Graphite any one?

Anyone have any idea where a person could get a small amount of #8 or #9 shot to build such a device? I've got the graphite powder and pill bottles, but I don't own or reload for a shotgun...

I'm not interested in buying a HUGE bag of shot, when all I need is maybe 1/2 a cup (if I use a large pill bottle). I'm also not super keen on buying a box of shells to sacrifice for the shot, as disposing of the 'left-overs' (primer & powder) would be problematic.

Suggestions?!

I have used powdered graphite for neck lube for several decades now.

Here's a little trick. Take a plastic pill bottle [not a little tiny one, but a decent size.]

Fill it 2/3 to 3/4 full of # 8 or #9 shot. Add a tablespoon of powdered graphite.
Then close the lid and shake it up thoroughly. Now when you dip your necks in it, you
will get just the right amount in the neck, and you do not have to make sure the neck
does not have a "bridge" of powdered graphite inside, since the shot slides right out
when you take the case out of it.

It will last a long time till you have to add more graphite.
Motor Mica that H4831 mentioned works the same way.

Regards, Dave.
 
Wow, CGN comes through again - many thanks to Eagleye (Dave) who has graciously offered to send me some shot for my little case neck graphite dispenser!!!!

Anyone have any idea where a person could get a small amount of #8 or #9 shot to build such a device? I've got the graphite powder and pill bottles, but I don't own or reload for a shotgun...

I'm not interested in buying a HUGE bag of shot, when all I need is maybe 1/2 a cup (if I use a large pill bottle). I'm also not super keen on buying a box of shells to sacrifice for the shot, as disposing of the 'left-overs' (primer & powder) would be problematic.

Suggestions?!
 
Huh. I was thinking about getting a tin or two of BB's meant for an air gun. .177 dia would work just fine in most stuff 30 cal and up. Smaller might give you some grief. Or am I wrong here?
 
Huh. I was thinking about getting a tin or two of BB's meant for an air gun. .177 dia would work just fine in most stuff 30 cal and up. Smaller might give you some grief. Or am I wrong here?

I'm reloading .223 & I figured smaller was definitely better. On a .308 case, only one .177 pellet will fit in the neck at a time. I think I'd want something smaller, so more shot/pellets get in there all at the same time to spread the graphite around the entire inside of the case neck.

I could be completely wrong here, but that's what made sense to me...
 
.177 would be too large, I think. Too much possibility of bridging in the neck and not enough surface area to rub the lube powder onto the inside of the neck.
Smaller is definitely better, if you could find some #12 shot that would be ideal.
 
Use it in my powder dispenser rotor nice and lubed
So how do you use it sparkiei? Does it stay put on the rotor? You just put a dash on it? Helps pretty good does it?

I have a medium pill bottle with "lubed powder" in it. I have about 2 tablespoons of WW760 powder with a good helping of graphite powder squirted in. At the beginning of a loading session, I dump this powder into the measure, and work the rotor, change the measuring volume settings, basically, dumping this powder into the pill bottle, then dumping it back into the measure, until I think I've got everything coated. Then I make sure to get all the excess out of the measure by giving it a few extra taps, and I'm good to go.
I originally thought I'd use moly powder to do the lubing, but I wasn't sure how that might effect the whole system.
I settled on graphite, because it is a component of the coating on most smokeless powders anyway.
 
Thanks Splatter! I going to give that a whirl. I'm not familiar with WW760 I'll google it to see what kind of powder it is. Once more thank you.
 
It's a pretty fine grained ball-powder. I've sacrificed the couple tablespoons of it about 10 years back. I'm just using it as a bulking agent to rub the graphite on the powder handling equipment. I run it through the powder trickler too. and put a little in the pan of the scale and "swirl" it around.
I'm pretty sure that it is 760. Could be WW742 as well. Only thing that is important is it's a fine grained powder.
 
I use this for applying graphite powder on the interior of case necks.

p_749001866_1.jpg


dump graphite powder in the pan beneath the brushes, dip the case mouth in it and slide it down the correct size brush.

I have one of these but I find it can get messy fast if your not careful.. will try the shot method
 
I was wondering if flax seed (not ground) might be fine enough to use instead of lead shot. It is quite small and slippery, and if you tumble afterwards, it should remove any flax seed oil. Thoughts?
 
You may find that Flax seed, due to it's irregular shape and lightness, may bridge easily in smaller necked cases.

Even with #8 or 9 shot, an occasional "bridge" may occur in smaller, sharp-shouldered case necks [6mm Ackleys come to mind]

I just watch and make sure there is no bridge when lubing these necks.

Dave.
 
I was wondering if flax seed (not ground) might be fine enough to use instead of lead shot. It is quite small and slippery, and if you tumble afterwards, it should remove any flax seed oil. Thoughts?

If you are determined to use some sort of seed, I'd think something like poppy seeds would be more successful.
 
You may find that Flax seed, due to it's irregular shape and lightness, may bridge easily in smaller necked cases.

Even with #8 or 9 shot, an occasional "bridge" may occur in smaller, sharp-shouldered case necks [6mm Ackleys come to mind]

I just watch and make sure there is no bridge when lubing these necks.

Dave.

This 'bridge' has been mentioned a couple times in the thread, and I just want to make certain I'm clear on what you're referring to...

Does it mean the shot/graphite mix getting stuck or jammed inside the case (because of the tapered shoulder, I assume) and not falling out when you lift the case out of the jar?
Or am I completely off track here?!
 
This 'bridge' has been mentioned a couple times in the thread, and I just want to make certain I'm clear on what you're referring to...

Does it mean the shot/graphite mix getting stuck or jammed inside the case (because of the tapered shoulder, I assume) and not falling out when you lift the case out of the jar?
Or am I completely off track here?!
Correct. Essentially not just falling back out.
 
When I'm using my stuff, I have started tapping the case on the side of the bottle as I remove it.
Before I started doing this, I had a couple of cases with shot bridged in them.................broke 2 decapping pins.

I usually dip every second or third case. Enough graphite sticks to the case lube on the case that it comes off in the die and remains for a bit. Once the sizer ball starts dragging a bit coming out of the case, it's time to dip another.

When I'm done sizing, all the cases go on an old towel, get a shot of brake cleaner and wiped off.
 
I just use a Q tip in a small tin of graphite lube and rotate it in the inside of the neck. Works great and no mess!!

Bill
 
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