lubing cases

[barthowes]

I have a question.. Is there any reason instead of lubing the inside of my case necks for FL sizing that i can't just remove my expander ball every half dozen cases and just put some lube on it? I've been doing this lately and had no problems but i only reload about 24 cases at a time.. I was taking the ball out to clean it anyway as the inside of my cases never get that clean so i tried just lubing there instead of my case necks.

 

[1Shot]

If you want to go to all that trouble and if it works for you have at it. It is much easier to just get some OneShot Hornady spray lube and with your cases sitting mouth up just give them a good spraying. Let them dry for a few minutes before use. I use one of those discarded plastic ammo trays from pistol ammo to put my cases in to lube them. I leave a space between each case. Has worked for me for YEARS.

 

[DrMike]

Your approach will work, though it seems unnecessarily cumbersome. I have used dry media (Imperial Application Media and graphite or motor mica in a Lyman applicator) to lubricate the case necks for some years. That has proved superior to other methods, and I doubt that I could go back to lubing the inside of the case mouth either with spray lubes or with cotton swabs.

 

[kraky]

Try the redding/imperial dry lube kit w/ ceramic balls. I did yrs ago and never looked back. No lube to clean up and the coating inside the neck makes seating bullets easier w/less run out.
It will take you 2-3 minutes to do 24 cases...Max.

 

[SJB358]

Your approach will work, though it seems unnecessarily cumbersome. I have used dry media (Imperial Application Media and graphite or motor mica in a Lyman applicator) to lubricate the case necks for some years. That has proved superior to other methods, and I doubt that I could go back to lubing the inside of the case mouth either with spray lubes or with cotton swabs.

Yup, You all turned me onto the mica and graphite. IT works excellent.

 

[wildgene]

Your approach will work, though it seems unnecessarily cumbersome. I have used dry media (Imperial Application Media and graphite or motor mica in a Lyman applicator) to lubricate the case necks for some years. That has proved superior to other methods, and I doubt that I could go back to lubing the inside of the case mouth either with spray lubes or with cotton swabs.

Yup, You all turned me onto the mica and graphite. IT works excellent.

...another vote for the mica. It also leaves a very good indicator line for setting dies for neck sizing/ shoulder bump. Adding a little birdshot to the mica will keep it from bridging in the case neck & keeps the application uniform...

 

[truck driver]

When I worked in an aluminum smelter I got a large bottle of molybdenum an put it in a puffer bottle. One puff in each case mouth is all I use. I've had that bottle since 1986 and have more than enough left while using it for other things also.

 

[jimbires]

I use the mica too .
if your using a lube pad , I think the easiest way to get a little lube in the case neck is to put the neck against the pad at about a 45* angle and pull the case to you a little . you will see it scraped up a little lube . it only takes just a very very small amount of lube to keep things happy . if you're getting a squeak , or hard to pull the expander through , you need more lube .

 

[ColColt]

Try the redding/imperial dry lube kit w/ ceramic balls. I did yrs ago and never looked back.

I found this better for me than the Motor Mica so stuck with it. In conjunction with their case lube wax is about all you need.

 

[Darkhorse]

I no longer resize with the expander ball in the die. Even if you manage to get your sizer die perfectly lined up and locked into place (Pretty easy), then the expander can pull the neck just far enough to ruin your alignment.
I size all my cases with RCBS dies either FL or Neck, using RCBS spray lube.
I then remove the sizer and screw in a die with the expander. I like the Hornady eliptical expander but don't like the sizing die so all it does is hold the expander. I screw the expander down until the ball is at the bottom of the die. When I install the new die W/expander I leave the entire thing loose so it can move around to find the center of the case neck.
Using a small brush (old coffee pot cleaning brush) with a little RCBS lube on the end, I run it in all the case necks.
Then, just run the case up until the expander passes the neck, then back, then remove the case from the shell holder. Done. And it takes longer to type this than to do it.
Done right this will give an almost perfectly aligned case and neck and it shows so in my groups.

 

[Elkman]

I use the imperial sizing wax and a little synthetic gun oil when sizing cases. Ever 5 or 6 case I put a little of the imperial on the case mouth. Easy, fast and has seemed to work for the last 54 years. If I am neck sizing with a neck sizing die, I typically use no lubricant at all. A tiny bit (technical term) on the magnums when the squeaks get too loud.

 

[rick smith]

Body die when necessary neck bushing die the remainder of loads. No expander ball. I use a dry lube in/outside the case necks.Rick.

 

[Osprey78]

Taking the dies apart would annoy me to no end. I started out using probably what everyone or almost everyone used, RCBS case lube. Nosler06 put me onto the Hornady OneShot and I haven't looked back.