Mandrel lube

[Creedmoor shooter]

I spray hornady one shot on the mandrel and also inside the case neck on an angle and hit it from 2 different sides to make sure the lube is even around the neck but not directed directly into the case mouth. After that I brush it out with a stiff nylon brush

 

[milboltnut]

so far unique stretches the farthest. I apply it on the mandrel itself

 

[6pakzak]

Nice thing about the lee is you can leave it in, I tried unique and it has to be cleaned out and powder sticks to it, also would be a pain to lube mandrel Everytime to make sure it's consistently sizing with mandrel.

 

[snox801]

Well I've been reloading these PMC brass for my AR-15, I know people say they are crap, but regardless when seating the bullet I've been getting a tiny bit of a ring around the bullet which I think is slightly deforming the bullet, I even annealed them again till they turned slightly red and they were still tight as I had to adjust the seating die down more, well just tried the lee stuff and the seating has much less initial force when bullet is first entering mouth and feels smooth when seating and now ring is gone, have no idea why these PMC brass is so tight but it is compared to anything else.

I find pmc brass pretty good. I shoot it a bunch then reuse the brass for either 6x45 or .300blk.

 

[milboltnut]

Nice thing about the lee is you can leave it in, I tried unique and it has to be cleaned out and powder sticks to it, also would be a pain to lube mandrel Everytime to make sure it's consistently sizing with mandrel.

guess it depends on how much you load... I can go quite awhile, before I have to relube it. Pull the cap, pop it out lube it, drop it back in, cap it and keep goin. 21st century sells carbide mandrels no lube necessary.

 

[yankee outlaw]

one shot for me also

 

[Texis]

Case lube on an old 30 cal mob on a short cleaning rod, 1 quick pass. I do all brass prep before tumbling so whatever Is left on the brass is removed during tumbling.

 

[Mikecr]

I would not ever want to leave a wet lube in seated necks.
Proper tension is spring back force gripping dry bullet bearing. One variable.
Now add a wet lube to your seating and you add reduced friction to the variable -with a reduction of bullet grip no matter the spring back.

 

[6pakzak]

guess it depends on how much you load... I can go quite awhile, before I have to relube it. Pull the cap, pop it out lube it, drop it back in, cap it and keep goin. 21st century sells carbide mandrels no lube necessary.

From what I see people with carbide dies say they still lube it

 

[milboltnut]

I don't lube my 357/38 carbide dies at all. For larger cartridges carbide dies need help with the longer cases, yes. But mandrel? No.

 

[6pakzak]

I would not ever want to leave a wet lube in seated necks.
Proper tension is spring back force gripping dry bullet bearing. One variable.
Now add a wet lube to your seating and you add reduced friction to the variable -with a reduction of bullet grip no matter the spring back.

It's not wet if you're referring to lee neck lube, it dries, some people say carbon left in neck acts as lube, are you're necks stripped down to the brass or is there carbon left in them? Maybe a dry lube will get the tension you want, maybe not but I can say my seating is much more consistent, force and depth so i would think that would be an indication of consistent tension and at the very least is better than not having consistent force and seating depth.

 

[6pakzak]

I don't lube my 357/38 carbide dies at all. For larger cartridges carbide dies need help with the longer cases, yes. But mandrel? No.

Well many on this forum reported to using lube even on carbide mandrel so I bought tin ones and used dry powder lube but felt kinda gritty so I tried lee lube as suggested by earlier post and found it makes the mandrel work super smooth like a hot knife through butter. I also have noticed as said before that seating depth is more consistent and been checking runout and have noticed a slight improvement. Now as far as carbide goes I'm still gonna be messing with different mandrels so not gonna invest in a mandrel I may never use again and since the lee stuff is so easy to use why should I bother.

 

[milboltnut]

Lee lube is water based Lanolin. I use Lanolin and alcohol to size cases, but I find unique is better for mandrels

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

What are you using to lube your mandrels for setting neck tension, looking for something that can be left in neck.

Another possible endless Post with countless opinions.
All quite good and effective with great suggestions.
A great thing is a lot of experience from members.
Love it
Now decisions
Testing
Which process?
What materials?
Which is the BEST?
What is the Simplest?