Advice sought re maintenance of dies
- Thread starter Campbell
- Start date
) have spent what I call a lot of £/$ on some Redding .308 dies.snert
Silver $$ Contributor
When new, scrub with a basic bore cleaner like Hoppes and a nylon bristle brush, wipe dry with cotton rag in and out. Use Imperial wax to season the die. Go slowly with lightly waxed fired cases until they enter and exit die smoothly. When the die gets dirty inside, repeat. A light machine oil on OUTSIDE will inhibit rust. Imperial inside will do same. Store in box with a rust inhibitor from Brownells if you are in a humid area.
If you use the dies a lot then clean more often. If they sit in a box for a long time clean them before use.
Paint thinner (not lacquer thinner) or Stoddard Solvent to soak them disassembled. Old tooth brushes and assorted sizes of "bottle" type brushes to scrub them down inside and out. Lightly lube the inside with case lube and wipe them dry. A light rubbing with a mineral oil cloth on the outside will prevent rust. Reassemble and go through your setup and lock them down.
Note: if you use carbide dies just wipe the inside with mineral oil cloth and dry with a clean cotton cloth after wards. Putting lube on carbide dies attracts dist which can wear your die so keep it clean and dry.
Paint thinner (not lacquer thinner) or Stoddard Solvent to soak them disassembled. Old tooth brushes and assorted sizes of "bottle" type brushes to scrub them down inside and out. Lightly lube the inside with case lube and wipe them dry. A light rubbing with a mineral oil cloth on the outside will prevent rust. Reassemble and go through your setup and lock them down.
Note: if you use carbide dies just wipe the inside with mineral oil cloth and dry with a clean cotton cloth after wards. Putting lube on carbide dies attracts dist which can wear your die so keep it clean and dry.
The first step I take is preventative.
I deprime all my cases first on a small cheap press with a Lee universal depriming tool. That way I keep the loose crud away from my good dies.
I deprime all my cases first on a small cheap press with a Lee universal depriming tool. That way I keep the loose crud away from my good dies.
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http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/reloading/care-and-maintenance-of-reloading-dies/
This saves me a lot of typing
This saves me a lot of typing
Good dose of RemOil and blast out with air compressor. Wait a day and use. Done it for decades.
Hi Campbell,
A lot would depend on the interval of storage but for cleaning, mineral spirits or white spirits as you may know it works well as does 91% isopropyl alcohol it you use the lanolin in isopropyl alcohol concoction as a case/neck lub. Wipe the dies dry after cleaning and apply a water displacing lubricant such as LPS 2 or equivalent. This will protect from corrosion for about six months or so in indoor humid environments. For longer term storage – a few years or so indoors, waxy type corrosion inhibitors like LPS 3 or equivalent will protect your investment nicely. Clean and apply a light coating of machine oil similar to 3-in-1 to internal moving parts before using the dies.
Ken
A lot would depend on the interval of storage but for cleaning, mineral spirits or white spirits as you may know it works well as does 91% isopropyl alcohol it you use the lanolin in isopropyl alcohol concoction as a case/neck lub. Wipe the dies dry after cleaning and apply a water displacing lubricant such as LPS 2 or equivalent. This will protect from corrosion for about six months or so in indoor humid environments. For longer term storage – a few years or so indoors, waxy type corrosion inhibitors like LPS 3 or equivalent will protect your investment nicely. Clean and apply a light coating of machine oil similar to 3-in-1 to internal moving parts before using the dies.
Ken
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Could you disassemble the dies and place them in an ultra-sonic cleaner with regular brass cleaning solution & water?
JRS are you replying to my question or in general?
JRS
Banned
In general. I use hBN and RW.
It will take the black off the micrometer tops on the redding comp dies. Other then that yes, they clean well.
Ok I'll not clean my whidden micro top that way but clean the rest. I had shoulder surgery a week ago and I'm going nuts setting around not doing anything. Should I use a wax or an oil after and do I just oil / wax & wipe dry
Wait... I had a brain lapse. The black came off with a vinegar solution. I can't attest to a regular brass solution. Sorry for the mis-info.
JRS
Banned
Renaissance wax leaves a hard and durable finish, is slick, and will prevent rust. It also resists dirt and grime. A creative cocktail sauce made from Renaissance wax and hBN is the bomb
Ok so I'm fairly new to reloading what is hBN?
JRS
Banned
Hexagonal Boron Nitride. It's primary use for re-loaders is the plating of bullets. I have found other uses for hBN.
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
I'll bet that you're not the only guy who had that question.
jdLol thanks so where can thsee be ordered?
What is the magic recipe for the cocktail?
What is the magic recipe for the cocktail?
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