Lube for sizing and neck mandrel

[Jerry Snyder]

Trying to climb the ladder of better quality ammo. I have seen a few videos where the loader applies Imperial sizing wax to the inside of the neck and exterior of the case before full length sizing, then toss it in the tumbler for a few hours to remove the wax. I think this is the path I will take for sizing my brass.

I have also seen where some apply the graphite powder to the neck area and then mandrel the neck. He wipes off the powder off the exterior when done. Is it important to do the graphite step before the mandrel step?

I could use some advice. Thanks all.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Trying to climb the ladder of better quality ammo. I have seen a few videos where the loader applies Imperial sizing wax to the inside of the neck and exterior of the case before full length sizing, then toss it in the tumbler for a few hours to remove the wax. I think this is the path I will take for sizing my brass.

I have also seen where some apply the graphite powder to the neck area and then mandrel the neck. He wipes off the powder off the exterior when done. Is it important to do the graphite step before the mandrel step?

I could use some advice. Thanks all.

I use the Imperial Sizing Die Wax for sizing my cases, but I don't manually put any inside the neck before seating. After sizing, my cases go into my dry tumbler for ~1 hr. that's filled with medium size rice. This media removes the sizing wax and leaves a rather smooth surface inside the neck. I don't expand the neck with a mandrel until after this step. Once the neck is expanded to the neck tension I'm after, it's ready for loading (though trimming my cases with a 3-way trimmer is actually my final step before loading). Seating bullets is smooth and consistent.

I've also got the Imperial Dry Neck Lube and tried various ways to use it and never really satisfied with the results. And for me, the time it took to apply it and the the wiping away was just too much time. The above method was just much more effecient.

 

[209jones]

I've done my sizing using Imp lube on the body only, dry graphite on the neck inside and out from a Forster brush kit. The only thing I've really changed about that was from RCBS lube to Imp about 14 yrs ago, adding in the mandrel to my routine about 30 yrs ago. Seeing as I have two presses setup, it's a fairly fast and easy operation for me. Used dry lube for neck sizing only, FLS and bushing dies for over 40 yrs now. After the mandrel, on to the 3 way trimmer, wipe some Imp lube off my already greasy fingers on the mandrel for it, and into a cleaner.

 

[SeabeeKen]

The redding graphite is great on the inside of necks for mandrels. Outside, I use Royal case and die lube. A couple squirts in a bowl of cases works amazing. I have used Imperial but had some chattering so went back to Royal and no issues. Never had a dented neck with Royal either. JME YMMV

 

[Big Mc]

Trying to climb the ladder of better quality ammo. I have seen a few videos where the loader applies Imperial sizing wax to the inside of the neck and exterior of the case before full length sizing, then toss it in the tumbler for a few hours to remove the wax. I think this is the path I will take for sizing my brass.

I have also seen where some apply the graphite powder to the neck area and then mandrel the neck. He wipes off the powder off the exterior when done. Is it important to do the graphite step before the mandrel step?

I could use some advice. Thanks all.

Try Mobil 1 Tommy Mc

 

[Dimner]

I use DIY lanolin and Isopropyl Alcohol 99% mixture to lube my cases. I put 20 or so cases in an old Tupperware bowl and apply via spritzer. I start them standing up in the bowl and spray at a shallow angle to hit the inside necks. Then swirl a bit and two more spritz.

This method gives me very consistent shoulder bumps. Then, they go into the tumbler for 30 minutes to clean them off.

As for neck expansion with mandrel. I started out with imperial dry neck lube. Dipping the case into the dry lube and tapping off the excess. What a freaking mess. So I put the dry lube in an old pill bottle.



Then I cut open a 20ga #8 shot shell and used the lead shot and a pinch of the dry lube in the bottle. Shook it up, and dipped my necks that way. Add more dry lube after you notice the neck expansion get harder. Should last at least a hundred cases or so per pinch.



Still messy, still slow, and sometimes I would fling lead shot when they got bundled up and jammed in the neck right way when doing this process.

So I took a different pill bottle and made a DYI dry lube brush applicator.



It's an extra handle I have that is threaded to fit all kinds of reloading tools and is the same threads as cleaning brushes. Connected a nylon cleaning brush to the handle through a hole in the top. Inside the bottle is a half pinch of dry lube and 50 or so pellets of #8 shot. The shot is there to help agitate when shaking.

Works perfect, minimal mess, and I can do 8-10 necks before I need to re-insert the brush in the bottle and shake it up for more dry lube. If I did not have these parts on hand, I would have gotten the Forster brush kit. But honestly, I think my solution might be a bit less messy.

 

[Gray420]

I have tried the graphite as well and found it to be messy and not as efficient as I would like. I tried running the mandrel with minimal to no lube and got some pretty bad gahling on the inside of the case mouth. The sizing wax works well, but found you have to be careful on how much and we’re you apply it. If you apply it to heavy I found it building up at the bottom of the case neck and it would collect and hold the tumbling media if you did not tumble it long enough.
I saw on a primal rights video where he is using a bore mop to apply just a little bit of imperial at the case mouth. I have jumped on this method and I am still currently using it.
I am currently using a full length body die with expander/decapper removed and then mandrel after. I am going to try using a bushing die in an effort to not close the case mouth so tight. My full body die is resizing the neck on a .243 down to .230, then I am running a .242 mandrel through it. I feel like I may be working my brass more than needed.
Hope this helps, climbing the ladder to smaller groups is a game of learning.

 

[Tommie]

I don't apply anything inside the case that is goopy.

 

[Oso]

21st Century has a lubricant for use with neck turning. It is water-based and leaves no tacky residue. I have used it during neck turning to reduce gualing of case neck while it spins on the arbor. I bet it would work nicely on bullet seating. Has anyone tried this?

https://21stcenturyinnovation.com/buy-online/ols/products/delta-carbon-no-oil-neck-turning-lube

 

[Tangent]

I'm using graphite applied with a Q-tip inside the necks and then a carbide mandrel. Getting single digit SD's and small groups.

 

[TTE]

Mostly I load hunting ammo (but still like smallish groups), so can "get away" with a few questionable methods.

IMO, all the graphite methods are messy .... all of them.

I have a couple and they are just flat out a mess to use (Forster is about the least messy), no matter how you do it. It gets on the cases, your hands, your bench and anything you touch.

I have stopped using them.

Now I just use water soluble lube.
Q-Tip the inside of the necks, then tap my finger in the lube, rub it around against my thumb and apply to mandrel (reapply to mandrel about every 15-20 cases (or when the press handle feels different on the down pull). Takes a bit more time, but I'm not dealing with that mess like before.
I then wash all my cases in hot soapy water, rinse in clear water, roll them around in a towel (like a seesaw ) then set in the sun to dry.

Works for me, but .................... YMMV

 

[kiwijohn]

I use a Q tip with a small amount of Imperial sizing wax, I then run that into a jar of graphite, tap off the excess and lightly swab 5 cases inside the neck. Mandrel them, and into the media tumbler. I observe wether I need to reapply wax ( usually not) and another light dip into the graphite. The cotton bud ends up with a good dark concentration of graphite and is not overloaded with wax, I try and use the same Q tip for many reloading sessions, not just because I'm a tight wad but its now at premium conditioning level.

Methods I have moved away from.

1. Graphite in with shotgun pellets
2. Graphite in suspension with Isopropyl alcohol
3. Manually lubeing the neck inside with Imperial sizing wax on a Q tip.

The wax + graphite is the least messy and most consistant to date.
I go by percieved feel on the mandrel and if it starts to get to need more pressure I will reload the Q tip with a bit more of both products.

In full disclosure I am doing the F/L sizeing operation at the same time. While I have that case in my hot little hand it gets a swipe down the case at the same time, into the T7 under the sizing die then a lever flick puts it under the Neck mandrel.
I figure I am saving time by doing two operations ( 3 if you count deprimeing) while the case is in the shell holder.