Cleaning dies

[VA Shooter]

How often do you clean your reloading dies and what is the best way to do so

 

[DeletedMember275]

I clean mine once a year, minimum, and I clean them just like I do my guns - with bore solvent and a bronze brush. Some use brake cleaner and that works, too.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Other than an external wipe down and a touch of oil (Lee dies, "in the white," will rust) after each use, my dies don't get "regular" cleaning as such.

I use Lee Liquid Alox to lube my cast bullets, and if the bullet seater gets gooped up w/ it, it won't always seat evenly from round to round, so it does get some attention every few hundred rounds. Hoppe's No. 9, Ed's Red, or mineral spirits will get the lube off. No preference--I use whatever's closest at the time.

A shot w/ some brake cleaner is what the rest of them get when they start looking a little too "gungy."

Rick C

 

[Chief 101]

I spray them with "One Shot" before I use them...that is all...

 

[Boxhead]

When I notice them getting dirty, could be years. I use aerosol automotive brake cleaner.

 

[captainkirk]

I will wipe mine out with a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol once in a while.

Yes, the seating die gets regular attention due to lube build up.

captainkirk

 

[sandman228]

i clean mine after every use with a q tip and mineral spirits . but i load mostly my own lead cast lubed with alox , i suppose if your only loading jacketed or plated bullets it wouldnt need to be done near as often

 

[tookalisten]

Another vote for "One Shot" spray

 

[twobisquit]

I like Hornady One Shot too and I especially like it for cleaning my press

 

[44shootist]

I clean mine just like cleaning a gun, bore cleaner with brush, than patches, they do get dirty faster than people realize, RCBS also makes a maintance kit for them, and your press.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I use a slightly oily rag to clean the 30-30 sizing die after every use and once in a while when the lube or crud starts to build-up on the others. 8) 8)

...Jimbo

 

[mattsbox99]

I like Rem Oil and a soft nylon brush. I use jeweler's red rouge to polish out scratches.

 

[Sagebrush Burns]

I clean my dies every 35 years or when I think of it, whichever comes first.

 

[RICHGCOOP]

I clean my dies every 35 years or when I think of it, whichever comes first.

You and I think a like.

RICHGCOOP

 

[Pal Val]

Let's not generalize. For 3'die sets, the expander die gets a wipe with a clean cloth every now nd then. The sizing die needs cleaning every once in a while just to avoid a hangup. The seating die gets dirtied up more often when loading lead bullets than with jacketed. I clean it as soon as I notice some lube smear on a loaded cartridge (+/- every 200 rounds).

Rifle dies get more attention. A squirt of brake cleanier and a wipe with a q-tip every 20 rounds or so prevents lube builtup on the sizer die. The seating die will get a squirt or two a couple times a year.

It's more important to kep the dies from getting banged up than spending a lot of effort cleaning them.

 

[il Padrino]

I clean 3 die sets about once a year, the seating die gets cleaned about once a month if I'm loading a lot of lead bullets because of the lube.
After the are cleaned a light coat of gun oil on the outside to keep them from rusting, and a quick squirt of some dry lube in a spray can to the inner parts of the dies.
The spray on dry lube really makes the sizing operation almost effortless.

 

[powder smoke]

I run a patch through them with Hoppes no 9 heck I even use it for colonge! lol ps

 

[tomisu]

I have always cleaned my with solvent and brass brush, but decided this last time around to clean my heavly used 308 Win and 30-06 dies in an ultrasonic cleaner after a normal cleaning. Was amazed with the additional crude that came out. Oiled them down after cleaning.

 

[Chief 101]

I have always cleaned my with solvent and brass brush, but decided this last time around to clean my heavly used 308 Win and 30-06 dies in an ultrasonic cleaner after a normal cleaning. Was amazed with the additional crude that came out. Oiled them down after cleaning.

All that crud is what keeps my dies adjusted properly, don't want to fool with that too much myself...jus sayin
Chief aka Maxx Load

 

[hornady]

I have found cleaning and wiping them down with Kano Kroil works best for me. I wipe off as much of the Kroil as I can if cleaning the inside. I wipe the out side down with Kroil every time I use them. Even the oldest ones still look new.