neck lube ,poor choice
- Thread starter bob4
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One reason I neck lube. My hunting loads will carry-over from season to season.
If you load them up for a match and shoot them the following weekend, it's a bit different. I can't prove the difference on target, but I doubt anyone else can either. Because the competition shooter fires all his within days of loading.
If you load them up for a match and shoot them the following weekend, it's a bit different. I can't prove the difference on target, but I doubt anyone else can either. Because the competition shooter fires all his within days of loading.
Alex Wheeler
Well-Known Member
This group was shot with ammo loaded 6 months in advance. Leftovers from the the prior season. I dont lube any of my ammo, some of it sits for years. The cold welding thing is up there with bullet runout for me. A Non issue IMO. But you still need to test this and come to your own conclusion.
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2014/04/best-10-shot-1000-yard-group-in-history-be-amazed/
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2014/04/best-10-shot-1000-yard-group-in-history-be-amazed/
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Mikecr
Well-Known Member
If we didn't have the carbon layer left behind from shooting, by now somebody would be selling it to us!
Seriously, it just happens to be ideal, so there is no reason to mess with it -until we mess it up.
Seriously, it just happens to be ideal, so there is no reason to mess with it -until we mess it up.
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MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
I use graphite on my necks due to using expanders, whether it's in the die or on a mandrel, I still lube.
I have found I get better ES/SD numbers if I DO NOT remove the lube. A while back I would steel wool my neck insides, my numbers were good, but never consistent.
Have used Mica, Graphite and other dry lubes I don't even know what they contained and none worked as well as the residual graphite I leave after sizing.
You can take this however you like......it works for me.
Cheers.
I have found I get better ES/SD numbers if I DO NOT remove the lube. A while back I would steel wool my neck insides, my numbers were good, but never consistent.
Have used Mica, Graphite and other dry lubes I don't even know what they contained and none worked as well as the residual graphite I leave after sizing.
You can take this however you like......it works for me.
Cheers.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
Where we have no carbon layer and need to lube necks for rational seating forces, I'm sure graphite works fine. Moly works but affects velocities.
My expander mandrels are dry coated with WS2 (tungsten disulfide), as are my bullets.
And I just run a nylon brush once through each fired neck.
The worst thing anyone could do is wet lube inside necks. Sizing wax for example would play hell with consistent bullet release, and contaminate bore fouling.
My expander mandrels are dry coated with WS2 (tungsten disulfide), as are my bullets.
And I just run a nylon brush once through each fired neck.
The worst thing anyone could do is wet lube inside necks. Sizing wax for example would play hell with consistent bullet release, and contaminate bore fouling.
Lonewolf74
Well-Known Member
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- May 12, 2016
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I've been testing this out for a while myself. I don't tumble or really clean my brass just wipe it down and nylon brush the inside of necks trying to leave the carbon in. I also HBN coat my bullets, and I've done both lube the inside of the neck with wax and left dry. My ES isn't great either way (about 20fps ES) but I can't tell a difference hear with or without the wax lube. Where I can tell a difference is with bullet seating, I get ultra consistent seating depth with the wax lubed necks.
I'm going to omit lubing the inside of the necks for a while to test and see what happens and if it stays more consistent over the course of several shooting sessions. I'd rather it was more consistent without neck lube because I don't like extra steps unless proven to gain something in my results.
I'm going to omit lubing the inside of the necks for a while to test and see what happens and if it stays more consistent over the course of several shooting sessions. I'd rather it was more consistent without neck lube because I don't like extra steps unless proven to gain something in my results.
Bullets are HBN coated. Cases ultrasonic cleaned. With long range loads, interior necks are lubed with Hornady Unique.
bob4
Well-Known Member
This type of loading with a hunting rifle where recoil may be an issue? Curious.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
^^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^^
I'll add that I wrap a small amount of 0000 steel wool on the brush and brush lightly. It takes 2 seconds per case.
Note that I stated "long range loads". When I shoot a game animal at long range, I load my shells single shot-style. I don't carry my LRH ammo in the magazine. The loads in my magazine are bear and camp defense rounds. Swift A-Frames, Trophy Bonded Bear Claws, Barnes TSX, etc. controlled expansion bullets.
Be careful interior neck lubing shells to be carried in the mag on heavy recoiling rifles. My bear/camp defense loads carried in the magazine are still HBN coated bullets. I may lube the necks with Hornady Unique on a Q-tip, but it's a thin coat followed by removal with a clean Q-tip. The slightest film remains - think microscopic/molecule-thin coating. And I also ensure sufficient neck tension to keep the bullets held fast, even under recoil. The shells in my magazine don't need to be any more accurate than 1moa. Even 1.5moa is good enough. Honestly, bear/camp defense load development is very limited. I ensure safe pressure levels, functional feeding, and general POI testing for comparison to my long range ammo POI.
