Reloading Dies ,Do You ever clean and polish your dies ?

[BushMaster-15]

Yep I do , The frequency of which depends upon volume usage . I also polish with lube after final compound sequence .
Bore scope or LED small bulb and magnifying glass can reveal problem area ,such as perhaps some foreign debris once scratched the surface . A 600- 800- 1500- 2000 Si wet dry wrapped Rubber mandrel with drill spud in some cases eliminate that problem .IMO using either cutting oil or water ,some liquid is beneficial . I use paint thinner as it is oily enough . Final polishing a shotgun bore mop or modified felt wrapped mandrel ,impregnated with a polishing compound . I prefer 3M™ Finesse-it.
Prior to sanding or polishing cleaning and inspection is in order .
Solvent washing ,lacquer or acetone with nylon bottle brush and twisted preferably Non linting rag ,for cleanliness as well as inspection purposes .

 

[375supermag]

I clean my dies when they need cleaned.
Spray them out with GunScrubber, let them dry a few minutes and then give them a spray of spray lube.
Works very well.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I clean mine too as a maintenance step. I tare down my press's too and give em a good clean up.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Yup. Ballistol and rubbing compound. As little as I reload, an annual cleaning is enough.

 

[film495]

clean yes, polish - not really

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I'll clean them with a ram rod and bore cleaner, but I don't polish carbide dies, I will polish steel dies if they are scratching my cases from picking up.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Ballistol occasionally (on a que tip while die is on press & without disassembling it). Then very infrequently, disassembly and a light Flitz polishing.

 

[mcb]

Clean as needed, especially seating and crimping dies when reloading leads bullets. I clean the whole press occasionally to while I am at it. Progressive presses need it every several thousand rounds.

 

[starnbar]

Sizing and seating dies get cleaned as needed with the carbides just a Qtip and a small piece of patch with cleaner and good as new same with seating dies.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I just wanted to clarify on frequency of cleaning…it’s every time a new thread addresses the topic and I feel guilty as a result.

 

[starnbar]

Like most of us it is as needed not an issue like kissing the old lady as needed.//////////////

 

[jmorris]

I use cotton swabs on the little wood sticks my doctor buddy gives me, rubbing alcohol and compressed air.

Most of the dies I have had to polish out were ones I have machined myself, the others I just feed clean and lubed brass. Have polished a few expanders over the years, too.

 

[Rule3]

Yep I do , The frequency of which depends upon volume usage . I also polish with lube after final compound sequence .
Bore scope or LED small bulb and magnifying glass can reveal problem area ,such as perhaps some foreign debris once scratched the surface . A 600- 800- 1500- 2000 Si wet dry wrapped Rubber mandrel with drill spud in some cases eliminate that problem .IMO using either cutting oil or water ,some liquid is beneficial . I use paint thinner as it is oily enough . Final polishing a shotgun bore mop or modified felt wrapped mandrel ,impregnated with a polishing compound . I prefer 3M™ Finesse-it.
Prior to sanding or polishing cleaning and inspection is in order .
Solvent washing ,lacquer or acetone with nylon bottle brush and twisted preferably Non linting rag ,for cleanliness as well as inspection purposes .

I just read your article in Better Homes and Reloading

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

No

 

[AJC1]

My dies see wet tumbled brass and clean Redding sizing wax. I clean the new machining oil off and that's about it.

 

[usaral63]

clean yes, polish - not really

I have had to polish, specially years ago when using plated Lyman dies and nickeled .38/.357 brass.

I have a definite preference for the Dillon two part dies............easy cleaning and no re adjustment when done.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I clean my cast bullet dies. Every so often I'll pull my sizing dies apart and clean them. I don't see the need to clean jacketed bullet seating dies after the initial one.
I polish my expander ball if it needs it.

 

[1KPerDay]

Haven’t cleaned mine yet. Don’t see the need.

 

[King Medallion]

nope

 

[Bill M.]

Nope. If a problem shows up I will address it.

I cleaned and polished a couple of Lee dies that were giving me trouble a couple of times and then just gave up and bought RCBS and Redding dies to replace them.

 

[DMW1116]

My 357 and 9mm dies need cleaning every once in a while, particularly the 357 after sizing and depriming. It gets pretty nasty. The press needs a good scrub and lube after heavy depriming sessions with the Lee Universal Decapping Die. I should probably clean the 223 die. It’s seen more use than the 30-30 and 308 combined.

 

[Rule3]

I cleaned my dies when I first bought them. Took them apart, cleaned with solvent to remove any manufacturing oil or debris. That was pretty much it.
I don't trim handgun brass or clean primer pockets either.

 

[Bartojc]

No one told me you supposed to clean them

Seriously, every once in a while.... like I mean a year+ I might clean them with a q-tip and brake cleaner or Hoppes. Those would be on my most frequently used dies too. My 9mm dies have load thousands of rounds a year and never see cleaning.

For rifle I might clean them before use only because I have some that I might go a few years and not use. Sizing lube and such I like to start fresh. Even then.... I might not.

From my experience they do not require a lot (if any) cleaning.

-Jeff

 

[redcon1]

I clean them all the time.

 

[gwpercle]

Yes Sir Ree Bob ... they get grungy over time and I once had a RCBS steel sizing die (38 spcl / 357 mag) pick up and imbed a tiny spec of grit and start scratching lines in the cases ... cleaning and polishing removed it ... that was when I decided to clean my dies every now and again ... that scratching could be felt in the press handle ... it wasn't a nice thing to experience.

Mom used to tell me ... An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure !
Gary