an old cake pan and size on my Rockchucker as fast as using the Dillon. Also keeps the lube off the Dillon. I can then tumble the cases and prime using the Lee Prime tool.

If I am neck sizing large quantities, I tumble first, use a die with small size button, and will use Imperial sizing die wax only. My large bin will hold over 100 .223s. I load until the bin is about full. I then remove the loaded cases two at a time, wipe off excess lube with a towel, inspect good, and place loaded ammo in boxes of 100. I have a couple of rags close and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. A dab of alcohol on the rag works wonders in removing lube off your hands periodically. A little Imperial Sizing Die Wax on the "shift ball" of the Dillon actually helps... . Marathon loading of 1000+ .223 in a day is easily doable, if you can sit in the chair that long.

Good Luck.

Steve

 

[fastarget]

I just bought a new Dillon 550B and am loading 9mm Luger, and .223/5.56.
I use a carbide sizing die for the 9 mm so I don't have to lube the cases. No problem there.
The .223/5.56, however is a different story. I have a Dillon carbide sizing die for that caliber, but I still have to lube the cases. After I have ran the lubed case through the machine and it becomes a loaded round, what do I do with the lube that is on the case?
Should I clean, lube, then re-size in a separate process, or is there something I'm missing here.
Thanks, Mike.

Mike,

We Use two heads,lube and run through the first head to size , de-cap, trim (dillon electric trimmer), tumble to remove lube, then run through another head for powder, primer, seat bullet. Works great, and high volume.

C