Carbide Dies - The Firearms Forum

circa1885 · 03-08-2011, 09:13 PM

Is it necessary to use carbide dies for plated brass? I thought that I heard that it was necessary but can't remember for sure.

American Leader · 03-08-2011, 09:20 PM

circa, carbide dies are nice because you don't have to lube them for processing, that's all I use

Oneida Steve · 03-08-2011, 09:22 PM

You will need carbide dies. Plated or non-plated doesn't matter. If you don't lube the cases you must use carbide dies.

Alpo · 03-08-2011, 11:23 PM

I just love people that answer questions not asked.

No. You do not need to use carbide dies if reloading plated brass. You can use regular steel dies. If you do use regular steel dies, however, you will have to lube the brass. Whether it is nickle plated or whether it is brass brass is irrelevant. Steel dies need lube.

LDBennett · 03-09-2011, 05:37 AM

Just top be clear, this discussion is about PISTOL dies. And the use of carbide dies makes it not necessary to use case lube. But if you have non-carbide dies (steel dies) you have to use lube on any case, plain or plated. You can not reload either steel cases or aluminum case successfully or safely.

For rifle cases whether the dies are carbide or not you HAVE to use lube. Carbide dies for rifle cases makes little sense to me except they might last longer than plain steel ones (two lifetimes instead of just one lifetime). I am not sure but they also might burnish the surface of the case body (??) but that is not necessary at all.

To further clarify, carbide dies remove the lube requirement only for straight walled cases, not for any case, pistol or rifle, that has a necked body. Those require lube.

LDBennett

Orin · 03-09-2011, 02:26 PM

Butttt! If you lube your cases, one type or another, You tend to get less scratches. A plated case may get kinda worn after many resizings. Whatever, its kinda nit picky. Like many, I prefer pure brass.

LDBennett · 03-09-2011, 02:30 PM

You also get less scratches if you use better dies too.

LDBennett

steve4102 · 03-09-2011, 04:14 PM

If I have a die, any die, that scratches a case, it's going back to the manufacturer or the trash.

Bindernut · 03-09-2011, 06:06 PM

Most case scratching comes from them not being clean enough before ya run em through the die (carbide or steel...don't matter).
All it takes is one dirty case to drop some grit inside the die and the rest of the batch will get scratched up too.

If the die itself is doing the scratching...as in with brand new or known clean brass...
Then, like Steve, I'd be sending it back to the manufacturer for replacement.

03-08-2011, 09:13 PM	#1
circa1885 Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Gulf Coast Alabama Posts: 25	Carbide Dies Is it necessary to use carbide dies for plated brass? I thought that I heard that it was necessary but can't remember for sure. -->

03-08-2011, 09:20 PM	#2
American Leader Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Contributor Posts: 1,630	Re: Carbide Dies circa, carbide dies are nice because you don't have to lube them for processing, that's all I use

03-08-2011, 09:22 PM	#3
Oneida Steve Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,028	Re: Carbide Dies You will need carbide dies. Plated or non-plated doesn't matter. If you don't lube the cases you must use carbide dies.

03-08-2011, 11:23 PM	#4
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,648	Re: Carbide Dies I just love people that answer questions not asked. No. You do not need to use carbide dies if reloading plated brass. You can use regular steel dies. If you do use regular steel dies, however, you will have to lube the brass. Whether it is nickle plated or whether it is brass brass is irrelevant. Steel dies need lube. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.

03-09-2011, 05:37 AM	#5
LDBennett Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hesperia, CA Posts: 5,710	Re: Carbide Dies Just top be clear, this discussion is about PISTOL dies. And the use of carbide dies makes it not necessary to use case lube. But if you have non-carbide dies (steel dies) you have to use lube on any case, plain or plated. You can not reload either steel cases or aluminum case successfully or safely. For rifle cases whether the dies are carbide or not you HAVE to use lube. Carbide dies for rifle cases makes little sense to me except they might last longer than plain steel ones (two lifetimes instead of just one lifetime). I am not sure but they also might burnish the surface of the case body (??) but that is not necessary at all. To further clarify, carbide dies remove the lube requirement only for straight walled cases, not for any case, pistol or rifle, that has a necked body. Those require lube. LDBennett Last edited by LDBennett; 03-09-2011 at 05:40 AM..

03-09-2011, 02:26 PM	#6
Orin V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 109	Re: Carbide Dies Butttt! If you lube your cases, one type or another, You tend to get less scratches. A plated case may get kinda worn after many resizings. Whatever, its kinda nit picky. Like many, I prefer pure brass.

03-09-2011, 02:30 PM	#7
LDBennett Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hesperia, CA Posts: 5,710	Re: Carbide Dies You also get less scratches if you use better dies too. LDBennett

03-09-2011, 04:14 PM	#8
steve4102 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota Contributor Posts: 2,760	Re: Carbide Dies If I have a die, any die, that scratches a case, it's going back to the manufacturer or the trash.

03-09-2011, 06:06 PM	#9
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,433	Re: Carbide Dies Most case scratching comes from them not being clean enough before ya run em through the die (carbide or steel...don't matter). All it takes is one dirty case to drop some grit inside the die and the rest of the batch will get scratched up too. If the die itself is doing the scratching...as in with brand new or known clean brass... Then, like Steve, I'd be sending it back to the manufacturer for replacement.