Inspect your Dies!

[buckshotshoey]

Bought a set of Lee 45-70 dies. Did a normal cleaning before use. Was seating bullets last night and just happened to see something fall out of seater die when extracting. Took seater apart and found this....




Aluminum cuttings packed inside seater plug. Will disassemble and more carefully inspect all my dies from now on before I use them.

[troyboy]

This is common. All the manufacturers instructions include cleaning before use.

[HATCH]

I haven't run into that problem on my dillon dies but have found it on others.
Also I recommend cleaning your seating die every 3 or 4 K rounds if you are using normal cast lube type boolits.
I find that lube builds up on the seater over time.

[buckshotshoey]

Understood. I did a normal cleaning before use. These were packed into to hollow cavity of the seater plug. Didnt see them at first inspection.

[country gent]

Probably even worse than the chips is the fine grit Ive found in some dies sets. This seems to be in the protective coating and appears to be similar to a fine lapping compound. When cleaning the inside of the cavity with a swab it was on the swab when done. I now soak a few minutes in solvent lightly brush and then swab. Fresh solvent to get rid of conaminates and swab again drying and finish with clean patches. Then lightly lube dies and use them. I also clean before each use

[VHoward]

I haven't run into that problem on my dillon dies but have found it on others.
Also I recommend cleaning your seating die every 3 or 4 K rounds if you are using normal cast lube type boolits.
I find that lube builds up on the seater over time.

This is the reason I like Dillon dies. You can take the seating and crimping dies apart and clean them without losing your setting. Some claim they are harder to set them, but I haven't found that to be the case.

[runfiverun]

I tear down all my new dies and flush everything clean with brake cleaner then lightly lube and put everything back together.
I take a Q-tip and my lanolin/castor oil sizing lube and swirl a thin coat in the die before using it the first time.

[JWT]

Also I recommend cleaning your seating die every 3 or 4 K rounds if you are using normal cast lube type boolits.
I find that lube builds up on the seater over time.

Clean more frequently with wadcutters.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Well, first of all you said it was LEE made. The first thing I always do with a new die set irregardless of who made them is to strip them down and clean with bore cleaner.Robert

[lightman]

I clean all of my dies when I buy them. The last set was very clean but I usually find chips and crud from the machining process.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Well, first of all you said it was LEE made. The first thing I always do with a new die set irregardless of who made them is to strip them down and clean with bore cleaner.Robert

LOL ...new Lee dies are rarely "finished", especially there collet dies (rifle FCD & Rifle neck size). So I always disassemble, inspect, polish the machining lines out if necessary, clean/lube/reassemble.

[EDG]

Used dies often require polishing since they will scratch cases. Even news dies will do that sometimes.

Then clean out the vent hole in bottle neck dies. Then check the die by forming some over length cases. If the vent hole causes a scar or dig on the case shoulder it will need some more polishing to stop it.
Finally you can check the neck diameter, the shoulder diameter and the pressure ring diameter using resized cases and .001 increment gauge pins. Check the head to shoulder distance if it is a bottle neck case. Record the data for later reference.

My recent ***** was a pair of 6X47 Remington dies. Both are supposed to be FL dies.
One die was perfect. One die had been altered. The neck was reamed oversize about .020 so it is nothing but a body die now. I was able to get a refund based on checking the neck with a pin gauge.

[Kskybroom]

I tear down all my new dies and flush everything clean with brake cleaner then lightly lube and put everything back together.
I take a Q-tip and my lanolin/castor oil sizing lube and swirl a thin coat in the die before using it the first time.

Brake Parts Cleaner removes every thing in loading dies.. With the seater plug removed and wet with cleaner hit it with the air comp. I spray oil Rem, Win, spray in light shot of air.....