getting lube in neck
 

My wife followed through and got me a reloading kit for Christmas and building a dedicated reloading bench is now in the works. I have been doing a lot of reading on the subject and picked up the 8th edition Hornady reloading manual here locally for only $9.99 since they have released a 9th edition. I also picked up a tin of the imperial sizing wax since a lot of people seem to really like it. My question is, do you use the same wax on the inside of the neck of rifle brass? If so, how do you apply the wax to the inside and how deep does it need to be? Thank you in advance for any responses.

Do what RR advises. Q-tips work great for this. I also use the Imperial sizing wax, and use a Q-tip to LIGHTLY smear the outer case body and the inside of the neck as well. If you are resizing WSM or other sharp angled shoulder cases, it is imperative that you lube the inside of the neck well, or you run the risk of actually pulling the shoulder angle out of specification due to increased drag on the expander plug because of to insufficient lube when pulling the case from the die and will undoubtedly run into chambering problems with the reloaded case.

Hey RR and PWM, why do ya'll prefer Imp. wax over spray lube such as Horn. 1 Shot?

........There ya go......

Thank you for the responses.

HDMontana - welcome to reloading!

I have recently started reloading and I have found there can be different ways to do different tasks. When it comes to lubing cases I use ATF (automatic transmission fluid). A quick dip in ATF and enough comes off to lub the die for about 3 cases. Afterward I run all the resized cases though the tumbler with the media removing most of the oil from the cases. To help prolong the life of the media I add a dryer sheet to help absorb the tranny fluid.

Just an idea for you to consider. Again welcome to a new and enjoyable hobby.

I don't know what those are. Maybe I am but I don't know what they look like (still new to reloading). I have reloaded .223 and 30-30 using ATF and the cases looked fine after reloading and shooting.

Looking over my post the description was a little unclear. What I do is keep a small jar filled with tranny fluid. When it is time to decap/resize I dip the case in the jar of tranny fluid and proceed to decap/resize. Enough tranny fluid remains on the inside of the die and resizing pin so that I only have to dip every other or every 3rd case. I am using a single stage press so if I feel what seems to be too much resistance I back off and dip the case.

The process is kind of messy I end up having to wipe lube off of the press and resizing die/decapping pin. Also lube ends up in the reloading block. So I have a block specially set aside just for holding cases lubed and resized using the tranny fluid. Also as I mentioned previously I run the cases through the tumbler a second time to remove the tranny fluid. But you need to be careful to check each case to make sure there is no media stuck to the inside of the case.

It sounds like it is more effort than it is worth and maybe it is I am still experimenting with the process.

Thanks for the pic RR...I have in fact seen those dents when using the tranny fluid.

I'm wondering why in the world would you create such a messy job out of something that is so simple? Surely you are getting trans. fluid inside the case also, which is a terrible thing to happen... How do you lube the inside of the case necks, which is what this post was supposed to be about in the first place, without getting the fluid inside the case body? I also find it hard to believe you aren't getting lube dents.

my advice to you is to quit with the trans. fluid lube jobs and follow a more accepted method......

I also pictured him using the ATF and said to myself: "YUCK, what a mess that has to make!".

Not to mention what all this excess lube would and will do to the primer and powder to be thrown after all this goes on. And all that lube will hold the dust from the tumbler media inside changing the case capacity a tad as well possibly.

Thanks again. I think I will use a q tip and imperial wax.

You lube the inside of the case necks when you dip the case in the tranny fluid and yes some fluid will get inside the case which is why I run the resized/decapped cases through the tumbler a second time...to dry the cases of any excess tranny fluid.

As I also said it is something I am experimenting with. As in "would this work instead of some other lubricating options?" And I offered it as a suggestion for the OP to consider.

Many years ago I bought a Foster tool which is a box with 4 brushes inside. You put some graphite in the box and shake it then remove the lid to expose the brushes loaded with graphite. Just run the right size brush thru the neck and the inside is lubed with no left over residue to cause problem. When you think the brush has lost all the graphite to coat the neck you can just dip the neck in the graphoite in the shallow part of the box to pick up more.

:D Al

Good Lord I can't believe so many are still using that old school case lube. For the past several years I've been using Hornady One Shot. Sprayed at about a 45* angle on the cases allows it to get inside the case mouth. Turn 180* and repeat. Allow to dry for a couple mins. Cases are thoroughly lubed and case shoulder dimples are eliminated. (Note: you must degrease the inside of your sizing die and spray it with OneShot for initial use.)

bronko... don"t you get overspray around the area you are working at? Seems to me you would, that's one reason I've stayed away from it.. Curious...

Same question here. Seems to me not only would I be wiping off the cases after resizing but I'd have to clean the trays and bench as well. FWIW I use Imperial wax.

I just recently started using one shot. For years I have used Lee Case Lube, and applied it with my finger tips, and a Q tip in the necks. I now lay my cases on a lube pad, spray them, roll them to the unsprayed side, and spray again. I do make sure I get a little inside the case necks. I have had no problems doing this, and it is so much quicker than before. I don't think I will go back to using the Lee Lube.

load tray are cheap. I use one solely for the use of One Shot. But even so, the spray does not contaminate powder or primers. And IMO much less messier than the old case lube.

I use one shot in a shallow cake pan or pie pan depending on how many I am doing. I am working on a 5 gal bucket of 223 brass now and just bought 2 new cans of one shot to work on this project. I spray them in the pan on the loading table. No mess.

Thanks again for the responses. HD.

I also have one load tray I use specifically for this process and also use one shot. Works well and is much "cleaner"...I also don't prime my cases till after all case prep is done (size, trim, .etc).

I have a can of the One Shot, but have continued using the paste type a friend gave me until it's gone. I figured I'd just go outside and give them a spray when I start using it or maybe just put the load tray inside a cardboard box to do it and keep the residual spray from going all over.

You don't need enough to cover the whole case, just the neck, shoulder and inside the case mouth a bit. I do it in the basement and my wife is a PITA with any kind of spraying I do in the house. She does'nt even notice when I use the one shot. It don't fog like you think. I do mine on the load table with no problems.

lube inside case necks
 

I can't remember where I got it, but years ago I got a 1/4" x 1" round head screw that has a threaded hole through the slot and into the shaft of the screw. The thread is the same as the thread of nylon bore brushes.

I put the screw next to my press on the front my my loading bench. I then screw-in a nylon bore brush of the caliber that I am loading.

When I lube each case prior to sizing, I simply put a little Imperial Sizing Wax on the brush with my fingers, then push the case on and off the brush. This quickly and easily lubes the inside of the case neck. One wipe of lube on the brush lasts for about 5 cases.

If I need more lube in the neck for expanding case necks, I put some extra lube on my finger, then rotate the case mouth on that finger, pushing lube into the mouth of the case.

I once had a box of fired brass in a box and had bought some oil for the truck. Well without thinking I put the oil on top the box of brass and drove home. Somehow the oil spilled all over the cases and what a mess I had. So I spent time cleaning all the cases inside and out. Reloaded the cases and found out the hard way that even though I had done what I thought was a thorough job of cleaning them I still had oil inside the case and some of this affected accuracy and a few the primers. The cases I fired still had wet oil residue in the corners of the head of the case. I would never use a wet oil of any kind to lube a case especially if it can get inside the case itself. And I have never lubed inside the case neck and never had one issue in decades.

I agree that oil or moisture (water) inside does nothing good for the powder or primer. However, a thin coat of Imperial Size Wax or other reloading sizing lube applied to the inside of the case neck will not affect either the powder or primer, and it allow pulling the expander ball of the sizing die to be done easily and smoothly.

In my earlier example of expanding case necks, I have easily expanded dozens of 7 mm RUM and .300 RUM cases up to .375 RUM in one stroke and without damaging any of the cases.

Gentlemen, ( and I use the term very loosely ) there are many fine store bought case lubes out there.

But why are you buying them?

The best Case lube I have ever used and many other free thinking Americans is Home made and very in expensive!

Go get a "RED" bottle of Iso-HEET, Gas line anti-freeze . Mix 1 oz of the liquid lanolin you got from the health food store or pharmacy with the entire contents of the RED bottle of Iso-HEET. find a good pump misting bottle, like the Hornady One Shot comes in or the Dillon lube and you are good to go. you can use a pistol grip sprayer to mist your cases but it is very easy with one of them to use way more than necessary.

That is correct 1 oz of the liquid Lanolin to the entire bottle of Iso-HEET, this will last for at least 20k of 5.56 brass.

To use throw a hand full of cases in a small box, lightly mist with lube shake some, add more cases, mist and shake, and more mist and shake. When you have the box full or out of cases go to work sizing.

The inside of the necks also see a smidgen of lube and they glide off the expander like butter slides from a hot knife.

The Heat is nearly 99% isopropel and flashes off almost instantly but because of its very low surface tension it spreads over the complete case before flashing off depositing a very fine residue of lanolin, which is the main ingredient f Imperial case lube and almost all other quality lubes.

keep it simple!

After a little more research, I ordered a Frankford Arsenal dry neck lube kit through Midway. I comes with 6 brushes for different calibers and white mica. I can use the powder or liquid type lube with the brushes. It comes with a nice container and the cost was about what the nylon brushes purchased separately would have cost me. From what I understand, I just need to make sure to wipe off the mica from the outside of the neck before running it through my sizing die. I guess if I don't like it, I won't be out much money and still will have 6 new nylon brushes. HD.

Thats what I've been useing for so long I can't ever remember not useing it. Mine doesn't get the graphite on the out side of the neck. When the brushes loose all the lube just cover and shake to apply more lube to the brushes.

:D Al

I tried the dry lube and was very disappointed. As a test, lube 1 case with mica and the other with a liquid lube. The amount of force needed to pull the expander through the neck is greater with the mica.

I am going to try the Heet and lanolin mix posted by screwbolt. Thanks.
I switched from lube pad to one shot some time ago.
I had a problem a while back pulling the shoulders forward with 35 whelen cases formed from 30-06. since then I have paid a lot more attn to the inside of the necks being lubes.
I go through a lot of q-tips

It's tough to argue One-Shot in my book. Lubes all of your cases in seconds, and since the switch I've not gotten any shoulder dimples or stuck cases. I stand my brass up on a counter or in a loading block and spray it straight down into/onto the brass. Maybe a quick shot from the side for good luck. Done. I just finished FL resizing about a thousand 223 this morning, and I cringe at the thought of going around with a q-tip or whatever other devices have been suggested to lube necks :D

Exactly... WSM cases can cause the same problem without inside neck lubing.