Most times I lube right before loading & if not going to load them for a while they go into assorted containers.
I mostly tumble lube handgun bullets & pan lube rifle bullets.
I started to PC bullets of both handgun & rifle about 4-5 years ago, but not on a regular basis.
Since I still am one who cares to for the "old school" type lube processes instead of PCing, just because I kind of like doing the old ways, it comes down to , for "me", that I can just choose the process of lubing, of any kind, when I decide what I want to do.
Leaving the bullets either "as cast"/un-sized, or even sized only without lube of any kind, just placed in containers; pretty much leaves the door open for what I want to do, "When" I want to do it.
I am not like a lot of folks seem to be in this "community", I reckon.
I am not competing or trying to keep up with anyone.
I just do what I want to do, when I want to do it.
I load/reload when I feel like it, test what I want to test.
I go shoot when it is decent out & have can fun at doing it, & I have no pressure to do otherwise, so I can do what I want to do at the pace & timing I choose & I have no one who I have to answer to for my doins.
(
I DO wish I had more folks that were interested in what we do, here where I am at, but not so much in my AO as far as I know, & while I do have some who like to load/reload, shoot, etc. , Most just want to have a few beers or cocktails & talk more than "do"... So, I just do what "I" do & go from there. An old saying I learned a long time ago was, "You can lead a horse to water, but ya can't make it drink.", and the other one that describes me is..."If ya don't like my gate, ya don't have to swing on the hinges".
Both apply in my case hereabouts. Some say they want to do things, but only talk, the others want to talk, but when it comes to doing, only want me to talk & not do... Something like that anyway. )
So, I just do things at my own pace & , regardless of what everyone else wants to do, I just go with the idea that If something doesn't work out, I can always just melt stuff down & start over & just , "Keep on Truckin'.
Eventually I get where I want to be.
Ain't no bayonet up my assend trying to get me there faster than I want to be there.
YMMV, of course.
I reckon it depends on what ya want to do with your time.
I don't think I am in a race, so why push things. I am only getting older, & got plenty of stuff to play with as far as components. Why hurry? .
DOn't know if there is any advanrage one way or the other to "pre-lube" or not. Just have not found any reason to be concerned.
I will be happy to learn something new if I see the advantages though.
No matter what anyone says, Old dogs CAN learn new tricks.
G'Luck~!