2 really STUPID questions

[hillbillydruggist]

(1) should I be concerned that powder sticks to the inside neck when I am reloading? and then I seat the bullet on top of that? is that dangerous?

(2) are individual flakes of powder a danger? with my old eyes I seem to be finding them all over, is sucking them up with a shop vacuum cause an explosion?



thanks for all the expert advice/experience

 

[oldduc]

(1) should I be concerned that powder sticks to the inside neck when I am reloading? and then I seat the bullet on top of that? is that dangerous?

(2) are individual flakes of powder a danger? with my old eyes I seem to be finding them all over, is sucking them up with a shop vacuum cause an explosion?



thanks for all the expert advice/experience

Hopefully not black powder which is more dangerous, but for smokeless:
1. Probably left over lube in the neck. It will cause the granules that get it on them to burn differently, but won't cause a danger.
2. If that were a problem, my house would have blown up or burned down decades ago. Scatter a little bit of powder, like is on your floor, on a non-flammable surface outside and light it, or try to light it with a flame. Not a problem. I've burned up to 500 pounds of artillery powder at one time. You can't make it explode.

 

[hillbillydruggist]

Hopefully not black powder which is more dangerous, but for smokeless:
1. Probably left over lube in the neck. It will cause the granules that get it on them to burn differently, but won't cause a danger.
2. If that were a problem, my house would have blown up or burned down decades ago. Scatter a little bit of powder, like is on your floor, on a non-flammable surface outside and light it, or try to light it with a flame. Not a problem. I've burned up to 500 pounds of artillery powder at one time. You can't make it explode.

yes smokeless, and thank you very much

 

[shoot4fun]

To cure issue #1 I use Imperial Dry Lube inside the necks.
If by some twist of fate the shop vac does go, well, a trip to Home Depot will take care of that.

 

[ebb]

no and no.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

If a kernel gets wedged between the bullet bearing surface and case neck you could have issues. I dont use any lube in my case necks so kernels sticking isn't an issue for me. But if for some reason there were kernels stuck to the inside my neck walls, I most definitely would not seat a bullet until they were removed.

 

[JFrank]

I wipe down my area with an anti static dryer sheet powder seems to stick to everything especially plastic .

 

[mikeeg02]

(1) should I be concerned that powder sticks to the inside neck when I am reloading? and then I seat the bullet on top of that? is that dangerous?

Laugh if you must, but I never ever worried about that. One time at a match I couldnt close the bolt on a loaded round. Tried twice. Set it aside and had one less sighter. Later I looked closely at the piece of brass and saw what looked like a granule of powder between the neck on the brass and the bullet. When I got home I pulled the bullet and sure enough, there was a granule of powder. I never thought in a million years it could get between the brass and bullet, but it did. But maybe I'm just that unlucky lol.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Vacuuming up powder is an awful idea. I had a friend that got killed vacuuming a plastic gas tank (empty) in a boat to collapse it a bit for removal. Bad thing is everybody on the interwebs told him to do it because they have done it for years- and they still do it

 

[Webster]

(1) should I be concerned that powder sticks to the inside neck when I am reloading? and then I seat the bullet on top of that? is that dangerous?

(2) are individual flakes of powder a danger? with my old eyes I seem to be finding them all over, is sucking them up with a shop vacuum cause an explosion?



thanks for all the expert advice/experience

The powder manufacturers don't recommend vacuuming up powder. Not likey but static could start your vacuum cleaner on fire. I use a paint brush to push small amounts of powder onto a sheet of paper then toss it in the waste basket. A few kernals here and there I pick up with Scotch tape and into the waste basket. Never worried about the waste basket catching fire. If it did I could carry it outside. Any large amounts get tossed on the lawn. It's not water soluble. Probably should take it outside and not the waste basket. Kernals only stick in the neck if there is lube. I never lubed the inside of the necks.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Gotta go with manufacturers safety rules and recommendations. I withdraw my comment on not worrying about the vacuum cleaner

 

[hillbillydruggist]

If a kernel gets wedged between the bullet bearing surface and case neck you could have issues. I dont use any lube in my case necks so kernels sticking isn't an issue for me. But if for some reason there were kernels stuck to the inside my neck walls, I most definitely would not seat a bullet until they were removed.

so you don't lube inside the case neck?, I thought that was a have to thing?

 

[Uncle Ed]

so you don't lube inside the case neck?, I thought that was a have to thing?

Forum Boss: We strongly recommend AGAINST the procedures described below. You do NOT, under normal circumstances need to spray or apply wet lube inside fired case necks. You are wasting time and creating more issues than you solve!

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Most of the time I use my home made lanolin and alcohol mix in a spray bottle. I spray my cases in a large zip lock plastic bag and then work them around the inside of the bag and this lubes the inside of the case mouth. After sizing I dump the cases in my vibratory tumbler with untreated Lizard litter walnut media to remove the lube. Or wipe off the outside of the case and use a snug fitting soft neck brush to remove any excess lube from inside the case neck. The neck brush is wiped off each time on a old towel and cleaned off when needed with alcohol and a rag.

When I can I use Hornady One Shot and lube the cases in a reloading tray at a angle to get the insides of the case neck. The trick to using One Shot is to carefully read the instructions and remove any old wet type lubes from the inside of the die, and then spray the inside of the die. The best part about Hornady One Shot is it is a "dry" film lube that does not need to be removed. I even use it on my pistol cases sized with a carbide die to ease the sizing effort. One Shot does not work well with once fired Lake City 7.62 machine gun brass. But cases fired in your firearms should work fine with One Shot.

Hornady also makes the same type dry film lube for your firearms and unlike oils it does not pickup dirt and grit. I even use One Shot to lube the ram on my 1973 Rockchucker press to keep the primer grit from sticking to the ram.

Bottom line, a simple neck brush kept clean will remove any excess lube from inside the neck and sticking powder will not be a problem. And a old paint brush and a dust pan can be used to pickup spilled powder and dump it in a trash can.

 

[Richard Coody]

i use imperial dry neck lube and powder doesn't stick. before i learned about dry neck lube i used sizing wax in the necks and powder would stick in the necks.

i vacuum my reloading room regularly. been doing it for a few decades with no problems. now when you vacuum up a primer and it goes off that will make you jump. it happens so often i chuckle when it happens.

 

[hogpatrol]

Ever vacuum up a live primer and hear it go bang? What happens if there's powder in the bag, or on the rug or floor, a LOT of powder? Be careful out there guys.

 

[Dgd6mm]

View attachment 1081542
I wipe down my area with an anti static dryer sheet powder seems to stick to everything especially plastic .

^^^^^always pays to read the entire label.

 

[JMayo]

It's always "I heard" or I had a friend that had a friend ...
I wouldn't think one would collect powder in a vacuum by the bucket full. I use my hand held to clean up then empty it.
I also have had kernals stick if I don't let the lube dry some. (I spray with one shot) but bullet fits and pushes stick powder.
Flake powder maybe needs another procedure .. ..
The ole " you'll shoot your eye out !" Scare ....

 

[Forum Boss]

Re lube INSIDE neck --

NOT Necessary for cases that have been fired a couple times -- leave a little carbon in the neck. I just do 3-4 passes with nylon brush. My ES is usually under 12 fps, Bullets seat fine.

However, if you ultrasonically clean your cases or have new brass or even aggressively tumble, there may be a benefit to some dry lube. The issue remains doing the same amount of lube to each case.

What NOT to Do...
i recently saw a video of someone spraying aerosol lube into case mouths, with multiple cases in a tray. NOT wise at all....

I completely disagree with what UncleEd does. I think it is inadvisable, wasteful (of time and lube) and counterproductive.

I know of no serious accuracy shooter who bulk sprays lots of liquid lube inside case mouths.

You end up with residual lube inside the powder chamber of the brass and it is hard to make the amount of lube in the neck uniform.

 

[MislMan]

To clean up small powder spills simply use a damp paper towel to dab up the powder then throw in trash can.

 

[JMayo]

Re lube INSIDE neck --


What NOT to Do...
i recently saw a video of someone spraying aerosol lube into case mouths, with multiple cases in a tray. NOT wise at all....

I completely disagree with what UncleEd does. I think it is inadvisable, wasteful (of time and lube) and counterproductive.

I know of no serious accuracy shooter who bulk sprays inside case mouths.

Excuse me....several top ibs shooters do....

THIS GUY OVER DOES IT GREATLY !
I was taught to spray at alot flatter angle and a a faster pass across the four sides.
With half a tray spread out the cases.

"Everything I think I KNOW is subject to revision"