brass build up on expander plug?

[abcollector]

Hoping someone might shed some insight onto a new dilemma for me. I was running new, unfired IMI brass through a Redding sizing die to round out the mouth and set it to .309ish" diameter and the first few went normal and then upon withdrawing the brass from the die, it starts "catching" as the expander plug makes its way back out of the neck. I remove the decapping assembly and see this build up of brass material around the part of the plug that has to come through (upper part) the neck first. I think to myself, easy fix, I'll just polish that area up. So I polish that area up, reassembly the unit and proceed back to running the brass through. First several were much easier withdrawing the brass from the die and then it gradually goes back to being rough again. Remove the decapping assembly again and see the brass build up again. I have been just using the Imperial Application Media with dry neck lube in the ceramic little beads. Is my only issue to just switch to a different neck "lube" like the sizing wax? Is this IMI brass "soft" and therefore lends to this buildup on the expander plug?

Thanks guys.

[Hobie]

I would be blaming the brass. I've never, that's right NEVER, seen what you are describing. Now, I have had some that would hang up on the expander button but that could be fixed one way or another if necessary and it was always the brass. Occasional dry lube (about every 5th case) usually eases case withdrawal back past the button where it is harder than normal. Again, I've never seen one actually pull brass from the neck and have a build up in so few rounds. I HAVE seen build up, minor build up not impeding use of the die, after several hundred cases.

[abcollector]

Thanks for the reply Hobie, and for the correct term of the expander button. I couldn't think of what it was called so I just called it a plug.
That's what I was/am afraid of is that it's the brass. I hope not as I have a full bag of it. IMI brass generally looked at as very good brass but I don't know what to make of it either as I've never seen this either. It's just a thin line around the top edge/angle of the button that adheres to it. I can't scrap it off with a thumb nail but you can sure feel it with the nail. Looks like I need to experiment a bit.

[Charles]

My experience mirrors that of Hobie. I use fine powdered graphite every 4 to 5 cases to lube the inside and outside of the case necks. I just dip it in the graphite, tap it on the container to dislodge any excess and have at it. The graphite also has lots of other uses around a reloading shop as well. As a lubricant, it doesn't hold dust and grit like oil does.

[TedH]

Maybe I am over-doing it, but I use RCBS lube with a bristle brush inside every case neck. I always felt that if the expander didn't slide back out smoothly it could be pulling the shoulder forward. I just tumble my cases again after sizing to remove the lube from inside the neck. Never had an issue such as you describe.

[Cast Bullet Hunter]

Hobie's comments notwithstanding, that is very common when sizing new brass without lubricating the inside of the necks slightly. It doesn't take much. I use a bore mop with a few drops of case sizing lube. Lube it once and it will literally do hundreds of cases before having to re-lube it. New brass is completely free of anything that would serve any lubricating function, and after a few cases the brass will begin to gall on the expander.

Fired cases have powder residue, carbon and graphite (fancy carbon), enough to prevent galling of the brass on the expander. Whether you call it a ball, button, plug, or a couple of other names they are all correct in that some manufacturer has used any of these terns at one time or another.

[M. M. Wright]

I use an inside neck lube set that has brushes in several sizes. It comes with "Motor Mica", white powder but I also use superfine graphite which works even better.

Another use for the graphite is lubing your powder measures. I use it on the Dillon and an old Herters with a drum in the middle. Keeps them running smooth.

[Borregos]

Where could I get powdered graphite??

[COSteve]

I would be blaming the brass. I've never, that's right NEVER, seen what you are describing. Now, I have had some that would hang up on the expander button but that could be fixed one way or another if necessary and it was always the brass. Occasional dry lube (about every 5th case) usually eases case withdrawal back past the button where it is harder than normal. Again, I've never seen one actually pull brass from the neck and have a build up in so few rounds. I HAVE seen build up, minor build up not impeding use of the die, after several hundred cases.

I have carbide expander balls on my rifle calibers so I've never seen that. However, I do get brass build up on the belling die on my pistol rounds after about 5,000-7,000 rds depending upon caliber. They show as brass stripes around the die that cause the cases to stick when cycling my 650. All I do is take out the die and buff the brass off of it and it's good to go for another 5,000-7,000 rds.

[Hobie]

Hobie's comments notwithstanding, that is very common when sizing new brass without lubricating the inside of the necks slightly. It doesn't take much. I use a bore mop with a few drops of case sizing lube. Lube it once and it will literally do hundreds of cases before having to re-lube it. New brass is completely free of anything that would serve any lubricating function, and after a few cases the brass will begin to gall on the expander.

Fired cases have powder residue, carbon and graphite (fancy carbon), enough to prevent galling of the brass on the expander. Whether you call it a ball, button, plug, or a couple of other names they are all correct in that some manufacturer has used any of these terns at one time or another.

Maybe I don't use enough new brass...

[Griff]

Hobie's comments notwithstanding, that is very common when sizing new brass without lubricating the inside of the necks slightly. It doesn't take much. I use a bore mop with a few drops of case sizing lube. Lube it once and it will literally do hundreds of cases before having to re-lube it. New brass is completely free of anything that would serve any lubricating function, and after a few cases the brass will begin to gall on the expander.
Fired cases have powder residue, carbon and graphite (fancy carbon), enough to prevent galling of the brass on the expander. Whether you call it a ball, button, plug, or a couple of other names they are all correct in that some manufacturer has used any of these terns at one time or another.

Maybe I don't use enough new brass...

Yep, what CBH said. On bottle-neck cases, I inside lube before sizing about every 10th or so case. Run 'em thru the polisher once and check for obstacles in the flash holes. Don't ask how I know this.

Hobie, yep, new brass is squeaky clean. Needs a little extra lube to git'er done!

[abcollector]

yep, i'd say you guys are the smartest bunch of guys around. that's what the cause was there CBH. new brass is clean enough that there isn't a "nonstick" coating on it to prevent it from adhering to something like an expander button.
Steve, I usually use those carbine expander balls too for my bottle necks but to my knowledge they don't make them in .310" diameter.
I did call and talk to Dave at Redding and his responses mirrored the answers here. So now I am using the Imperial sizing wax on a qtip and the button is going right on in and out like it should. Just have to run the cases through the tumbler after sizing now. Not a big deal but I didn't plan on this extra step so it's a good thing I don't need loaded ammo right away.

[abcollector]

Where could I get powdered graphite??

Borregos- Midway sells "Dry Neck Lube" made by Imperial that's probably just graphite... and it's powder too, like flour only black.

[TedH]

Where could I get powdered graphite??

Your local auto parts store. They sell it in a tube for lubricating lock cylinders.

[Borregos]

Where could I get powdered graphite??

Your local auto parts store. They sell it in a tube for lubricating lock cylinders.

Thanks Ted

[JD2]

I've run into the same problem with NEW brass on occasion. Each time I found that there was a "burr" type edge on the inside of the case mouth from the manufacturing process. I found that chamfering the inside of the case mouth and using a dry lubricant inside the neck took care of the problem. Chamfering an out of round case mouth, such as on a new unsized case can be a problem, but if nothing else, you can easily do it with a small pocket knife blade.

Hope this helps!!!! JD2