Rusty .30-06 Die Set Refurbish?

[Odyssey]

I inherited Lee .30-06 3 die set. It was not stored well and became rusty. I disassembled the dies and ran them in my dry media tumbler, then cleaned up the threads with a brush. I'm thinking about soaking them in an over the counter rust remover next.
Am I polishing a turd? Anyone have experience/success refurbishing rusty dies?
I certainly don't want the risk of an unsafe condition. So, if cleaning rusty dies is not something that is done, I'll toss the set and buy new replacements.

 

[Uncle Ed]

Photos of your dies would help, it may simpler to buy a new set of Lee dies.
If the rust has eaten below the surface inside the die I would get a new die set.
And any rough areas or pits inside the die will eat your brass and end your question about the die.

Subliminal suggestion.

 

[Odyssey]

Appreciate the advice.
Lee new 4 die set is under $100. I'll save my time and worry and start with new dies.

 

[DRNewcomb]

The answer may depend on how often you need .30-'06 dies.

 

[Uncle Ed]

Appreciate the advice.
Lee new 4 die set is under $100. I'll save my time and worry and start with new dies.

Email Lee and see if they will replace your dies. The email won't cost you anything and you might get lucky.

Right now you won't find any for sale other than on eBay and three die set are less than $40.00 "IF" you can find them.

I would sell you my 1976 RCBS 30-06 two die set but I had to polish the surface corrosion off them twice and they now look better than new. I don't use them anymore but I keep them on my reloading bench and use them as a rust gauge to remind me to clean and oil my dies. Yes I know I'm the only surviving heart organ donor.

Notice, no reloading dies were hurt or injured during the making of this posting.

 

[ebb]

Glass bead blast the dies and all the pieces (lock ring, decap pin, lock nuts ect) inside and out oil wipe away the excess and use.

 

[jackson1]

No idea how deep the rust has penetrated, but soaking Coke will take the rust off a nail.

 

[Odyssey]

I like the suggestion to email Lee. I'll give it a try. Can't hurt. Might help.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

A combination of molasses and water will clean that rust up. Google it

 

[servant403]

Soak them overnight in distilled vinegar. Wire brush them. Run a patch with Jb bore paste on the inside Clean it out. And then get a good luck at the inside to see if they are worth saving. I cleaned a Lyman .44 set of steel dies like this and they look pretty good. They actually came out better than I thought.

 

[servant403]

A combination of molasses and water will clean that rust up. Google it

I just watched some videos about the molasses treatment for rust. Interesting

 

[MagnumManiac]

Soaking in vinegar also works to remove rust.

Cheers.

 

[Uncle Ed]

Removing rust from metal
https://www.google.com/search?sourc...QaSAQIxM5gBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=psy-ab


NOTE, vinegar contains acetic acid and so does LemiShine.

Also if the inside of the die had sizing lube coating it may not be rusted badly if at all. A shotgun cleaning mop chucked in a drill and some J&B Bore paiste, automotive polishing compound etc. will polish the die.

 

[Odyssey]

Great suggestions. Thank you

 

[Uncle Ed]

Hornady OneShot is a dry film type of lube, the instructions tell you to remove all old lube from the die and spray OneShot inside the die.

My point being if you spray the die inside and out, any air or moisture can not get at the die surface.

Also if you are retired with nothing to do and all day to do it you can wax the die for storage. A curator in a museum applies a neutral PH wax to firearms and other metal on display. If air and humidity can't contact the metal it will not corrode. Mothers mag and wheel polish works very well.

The triple mix of 1/3 linseed oil, 1/3 turpentine, 1/3 beeswax was used as cosmoline during the American Civil War. And the lady of the house used it as furniture polish and the man of the house applied it to his firearms, both the wood and metal to protect it from the elements.

So endeth the lesson for the day.

Even Hot Rod/Rat Rod owners spray clear coat paint over the rust patina.

 

[Bc'z]

Hornady OneShot is a dry film type of lube, the instructions tell you to remove all old lube from the die and spray OneShot inside the die.

My point being if you spray the die inside and out, any air or moisture can not get at the die surface.

Also if you are retired with nothing to do and all day to do it you can wax the die for storage. A curator in a museum applies a neutral PH wax to firearms and other metal on display. If air and humidity can't contact the metal it will not corrode. Mothers mag and wheel polish works very well.

The triple mix of 1/3 linseed oil, 1/3 turpentine, 1/3 beeswax was used as cosmoline during the American Civil War. And the lady of the house used it as furniture polish and the man of the house applied it to his firearms, both the wood and metal to protect it from the elements.

So endeth the lesson for the day.

Even Hot Rod/Rat Rod owners spray clear coat paint over the rust patina.

That's a sexy truck.
We chose WD40 on our quads when riding on the dunes to help as a rust preventive.

 

[Odyssey]

All Thanks. I have heard of museum wax. I know someone who swears by it for their antique gun collection. One Shot or wax seems like an excellent idea to protect the dies during storage.
Lee received my rusty dies. They signed for the UPS shipment at 11:00 on Thursday. Called me the following Monday morning explaining they repaired the full length sizing die and bullet seating die. They recommended replacement of the factory crimp die at a discount of 50%. I gave them them my CC# and the factory refurbished/new 3 die set was shipped out same day. I couldn't be happier with my first experience with Lee Precision customer service.