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Rustynails
06-09-2019, 07:04 AM
Yes, I know..."When they get dirty". Is there a range of loaded rounds that I should consider the point when I clean the dies?

I am using a Dillon 550C with Lee 45 acp carbide dies and RCBS 45-230 cast bullet. I have cleaned the bullet seating die and found lead shavings and black gunk, most likely a combination of walnut media dust and Emmert's Lube. I corrected the lead shaving issue, but am still getting the black coating on the inside of all my dies. I used lighter fluid, (only thing I had on hand), and a Q-Tip to wipe the inside of the sizing die, the seating die and the carbide factory crimp die. Is there a better way without removing them?
I thought I was cleaning off the brass when I got it from the tumbler, but evidently not well enough. Is there a way to clean it to remove the dust from the cases? It would be a slow process if I start on my 2 thousand rounds of once fired brass if I had to wipe each case. What can I do to avoid the build-up of dust on the brass cases and gunk in the dies?

6bg6ga
06-09-2019, 07:12 AM
I used to get anal and clean mine all the time. Anymore if it affects the OAL I will either adjust the die or clean it. Expect to get gunk inside the dies when loading cast/lubed bullets as its a fact of life. Just enjoy reloading and don't sweat the little things.

Smoke4320
06-09-2019, 07:26 AM
When i see some dimension change . time to inspect the die and probably clean

Rcmaveric
06-09-2019, 07:33 AM
It depends really. I do inspect the inside of my dies before use. Most its the seater dies that get gunked up and need to be cleaned a few times a year. The other dies, i think i clean about yearly. More to just to inspect the inside of the die.

My dies corrode here the salty swamps. So i made it a habbit to clean the dies yearly and spray the ouside of the dies with a corrosion preventative compound.

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JBinMN
06-09-2019, 07:39 AM
I usually clean them about every other "run" thru them. Like was said earlier, I will also clean them if I see any changes in dimensions, like seating, etc..

I can't hurt & it may make them last longer, IMO.

I will say that making sure the boolits are cleaned of any excess lube ( & possibly dirt, etc.), as well as making sure the cases are cleaned/wiped well, ( before "lubing for steel dies", as carbides are less likely to need lube beforehand, since many do not lube with carbide dies. Keeps the "pad" cleaner as well if ya use one.) then you are less likely to have to clean the dies. Another thing is, if you clean the boolits from excess lube & the cases as well, you are less likely to scratch any dies on the inside.

"Periodic maintenance" will not hurt ya, if ya want something to last a long time & not cause issues.
;)

G'Luck!
:)

geslayton
06-09-2019, 07:40 AM
I clean mine when they start messing up the finished product. I clean a lot less often since I started wet tumbling my brass. I don't use pins so it isn't super shiny but I don't have the dust to deal with.

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Bohica793
06-09-2019, 08:28 AM
For cleaning schedule, refer to "When to clean a Glock".

redhawk0
06-09-2019, 08:36 AM
If loading J-word, I'll clean maybe once a year. Cast....that's a different story since I use Felix lube...I notice a build up in my seater die with each load session. I'll pull the seater plug out and clean it after every 25-50 rounds. The lube causes a build up that effects seating depth. The other dies in the set...maybe once a year.

redhawk

geslayton
06-09-2019, 08:43 AM
Clean a Glock?? What's that?

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reddog81
06-09-2019, 10:11 AM
You’re supposed to clean your dies???

Pistol dies = when they need to be cleaned. I have sets that have seen 1,000’s and 1,000’s of rounds with ever seeing a drop cleaning solution. I clean my brass with hot soapy water which probably helps keep all the brass media cleaning gunk off my dies.

Rifle dies = maybe every couple hundred rounds. I use RCBS case lube so if a set hasn’t been used in a while, I might clean it out before using.

lightman
06-09-2019, 11:00 AM
I'll post another "it depends". I'll take the expander ball/ depriming assembly out every so often and wipe it off. I'll also twist or screw the corner of an oily rag into the die and work it around. I'll do the same for the seating/crimping die. If I have bullet lube build up in the seating die I'll get a bore brush after it. How often, well, every so often.

If exposure to moisture is an issue I'll oil them as needed, or as exposed.

mdi
06-09-2019, 11:20 AM
I've been using tools to make a living all m life, so I take extra care of my tools. My dies are not cleaned too much/too often but I do check them often and soak 'em often. I keep a container of my "soak" on the bench (sorta a Ben't Red with a bit more mineral spirits) and will drop dies in it and let them soak. Whenever I remember, I'll take them out and run a mop through them and wipe off the outside. My soak contains Kroil and just a wipe will leave a rust preventative film on my dies. I use a Co-Ax and keep my dies in plastic sandwich containers so they stay handy and clean...

Bullet sizing die most, mebbe every 100-150 bullets through them, my carbide dies usually when they look gunky and my bullet seating dies more often, mebbe every 100 or so rounds...

country gent
06-09-2019, 12:35 PM
I give dies a light wipe down when getting them out to use. Just a clean soft cloth to remove any dust or crud from storage. This helps alit and then if problems arise of dimensions start to move a full solvent cleaning. Another plus to the wipe down is it spreads and removes any lube build ups from previous use.

gnostic
06-09-2019, 12:48 PM
I've never cleaned a die in 50 years of handloading. I didn't know you should. If my seating die gets bullet lube build-up, I push it out and continue loading. It's all been working without problems...

ukrifleman
06-09-2019, 01:53 PM
I load 17 calibres with cast and `j` words and my dies get cleaned and lubed (for storage) after every session, plus de-lubed before use.

ukrifleman

Froogal
06-09-2019, 02:01 PM
I clean them when they need it. A can of aerosol brake cleaner usually gets the job done without disassembling the dies.

Drew P
06-09-2019, 02:04 PM
20-25 minutes.

Conditor22
06-09-2019, 02:25 PM
If you use lube - check frequently

If you PC or HiTek once a year

RED BEAR
06-09-2019, 02:50 PM
I have to go along with reddog never realized you were supposed to clean them i have some that are more than 40 years old that have never been cleaned. Now i am anal about just how clean my brass is before i ever start to let it near a set of dies. Maybe will check to see if there dirty or maybe not.

robg
06-09-2019, 03:01 PM
Haven't cleaned mine in 30 odd years except for seating dies as I shoot lubed boolits and lube builds up on seater.

Rustynails
06-09-2019, 04:36 PM
Thanks for the advice and tips! I didn't think all that crud was building up, but it makes sense if you are pushing dust and lube up in a tube for several hundred or not thousands of rounds. I'll try a couple of the suggestions and see how it goes. Good to know that it seems to be just a fact of life when reloading cast bullets.

samari46
06-11-2019, 12:13 AM
When finishing casting boolets the I clean than with Hoppes and leave a light film inside the dies. So when starting reloading they get cleaned again. Just use q-tips I keep a box of 500 sitting on the bench and usually have about 1500 around the house. Frank

mjwcaster
06-11-2019, 06:20 PM
For me it depends on what I am loading.
Over lubed cast boolits, seating die might need to be cleaned several times during a reloading session.
Properly lubed boolits, when ever I think about it.
Jacketed or coated bullets, things never seem to get dirty.

But I did just load a batch of 223 where the walnut media stuck to the cases and required cleaning of everything on the press quite often.

Only a few hundred of those cases, the next batch was fine.

So I let my dies and press tell me when to clean.
Or if I am just bored I might start cleaning/lubing everything in the shop.


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goryshaw
06-12-2019, 12:16 AM
In 30+ yrs of reloading I can remember cleaning a die one time. Lee Alox built up in a seating die and messed up seating depth, couple of 8 minute sessions in the ultrasonic and it was resolved. Switched over to BLL and haven't had a build up problem with it yet.

6bg6ga
06-12-2019, 02:08 AM
A source of air is mandatory in my opinion for ridding the brass of tumbling media. Keeps it out of the shell casings and the reloading dies.

bedbugbilly
06-12-2019, 07:58 AM
It all depends on what I'm loading. As someone else said, it's usually if I begin to notice a dimensional change whenI'm randomly checking - and then it's usually the seating die.

The only exception is when I' loading BP cartridges. Mainly I shoot 38 Special or 38 Colt Long in BP. I load on a Lee 4 hole turret and i finally set up a turret plate and another set of dies dedicated to the BP loading. A different lube altogether and it doesn't take long sometimes for the seating die to need a going over. Not a biggie though . . . I just leave it on the press, pull the seating stem and clean out with solvent and Q gips and away we go. I keep several dummy rounds of what I'm loading for a quick reset of the seating stem depth.

I can't help it . . . I keep seeing Glocks mentioned in terms of "how often to clean" . . don't own one but I thought that if they "ever" needed cleaning, since they are like tupperware" - can
t you just run them through a wash cycle in the dish washer? :-)

pworley1
06-12-2019, 08:29 AM
When the lube builds up.

greenjoytj
06-15-2019, 08:08 AM
Source of air, your going to blow tumbler dust into the room air. That’s not good.
If you dry media tumble, then you must rinse off the tumbler dust under running water.
Spread the wet cases out on a towel and roll them a little to get off the water drops.
If your concerned about water spots on the dried brass a second rinse (dip) in a water filled margarine tub with a few drops of dish washing machine rinse aide in the water.

I only own 1 press a LEE Classic Cast single stage, so I must handle my dies constantly. I always look inside them and wipe them out with a Q-Tip and or a piece of paper towel that I’ve twisted up like rope.
Inspect and clean your dies, it says to do this in their instructions. I clean the dies after use and before use. The before use cleaning is a second chance to get out cruddy stuff I missed on the first cleaning. Oils left in the die continue to work to get under crud and lift it so the next time I clean that crud will be easier to remove.