Tear down the Press?

[Stud]

What do you guys recommend during pauses in reloading sessions, leave the press set up with the dies inserted or take the dies out? I take about 1-2 weeks off between loading sessions and the dies appear to hold their placement from the last session but I was thinking moisture and temperature fluctuation could cause minor changes in how the dies are setup. I use the Lee 4 die turret press (I love it too by the way). I've been leaving the thing fully asembled with the dies. At a minimum I cover it with a plastic bag to keep dust out.

 

[warnerwh]

I just keep a plastic bag over my Lee Classic Turret. I also leave powder and primers ready to go also. As long as nobody touches it you're fine. I always keep the powder and primer package on the table so there's no way I could forget.
Now that I have lots of ammo for a while I just put the powder and primers away. Btw you can use the red Lee die containers to keep your turrets with the dies in.

 

[RustyFN]

Mine has been set up for four years now and has never been taken down, no problems.

 

[loadedround]

I run two Dillon 550's(one for large primers and the other for small). I remove the powder from the dispenser, and empty the spent primers and leave my presses set up for my next reloading session. I do cover them in plastic covers my wife sewed up for me made from painters drop cloths. Plastic bags that your newspapers are delivered in work well also...aka bread bags.

 

[1SOW]

Mine's ready to go.

I keep a plastic draw-string bag over it.

 

[medalguy]

Same as loadedround. I have four Dillons and they are set up in the 4 calibers I shoot the most, so I leave them set up all the time and go to whichever caliber I want to load and get to it. I haven't torn a press down in over 2 years. I keep the Dillon covers over them when not in use.

 

[Stud]

Thanks

Thanks for the good advice fellers. I was thinking it may be better to tear it all down once in a while just so you don't lose the feel of how to set the press up again. I've taken the dies out once to see if I could get it setup right again. It took me maybe a half hour (I'm a beginner) but I nailed it after only about 4 test cases and bullets. Plastic bags it is!

 

[Randy1911]

I leave mine setup with the last caliber I was loading. The rest of my dies are just set in a rack on the back of the bench.

 

[Idano]

I guess I am the odd duck out here; I always strip my down since I never know what I'll be loading next. I also clean and lube them when I am done. One's a Rock Chucker and the other is Hornady L-n-L AP

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I leave my turret press set up between loading sessions but I do empty the powder back into the correct can and put the primers back in their original box.

 

[Sidewinder72]

I always tear mine down and clean dies and lube dies and press. Be ready for the next caliber.

 

[FROGO207]

+1 to ArchAngelCD I do the same thing. It saves having to remember what I was doing last and using the wrong primer/propellant with next combo and a kaboom. I will also lube the press ram at this point if I feel it is needed.

 

[Walkalong]

I remove the powder and put it it the container and put it away. I remove the dies and store them in the box they came in. I do not remove the shell plate until I get ready to load again & know which caliber I will do. I don't cover the pres either. Not a bad idea though.

On the rare occasion I leave powder in the hopper for a couple of hours if I get interrupted, I put a golf club "sock" thing over it to insulate it from light & heat or cold from the vent nearby. (Free from a trash pile)

 

[jfh]

Probably the one "wise" cleanup procedure is to get the powder out of these 'plastic' hoppers. The hoppers can cloud.

I don't have a real dust problem here (those expensive furnace filters), so I haven't gotten around to covering mine.

Jim H.

 

[Walkalong]

The hoppers can cloud.

I just repalced mine after many years. Sure makes a difference. Doesn't work any better, but I can see in it better.

 

[Bailey Boat]

I would think any plastic covering could trap moisture inside so I use old pillow cases that have been "cycled" off one of the beds. You could buy new one's but as often as the one's in my house are discarded I use them before they hit the trash!!!!! I also strip the presses and store everything in it's place, frees up 8' of additional bench space......

 

[ustate]

For my 550 and Lee Turrent I'll remove the powder but leave the shell plates in place. I picked up some pillow cases from WalMart and use those to cover the presses.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

Thanks for the good advice fellers. I was thinking it may be better to tear it all down once in a while just so you don't lose the feel of how to set the press up again.

Write yourself a detailed procedure like I did: http://www.firearmstactical.com/documents/rcbs_pro_2000.doc

I can convert calibers, mistake free, in less than 5 minutes regardless of how long it's been since I last did it.