Expander Ball Issues

[Bmars06]

Greetings,

I just recently used for the first time the Redding neck sizer on new Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass. I first dipped the cases to the shoulder into Imperial dry lube and then ran through the die. The expander ball didn't have much of a hard time going into the brass, but pulling it out (lifting back up on the press arm) took a lot of effort and appears to have scratched/galled the inside of the case necks a little bit. When I took the die out and removed the expander, I could see a little build up for brass on the expander ball.

Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Should I use normal Imperial sizing wax instead of the dry lube for the necks? Maybe it's just the Lapua brass being thick?

[Distinct_Editz]

I personally put imperial wax on my pinky and give it a swirl on the ID for BMG necks. I'd give that a try and see if your problem goes away. Hornady OneShot for bulk sizing. Edit: I wet tumble afterwards.

[Bmars06]

I’ll give that a try. Why do you wet tumble after? Are there concerns the imperial wax will impact the powder?

[baih777]

Are you using the dry lube with the ceramic pellets inside ?
Did you shake it up first.

It sounds like you didn't get any lube to the inside of the neck.

Lapua brass is suppose to be ready to load. But I chamber the inside of the neck a little more.

[Bmars06]

Yea, I used the dry line with the little black pellets inside and shook it first.

[mike.h]

Stop using the expander ball. If you want to expand the neck, do it in a separate step,. I use these:

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/neck-turning/turning-expander-mandrels/generation-ii-expander-dies-prod38807.aspx

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/neck-turning/turning-expander-mandrels/carbide-expander-mandrels-prod119668.aspx

[Distinct_Editz]

I have not tested how it affects accuracy, but I wouldn't want anything except powder on the inside of my cases for the sake of consistency. Dry lube maybe I wouldn't worry about, but definitely wax.

['ol shooter]

After I lube the outer cases with lanolin/alcohol and stand them up in a loading tray to dry I swab the inside of the case necks lightly with powdered neck lube using a puffed up Q-Tip.

[Dirtlaw]

Stop using the expander ball. If you want to expand the neck, do it in a separate step,. I use these:

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/neck-turning/turning-expander-mandrels/generation-ii-expander-dies-prod38807.aspx

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reloadi...rod119668.aspx

Me too. and the dies are available in 1 thou size increments

[smoothy8500]

When I took the die out and removed the expander, I could see a little build up for brass on the expander ball.

Make sure you clean off the expander. Maybe even give it a good scrubbing with Brasso or some other polish to completely remove any brass or you will gall the necks again. Shake the dry-lube pellets to spread the mica powder or whatever the lube uses to properly lube the necks.

[Cpl_T-Pot]

[CSACANNONEER]

Ditch the expanderball and get an expanderiron!

[Bmars06]

It seems like the bushing dies are much better than the normal neck sizing dies. Am I right that the bushing dies work the neck a lot less? Maybe that will fix the high amount of force I need to use in order to pass the expander ball back out of the casing.... Seems like the neck may be getting sized down a little too small, requiring the expander ball to work a bit more.

[Cpl_T-Pot]

It seems like the bushing dies are much better than the normal neck sizing dies. Am I right that the bushing dies work the neck a lot less? Maybe that will fix the high amount of force I need to use in order to pass the expander ball back out of the casing.... Seems like the neck may be getting sized down a little too small, requiring the expander ball to work a bit more.

https://www.whiddengunworks.com/custom-reloading-dies/

[Cpl_T-Pot]

Expander Ball Issues

RCBS small base dies for those chambers that
are a little on the tighter side of SAMMI.