Cleaning Dies

[dispatch55126]

I just got a set of Hornady dies in 30 Carbine. When sizing, I noticed that the dies were scratching the cases. Is there a good way to thoroughly clean the dies?

Thanks.

 

[glkshooter]

I polish my redding dies with 1000 grit wet/dry sand paper and a little oil. take a wood dowel, saw a notch down the middle for the sand paper and put it in a drill. It will polish the die .

 

[Randy1911]

I spray them out well with Brake Parts Cleaner. It is cheap at Walmart, Super Tech brand. Dries very clean and quickly. If you have any bullet lube in them scrub them out with a bore brush.

 

[jeepmor]

If the cleaning doesn't work, I really like the sandpaper idea. I'm gonna have to try that.

 

[hpluseleven]

I read a post on here a while back about disassembling your die and tossing it in the tumbler to clean it. I haven't tried it yet - waiting until I get some new walnut cuz I think the stuff I have right now would do more harm than good.

I like the brake cleaner idea - I may give that a shot.

 

[ranger335v]

I used to use the superfine grit sandpapers in a dowel to clean the galled bits of brass off my sizer walls. Now I use a smaller dowel and put a tight fitting patch of my wife's green 3M "pot scrubber pads" on it. Does the job faster, less chance of changing die dimensions and leaves a slight matt finish on the die walls that holds case lube better than a mirrow polish.

Spray brake/carborator cleaners do a fine job of "cleaning" dies but it won't remove the galled brass that causes case scraches.

 

[loadedround]

Let's look at this rfom another direction. You are getting scratches on 30 carbine brass? Maybe it's your brass and not your dies. Have you cleaned or possibly tumbled this brass after picking it up from wherever they were flung and prior to resizing. Grit on cases will scratch modern steel dies very quickly. After many years of reloading, I have never seen quality dies poorly finished internally. Most scratches were from improper care. Check your cases before reloading.

 

[something vague]

I also have yet to recieve any poorly finshed brand new dies that caused scratches on clean cases. Then again I don't own any Hornady dies but I have heard that they seem to be of decent quality. I just can't imagine that your dies would come scuffed up inside them. 0000 steel wool would put a decent polish on them if you could figure out how to turn the wool inside the die. I would be careful about polishing with anything too aggressive, even 1000grit sandpaper, as this can change internal dimensions slightly.

 

[rcmodel]

Case scratching is almost always caused by sizing with no or not enough case lube.

The brass galls and tiny particles stick to the inside of the die like they were welded too it.
That is what scratches the cases from then on.

You can lap the die with 600 or finer black paper in a slotted dowel rod in a drill.

Sometimes fine steel wool on a bore brush will do it.

Sometimes Copper Solvent bore cleaner will do it if you have enough patience.

rc

 

[dispatch55126]

These dies are old, perhaps 10-20 years old. I got them as part of a trade. When I took the dies apart, the intrnals were heavily coated with a greyish grease resembling a lithium grease. My guess is the previous owner did not always clean his brass prior to sizing and the lube and grit built up in the dies.

I've just finished running them through my tumbler and will finish by spraying them down with brake cleaner.

 

[Border Hopper]

LoadedRound is straight up about cleaning cases BEFORE they go through your dies, especially for brass that has been on the ground. A vibratory cleaner will get the grit, sometimes a chemical cleaner is useful for ugly brass. If you think it is necessary, Universal decapping dies will remove the spent primer without resizing the case, then drop the deprimed brass into the crushed walnut hull cleaning media, turn it on and come back when it's clean.

Because I shoot mostly lead bullets, well lubricated, I do clean my dies occasionally. I use naphtha, sold at the grocery store as Ronsonol Lighter Fluid ($$$)and in the hardware store paint department as paint solvent ($$). Read the label, follow the precautions and remember that this is HIGHLY FLAMMABLE AND THE FUMES ARE DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH! I disassemble the dies, removing obvious crud with a toothpick or shop rag, then gently introduce the die parts into enough solvent (held in a container that can be tightly sealed) to completely cover the parts. Let them soak for 10 or 15 minutes, then remove parts, cork the leftover solvent, lightly oil (Kroil) and re-assemble. This cleaning process should be done in an area that is well ventilated and safely away from any chance of a spark. The dies should be clean, lightly lubricated and wiped down, then adjusted to a dummy round. If you are shooting only jacketed bullets, cleaning of dies is rarely needed.

Dirty brass can scratch expensive dies. I do not reload brass without cleaning it first. I am also sold on the value of the hardened (carbide or nitride) sizing dies, which leave the brass with a polished look. Try cleaning your brass first and see if you have better results.
Border Hopper

 

[dispatch55126]

I always clean my brass first and I clean them again after sizing to remove any lube prior to priming and seating. As I mentioned, these are old dies from someone else but I've got them scrubbed and cleaned so we'll see if that corrects the problems.

Thanks.

 

[ranger335v]

"Case scratching is almost always caused by sizing with no or not enough case lube."

RC, you did a good post, one that I was too lazy to write! Tried in the past but too few understand or believe it.