Expander Mandrel Lube

[Cafard]

It tried the search button without luck. Im new to reloading even tho my first 100 of Hornady brass went very smooth no problem so far.

What is everyone technique and product they use to lube the mandrel to expand neck for consistent neck tension? I use Sinclair die and mandrel but i realized my mandrel is a lil bit scratch and it do no good to my brass. I went ahead and bought a carbide mandrel but before i mess it up i would like to have the correct technique. What i have home is Redding Imperial sizing wax, Dillon Case Lube and Redding dry neck lube with media.

Thanks in advance

 

[Dmay]

With the carbide mandrel, any lube will likely suffice. Of your list, I would go with Imperial sizing wax. For tougher lube applications, the very best I have found is Forster Case Sizing Lubricant.

 

[PGW Steve]

I have an RCBS case lube pad and RCBS lube. I take the case and drag it as I spin it, scraping case lube into the neck. I don't do a cookie cutter motion, I don't put marks in the pad. Depending on what factors like case cleanliness, anneal, brass hardness, how much I sized it down and so forth, I figure out how many dry between the lubed ones, 3-5 is the norm. Lubed case, dry, dry, dry, lube and so forth.

I find with really clean SS tumbled brass and then annealed with an AMP, I get brass build up if I don't lube correctly. Graphite lube doesn't work, and I am using Sinclair carbide mandrels.

 

[Janeau]

Imperial lube..best there is ..used to up casing from small to bigger caliber. Nothing else is needed.

 

[huntingfamily]

I just dip the case neck into the Redding dry neck lube prior to inserting the mandrel.
Be sure to chamfer the inside & outside of the case mouth. Perhaps this is what's scratching your mandrel surface?

 

[Cafard]

My first technique was to lube the mandrel with sizing wax every 5 brass. Was a very long process to unscrew die, remove mandrel, lube it and put it back in but worked ok. My second technique was to dip neck in dry lube but i think i didn’t use enough dry lube as you have to shake the media more than i thought.

With the imperial wax how you guys do it? Lube inside of neck with a Q-Tip? I believe i will have to tumble it after?

Thanks in advance

 

[jim drury]

For years I have used a little powdered graphite on a Qtip. Just a swipe around the inside neck. It even reduces the Sqawk of pulling the expander ball back out. It’s messy if you use too much graphite.

 

[Sniffer]

For years I have used a little powdered graphite on a Qtip. Just a swipe around the inside neck. It even reduces the Sqawk of pulling the expander ball back out. It’s messy if you use too much graphite.

I use graphite too but I dip the neck of the case in it. I have found that sometimes you can get a clump of graphite in there so it needs tapped good after to ensure that doesn't happen.

I have also use Hornady one shot lube which seemed to work well.

 

[Burton Urnie]

Powdered graphite- I have a small plastic container, 2"x2" with #6? lead shot and powdered graphite in it. I dip and twist the case neck then tap any extra back into the container ( like knocking the ash of a cigarette).

 

[Cafard]

Did 50 yesterday with the carbide mandrel and used imperial wax with q tip went well so far! Cleaned my old stainless mandrel with some 0000 wool and almost came back to new condition.

Thanks everyone

 

[Biologist]

I use the Sinclair expanding die and mandrels. First thing for sure is chamfering the case necks - that eliminates most of the problem. Before I learned to chamfer case necks, I used to see those horrible brass shavings when using the expander mandrel.

For lube, I dip a .22 chamber mop in the Redding "Imperial" graphite beads, then swab the inside case neck. One dip of the mop in the beads does about 5 cases, then repeat dip and swab another 5, etc. Works quite well for me, I have never seen brass shavings when expanding.

I would expect the wax lubes like Redding's Imperial Wax would lube much better for expanding. But I remember reading in the Lee reloading manual that oil or wax based lubes inside the case can potentially contaminate powder. Lee recommends their water-based lube that dries and does not contaminate powder. I do not know if this is true, but its in their manual. I have tried the Lee lube with the .22 mop method for expanding cases, and when it dries it leaves a residue that sort of looks uneven, and I don't know how that might affect neck tension similarity case to case? So I went back to the graphite lube method with the mop.

 

[Lastgun]

I don't bother too lube the inside of the case neck...I do clean the the neck inner side with a tight fitting bronze brush before sizing...The cases have always pulled through the neck sizing button with ease this way.

 

[Potashminer]

A very old tool that might address what you intend to do? I actually remember to use it sometimes!!! Is a "Bonanza" brand "Case Graphiter" - replacement "Motor Mica Refill" was by Forster, so I presume the reference on that bag to a "Forster case graphiter" was a successor to the original "Bonanza Case Graphiter"? Is actually very seldom that I bother to lube inside of case necks with anything - mostly RCBS expander balls within the RCBS dies - but also Lyman, Lee, and Hornady dies get used same way.

 

[bibatoad]

It tried the search button without luck. Im new to reloading even tho my first 100 of Hornady brass went very smooth no problem so far.

What is everyone technique and product they use to lube the mandrel to expand neck for consistent neck tension? I use Sinclair die and mandrel but i realized my mandrel is a lil bit scratch and it do no good to my brass. I went ahead and bought a carbide mandrel but before i mess it up i would like to have the correct technique. What i have home is Redding Imperial sizing wax, Dillon Case Lube and Redding dry neck lube with media.

Thanks in advance

Powdered graphite, comes in a tube, snip the bottom of the tube off and pour in an old film container or similar small container and just dip the neck and wipe off the excess. No residue to deal with afterwards.

 

[Potashminer]

It tried the search button without luck. Im new to reloading even tho my first 100 of Hornady brass went very smooth no problem so far.

What is everyone technique and product they use to lube the mandrel to expand neck for consistent neck tension? I use Sinclair die and mandrel but i realized my mandrel is a lil bit scratch and it do no good to my brass. I went ahead and bought a carbide mandrel but before i mess it up i would like to have the correct technique. What i have home is Redding Imperial sizing wax, Dillon Case Lube and Redding dry neck lube with media.

Thanks in advance

Reviewing your OP and the replies - appears that many of us will lube the case - not the mandrel - in my case, if I remember to do that. I would have thought that your "Redding dry neck lube with media" would have been made for exactly what you want to do? Except it likely lubes the case, not the mandrel??

If you are "new" to reloading, consider that maybe you aught to prove to yourself what is helpful or not for you and your gear? Shoot some 5 shot groups at 100 yards. Make your change. Shoot some more groups - did the groups get smaller or not? Will show to you whether that change was important for your ability, your rifle, its bedding, it's barrel, your scope mounting system, your scope, that trigger and so on - is MUCH more than one specific reloading thing that will make a difference - but is really up to YOU to find out what makes a difference for YOUR stuff. It may or may not matter to someone else and their gear - I would imagine you are truly concerned about your results, not theirs?