Cleaning Dies

[Mike in Oregon]

My first thought is to clean after I do a large run of any single cartridge and flush-out using either Gun Scrub, brake cleaner, then a shot of WD-40 for lubricant. Yes, no...?

 

[DDRanch]

Brake cleaner than a shot of One-Shot here

 

[Murray Brook]

I just use Hoppes #9 in my dies. Does a good job.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

Brake cleaner than a shot of One-Shot here

Hornady One-Shot lube?

 

[RabbitSlayer]

My first thought is to clean after I do a large run of any single cartridge and flush-out using either Gun Scrub, brake cleaner, then a shot of WD-40 for lubricant. Yes, no...?

WD 40 just kind of sucks. It gums up eventually. Dont forget your seating dies. I noticed some rust in mine recently, which is crazy here in the desert. I think maybe moisture can get trapped in the graphite which accumulates in there. Maybe it was there when I received it, I dunno.

 

[ELR LVR]

WD 40 just kind of sucks. It gums up eventually. Dont forget your seating dies. I noticed some rust in mine recently, which is crazy here in the desert. I think maybe moisture can get trapped in the graphite which accumulates in there. Maybe it was there when I received it, I dunno.

I feel ATF is a better surface coating protectant than WD40
its thin but has good properties and wipes down well

 

[DDRanch]

Hornady One-Shot lube?

Yep!

 

[Rick Richard]

I never clean and I guess I am just lucky since I have had no issues. Now, I probably just jinxed myself.

 

[ELR LVR]

I never clean and I guess I am just lucky since I have had no issues. Now, I probably just jinxed myself.

Honestly, the only thing I really clean is the shoulder area sometimes to prevent case lube buildup
most of the other dies doesnt get cleaned with me either
---
once in awhile I might remove a seating stem and polish it up

 

[Trigger-Jerker]

I prefer the Hornady One Shot gun cleaner and lube for cleaning and protecting dies.

 

[Fuj]

What I do, and did yesterday is to throw them in a coffee can with a
little naptha and acetone. I let them sit overnight then hit em' with the
air gun outside.....Remove any o-rings if there is any. I found a rather
large one once at the bottom and was mystified where it might have
come from. It was from the dies locking ring. It swelled to double it's
size......

 

[coldboreshot]

I don't *completely* clean dies. I take a swipe inside with a bore mop similiar to diameter of the bore of the die to remove any chance of particulates. Then a cotton swab further in to the bushings. I use no decapping assemblies so, easy for me. Nothing wrong with a slightly pre-lubed die before the sizing process and it s also rust preventative for storage.

 

[Syncrowave]

I never clean and I guess I am just lucky since I have had no issues. Now, I probably just jinxed myself.

I just dug out some 223 dies and I guess the last time I used them was in the heat of summer because the seater was all oranged up with rust...doh! I think from now on, when I'm done using them, I might dip them in a jar of the "oil" I use for sharpening, which is about 90% kerosene and 10% mineral oil or ATF...

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Big No on wd-40 , one of the few times I have stuck a case. Gun Scrubber then Clenz-oil with excess blown out. Hoppe’s left a residue for me( it may have been the new formula).

 

[64Rambler]

I use a blast of brake clean to get rid of the lubes. Then a bore mop loaded with Iosso on a drill. Then brake cleaner, dry with a patch on a slotted tip, a quick shot of Hornady One-Shot and a dry patch on a slotted tip.
On new dies, I now brake clean then inspect with a bore scope. It's surprising how many little sharp edges are in there - more with bushing dies. Both my Wilson and Harrells bushing dies had a little burr at the end of the shoulder than made a visible mark on the brass. Both required a rolled up strip of 1500 grit and some WD-40 to get rid of it.

 

[SecondsCount]

Q-tip, drenched with 70% rubbing alcohol, run up in the die while turning the die and following the inside with the tip.

I've not had any sticking issues when using Imperial or Royal lubes.