Lubing inside case necks?

[Mr Flannel]

Here's a question. Who uses what to lube the inside of their case necks and how do you achieve consistent coating of same? I've not really found a clear answer on the this previously.

I've used Hornady one-shot spray lube and sprayed it on an angle that allows some to enter the case mouth. Haven't noted any real ill effects but I'm concerned that uneven coverage could cause neck tension issues?

Wouldn't use wax. Some others say use graphite powder or nothing at all - because it can cause uneven neck tension..

Anyway, happy to be educated and would greatly welcome views on this.

Cheers, Justin

 

[former naval person]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

Wrap some 0000 steel wool around a bronze bore brush and run it in your drill motor or drill press and polish the insides of the necks first. That gets rid of any roughness from the previous firing. Then get some Lock-Eze or similar graphite suspended in alcohol, or use HxBN (about a half teaspoon of HxBN or Graphite to an ounce of Solox) suspended in alcohol. Dip a Q-Tip in the solution and coat the insides of the necks. Takes less time to do it than telling. You'll be surprised at the difference in seating force. Heavily compressed loads will tend to push the bullet back out though.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

I've long used two similar methods of inside lubing. Each works well but not quite the same.

A small container (35mm film can) with a half inch of #6 - #9 shot in which I've put a bit of graphite, stick necks into it and there is enough graphite applied to do the job and do it consistanly. I like it but it also puts a thin layer of graphite on the outside and that transfers to my fingers. I keep a bottle of Windex and roll of paper towels beside my bench so clean up is pretty easy. (Sinclair sells a simular system with small ceremic balls and a white lube, mica I think, which works the same way and is clean.)

MidwayUSA (and someone else) has a plastic box thing that has fiber bore brushes and a mica cup. Dip the necks into the mica and then run them over the proper size brush. Mica is clean but not quite as good a lube as graphite.

I no longer apply any other kind of 'lube' inside my necks - as you say, it's inconsistant, messy and often makes powder charging more difficult due to sticking kernals.

 

[Mr Flannel]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

Thanks gents - appreciated.

I use the stainless steel media method of cleaning cases and it gets them squeaky clean - including the case necks. The downside to this is that it is difficult to get graphite-based solutions to 'stick' to the inside of the necks.

I might give the lock-eze a try. I've not used graphite in suspension before..

 

[TexIndian]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

I've tried spray lube and mica and even both but I've never been able to 'feel' any difference. I don't mess with it anymore. However I did go to optional carbide sizing buttons when I use them. Nowadays I mainly use the S-type dies and usually don't use an expander ball at all.

BTW, I use the ss cleaning method now but not back when I was experimenting with lubes.

 

[Burleyboy]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

Have any of you noticed a difference in accuracy due to uneven or inconsistent application of lube inside case necks? It's something I've not paid close enough attention to.

Bb

 

[fw707]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

I got rid of the decapping/expander stem in my dies.
I just run the cases through a Sinclair decapping die and then into the sizing die so the base and the outside of the neck is sized. Then I run the cases about an hour in the tumbler with a capful of mineral spirits to clean the brass and get the Imperial off the base.
I give each case mouth a quick poke with a bronze bore brush on a short handle, and a quick chamfer before I load them. The first chamfer on a new case is the one that counts. All subsequent chamfers are just touch-ups of the original.
I've noticed that the seating pressure <span style="text-decoration: underline">feels</span> much more consistent from bullet to bullet now, and I don't have the aggravation of yanking that $%&#@ expander ball back through the case mouth on the up-stroke.

 

[Casey Simpson]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?


Polish the expander.
Lubricate it.
Lubricate case mouths with your favorite lubricant but Imperial works well.
Apply it to the mouth with a nylon bore or mouth brush.
Tumble cases after sizing to remove lubricant.
OR
Discontinue using the expander.
Begin using a decapping die.
Decapping while sizing can throw the die out of kilter.

If one insists on expanding do it in a separate step on the down stroke to alleviate stretching the mouth out of round or length.
Regardless, clean the mouth like "former" does. That works and should be done.

 

[jagged77]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

Q-tip with Imperial Wax works as well if not better than anything else I've tried. Mostly however I tend to de-cap, clean (Stainless Steel media method), body size with a Redding die then neck size with a Lee Collet Die. No lube in the neck required and produces really good accurate cases.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

As Jagged said a Q-Tip with lube on it. I dip some of my spray (lanolin and alcohol) and dab the inside of a neck every so often, every 5 to 10. I ultrasonic clean after size and deprime. No lube to worry about when I load them up. Powder sticks to the lanolin.

 

[flashhole]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

I'm in the camp with those who polish the inside of the case neck. I think that pays the biggest dividends. If I use lube it's graphite or a very small amount of Imperial during the sizing process.

 

[Casey Simpson]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?


Simply put, isn't it fun to learn new ways and get positive results?

 

[bchibb]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

I use the shot and graphite also.

 

[Mr Flannel]

Re: Lubing inside case necks?

I'm mainly asking this question in order to find out not what lube is used to size the necks but what is used (left in place) to enable consistent bullet seating without galling the projectile jacket. Seems to be a pretty even split between no lubing but with polished neck ID and graphite or similar, also with polished neck ID.

This is almost worth doing a bit of a comparison of.