Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Lubing case necks after ultrasonic cleaning them?

The articles I have read suggest some form of inside the neck Lube is needed after brass is cleaned using ultrasonic cleaners if the black usually left in the neck using a vibratory cleaner isn't present.

I have seen suggested a dry lube from Neco, and I do have one of the red ( hornady?) kits with 3 sized brushes and a white powder for lubing the inside and outside of necks.


Curious if those of you who are lubricating the inside of the necks have a preferred brand or method of keeping bullets from being damaged by the clean neck surface.


Allen

I lube the neck with a bore brush dipped in powdered graphite. I don't like the idea of a liquid lube being inside the cartridge case, even if it is only in the neck.

The only reason I lube is for the neck expander. It is easier to pull the neck over the expander button if there is a slight amount of lube inside the neck.

I have never thought of using a lube for ease of bullet seating. I champher the case mouth to make an easy start, and I have never noticed damage to the bullet.

After I use the bore brush and graphite, there might be a small amount of graphite left in the neck, after neck expanding. This would provide a bit of lubrication for the bullet, but I have never noticed it.

This is for cases wiped off with a rag. I have never used an ultrasonic cleaner.

Polish your expander and use a dry lube.Rick.

Thanks


Is the NECO powder system any better than the white Mica and brush kits? I have the white Mica, need to get my son a setup to use now that he is reloading on is own.


Allen

Why? What you have is essentially new brass after the ultrasonic cleaning....I never lube necks on "new" brass anyway. Am I missing something here?

+1

Sort of.

New brass is not squeeky clean like these will be. Unless you use a Carbide sizer ball, most people who use FL size dies lube the inside of the neck to keep the ball from screeching as you retract the FL or partially neck sized brass. I usually dip the end of the neck into my RCBS foam pad to leave a ring of lube on a piece of brass, sometimes every other case, sometimes less on smaller calibers.

For those that use collet or bushing dies there is no wet lube in the sizing process, and most, I believe, dry lube the necks for consistent release of the bullet.


My question isn't "do you", my question is "those that do dry lube, which brand/ method do you prefer".


Allen

The effect of lube for 'consistent' release, is minimal if at all. It would be quite low on the list of items affecting accuracy and consistency in a load. The bullet release at ignition is almost instantaneous with expansion of the brass. I question there would be ANY effect.

For small necks in cartridges where I don't have bushing dies, and there aren't many I don't have bushing dies for, I use graphite in a small glass half full of #9 birdshot mixed with the graphite. Or, I do as another poster states, put the mouth of the case onto a lube pad. The very small amount of lube that transfers in the case provides sufficient lube to eliminate groaning as the expander passes. Worrying about this is paralysis by analysis!

Thank you for your input.


Lol, I'm not worried, but it seems you have put as much thought and time into 'worrying", Your words, as I am! I consider it a learning process, if we share our findings, all the better.

Just asking for those that do, what method seems best. And it was I who mentioned a wet lube pad as my standard, looking for a less messy way to do it. I think dry lube is a better option to start using for myself. The expander balls get pretty gummy in time using the wet lube, but the gum isn't keeping the ball surface lubed, it just hangs on to the ball until it is removed by cleaning it.


So your answer is, you replicate the NECO system with lead shot. Thank you


It is all good, my neighbor to the north.


Allen

I'm using the redding kit...its cheap and comes with ceramic bb's that leave the dry lube in your neck. I found years ago leaving even a little rcbs lube inside the neck resulted in bullet bonding after a year or more of storage.
Re lubes and bullet release...I'm sure the factory doesn't pre lube inside the neck before assembling ammo.
I don't use my sonic cleaner anymore...switched to white rice with a little polish....love how it works.

Probably can't get baby food jars anymore,but if you fish, clean out a jar that Powerbait comes in.Fill it with #7 or #8 shot and add a tablespoon of powdered graphite.Shake well.Then before sizing,dip the case mouth into the shot and the graphite will lube the inside of the neck.Then you don't have to worry about getting the graphite off as most powders have ac oating of it anyway.

Hemiallen -

Carbide sizer button kits (I use redding) remove the need for "inside" neck lube all together. No muss, no fuss.

I've got them on all my dies, and the pistol dies are carbide so no lube inside or out.

Not for me. They certainly make things smoother, but even with a carbide ball I get less runout with lubed necks.

Thanks for the additional input.


I think I can find an empty Powerbait jar, some shot and I will order the refill graphite if I can't find some local.


Thank you


Allen

I have been using the dry moly lube with neck brushes, works great havent had any issues. I had the moly left over after coating bullets, I think it's better neck lube than bullet lube.

hmm.... think it really makes that much of a difference if you have good die alignment ????

I've measured them with and without, on the same set-up. Slicker is straighter for the sets I checked.

Was the button carbide or standard

Carbide.