Need lube for neck sizing only?

23476 Views 13 Replies 9 Participants Last post by bulletmaker, Jan 13, 2010

Jakeway

Discussion Starter · Jan 11, 2010

I know that you don't need case lube for Lee Collet dies, but what about RCBS Neck sizing dies? The instructions that came with the die covers both full length and neck sizing dies, and it's not clear if lube is required when using the Neck sizing die.

BTW, I tried the Collet die on 243 this afternoon and it worked great, though I haven't fired the rounds yet. The above questions is for the 260 REM RCBS Neck sizing die I bought last summer on sale and haven't tried it yet.

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broom_jm

· #2 · Jan 11, 2010

to lube, or not to lube...

Jakeway said:
I know that you don't need case lube for Lee Collet dies, but what about RCBS Neck sizing dies? The instructions that came with the die covers both full length and neck sizing dies, and it's not clear if lube is required when using the Neck sizing die.

BTW, I tried the Collet die on 243 this afternoon and it worked great, though I haven't fired the rounds yet. The above questions is for the 260 REM RCBS Neck sizing die I bought last summer on sale and haven't tried it yet.

Jake,

I have tried it both ways and I would say you don't "have to" use lube when neck-sizing, but unless you're talking about a carbide die, you'll find it's easier and quieter, to do so. I say that because if you don't lube the neck, it tends to squeak a lot...at least mine did.

What I have found works best for me is using a nylon brush to clean the inside of the neck, along with using just my finger-tips to apply just a small amount of lube on the outside of the neck. This results in a smoother stroke of the ram and less oomph required to complete the operation.

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zb338

· #3 · Jan 11, 2010

I bought one of those little kits from Midway. It has a bunch
of different sized nylon brushes and a little dish for Motor
Mica or whatever they call their white powdered lubricant. All
you do twirl the case onto the brush and then dip it into the
powdered lubricant. If you are full length sizing then you
roll the back of the case onto your regular lube pad.

Zeke

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bulletmaker

· #4 · Jan 11, 2010

Don't forget you have to make adjustment with that collet die as well..Some are not aware of this has they fail to read the instruction sheet......John

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flashhole

· #5 · Jan 11, 2010 (Edited)

I found what works well is a small container of small shotshell shot (like 8 or 9) and powdered graphite as shown in the photo. Just plunge the case into the graphite coated shot a couple 3 times and you get enough to do the job and the graphite is not sticky like some of the other lubes so it won't catch powder during the charge step. Cleaning the case neck helps a lot too. The other stuff - I like to use an electronic toothbrush and run the vibrating shaft up and down the case to settle powder for compressed loads and I use the large Lyman deburring tool for 50 BMG when deburring because it is a lot easier on the hands.

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kdub

· #6 · Jan 11, 2010

A small dab of Imperial Sizing Die Wax on the finger tips and a rub across the mouth and those neck sized brass slide so easily in and out of the necking dies. As above, I tend to use a cordless screw driver to power an old bristle brush to clean the inside of the case neck prior to sizing and make sure the outside gets wiped clean beforehand.

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Jakeway

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 12, 2010

bulletmaker said:
Don't forget you have to make adjustment with that collet die as well..Some are not aware of this has they fail to read the instruction sheet......John

Make Adjustment? Not sure of what you mean. I adjusted the depth of the die per specs, and slowly fined tune for bullet tension per the YouTUbe video on Lee Collet Dies (I think the Youtube poster is "Arrowwood" or something like that.)

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bulletmaker

· #8 · Jan 12, 2010

Yeah thats what I was refering to
the neck tention..I found by
playing around with it my groups
got a lot tighter...I wish the die had
some micrometer markings on it
for further refference...I just wanted
to bring this to your attention..But you
were already ahead of me...Happy
shootin....John

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gschwertley

· #9 · Jan 12, 2010

This is a question I've had myself and paid some unintended tuition in determining the answer.

I have a Hornady neck sizing die in .30-06 and one for 8x57 Mauser made by RCBS.

The short answer that I've found is that you may neck size without lube, but your case must be absolutely clean. By this I mean no carbon of any kind, no tarnish from annealing (or stress relief, whatever you want to call it). If you leave any sort of contaminant on the neck, you risk scratching the die.

You can tumble as long as you want, wash in liquid case cleaner, or whatever, but some case necks get a carbon stain on them that is difficult to remove. We are instructed to not use any material to clean brass that contains ammonia, and I've noticed that Brasso, FoMoCo chrome cleaner, and others have an ammonia content. I've used traces of these to clean case necks which I wash afterward, and I haven't noticed any detrimental effect on them in my use. However, paying some tribute to conventional wisdom, I've tried to avoid these. One solution is to use a silicone-impregnated cloth. Another might be to use Comet cleanser or similar, which I don't believe has an ammonia component.

I don't like carbon on any of my cases and I've got the time to work on them in one way or another to remove it. If you don't mind carbon, my advice would be to lube the necks when you neck size.

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mattsbox99

· #10 · Jan 12, 2010

Imperial Die Wax... I love the stuff! Just a little bit is all you need, and one $6 tin will last 20 years.

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broom_jm

· #11 · Jan 12, 2010

gschwertley said:
This is a question I've had myself and paid some unintended tuition in determining the answer.

I have a Hornady neck sizing die in .30-06 and one for 8x57 Mauser made by RCBS.

The short answer that I've found is that you may neck size without lube, but your case must be absolutely clean. By this I mean no carbon of any kind, no tarnish from annealing (or stress relief, whatever you want to call it). If you leave any sort of contaminant on the neck, you risk scratching the die.

You can tumble as long as you want, wash in liquid case cleaner, or whatever, but some case necks get a carbon stain on them that is difficult to remove. We are instructed to not use any material to clean brass that contains ammonia, and I've noticed that Brasso, FoMoCo chrome cleaner, and others have an ammonia content. I've used traces of these to clean case necks which I wash afterward, and I haven't noticed any detrimental effect on them in my use. However, paying some tribute to conventional wisdom, I've tried to avoid these. One solution is to use a silicone-impregnated cloth. Another might be to use Comet cleanser or similar, which I don't believe has an ammonia component.

I don't like carbon on any of my cases and I've got the time to work on them in one way or another to remove it. If you don't mind carbon, my advice would be to lube the necks when you neck size.

I form cases for 4 different wildcat cartridges and if the bullets aren't seated to engage the lands this process results in quite a bit of carbon build up on the case body/neck/shoulder. An old-timer back in CA recommended I use Blue Magic, a car-care metal polish, as the ammonia content is only 50ppm. The product works great and takes very little work to give bright, shiny cases. The first resizing operation after using it does not require lube, but I still do so, as a matter of course.

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John Kort

· #12 · Jan 12, 2010

Jakeway said:
I know that you don't need case lube for Lee Collet dies, but what about RCBS Neck sizing dies? The instructions that came with the die covers both full length and neck sizing dies, and it's not clear if lube is required when using the Neck sizing die.

Jakeway,
Yes, but only a very small amount is needed. I find that just putting the case nose down momentarily on a case lube pad works very well. A very small ring of lube is then on the outside and inside (keeps the expander button working smoothly) the neck mouth.

John

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Jakeway

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 12, 2010

Interesting ideas. I've always used a nylon brush that I roll on my lube pad and use that for the inside case neck when full-length sizing. I don't like how the brush picks up fuzz from the pad, and I always wonder if the lube sometimes gets too heavy inside the case. I like the idea of brushing off at lease some of the fouling with the brush.

So I think I'm going to try the "little kits from Midway" that use a combiation of brush and dry powder lube.

Is there any advantage to one kit over another? (They have kits from three manufacturers in the Midway catalog.)

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bulletmaker

· #14 · Jan 13, 2010

This is how I do my inside necks..I use the tube of lube from Lee...I put just a touch
on a q tip and round it around inside the neck..It works great...You do not hae to wipe it out as it will dry
and you can neck size several with just a touch of the stuff...John

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