good rust prevention for press?

[SamTuckerMTNMAN]

My press is in a barn. It's a nice barn, and its the only option. It's out of the weather and things are fine in there. I store powder and primers and other more removable and finnicky things in my safe indoors. I am concerned that over time air moisture could rust the thing a little. Now I live on a farm and a little rust doesnt bother me but I take good care of all tools, even shovels. Is there anything I can put on the threads or around certain exposed areas, like wd40, or graphite lube on press column, or anything, that can help or prevent moisture build up etc. Another friend that reloads said no never. What do you guys think?
Thanks,

ST

 

[cdrt]

The FBI or someone did some testing years ago and found that WD-40 would penetrate primers and cause them to fail, but that was in regards to cleaning a gun with WD-40 and getting a little carried away...at least that's what these old brain cells seem to remember.
HOWEVER, having said that, it is certainly okay to use some kind of lubricant on your press to keep it from rusting. It won't affect your reloads, since the primers, powder, etc. are not going to come in contact with the press ram, etc. I've used WD-40 on the ram on my RCBS Junior and it seems to work okay. On the steel column on my Star reloader, I've used military rifle grease and that seems to work okay as well.

Navy Vet & SWIFT Boat OIC

 

[ReloaderFred]

I've done a lot of research on this and have tried just about everything under the sun on the rams on my presses. The best of the current crop of lubricants for the ram is Rem Oil. It's very thin, sort of like sewing machine oil, and makes the ram slide very easily and smoothly. It has Teflon in suspension, which helps the ram movement. Just clean the ram really well before applying and you'll see the difference.

Of all the rust preventatives that I've tried, and it's a lot, the best I've found for guns and reloading equipment is Bullfrog Rusthunter. It has VCI technology, and dries to a clear finish. It really works well, and since I started using it, nothing has rusted. It comes in a spray can and has a really sweet smell.

I live on the Oregon Coast, where we've been known to "occasionally" get a little precipitation and a little humidity. I've tried everything. My tests consisted of a strip of bare metal, divided into squares, with each rust preventative spread into it's square, and left outside for two months during the winter. This is a pretty severe test. I don't live on the beach, but I do overlook the ocean from 2 miles away.

The very best was Rust Guard-It, but it leaves a heavy wax film that stays sticky. The second best was Bullfrog. WD-40 rusted just as fast as the bare metal. Some of the others, such as Break Free and Eezox, lasted just barely longer than WD-40, which surprised me, but like I said, the test was severe.

You can do your own tests with the products available, but these are the results I obtained in my tests.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[kellyj00]

Cosmoline!

 

[SSN Vet]

The "Rust Guard-It" Fred described sounds a lot like a product I use on my tractor implements called "Fluid Film", as it too gives a sticky waxy coating.

It reminds me of the chain lube I used on my dirt bike years ago.

Stuff protects and lubricates very well, but I'm not sure I'd like it on a re-loading press.

 

[sm]

RIG

Rust Inhibiting Grease

A very very light coat is all that is needed.
Barns, workshops out back, even hunting/fishing camps where some reloading is done when these are not frequented during "off seasons".
Proven, it works.

 

[Idano]

RCBS Case Lube

SamTuckerMTNMAN,

WD40 is a great for displacing water and solvents but a lousy lubricant or rust preventive. I use RCBS case lube on my reloading equipment since it is safe to use around primers and powder. In fact my shell plates for my press were coated in it when I bought them and I keep them coated when I store them. I also use it on the ram of both of my presses. SO far the RCBS case lube has kept the rust off of my 25 year old Rock Chucker press and my RCBS case trimmer.

 

[Chawbaccer]

Boeshield T-9®

 

[ilbob]

anyone even mentioning WD40 on the bullseye email list will get an admonition not to do so because it will start a big fight between those who think it is god's gift to gun owners, and those who think it will destroy your gun.

 

[Idano]

anyone even mentioning WD40 on the bullseye email list will get an admonition not to do so because it will start a big fight between those who think it is god's gift to gun owners, and those who think it will destroy your gun.

Wow! I like to use WD40 to displace all the gun solvents like Hoppes, Butches and the such after cleaning and before I wipe down the gun and relube it but I am not passionate enough about it to praise it as god's gift by any means

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

The biggest problem with rust on a reloading press is from the salts off your own fingers. Wipe it down after using with an oily rag to remove the salts from your hands and spray it with some light machine oil and you'll be fine.

Regards,

Dave

 

[ranger335v]

Sam, all the above are valid comments and suggestions. But they may not be the "best" solution to your rust probem. I suggest you try wipeing your stuff down with a small cloth saturated with inexpensive Automatic Transmission Fluid!

I have a near new cast iron topped table saw in simular storage conditions as your "loading barn." You probably know what a rust magnet that thing is! A year ago I finished a project and found I was out of my usual rust oil. There was a partial can of ATF sitting there so I used it instead. To my astonishment, it stayed on the coated surfaces well. It doesn't evaporate like WD-40 and some others, and the thin film blocks moisture really well!

Part of what I have come to love about it is that ATF, unlike other quality protections such as RIG, etc, it also wipes off quite easily when I want to use the saw. With a clean rag, it wipes away well enough not to soil any wood I push over the wiped surfaces but there is still a slight film on the metal! I have long used ATF as a light gun oil and liked how well it works for that but hadn't thought of using it as a tool protectant previously.

Go to Wally Mart and get a small plastic bottle of the synthetic stuff for not much, 4 dollars I think and try it yourself, I believe you will be pleased. And use some of it on your guns too!

I plan to get a "Windex" type trigger squeeze spray bottle off my my wife and load it with a 2 to 1 mix of ATF and Mineral spirits. I'll try spraying that thinned mixture on larger items, the mineral spirits should quickly evaporate and leave a thin film of ATF in place - I hope. I know wiping it off with a mineral spirits wetted rag will totally remove it from my saw, it will almost flash rust then!