Reloading dies cleaning tips

[tightgroup tiger]

That Alox is a mess just waiting to happen. I use it too.

 

[J-Bar]

That Alox is a mess just waiting to happen. I use it too.

I’ve learned that Alox is easy to over-apply. I dilute the concentrated Alox about 20 to 1 with mineral spirits and squirt about a teaspoon of that solution onto 50 to 60 bullets in a plastic bowl. I agitate the bowl while using a blow dryer to evaporate the mineral spirits. In a minute or so the bullets are coated uniformly with a thin coat of lube, just enough for a color change. Finish with some corn starch to prevent the bullets from feeling tacky and I can load them immediately. The thin lube coating on the bullets allows several hundred rounds to be loaded before the dies need attention.

 

[gonoles_1980]

Reload “too long”??? Must be a typo.

No typo, but I'll admit to poor grammar . Should have been a few comma's in there " when I leave on the back porch, where I reload, too long". If I leave the dies on the back porch for too long.

 

[vaalpens]

The oil isn't going to hurt any more than the lube from lubed cast bullets. Both are sticky. No lube for any dies close to powder. Like the expander die on my Dillon powder measure. For anything metal I don't like to strip it dry and not protect it with something afterwards.

Yes, it makes sense regarding the expander die. The same applies to the Lee expander die. I'll be careful and make sure I keep any oil away from the powder path.

 

[vaalpens]

A year ago I asked the same question. And one of my 4 choices was to put the die in the dishwasher.

man, did I get killed for that one!!!

i’ve opted for tumbling in my tumbler with hot water, Dawn, and SS pins.

Thanks for the comments. I am a bit weary using SS pins with my dies. Some of these surfaces are mirror smooth, so I'm not sure if SS pins are a good idea, but I don't have any supporting facts, just a gut feel.

 

[vaalpens]

Not really, they seem to get plenty of lube during sizing.

What about pistol carbide dies without any lube?

 

[vaalpens]

A bit of carb cleaner sprayed inside to remove crud from seating dies when needed and an application of some sort of teflon lube sprayed on in a thin layer after. If things are really messed up I put the peices in the wet tumbler with SS pins just like I clean my brass, then dry and lube with teflon spray lube to prevent rust. This has worked for years.

Thanks for the tips. Using the carb cleaner makes sense to me. I don't have any teflon spray lube, but maybe I'll get some to try.

You are the second one using wet tumble with SS pins. I'm just nit sure what the SS pins will do to some of those polished surfaces.

 

[nettlle]

Carbide dies are advertised as not needing lube but a spray of One Shot sure makes things run a lot smoother. One Shot, sprayed and allowed to dry a few minutes, runs pretty clean through my dies.

 

[JFrank]

What about pistol carbide dies without any lube?

Sorry, I have zero experience with carbide dies.

 

[JFrank]

Thanks for the tips. Using the carb cleaner makes sense to me. I don't have any teflon spray lube, but maybe I'll get some to try.

You are the second one using wet tumble with SS pins. I'm just nit sure what the SS pins will do to some of those polished surfaces.

Pins in my die doesn’t sound good to me, my luck some little pin would foal up the works.
Carb or brake cleaner and a shot of air is all I need..

 

[nettlle]

I wouldn't tumble my high dollar dies in pins. Carb cleaner is pretty harsh stuff. Not a fan of teflon spray lube.

 

[BIZERKO666]

I clean them like I clean my barrels but I only use nylon brushes. I'll run a little Hoppe's or just some denatured alcohol, depending on what die I'm dealing with. Steel dies get a little One Shot on a mop brush, carbides are left clean.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I run them through a ultrasonic cleaner with Eds Red then wipe down with a lint free rag I've been using for years. I started leaving out the acetone after someone here suggested it was just evaporating. I run them through 4 cycles then leave on a rack to drain a little before wiping down

 

[doubleh]

Sorry, I have zero experience with carbide dies.

They will make you abandon regular steel dies. I use them exclusively for pistol and the only time I use spray lube is with 44 mag cases. That is to make it easier on my shoulder. I even made a shorter lever for my single stage press because I didn't need the leverage of the factory lever on the smaller cases and the short one eliminated wasted motion which my shoulder also appreciates. No case lube equals no die cleaning.

 

[vaalpens]

Carbide dies are advertised as not needing lube but a spray of One Shot sure makes things run a lot smoother. One Shot, sprayed and allowed to dry a few minutes, runs pretty clean through my dies.

Thanks again for your advise. I should probably try OneShot, especially in my 45acp dies. It seems they are the most sticky dies I have.

 

[vaalpens]

Pins in my die doesn’t sound good to me, my luck some little pin would foal up the works.
Carb or brake cleaner and a shot of air is all I need..

The same over here. No supporting facts, but it just seems SS pins and dies shouldn't go together.

 

[vaalpens]

I wouldn't tumble my high dollar dies in pins. Carb cleaner is pretty harsh stuff. Not a fan of teflon spray lube.

Carb cleaner is supposed to be better than brake cleaner since it supposedly is good with rubber seals. Brake cleaner is for metal only.

Why aren't you a fan of teflon spray lube?

 

[vaalpens]

I clean them like I clean my barrels but I only use nylon brushes. I'll run a little Hoppe's or just some denatured alcohol, depending on what die I'm dealing with. Steel dies get a little One Shot on a mop brush, carbides are left clean.

Thanks! It seems the consensus is to use whatever you use on your guns, but I think just using nylon brushes maybe just give you the extra peace of mind.

 

[vaalpens]

I run them through a ultrasonic cleaner with Eds Red then wipe down with a lint free rag I've been using for years. I started leaving out the acetone after someone here suggested it was just evaporating. I run them through 4 cycles then leave on a rack to drain a little before wiping down

Thanks for the comments. Using an ultrasonic cleaner fits in with the clean like you clean your gun, but probably more like cleaning your gun parts. I don't have an ultrasonic cleaner, but it makes sense to me.

 

[vaalpens]

They will make you abandon regular steel dies. I use them exclusively for pistol and the only time I use spray lube is with 44 mag cases. That is to make it easier on my shoulder. I even made a shorter lever for my single stage press because I didn't need the leverage of the factory lever on the smaller cases and the short one eliminated wasted motion which my shoulder also appreciates. No case lube equals no die cleaning.

Thanks for the comments. My dies are all carbide, except my 357sig sizing die. I use a little bit of lube. I mostly have issues with my Lee 45acp dies, especially expanding and FCD. This is mainly the reason why I want to start cleaning my dies to see if it helps.

 

[film495]

I just use the brushes and cleaning supplies, and oil from my firearm cleaning kit. do it basically the same way. don't think there is anything special needed. clean it until you feel it is clean and the surfaces smooth, patches come out clean, and then just lightly oil the whole thing with gun oil - and use it or put it away.

 

[.45Coltguy]

When cleaning dies[usually the seater], Ballistol and pipe cleaners. Presto! Easy.

 

[DukeConnor]

Dillon says alcohol so thats what i use.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

As for carbide, if my arthritis is acting up in my shoulder/elbow, then a little lube helps with larger brass like .44Mag or .45Colt, even with carbide. But, don't do what I do and use light machine oil for case lube. Evidently, I am the only person on the planet Earth for whom Singer sewing machine oil (light mineral oil) works for both reloading and firearms lubrication without reversing gravity or causing a worm hole to open up and swallow the universe.

 

[.45Coltguy]

Dillon says alcohol so thats what i use.

Ha! Me too!