I bought a jar of this stuff years ago. It waqs advertised as a dry interior neck lubricant. When I have tried to use it, it was almost like there was no lubricant at all. I suppose I could mix it with vaseline and use a q-tip to swab the interior neck of the cartridge, but then we are back to messy wet lubricants. Anybody have any success with this stuff as interior neck lubricant (or for anything else, for that matter?)

Swapped mine out for Imperial's product -- looks like graphite. Still haven't used up the first little "can".

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...eck-lube-1-oz-powder

To answer the question, tried Midway's dry lube with lube station (basically small reservoir and several brushes of various caliber/size). The mica rapidly blackened from burned powder and I threw it out. Still use the brushes to scrub interior neck before Imperial "dip" of neck, tapping out excess and putting down on RCBS lube pad...

Plain Graphite (DRY) like you put in a door lock works great.

I have been using a product called "Motor Mica" for about 20 years without any problem.

quote:

Originally posted by Fritz1255:
I bought a jar of this stuff years ago. It waqs advertised as a dry interior neck lubricant. When I have tried to use it, it was almost like there was no lubricant at all. I suppose I could mix it with vaseline and use a q-tip to swab the interior neck of the cartridge, but then we are back to messy wet lubricants. Anybody have any success with this stuff as interior neck lubricant (or for anything else, for that matter?)

Must be the same stuff I've got. Pure crap for reloading purposes. If and when I want to use a powdered lube, I use graphite.

I use the set up sold by Forster. A brush that sits on a small plastic tray and contains mica on the bottom. Just run a case up & down on one of the brushes & there is enough mica on it to "lube" the neck. I don't use any type of sizing lube on necks anymore. This works just fine.
Bear in Fairbanks

quote:

..... tried Midway's dry lube with lube station (basically small reservoir and several brushes of various caliber/size). The mica rapidly blackened from burned powder and I threw it out

Yup, same experience here.

Since there was no particular advantage to the white mica and it was turning black from the case soot anyway; I started adding regular graphite to the resevoir in the Forester/Lyman(?) three brush set. IMO grahite works much better than the mica.

I lube the cases with a pad and then give the inside of the case necks 5-6 swipes on the appropriate sized brush that'll have to be "coated" with the graphite from the resevoir every 15-20 cases or so.

Does a great job of reducing inside case neck chatter to virtually nill as the expander ball pulls through the case necks.

When the outside of the case necks get graphite on them I also wipe the outside of the case mouth with a towel before they go into the Die. If not, you'll end with a build-up of goo (lube & graphite) that tends to build up inside the die just under the case neck/shoulder junction. Keeps you from having to clean your die (too often, anyway).

For the 1 rifle I Neck Size for only; a coupla swipes of the graphite-coated brush is all you need to keep things operating smoothly.

Have fun.

I add a little powdered graphite to the motor mica.

I am using Frakford Arsenal Mica and get results like above. Pulling the ball out is a chore, I have to push up so hard, it would turn the table over if I didn't have it bolted to the wall.

This can't be good.

I have disassembled the die, cleaned the ball and die, but it still acts like there is no lube at all in the neck. I am dipping each case neck into mica, tapping them on the side to remove excess, so it is just "dusted" with mica.

Am I doing something wrong here?

Wendell,

I have also had the odd set or two of Dies that made pulling the case over the expander ball a Herculean effort; you'd think I was attempting to tear the edge of the bench off.

If it's only one Die set that gives you so much grief I'd reco polishing the expander ball, too.

I do this with every new set I purchase, which are almsot exclusively RCBS (of @ 50 Die sets only 1 is a Lyman).

A small piece of 1000 grade (very fine) sand paper with a drop or two of oil on it and 10 seconds in a hand drill really improves the smoothnesss.

I've got the expander ball pull on mine with the graphite & polish down to a almost nothing - makes re-sizing a joy.

I have been useing powdered graphite for 35+ years.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerry:
A small piece of 1000 grade (very fine) sand paper with a drop or two of oil on it and 10 seconds in a hand drill really improves the smoothnesss.

I've got the expander ball pull on mine with the graphite & polish down to a almost nothing - makes re-sizing a joy.

Great idea. I'll try that.