Lube outside of necks with bushing dies?

[Mike Matteson]

Graphite. No mess or fuss. Dip in the little tub, good to go.

That's the better way to go. Less change of gumming up the die and other areas. Nothing isn't good.

 

[R. Cram]

None of my dies size to the neck/shoulder juncture and; in every instance of shoulder dents I have seen is from lube on the case body migrating to the shoulder…
You see, this is where falsehoods/myths regarding WHAT is required are generated.
Every reloading die suggests NOT to lube necks, however, MOST bushing dies suggest lube… I use many coated tools, these tools, including bushings and dies, require no lube because the coating IS the lubricant.
As I previously stated, I used to dip case necks into graphite powder, but is NOT necessary in any way and just makes a mess…I still use powdered graphite INSIDE necks, even on my mandrel's, because wax and the like accumulate and is also messy.
I actually stumbled onto the best lube I have ever used by accident, it is 100% pure bees wax melted and strained, never even come close to sticking a case with it, and this includes serious sizing from one case shape to another.

Cheers.

perhaps the bushing makers are protecting their product ,I would assume lube might prevent some wear on the bushing, but I have loaded thousands of 260 rnds for the 600 yd line in highpower using a bushing die and no lube without any adverse effects and no indication of wear on the bushing which I made out of cold rolled steel so why go through another step , really 2 steps applying lube and cleaning lube off, unless necessary

 

[Beluebow]

Is lube required outside of necks when using bushing dies?

Required no.....but I do it anyway and it makes me feel better.

 

[skipglo]

50 years of lubing the neck and case as one....always used Vaseline....just like we say: LONG OR SHORT...THICK OR THIN... VASELINE WILL GET IT IN....!!!!

 

[Impulsive]

I think anybody having trouble with graphite building up and being messy are using way to much of it. I use a body die then a bushing die for the neck. I dip the neck in Imperial dry lube container, tap of the excess on the edge of the container and size....
Outside of the case neck sized, inside of the neck lubed.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I use bushing dies, and size under .002's that way I don't need to lube the inside of the case. I do use some on my bullets or brush the inside the neck to induce bullets. That after I have cut all my neck thickness to start with. If once fired I do size and then use a mandrel to push the irregular or even parts to the outside of the necks, and cut for thickness.
These are changes from what I have learned here, and putting into or putting into practices.
I do cut all my case necks to a thickness, sorry being redundance.
It seem like the equipment purchasing never stops. Bullets, Brass, Primers, and powder are upgrading at the same time.
"The rabbit hole", and it's deep too!

 

[Impulsive]

Apples and Oranges. You are lubing the bullets, and I'm lubing the inside of the case necks. All kinds of ways to skin the cat.

F

 

[COmtnman1]

I used graphite/imperial wax since 1981 & thought i'd never use anything else???? But about 5 yrs. or so ago, i read an article/blog on sizing brass & they were using something i'd never heard of before. A mixture of 99% alcohol & pure lanolin oil. I don't have the exact mixture in front of me at the moment but i think it was 90/10. Mix it up in a spray bottle & put your brass on a cookie sheet. Spray & roll the brass & then let it sit a few minutes to give the alcohol time to evaporate. This has been the best resizing lube i've ever used. After i resize them i clean them in my vibratory tumbler & they're ready to go.

 

[roger8]

I used graphite/imperial wax since 1981 & thought i'd never use anything else???? But about 5 yrs. or so ago, i read an article/blog on sizing brass & they were using something i'd never heard of before. A mixture of 99% alcohol & pure lanolin oil. I don't have the exact mixture in front of me at the moment but i think it was 90/10. Mix it up in a spray bottle & put your brass on a cookie sheet. Spray & roll the brass & then let it sit a few minutes to give the alcohol time to evaporate. This has been the best resizing lube i've ever used. After i resize them i clean them in my vibratory tumbler & they're ready to go.

Years ago when trying to nake my first custom cases a friend gave me some of his special sizing lube, nursing mothers pure lanolin nipple cream. It works really well

 

[johngibbs222]

I use 2 methods of case lub, bearing in mind I don't have any exotic cases, just 308. 30/30 and 223 plus 22 Hi-Power shortly.
I use the lanolin mix a dash on 100 cases in a ziplock bag but with the following rider, for 223 have a container with the mix in to about 3 or 4mm, and dip the neck in there, flick it like you were flicking cigarette ash off - remember that? - to get the drop off and then resize. 223 seem to stick with the expander ball more than the case base. I use the plastic top off of a pringles tube to hold the mix in for this latter procedure.
The other lub I use is a silicon oil blend that was designed for treadmill belts, 5 or 10 cc in a zip bag with 100 cases and they are lubed after a couple of minutes shaking.
For both types of lub I then throw them in the vibratory cleaner after washing in hot water with a shot of washing machine detergent.
It works for me.

lanolin mix on left, silicon on right.

 

[Tulsa Reiner]

I use 2 methods of case lub, bearing in mind I don't have any exotic cases, just 308. 30/30 and 223 plus 22 Hi-Power shortly.
I use the lanolin mix a dash on 100 cases in a ziplock bag but with the following rider, for 223 have a container with the mix in to about 3 or 4mm, and dip the neck in there, flick it like you were flicking cigarette ash off - remember that? - to get the drop off and then resize. 223 seem to stick with the expander ball more than the case base. I use the plastic top off of a pringles tube to hold the mix in for this latter procedure.
The other lub I use is a silicon oil blend that was designed for treadmill belts, 5 or 10 cc in a zip bag with 100 cases and they are lubed after a couple of minutes shaking.
For both types of lub I then throw them in the vibratory cleaner after washing in hot water with a shot of washing machine detergent.
It works for me.

View attachment 532871lanolin mix on left, silicon on right.

I call this "making a mountain out of a mole hill."

 

[PApa Black]

I used graphite/imperial wax since 1981 & thought i'd never use anything else???? But about 5 yrs. or so ago, i read an article/blog on sizing brass & they were using something i'd never heard of before. A mixture of 99% alcohol & pure lanolin oil. I don't have the exact mixture in front of me at the moment but i think it was 90/10. Mix it up in a spray bottle & put your brass on a cookie sheet. Spray & roll the brass & then let it sit a few minutes to give the alcohol time to evaporate. This has been the best resizing lube i've ever used. After i resize them i clean them in my vibratory tumbler & they're ready to go.

I use mixture of alcohol (12 oz) & pure lanolin oil (1oz) if I'm sizing more than 20 pieces. If less than 20, that the Imperial Wax. Then before loading I wash the cases in hot water and Dawn soap and rinse with Jet-Dry dishwasher spot remover. Then dry the cases in my wife's Air Fryer ( LOL.... haven't been caught yet!)

 

[johngibbs222]

Tulsa reiner, it ain't necessarily so, especially if you've ever had the shell hung up on the expander/decapper pin in a 223, sob to remove. I'd rather ponce about with case lub than trying to get a stuck pin out especially as Lee spares are like rocking horse crap in the UK.

 

[Buckskinner]

Looks like some are talking about lubing inside if necks instead of outside...