Witch Doctor: Is Liquid Lube Better than Powder for Lubricating the Inside of the Case Neck?

Introduction
The purpose of this test is to examine the difference between coating the internal necks of the brass with liquid versus powder form prior to charging the case with powder and seating the bullet. Previous testing showed that annealing and applying powder lube to the inside of the necks prior to bullet seating produced better performance on target relative to just using lube, just annealing, or not doing either. Now that lubing the inside of case necks is established as a practice that enhances precision, there is question regarding what type of coating is best: powder or liquid. Method This test utilized the 6PPC rifle utilized in several other tests. The powder coating using was shot 5 times with 5-shot groups at the same time as the five 5-shot groups with the liquid. The powder used was 2018 N133 and the first two sets of 5-shot groups we of the same lot of powder with a charge of 29.4 but that powder ran out. The next two sets of 5-shot groups were shot with 2018 N133 from a different lot with a charge weight of 29.4. The final set of 5-shot groups were shot with 29.5. Velocity, standard deviation, and group size were collected for all 5-shot groups (10 total; 50 total rounds). The same brass and primers were used throughout the test and the same loading practices were used for all rounds (e.g., annealed after each shot). This isolated the rounds to just the powder versus liquid. Results Paired sample t-tests were utilized to analyze whether differences existing between the powder and liquid conditions. All t-tests were not statistically significant. In the table below p represents the probability that there is a statistically significant difference (a p-value of less than .05 signifies a difference):
Velocity Avg (p=.21) SD Avg (p=.06) Group Avg (p=.11)
Liquid 3333 9.36 .281
Powder 3337.4 11.54 .3854
The standard deviation and group averages were almost statistically significant. I suspect that if I ran this test again with the same amount of group fired, I would get statistically significant differences on those metrics.
Conclusion
Although not statistically significant, coating with the liquid seemed to outperform the powder. This may be due to the author’s observation that the liquid appears to apply the lube in a uniform manner relative to the powder. With the liquid, an observer can see the black liquid residue applied uniformly in the necks whereas with the powder, it was difficult to tell if the powder was applied uniformly in the necks. It is recommended that liquid lube is used over powder. If powder is the only type available to you, then it will still improve precision as evidenced by previous testing.
Lubes:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00WP0...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07G2S...

Recommended liquid lube application material:

https://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Cleanin...