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Media for dry neck case lube.

PJV99

Private
Minuteman
Feb 24, 2023
9
2
Worcester
I have managed to get hold of some graphite powder to use for dry neck lube.

I'm looking for suggestions for suitable media to use with the powder.

Looking at commercial products I see mention of ceramic beads.

Any suggestions?
 
I ended up using cotton swabs, I can't stand the amount of powder spreading on the outside of the neck using ceramic beads but it's just me.
 
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I use these really small metal BB's. They are made to go into model paint containers, are non magnetic and I had a bucket of them from another hobby. The seem a little larger then the beads that come with the Imperial stuff, I think it is just graphic powder....they are also a little more heavy.

You don't want to use a steel BB in the paint because if they are magnetic it will pull "parts" out of the paint. I am not sure if that would be a worry with this application. I have BB's just never thought about it.
 
I tried ceramic beads and also lead shot , both work fine . Like glumau1 , I found I did not like all the graphite so I have switched to a cotton swab . I also use mica the same way, bbs/beads seemed to make too much cling to the outside .
 
Thanks for all of the input.

Can anyone advise the size of the ceramic balls in the Imperial or similar kit?

Thanks again
 
I use a cotton swab dipped in the Imperial lube in their ceramic media. Dipping the case neck into the media puts more lube on the outside of the case than where you want it on the inside and makes a bleeping mess pdq.

Fwiw.
 
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Be damn careful with those ceramic beads if you run cans. I have had them stick to the inside of the neck. I give them a good tap on the upside down cap on the bench after I dip.
 
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I just keep a paper towel in hand and then a quick wipe of the necks and its fine.

Using a cotton swap to apply the graphite to the inside of the necks sounds way more messy, no?
 
Thanks again for all comments.

Assuming that media should be non magnetic would stainless steel balls be ok? Would 1-2mm diam ( 1/16-2/16") be small enough. Smallest I reload is .223 rem
 
Just a quick update for anyone interested.

I managed to buy 4oz (100g) of graphite cheap on Ebay. Got a pack of three 38ml ( 1.33 fl oz) from Hobbycraft here in the UK for £2. Finally got a sample of 100g of 1.2-1.4mm dia zirconia blasting beads FOC from helpful company in China found using Google.

Works well and I have enough dry lube to last longer than I will....
 
Why not just use liquid moly or graphite for the necks? Take powder, add some alcohol and you don't end up losing a bunch of graphite on the outside. If you still want to go the other route, just use the desiccant beads from those little packets that you get with shipments.
 
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Why not just use liquid moly or graphite for the necks? Take powder, add some alcohol and you don't end up losing a bunch of graphite on the outside. If you still want to go the other route, just use the desiccant beads from those little packets that you get with shipments.

When I tried "painting" the insides of necks with liquid lube (Neo Lube #2), it was a bit of a pain. In some discussions with @Rio Precision Gunworks we talked about dipping case necks in the Neo Lube. I decided to try it and measure the results on my AMP Press.

I found:

- You obviously use double the amount
- I wiped the outside with a t-shirt and found it to be the least messy of all the lube methods I tried
- I found this method to be the quickest.
- I had previously been using dry moly as I had tested it to be the most consistent. I found Neo Lube to be slightly more consistent.
- It is a little more expensive

In short: most consistent, quickest, least messy - slightly more expensive. I'm going to be buying in bulk direct from the manufacturer where you can get larger quantities at a much lower per-ounce cost.
 
@Rocketmandb are you using this for sizing, seating, both?

I assume the film mostly burns out during combustion, right?

Has anyone tried running Neolube in a clean bore to reduce first round POI shift?
 
@Rocketmandb are you using this for sizing, seating, both?

I use lube in various forms for the following stages:

- Sizing: applied to the outside of the case body. I currently use Unique case lube for this.
- Pre-Mandrel/Trim: I had been using an application of moly for this. Not sure if I still will.
- Post-Mandrel/Trim (pre-seat): Now I believe I'll keep using Neolube for this. Much easier to apply, and similar results.

Neolube wouldn't be appropriate for a sizing lube.

I assume the film mostly burns out during combustion, right?

It's graphite, so is basically carbon.
 
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@Rocketmandb are you using this for sizing, seating, both?

I assume the film mostly burns out during combustion, right?

Has anyone tried running Neolube in a clean bore to reduce first round POI shift?

Neolube is essentially the same as any suspended graphite that disciplines like BR shooters use to reduce first round POI changes. Basically all the same stuff with different names and slightly different formulas.
 
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I got some of the Imperial Dry Lube in the plastic jar with the small beads. I tried just sticking the base of the bullet in it before seating, seemed to work ok.
 
......



It's graphite, so is basically carbon.
For carbon to burn you need oxygen. As the deflagration of powder does not require free oxygen very little is included in the case. Hence there is not enough oxygen to burn much of the added graphite. It just adds to the crud.
 
I use the ceramic media from Redding with their dry lube. Works great, but interested in the NeoLube. I'm allergic to the Redding dry lube, I get hives on the back of my hands when using it.

Do you have to let the NeoLube dry before seating bullets?

-ZA
 
Do you have to let the NeoLube dry before seating bullets?

-ZA

You do have to let it dry, but it doesn't take long if you dip the cases. I found that when I "painted" them with a q-tip equivalent, I'd get some areas where extra was applied that took longer. Dipping = easy and quick dry (I let it sit for like 30 to be sure).

I have a quart bottle on order.
 
I use the ceramic media from Redding with their dry lube. Works great, but interested in the NeoLube. I'm allergic to the Redding dry lube, I get hives on the back of my hands when using it.

Do you have to let the NeoLube dry before seating bullets?

-ZA

It's essentially just graphite suspended in alcohol. If you've ever used something like a lanolin/alcohol mix for lubing cases for sizing.....it will be similar. The alcohol essentially flash dries off.

By the time you're done dipping necks, most of the cases you've done will be fairly or completely dry. Wait another 5-10 min and they will all be dry.


If you're essentially asking if you can dip the neck, wipe the outside off, then seat a bullet or mandrel.....I haven't tested that. I'd imagine it likely wouldn't matter too much. But, the more important part is not having the brass primed and somehow the liquid running down inside the case and gunking up the primer with a coat of graphite.

@Rocketmandb other than the obvious not wanting to mess up the primer, do you think mandreling or seating while it's still wet would matter much?
 
@Rocketmandb other than the obvious not wanting to mess up the primer, do you think mandreling or seating while it's still wet would matter much?

Definitively charging while the neck is wet with NeoLube causes problems. As for the primer, most are sealed, so shouldn't be an issue. It doesn't matter to me, though, because I do all this stuff prior to priming.

EDIT: I would wait until everything is dry before the mandrel and seat steps.