Randoms: Case neck lube and Single press play/runout

[ChrisBCS]

Any good solutions that might be available at your local hardware store for lubing bullet seating? Then q-tip the solution on to the bullet, or inside the case neck?

Also, when using a collet die to neck resize, is it true that any side motion during the press of the mouth between the mandrel and collet will cause bullet runout issues once seated?

I don't currently have a way to check runout.

Thanks all for tolerating my newb precision load questions. Very grateful.

 

[InfScout1/69]

I never used lube to seat the billets. Never has any issues. Just chamfer the inside of the neck and you should be gtg. As far as neck sizing with collet die. I fl bushing sizer to bump the shoulder .002 and haven't has issues with runout..

 

[rduckwor]

The only time you typically need to lube when seating is if you cleaned brass with SS pins or in an ultrasonic cleaner.

That tends to get the inside of the necks squeeky clean and may make seating an issue.

Somebody makes a mica powder that you can dip case necks into and I suppose you could use that on bullet bases. Also, you might be able to use powdered graphite.

Why do you need to lube them?

 

[Mike402]

The only time you typically need to lube when seating is if you cleaned brass with SS pins or in an ultrasonic cleaner.

That tends to get the inside of the necks squeeky clean and may make seating an issue.

Somebody makes a mica powder that you can dip case necks into and I suppose you could use that on bullet bases. Also, you might be able to use powdered graphite.

Why do you need to lube them?

I had this exact issue when I switched over to a Franklin rotary tumbler using ss media. Brass came out looking like jewelry, but I started having problems seating my AMAX bullets (shaving bullets going in). I wound up getting Imperial dry neck lube & dipping bottom of bullets into before seating. It was less work than dipping case necks in & having to wipe outside each time.

Ultimately I reduced neck tension by .001 & the problem went away.

 

[InfScout1/69]

Shaving? Are you chamfering the inside neck?.. I ask because I have never had that issue. I clean using US cleaner, size, trim, tumble(dry) then prime , powder then bullet.

 

[Mike402]

Shaving? Are you chamfering the inside neck?.. I ask because I have never had that issue. I clean using US cleaner, size, trim, tumble(dry) then prime , powder then bullet.

Yep, always chamfer & debur after trimming. I had never had this issue either until I started wet tumbling w/ ss media. It's true that the stainless method removes all traces of carbon from the neck, and creates more friction as you try to seat. If neck tension is tight enough, it will remove trace amounts of the bullet during the seating process. The fact that it stopped after dry lubing pretty much proves it IMO

 

[InfScout1/69]

Hmm how much neck tension do you normally have? I have .002 and I've never had that issue?hmmm maybe because I dry tumble before?

 

[Powermac]

Both SS pins and US cleaning tends to make the necks 'grabby' and sometimes it will distort the bullet jacket, the more neck tension used the higher the chance of it happening, and reducing tension can eliminate the problem.
I use imperial dry neck lube and application media for the same purpose, although i lube the necks.
Both ways works just fine.
And yes Mike you are right the cleaning increases friction, witch is why this problem appears with lube, tested with the Hydro bullet seater and came to the same conclusion some time ago.
Another reason i do it is simply because it improves my seating pressure consistency.

As for the OP's second question, what side motion while the collet and mandrel is over the neck, will cause is neck runout in that case, but you need to have a very sloppy press or a bad die for that to happen i think.
The neck runout will of course affect your bullet runout too witch kind of says itself.
The Lee collet neck sizer tends to give very little runout though, but can be a bitch to adjust properly.
I do not use them, and i wonder how you manage to get sideways movement while using a press?

 

[Mike402]

Just to clarify, the problem manifested itself w/ 5.56 rounds, which I was using a custom lee undersized mandrel to size the necks tighter to avoid crimping. Neck tension was .0035. Never a problem before SS cleaning. Once I started having the seating issues, I switched back to the stock mandrel, and brought down neck tension to .002. I'm hoping that this proves enough to hold under semi auto fire. If not, I may have to resort to crimping.