Cleaning the press?

[tightgroup tiger]

I do vacuum up my spilled powder but I always dump my shop vac out afterwards because of the off change I suck up a live primer and it can go off from a static spark that may happen inside a vacuum cleaner. Just imagine it going off and a bunch of gun powder being in there also.
Everything in the sweeper is going to be mostly lint and it will also flash burn so if a primer goes up in a shop vac that has gun powder in it, it may not be a pretty sight.

 

[deadeye dick]

I use compressed air sometimes, a soft brush, and Simple Green on my Dillon 550. For the most part I take it apart after it starts looking a little nasty and wipe every thing down with some bore patches soaked with Simple Green. I have had my Dillon 550 a couple of years and it still looks like new using this cleaning method.

It's always good to have a soft brush handy while reloading in case of powder spills.

Something like these:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Weller-Flux-Brush-for-Soldering-25-Piece-WLACCFB-02/314638557#overlay

I use thechip brushes from Harbor Freight.

 

[JEBruns]

As was said before, best practices is to decap on a single stage before loading them onto the progressive press. That eliminates the source of what wears/binds things up. Sizing on a single & then loading on a progressive press makes the entire operation go smoother. If you start w a sized case, there is less resistance , making for easy loading. I like to clean the cases before loading anyway.

Are you talking rifle only here? I agree, if so. But for pistol, I just run them through in one pass. Over the years I've loaded pistol on an RCBS Ammomaster, a Dillon 650 and now a Dillon 1100. I've had almost zero issues with the deprime/sizing stations. Had to replace 2 or 3 depriming pins, but that's not a big deal. Doesn't produce any appreciable mess or hassle. I clean my pistol brass first then just run it through.

 

[Bazoo]

My wife vacuums the reloadi groom occasionally. I'm sure she gets a dab of powder and primer dust. It ain't kaboomed the vac yet. But I don't let it build up a huge amount before cleaning either. She used to hate getting a spent primer in the carpet before we moved.

 

[Cheesemaker]

This thread incented me to clean and lube my press today - thanks for that.

 

[Bcwitt]

Are you talking rifle only here? I agree, if so. But for pistol, I just run them through in one pass. Over the years I've loaded pistol on an RCBS Ammomaster, a Dillon 650 and now a Dillon 1100. I've had almost zero issues with the deprime/sizing stations. Had to replace 2 or 3 depriming pins, but that's not a big deal. Doesn't produce any appreciable mess or hassle. I clean my pistol brass first then just run it through.

I've never used a Dillon press. A Lee & RC

Are you talking rifle only here? I agree, if so. But for pistol, I just run them through in one pass. Over the years I've loaded pistol on an RCBS Ammomaster, a Dillon 650 and now a Dillon 1100. I've had almost zero issues with the deprime/sizing stations. Had to replace 2 or 3 depriming pins, but that's not a big deal. Doesn't produce any appreciable mess or hassle. I clean my pistol brass first then just run it through.

I gererally only do all that w 556. Not having to push the shoulder back reduces effort on a progressive. I find 556 to be a bit of a PITA.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Powder is actually quite resistant to ignition via sparks or static....

https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/sparks/sparks.html

that’s COOL! want that in a tee shirt

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

Depends on the usage but on average about once a month for the progressive, that's taking it completely apart, cleaning and lubricating. The single stage presses get cleaned and lubed about every other month.

 

[lightman]

I brush mine off with a brush and oil everything that moves. I'll put a dab of oil on a rag and wipe the parts of the ram that you can get to. I'll use a toothbrush to get into the part of the ram that holds the shell holder and I'll brush the small spaces in the shell holder.

 

[THEWELSHM]

Compressed air, Hornady dry lube and a grease gun...my lnl and rockchucker work and look great

Thewelshm

 

[JEBruns]

I gererally only do all that w 556. Not having to push the shoulder back reduces effort on a progressive. I find 556 to be a bit of a PITA.

Necked rifle bullet reloading is a LOT more of a PITA than straight wall pistol, no question.

 

[Another_Kelley]

Don't try that with black powder though, it will conduct electricity due to the salt in it. So static will ignite it.

https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/electric_ignition/eignition.html

 

[Bcwitt]

View attachment 1055957

https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/electric_ignition/eignition.html

Put a tiny shaving of brass or Iron in there & do it again.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

View attachment 1055957

https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/electric_ignition/eignition.html

I know people have done that test before, I seen that many times, but there is a good reason that all black powder handling equipment is made out of brass or aluminum.