Lube when using expander die?

TrxR

New member
What lube do you guys use when using your expanding die/mandrel? Also how do you clean the lube out after?

Also how do you clean the brass after neck turning? Im assuming most use some sort of oil on the mandrel when turning so how do you get that out of your cases?

Thanks
 
i use an oil, and i wash in hot soapy water, rinse and
then clean/polish in fine ground corn cob
with a bit of nufinish car polish
 
I also use Imperial Sizing Wax. I remove any residue thats accessable with a microfiber cloth and use cotton swabs inside case necks. Any small amounts of residue don’t affect a thing.
 
I rarely use a mandrel...... basically only on wildcats where I have to remake a false fireforming shoulder and I HATE the lube! I use die wax when I can (rarely, but easiest to clean out, for me) but most often STP Engine Assembly Lube.

Cleaning out the lube sucks so bad I normally burn it out. I use an undersized funnel to get pistol powder down thru the goopy hole and fireform before starting to clean up and trim/turn etc.......

I swear, die wax leaps thru the powder charge like a snake in the tall grass.... I've had residual die wax cause misfires.

that's my story!
 
BTW, everywhere I go folks are cleaning cases using tumblers. I've got 4 tumblers and bags and boxes of media. Two of my vibratories are like 3 gallon capacity. But every time I use one I can't get around the fact that now the media is tainted!

It's like using a bore snake...... TO ME the idea of dragging a boresnake thru my barrel is about as appealing as re-using toilet paper.

So I never "clean" stuff using a tumbler!

just my hangup... one of many
 
buy blasting media, fine ground corn cob
use it as is it works very well

for a "contaminated" excellent "polish" (not a wax) nufinish car polish added is the cat's meow.

oil and wax can indeed stick inside and collect media. run it longer and it will come clean.
( why i wash them first)
 
Here you go

When I bought my Pumpkin the lube suggested was as follows:
1 quart of 20w-50w Castrol Synthetic (Castrol Syntec)
15 fl ounces of STP (STP small bottle is 15 oz)
Mix well and you have enough forever.
Apply to neck ID with a q-tip
Remove from neck ID with a q-tip
If needed use a little acetone and a q-tip
Centerfire
 
When I bought my Pumpkin the lube suggested was as follows:
1 quart of 20w-50w Castrol Synthetic (Castrol Syntec)
15 fl ounces of STP (STP small bottle is 15 oz)
Mix well and you have enough forever.
Apply to neck ID with a q-tip
Remove from neck ID with a q-tip
If needed use a little acetone and a q-tip
Centerfire


What STP product?
 
that is the best

When I bought my Pumpkin the lube suggested was as follows:
1 quart of 20w-50w Castrol Synthetic (Castrol Syntec)
15 fl ounces of STP (STP small bottle is 15 oz)
Mix well and you have enough forever.
Apply to neck ID with a q-tip
Remove from neck ID with a q-tip
If needed use a little acetone and a q-tip
Centerfire
http://b

+1
 
What lube do you guys use when using your expanding die/mandrel? Also how do you clean the lube out after?

Also how do you clean the brass after neck turning? Im assuming most use some sort of oil on the mandrel when turning so how do you get that out of your cases?

Thanks

When I expand, I spray a Q-Tip with Hornady one shot and swab the inside of each neck. and I swab the mandrel. It works pretty good. Then to get it out, I spray Birchwood Casey gun scrubber on a Q-Tip and swab it out. As far as turn lube, I have a motorized 21st Century lathe, so I take another Q-Tip and put either PMA or Sinclair neck turning lube and rub it on the mandrel or I take a can of One Shot or Pro-Long and spray it on the mandrel with the plastic extension on the nozzle. You can control the amount coming out if you do it sort of gentle. After I turn, I take Q-Tips and spray them with Gun Scrubber and swab out the inside of the case and then I AMP each one in the annealing machine. If there was anything that I missed with the Gun Scrubber the AMP takes care of it. I never once had a contaminated powder issue.
 
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When I expand, I spray a Q-Tip with Hornady one shot and swab the inside of each neck. and I swab the mandrel. It works pretty good. Then to get it out, I spray Birchwood Casey gun scrubber on a Q-Tip and swab it out. As far as turn lube, I have a motorized 21st Century lathe, so I take another Q-Tip and put either PMA or Sinclair neck turning lube and rub it on the mandrel or I take a can of One Shot or Pro-Long and spray it on the mandrel with the plastic extension on the nozzle. You can control the amount coming out if you do it sort of gentle. After I turn, I take Q-Tips and spray them with Gun Scrubber and swab out the inside of the case and then I AMP each one in the annealing machine. If there was anything that I missed with the Gun Scrubber the AMP takes care of it.

I use a dry neck lube and it pretty much eliminates powder sticking issues......no advice on neck turning.

Mort
 
When I bought my Pumpkin the lube suggested was as follows:
1 quart of 20w-50w Castrol Synthetic (Castrol Syntec)
15 fl ounces of STP (STP small bottle is 15 oz)
Mix well and you have enough forever.
Apply to neck ID with a q-tip
Remove from neck ID with a q-tip
If needed use a little acetone and a q-tip
Centerfire
What STP product?
 
STP Information from bottle

Gee when I bought it they did not have a lot of other options. Another getting older problem. opps
From the bottle
STP Oil Treatment
UPC 7115365148
15 FL OZ (443ml)

Centerfire
 
Neck cleaning

I used a bore mop for cleaning the lube from the necks. You have to clean them a little because powder will clog up when loading for fire forming. Your neck cleaning brush will do it well enough but the bore mop does it better. In reality, all you need to do is fire form them at this stage and you can shine them up later. Folks like me just shoot 'em dirty.
 

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I use Imperial Sizing Wax on both the expander mandrel and the turning mandrel. Works very well. Then I tumble the newly turned brass with stainless steel pins, some dish detergent and Lemishine in my Thumler's rock tumbler. It cleans it all out and smooths the just-turned necks.

I am intrigued by the Jim Pag neck-cleaning method with the BW Casey bore scrubber on a Q-tip. Should work fine, except it will use a lot of Q-tips. Also, you have to do that stuff outside because it will build up chlorine fumes to dangerous levels in your house. It's also great for cleaning all sorts of plastic crud and fouling from shotgun barrels. I spray it on squares of Viva paper towels wrapped around a bore mop.

I like the Alinwa comment about the bore snake being like reusing toilet paper. Who invented that thing anyhow? Did someone say "how can I sell a bazillion of something to people who know absolutely nothing about guns and gun cleaning?"

You know the comment about how a redneck will never say "I just couldn't find a thing at Wal-mart." You know come fall, ain't too many of them walkin' by the bore snake display.

Sorry if any of you out there actually like the fool things.
 
I am still using powdered graphite as advocated by Bill Marden over 40 years ago when I purchased my first Aussie Super Simplex reloading press.
Just pour about 1/4" into a small tray and dip the necks in and expand away. Works well!

* doggie *
 
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