Let’s talk die maintenance

[shoebox1.1]

So I bought my first dies, both pre owned RCBS. They looked great like not used very much. No boogers on the lock nuts.. stuff like that. Using them I’ve seen some inconsistencies at times. Took the seating die apart and there was brass Schmuttz in there and after cleaning it worked perfect! I just took apart my sizing die for my 38 set and it was nasty in there. Maybe someone didn’t clean before sizing? Anyway I drowned them in penetrating oil and cleaned all the insides with scotchbrite. How often do y’all take em apart? Once a year? Please discuss

 

[JmacD]

I clean them fairly often. I hose them out with starter fluid or brake cleaner. One shot gun cleaner as well. I dunno if oily stuff would be my choice… might hang onto more gunk than you want. If you’re using unique lube(or similar) it’s gummy at times. Clean clean is your friend (imho)

 

[shoebox1.1]

For sure I’m going to brake clean before use. I just used the oil with the scotchbrite

 

[Bazoo]

They get nasty inside no matter what, it just takes longer with clean brass. I take mine apart every once in a while. Every 1000 rounds loaded perhaps, or maybe once a year - It just depends.

I often clean out my crimp/seater by shooting a squirt of Rem Oil in it, and wiping with the corner of a rag. I don't disassemble it, just give it a quick cleaning to help with lube or crud changing my OAL of loaded rounds.

 

[shoebox1.1]

Sounds good. I like rem oil

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I clean mine often. I use WD40 Dry lube on and in them when im done.

 

[JFrank]

Parts cleaner works pretty well.

 

[AJC1]

I clean my new dies in paint thinner/mineral spirits. My sizing dies don't get dirty because my brass is clean. My expanding dies don't need to be cleaned because I have clean brass. I clean seating dies used with any kind of lubricant after use. Otherwise they also stay clean because powdercoat isn't dirty nor are my jacketed bullets. I spend my efforts early cleaning components so dies don't need to be cleaned.

 

[BBarn]

Don't clean mine real often. Probably every several hundred rounds. Or when I notice something not working as smoothly as normal.

 

[nettlle]

When I was shooting cast lubed bullets I cleaned dies a lot (pistols too) because that wax gets into everything. With coated, plated, and jacketed I rarely clean them. That's one of the nice thing about Dillon dies is the ease of taking them apart for cleaning. And by the ease of inspection my dies don't seem to build up that much dirt.

 

[Soonerpesek]

My sizing dies don't get dirty because my brass is clean.

You don’t use any lube when you size rifle stuff…??

 

[LV Gun]

I use Birchwood Casey gun scrubber in the spray can then run a old bronze brush through a couple times the one or two more times with a patch wrapped around it

 

[jmorris]

I have a dental air compressor in my reloading room, I often blow things clean with. Unless its wax lubed cast bullets, I don't often take dies apart, use the Dillon, remove spring clip/guts come out on them too because its so much faster.

One of my Dr. friends gave me a bunch of "out of date" wooden long handle Q-tips, I used from time to time too.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

So I bought my first dies, both pre owned RCBS. They looked great like not used very much. No boogers on the lock nuts.. stuff like that. Using them I’ve seen some inconsistencies at times. Took the seating die apart and there was brass Schmuttz in there and after cleaning it worked perfect! I just took apart my sizing die for my 38 set and it was nasty in there. Maybe someone didn’t clean before sizing? Anyway I drowned them in penetrating oil and cleaned all the insides with scotchbrite. How often do y’all take em apart? Once a year? Please discuss

Every couple of years I take the sizing and seating dies apart and clean them in the sink with Dawn and warm water.

 

[Charlie98]

Gus, you are going to disown me...

Up until just about a year ago... I NEVER cleaned my dies.

 

[murray brook]

Clean mine about 2-3 times a year depending on how much I use them. I use Hoppes #9 . It cleans , lubes and protects . Works good.

 

[shoebox1.1]

Gus, you are going to disown me...

Up until just about a year ago... I NEVER cleaned my dies.

Let me go put my dirt back in then. Grasshopper follows what the sensai does. The circle of life can not be broken

 

[AJC1]

You don’t use any lube when you size rifle stuff…??

With a touch of Redding I don't get accumulation and I have no dirt so no. I monitor headspace on each piece and it tells you more or less wax...

 

[Ks5shooter]

Soak in Slip2000 choke tube cleaner. Then treat immediately with Slip2000 light coat.

 

[tmd16556]

A cotton swab with mineral spirits does about all you need to get brass, wax, and lube goo out. Another swab of whatever gun oil is laying around closest, and then wipe dry.

 

[Show Me]

Break cleaner is very hazardous. I use it daily. Post 20 and 5 is best here.

Saturday morning trivia.
When you spray break parts cleaner on something hot the smoke is WW1 nerve gas component.

It also instantly penetrates skin. Don't breath it.
Can't replace it around the shop.
There are better options in the house.
That includes the other names for the same thing. Gun scrubbing this and that.

 

[barnfrog]

Break cleaner is very hazardous. I use it daily. Post 20 and 5 is best here.

Saturday morning trivia.
When you spray break parts cleaner on something hot the smoke is WW1 nerve gas component.

It also instantly penetrates skin. Don't breath it.
Can't replace it around the shop.
There are better options in the house.
That includes the other names for the same thing. Gun scrubbing this and that.

That's some scary stuff, there. I've used brake cleaner for a while because it cleans so quickly and thoroughly, but always outside, always with gloves and never near any source of heat. Might just switch to something else, though.

 

[JDeere]

Pistol Carbide dies, clean brass and no lube I never clean them.
Rifle dies get cleaned with the non chlorinated Brake Klean on occasion. I have been using BK for years cleaning all kinds of stuff metal...

 

[Blue68f100]

There are 2 types of brake cleaner out there. 1 is a chlorinated solvent, the other is just a safer environmentally safer solvent. The chlorinated solvent has more health risk and will dissolves some plastics, it does clean the best though.

 

[JohnMc]

If they're really filthy, I clean mine with a sonicator. Otherwise, some wally world cotton swabs and solvent.
After they're clean, a good spray with either Hornady black can One Shot or WD40 Specialist dry lube. The Hornady stuff is stated as specifically being OK for reloading, FWIW.
Right now, I'm cleaning a bunch of die sets I got as part of a huge free haul of reloading stuff. Some have rust on them, which I am removing with a wire wheel on a Dremel or Bar Keeper's Friend (same stuff as the Revere stainless cleaner; oxalic acid). Then a good cleaning, then boil to convert any rust I missed to black oxide.