Thanks for the note, I did not know that. Just for giggles, I looked up Lee lube and found the MSDS sheet for it: http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/90006.pdf
Coconut diethanolamide sounds kinda tasty!
Lube your Brass
- Thread starter Temps
- Start date
Thanks for the note, I did not know that. Just for giggles, I looked up Lee lube and found the MSDS sheet for it: http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/90006.pdf
Coconut diethanolamide sounds kinda tasty!
The reason you pulled the expander out of the die is because the decapper clamp was not tight enough. The second reason was you did not lube the inside of the neck. I dip my case necks in dry powdered graphite and never have a problem. On a RCBS die the spindle is threaded and can not be pulled out of the die and the spindle on the Lee die is smooth and must be clamped very tightly.
Old mechanics joke.
Tighten the nut until the threads start to smoke and then give it two more full turns.
Unfortunately, that's about right with the Lee die. Been There Done That. The decapping die needs a bit of persuasion not to move. Lee dies are pretty good, esp. considering their cost, but they're not perfect.
Powdered graphite is dandy but i find it messy. I've been using Imperial Case Sizing Wax for quite a while and it's excellent. Like the old Brylcreem ad (boy, am I dating myself here!) "A little dab'll do ya" and it's true. Just a little bit on your finger and a quick wipe on the case and it's amazing how much easier the case slides in and out. Not so convenient for bulk loading, but for smaller runs it's great.
Speaking of case lubes, I read somewhere that the shotgun case lube form Ponsness-Warren, "STOS", is an abbreviation for "Slicker Than Owl S**t". However, I met a guy who had worked with owls and he claimed that owl s**t isn't all that slick (!) I guess he'd know...
A little back story, I'm new to reloading and just this week completed my first batch of 223 reloads after a lot of forum reading and video watching. I stuck with the Lee dies since that's what I've been using with pistol loads and on the first round jammed the decapping pin in the cartridge pulling the pin/rod straight out of the die.
Took some work and no major damage to the pin or die but word of advice.....lube your rifle brass regardless of the dies. Carbide is supposed to be lube free which is fine with pistol but I'll use lube going forward with all rifle loads.
So I am interested to understand how living the OUTSIDE of the die could possibly prevent sticking the decapping pin in the flash hole which is about as far INSIDE the die as is possible?
I wet tumble with stainless steel media and this removes the carbon inside the case neck.
Powdered graphite is carbon and dipping the case necks in Imperial Dry Neck Lube reapplies the carbon and makes seating easier. (and it is not messy)
Yes, I've done that as well with bottleneck rifle cases and it works a treat and isn't messy at all... unless you knock over the graphite container. (Ask me how I know) I have mine in a short length of 3/4" hard copper tubing with a cap and a heavy base now.
boltonscouter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- parts unknown
Tried using the spray lube as an experiment & haven't looked back! A pleasure to deal with.
While your lubing method works well, I'm pretty sure Lee doesn't make a carbide sizing die for .223. Dillon does. I think Lyman and Redding have carbide expander buttons available but do not have carbide sizing dies. Not sure about Hornady and RCBS.
hunter7mmRM
CGN Regular
- Location
- Northern Alberta
I have had a few stuck cases as well from lack of lube. But it wasn't lack of lube on the outside, I found out I needed to clean the inside of my cases a bit or lube it a bit. Dab a case neck brush with a little bit of lube and ran it back and forth once and never had a problem since. Sure sucks to have a case stuck in a die.
I don't think it is necessary to do every case. I give the first one and then every fourth or fifth one or so a spin with a very lightly lubed neck brush or lightly lubed cloth inside the case mouth. Haven't had one get stuck - so far - but I have only had to do about 1500-2000. This is for .223 only! I lube every .308 I do. Not sure if it is necessary but I don't want to screw up my Lapua brass.
Agreed 100% on the Imperial. Great stuff.
For inside the neck, I have a small pill bottle half-filled with #9 lead shot and a squirt of powdered graphite. I put the cap on and shake from time to spread the graphite around. Just push the case shoulder-deep into the shot. Easy, not messy, works fine without risk of overlube.
- Location
- Southern Ontario
Nice to learn about the graphite usage...I can probably find a kilo or 50000 here at work
has anyone tried moly-disulphide? I have access to that as well so wondering if there are any uses for it
has anyone tried moly-disulphide? I have access to that as well so wondering if there are any uses for it
cdn1canhunt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- southwestern ontario
Somewhere on this site there is a thread about making your own spray lube ? I think it is liquid lanolin and isopropyl
Alcohol. Super cheap, just put it in a spray bottle from the dollar store and spray
Alcohol. Super cheap, just put it in a spray bottle from the dollar store and spray
cdn1canhunt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- southwestern ontario
- Location
- West Quebec
^^^ Same here never a stuck case
Nice to learn about the graphite usage...I can probably find a kilo or 50000 here at work
has anyone tried moly-disulphide? I have access to that as well so wondering if there are any uses for it
I have used dry graphite powder but not moly on the inside of the neck. I don't see any reason why moly would not work, if you can get it in dry powder form. I'm adverse to putting anything oily or greasy inside the neck. If you are shooting for accuracy the basic idea is to get a consistent bullet pull out force. That is a combination of the neck tension (interference fit), the hardness/strength of the brass, and the coefficient of friction of the inside surface.
The carbon inside the neck is a lubricant in itself, why remove and re-apply?
I use a Lee collet die where ever I can, no lube at all, roll case on lube pad when full length sizing/ bumping shoulders.
Also, chuck case in a Lee universal chuck, spin with drill motor, nylon brush the carbon into the pores and remove the excess and polish /clean the exterior with 000 steel wool.
Easy and effective.
- Location
- Southern Ontario
we get it and the graphite both fine powdered in 90+ kilo kegs..
i'll have to try some out once I get things rolling
thanx for the input
we get it and the graphite both fine powdered in 90+ kilo kegs..
i'll have to try some out once I get things rolling
thanx for the input
Gonna be selling any on the side?
Imperial Dry Neck Lube already has "balls".
Imperial Dry Neck Lube 1 oz Powder
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/319390/imperial-dry-neck-lube-1-oz-powder
Imperial Application Media
The easy way to apply dry neck lube to case necks. Simply dip the cartridge case neck into the ceramic media. The media consists of high density ceramic spheres that are pre- charged with Imperial Dry Neck Lube. (powdered graphite which is nothing more than fine carbon particles)
