graphite powder

[Mountain Man]

i reckon reloading stuff goes under here. anyway, anyone ever use graphite powder to lube the necks before decapping? my landlord gave me some. he knows someone at a local business that uses it. its seems to work well. no apparent sticking other than when it sizes real quick. he kinda caught me off guard when he mentioned it and i just wondered if anyone else ever tried it.

-Brian

 

[Randy in Va]

I've never heard of doing that and would not introduce anything like it into a die. Imperial wax is much easier to control.

 

[Mountain Man]

i thought i heard some powders have graphite in them to act as a lube for the barrel though. is that true, and if so, why is graphite down the barrel fine, but not on the neck of the case?

 

[milanuk]

Actually, Imperial also makes a graphite powder for sizing necks. Seems to work a lot better than motor mica, but hooo-boy. Do *not* spill this stuff in the vincinity of carpeted floor. It has a dispersion effect similar to copier toner. Spousal unit will not be happy. Don't ask me how I know!

Anyway, it works slicker than snot on the proverbial doorknob, and pretty much eliminates any expander ball drag, period. Doesn't cause powder granules to stick like the Imperial sizing die wax does when used on the inside of the case neck.

Only bummer is that it is kinda messy, and I've yet to figure out a 'good' way to apply both Imperial products at the same time w/o making one hell of a mess of me and the case. One or the other is no problem.

HTH,

Monte

 

[Mountain Man]

milanuk,
i know what you mean. i'm single so i dont have to worry about the spousal unit, but i can only imagine. my kitchen table is...well....less than....clean.

where did you get yours from? although i have some now, it was given to me, and i'd like to continue using it based on the results.

-brian

 

[milanuk]

IIRC, Sinclair's carries it (www.sinclairintl.com)

Monte

 

[Darryl Cassel]

Yes, you can use and they market graphite for case necks. Have used it for years and I don't get a sticky mess from lubing the inside of necks with an oil, or a wax base product.

DC

 

[Nighthawk]

So let me get this straight, this is a replacement for case lube, and where can I get some and how much is it? The answers may have already been posted, but I'm at school and can't read it all.

 

[Mountain Man]

not case lube, necking lube. i put in on the inside of the necks, so theres no sticking when i size and decap. i still use regular lube on the outside of the case, but before i do that, apply a thin coat of graphite to the inside of the case neck. usually keeps powder from sticking to the sides of the neck too.

 

[Nighthawk]

Thank You Sir.

 

[HondoJohn6508]

For neck sizing only, I have been using powdered graphite for better than 20 years and nary a problem. I bought my last bottle about 8 years ago at the local auto store. If I have to full-length size I use Hornaday's 'One Shot'. I still use it on my handgun cases that I don't have a carbide die available.

Ol' John

 

[hogheadv2]

Old thread but just what I was looking for, having used lanolin based products for near 40 years,,, better than most but sticky until i got a chance to wipe them off.
*Thinking of thinning an ounce of dri-slide, or
**a couple 1/2oz tubes of powder lube to 6-8 oz 99% alcohol.
& Spay shake rest and call me "Black fingers"