38/40 WCF sizing lube question

[Michael C]

Hi all, first post here as a new member.  I have been an avid reloaded for 15 years, mostly for rifles for high power service rifle competition, and long range.  However, I load for 45 ACP and 45 Colt.  I just bought a 1907 Colt SSA in 38/40 and want to load some cartridges for it.  I have lee dies, star line brass, and and soft 180g cast  bullets on the way.  I have lots of Trail Boss powder that I plan to use for the 38.40.  I will be using my Dillon 550. 

I have never reloaded a cartridge like the 38/40 and have been reading on this forum about some that lube when sizing, and some that do not.  Do I need to lube or not? 
Michael

[rbertalotto]

I load thousands of 38-40 cartridges a month. Both wife, grand daughter and I shoot it in CAS.

If I don't lube the cases I see scratches on the case and sometimes hard to resize. A quick spray of Hornady One Shot in a Pizza box and I'm good to go.

I load 5.5g of Trail Boss and have excellent accuracy and it is amazing how clean the guns stay as this brass is very thin and really seals the chamber well.........

[Michael C]

Roy, thank you for the help!  

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[Tascosa Joe]

I do the same as Roy, but I do not use the pizza box.  Hornady One Shot is great.

[August]

Wow.  I do the same.  5.5 grains of trail boss under a 180 grain bullet.

I do, however, lube the cases before sizing.  I use Hornady One Shot spray lube too, but no pizza box.  In my experience, too much lube will quickly cause deformed brass.  I don't rely on getting full coverage on any, one case.  Rather I spray lightly with the idea that after a few cases through the sizing die, enough lube is distributed to keep things going.  So, each case adds a little lube in a random place.  That seems to work out well for me.  I still get some sizing "bubbles", or dents, in the cases.  But, they are small and fire form right out when shot.

[Coffinmaker]

Well, youz guyz that skip the Pizza Box are really missing out.  A rare opportunity ....... wasted      The lid of the Pizza box limits the overspray.  Then you close the lid and shake all the cases around together and help distribute the One Shot or Dillion Lube quasi evenly.  Plus, you can carefully clean the residual Pepperoni and Sausage of the cases and have a little snack 

Thank rbertalotto for showing the light.   

Grin.  Makes people wonder what yer up to.  Burma Shave

Coffinmaker

[Michael C]

Are you guys loading 5.5g of Trail Boss for old colts or modern replica guns?

[Tascosa Joe]

Old Colt but I use 6.8gr 231 under a Missouri Bullet Co 180.  If I shoot black I use the old Lyman 401093 bullet mold.