Ok, so I decided to try neck sizing for my 223, both for accuracy and extended case life. I hate the nuisance of lubing cases and figure it'll be ten times worse doing just the neck. So, I was thinking of using a case neck graphiter. Anyone use this item? What are your experiences, tips, pitfalls to watch for?

Currently, I am getting groups in the 3/4 to one inch range with full length sized cases. W/W brass, federal gold medal primers, 50 grain Vmax and Blitzkings. Haven't messed with OAL much yet, have a hard time measuring how far off thelands I am.

Thanks for the help, guys.

CoOt

cooter--

I've done it for 35 years, but I use moly instead of graphite. I have a small snap lid kitchen container with about half an inch of #6 birdshot in it with moly added in. Just stir the neck in the bird shot and resize. The necks will be black but it sure keeps down the work and mess of some other lubes.

Aren't there neck sizing dies that don't require lube? The Lee collet die and the Redding bushing dies with the titanium nitrided bushings that don't require lube?

I'm using the Lee collet dies in the set with the dead length bullet seater die and I'm very satisfied with them. The .22-250 dies worked perfectly from the beginning, with the dead length seater die producing OAL's consistent to within about one thousandth of an inch. The .300 Win. Mag. die didn't break in for a while, but eventually started doing almost as well.

Graphite in the necks is great stuff when you need it. I usually neck down to make wildcats (.378 Wby to .338-.378 Wby), but I had never heard so much caterwaling and screaming from brass until I wanted to make .510-.505 Gibbs from .505 Gibbs. I lost one of those $4 Bertram cases due to neck collapse before I got smart and started lubing the inside of the necks with graphite. Peace, quiet, low operating effort, and gently necked-up cases.

I just use mica from Midway. Dip the case in up to the shoulder, tap off the excess powder, and there you go. Pretty cheap too, around $5 I believe.

I was told you needed to be pretty carful to make sure you washed them or got the graphite out before seating...I have been told it is murder on the bore....i do it with a cotton bud and it works well! Not fancy or efficent but works!

Yep, do it all the time. I have about enough graphite in a small tin to maintain a depth of about 1/8th inch. Dip the neck into the graphite followed by a tap on the inside edge of the tin to dislodge any wads of graphite in the neck and carry on from there. The first time you do it use a cotton bud to coat the button. It doesn't take much graphite to maintain a coat on the essential parts.

I use a foam rubber stamp pad (not the cloth pad kind) which I souse with conventional lube and when it has soaked in well I dust it with mica and/or graphite. A quick stick of the case mouth into the pad lightly lubes it prior to neck sizing. I always tumble my finished cases prior to priming, powdering, and bullet seating so its no problem. I also use this method when expanding case necks (e.g. .223 to 7mm TCU).

Possibly I don't use enough or maybe it deteriorates with age, I don't know, but I"ve never been thrilled with graphite for neck sizing. It never seems to be as smooth as lube. Certainly it's less messy, but a litle lube on a Q-Tip inside the neck does it all for me. To each his own, I guess. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

I'm trying the powdered teflon lube bottled by Hoppes for neck lube. Like other's, I dip the case up to the shoulder and tap off the excess. It's working as well as the graphite to this point with the obvious benefit of a bit less mess. I have noticed it tends to cake in small case necks so Mr. Belks technique with the bird shot sounds very worthwhile trying. Anyone else tried this material for neck lube?