How do you clean your press?

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

brighamr

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Messages
1,179
Location
somewhere between utah and canada
I recently aquired a D1050. It's been great, but I made a beginner mistake... I operated it without the early primer warning system. As such, one round went through charging without installing a new primer, which resulted in gunpowder spilling onto the toolhead.

So here's my question. Without completely dissasembling the press, is there an easy way to clean it off? I've used compressed air to get the majority of powder out, but in the grooves of the shell plate, theres still powder in there.

Suggestions?

Honestly, I could dissasemble it but I really dont want to relube/readjust everything as it's setup perfectly right now. BTW - I now have the early primer warning thing installed, as well as the over/under powder check just to keep things on the safe side :)
 
I wouldn't bother to be honest, Mine's dirty, just lubed and moving, still works good... A little powder won't hurt anything.
 
If you disassemble your press every time you spill some powder, you're going to spend more time on that than loading.

Blow it off, keep on going. Helps if you blow it off right away and don't let it work into the innards.

Oh, and don't use a vacuum. You'll suck out the locator pins.
 
I use caned air for computer key boards or an air vacuum. FWIW even if you keep track of your locator buttons you shouldn’t ever use an electrical vacuum for gun powder.
 
My depriming station gets filthy ... I just spray it down with WD-40 and use a rag to wipe it down. Of course, it doesn't feed any primers ;)

As far as getting a little powder on it, if you're obsessing over that you should just relax a bit, it's gonna happen often. It sounds like you need to focus on the feel of seating a primer though, it's always immediately apparent to me if my 550 doesn't drop one.

The only place that having spilled powder bugs me is if it gets on the little button that holds the primer for seating. A grain of powder will actually dent the primer when seating, or get stuck in the ring. It doesn't hurt anything, just bugs me. And I have had my primer auto-feed get stuck once from a wad of lose powder that got gunked up under the slide.
 
Oh, and don't use a vacuum. You'll suck out the locator pins.
Click to expand...

+1 - ask me how I know... :eek:

I use a very small shop vac when I'm all done, and put the locator pins on another desk so they don't get sucked into vacuum hell. I'm not worried about gunpowder in the vacuum...but I do thoroughly check the area for any live primers that got loose (which isn't often).

I've got about 5000 rounds through my D650 and I was wondering the same thing about maintenance...I didn't have any trouble setting it up but I'd hate to start taking it apart in any way because I know there'd be pieces left over after re-assembly...
 
Is this a trick question like how do I clean my Glock? :D I had a soft brush I'd swipe at the shellplate area with, wipe out the die mouths and pull the decapping pin and bullet seating insert on my Dillon dies and wipe those down every few sessions. Nothing fancy.
 
Ditto above, I hit it with air (have a small compressor in the reloading room ) oil it and keep on pulling the handle.
 
I use caned air for computer key boards or an air vacuum. FWIW even if you keep track of your locator buttons you shouldn’t ever use an electrical vacuum for gun powder.
Click to expand...

:what: What . . . .
 
Update: Just because I'm a neat freak, I asked my wife how she would clean it... she handed me a makeup brush (used for powedered makeup). It's pretty dang funny, but that $5 brush appears to be made to pick up gunpowder! Seriously, it got into all the nooks and crannies of the shell plate and really cleaned the press well. :)

Thanks for all the suggestions, glad I didn't try to vacuum it lol.
 
Clean a press? I have never cleaned my single stage. My 550B get a few squirts of canned air after a loading session and some grease after about ever 4th or 5th session.

I don't know about your wife but if mine caught me using her makup brush on my reloading press I would be sleeping with the press for about a week. Plus what blush color goes good with Dillon Blue?
 
I was using a lot of canned air, tumbling media on the bench just blow it away. I was going to buy a case of the stuff. Just before walking out the door to Costco I checked Harbor freight, I got a compressor, hose and a air gun for less than the case of air was going to run me. Also came in handy for running my air nailer on a wains coat job on the stair way.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

thorswhisper
  • Locked
Cleaning the press?
2
Replies
38
Views
1K
tightgroup tiger
tightgroup tiger
Dewey 68
  • Locked
  • Poll
Do you prime off the press?
2 3 4
Replies
80
Views
4K
Up North
U
W
  • Locked
Question about Dillon AT500 press....
Replies
13
Views
3K
Chipper
C
Y
  • Locked
need help with new turret press
Replies
11
Views
1K
1SOW
1
R
  • Locked
How do you clean your powder measure tubes?
Replies
20
Views
3K
Roccobro
R
Back
Top