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Carbide expanding mandrel foe 21st century mandrel die?

I am currently using a Stainless steel expanding mandrel and die from 21st Century. I am noticing brass shavings and bits on the tool head. Would a carbide mandrel eliminate this situation? Periodically, I must clean the mandrel with a scotchbrite clothe or very fine grit sand paper. Any suggestions? Thanks
 
I just use their SS mandrels. I do lube the ID of necks with a good q-tip and some Imperial.
 
I am currently using a Stainless steel expanding mandrel and die from 21st Century. I am noticing brass shavings and bits on the tool head. Would a carbide mandrel eliminate this situation? Periodically, I must clean the mandrel with a scotchbrite clothe or very fine grit sand paper. Any suggestions? Thanks
When I first started using an expander mandrel, they were SS mandrels and I got pretty much the same thing. I'd use a fine grit emery cloth to remove the brass build up I was getting on the mandrel. Giving the SS mandrel a high polish helped reduce this, but didn't eliminate the problem. Lubing the mandrel does help, but I then I felt I had to clean the necks of the lube afterwards. Minimizing the amount of necking down when sizing (like necking down only .002" OD below where you want to end up after running the mandrel) goes a long ways to reducing this problem and helps with getting very consistent results.

I switched to carbide mandrels and it has pretty much eliminated that issue I was having. . . .especially after reducing the amount of necking down my FL non-bushing dies were doing. For me, they're well worth the price. :)
 
I just use their SS mandrels. I do lube the ID of necks with a good q-tip and some Imperial.
That indeed will work but I found that making my own version of Neo-lube #2 using 100% Isopropyl alcohol and super fine powdered door-lock graphite was the “No Muss, No Fuss” solution as it is easily applied and required no cleanup step after… AND, it cost a fraction of a bottle of Neo-Lube #2
I had been using a 21st Century black nitride mandrel dry but still found that it was accumulating brass particles over time and then it was grabbing the cases enough to collapse the neck into the shoulder…. $$$..!!
It took a long session with some Bon Ami, a soft grade {brown=000 steel wool} of Scotch Brite from a wood working store along with some BoreTec Cu2+ to finally get it clean again.
Since using my dry lube I have no further problems with brass particle build up and bullet seating pressure has become more consistent.
 
Buy your carbide mandrels here. They are great!


They suggest you need one of their dies, but I am running their mandrels in an ER collet die I got from Porter Precision.

Go with carbide and you won’t experience brass galling anymore.
 
I am running the SS as well and you do have to clean like everyone is mentioning, but echoing some of what straightshooter was saying if you are expanding case more than a few thou this is going to be an issue. I found that if you are expanding more than .003 lube is pretty essential to prevent gahling. Lots of different opinions out there on the best way to lube the inside of the neck for expanding, lots of info on this forum for that. I will be purchasing a .241 nitride mandrel for my 6’s next time I make an order that I can get it on without having to pay S&H.
 
That indeed will work but I found that making my own version of Neo-lube #2 using 100% Isopropyl alcohol and super fine powdered door-lock graphite was the “No Muss, No Fuss” solution as it is easily applied and required no cleanup step after… AND, it cost a fraction of a bottle of Neo-Lube #2
I had been using a 21st Century black nitride mandrel dry but still found that it was accumulating brass particles over time and then it was grabbing the cases enough to collapse the neck into the shoulder…. $$$..!!
It took a long session with some Bon Ami, a soft grade {brown=000 steel wool} of Scotch Brite from a wood working store along with some BoreTec Cu2+ to finally get it clean again.
Since using my dry lube I have no further problems with brass particle build up and bullet seating pressure has become more consistent.
I wonder if lock ease would work?
 
Just going to throw this out there , for the "NEW GUYS" , since the older hands already know it to be necessary . If you aren't doing a Deburr on the inside of the neck , it can cause all sorts of issues . I use a battery powered drill , with the 22 degree chamfer tool to put a "light" chamfer on the inside of the neck before running the expander . Been using the same SS expander for about three years now , with no size change on the expander .
About 15,000 cases .
 
That indeed will work but I found that making my own version of Neo-lube #2 using 100% Isopropyl alcohol and super fine powdered door-lock graphite was the “No Muss, No Fuss” solution as it is easily applied and required no cleanup step after… AND, it cost a fraction of a bottle of Neo-Lube #2
I had been using a 21st Century black nitride mandrel dry but still found that it was accumulating brass particles over time and then it was grabbing the cases enough to collapse the neck into the shoulder…. $$$..!!
It took a long session with some Bon Ami, a soft grade {brown=000 steel wool} of Scotch Brite from a wood working store along with some BoreTec Cu2+ to finally get it clean again.
Since using my dry lube I have no further problems with brass particle build up and bullet seating pressure has become more consistent.
I have a couple of containers of Neolube but use it for something else. Using Imperial doesn't bother me as they are going into the Thumler's Tumbler afterwards. Since I have plenty, I may just use the Neolube the next time I size.
 
I have a couple of containers of Neolube but use it for something else. Using Imperial doesn't bother me as they are going into the Thumler's Tumbler afterwards. Since I have plenty, I may just use the Neolube the next time I size.
I clean my brass {wet/SS pins} prior to doing and sizing or other prep so that the brass is “as new” [no rubbish/carbon/grit in the die} just fire formed and ready to go into size and load mode.
As D-4297 mentions, always chamfer the necks of cases {inside and out} that have been tumbled as there is always a slight peening to the case mouth and that will cause problems sizing and expanding and is a major cause of brass debris in your die and on the expander mandrel.
My brass is always annealed {AMP} as well after being cleaned and prior to any sizing.
By using the lube during the neck expanding operation it remains in the neck and eases the amount of force when seating bullets.
To Jerry Snyder, I am sure that Lock-Ease in the liquid bottle {not the spray can} will work perfectly. PMA sells it but I suppose that most any hardware store can supply it meaning you don’t have to pay any shipping..
 
Just going to throw this out there , for the "NEW GUYS" , since the older hands already know it to be necessary . If you aren't doing a Deburr on the inside of the neck , it can cause all sorts of issues . I use a battery powered drill , with the 22 degree chamfer tool to put a "light" chamfer on the inside of the neck before running the expander . Been using the same SS expander for about three years now , with no size change on the expander .
About 15,000 cases .
I use a Giraud, love it.
 
I clean my brass {wet/SS pins} prior to doing and sizing or other prep so that the brass is “as new” [no rubbish/carbon/grit in the die} just fire formed and ready to go into size and load mode.
As D-4297 mentions, always chamfer the necks of cases {inside and out} that have been tumbled as there is always a slight peening to the case mouth and that will cause problems sizing and expanding and is a major cause of brass debris in your die and on the expander mandrel.
My brass is always annealed {AMP} as well after being cleaned and prior to any sizing.
By using the lube during the neck expanding operation it remains in the neck and eases the amount of force when seating bullets.
To Jerry Snyder, I am sure that Lock-Ease in the liquid bottle {not the spray can} will work perfectly. PMA sells it but I suppose that most any hardware store can supply it meaning you don’t have to pay any shipping..
Thank you. I will try it
 
I am currently using a Stainless steel expanding mandrel and die from 21st Century. I am noticing brass shavings and bits on the tool head. Would a carbide mandrel eliminate this situation? Periodically, I must clean the mandrel with a scotchbrite clothe or very fine grit sand paper. Any suggestions? Thanks
Are the neck i.d. chamfered? Most of the popular case lubes only work under mild sizing. I use a light vis synthetic based hydrualic fluid. Synthetic oil is made from petruleum oil. Pet oil has very Strong oil film strength properies. $7 a qt. currant price at AutoZone. Spin a nylon brush inside the neck first to clean it up a little. I could understand galling with poor lube but shaviing is a whole different problem. I worked in research for a major oil co.

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