Questions On Cleaning Dies

[oldguyguns]

Hi folks, need some knowledge. I reload 380,9mm,and 4 auto. Would estimate that I have reloaded about 500 to 600 rounds of 9MM. Noticed yesterday some very small shavings of what looked like copper coming out of the bullet seating or factory crimp dies. Took out the die plate and cleaned all the dies with very small pointed q tips. Got some grease looking stuff and some small shavings. Questions are: how often (number of rounds reloaded) should one clean their dies and how should it be done? Have heard about using carb & choke cleaner. Input appreciated !!!

 

[Drail]

Clean them whenever they need it. What you're seeing is most likely bullet lube and shavings from the case mouth. Deburring the mouth of any new cases will stop this - new brass will have a nasty burr left of the mouth from factory trimming to length. They won't de burr their brass - you should. I clean my dies every couple of weeks during match season but I only shoot hard cast bullets so I get a lot of bullet lube squeezed out when seating bullets. Any good powder solvent will work. I use Breakfree CLP with an M 16 brush and compressed air. Just be sure to blow out or wipe out all of the solvent when you're done. The inside of the die should be bone dry. I would recommend that you do NOT use brake cleaner or carb/choke cleaner on your guns or your dies. They are not formulated to dissolve powder residue or lube. They are made to dissolve hard lacquer deposits from fuel and brake pad/shoe lining materials and the adhesives used to bind them together. Neither of those are in your guns or dies. The cheapest thing you can use is diesel fuel or mineral spirits.

 

[WhitleyStu]

I use those pointed q-tips with a few drops of WD-40 on the q-tips to clean out any debris in the dies at the end of each reloading session.

 

[Vamptepes]

Hi folks, need some knowledge. I reload 380,9mm,and 4 auto. Would estimate that I have reloaded about 500 to 600 rounds of 9MM. Noticed yesterday some very small shavings of what looked like copper coming out of the bullet seating or factory crimp dies. Took out the die plate and cleaned all the dies with very small pointed q tips. Got some grease looking stuff and some small shavings. Questions are: how often (number of rounds reloaded) should one clean their dies and how should it be done? Have heard about using carb & choke cleaner. Input appreciated !!!

I use brake cleaner after about 200 rounds to get the the lead a grime build up out. Also tumble them every now and then. But that's with dirty brass Is why the round count is low.

 

[sloughfoot]

Clean your dies with the same materials and chemicals that you use to clean your firearms. As needed.

 

[tnek13]

I use Hoppes, I like the smell. I clean often if using lead bullets, less with jacketed . The copper would be from shaving the bullet when seating, brass could be introduced from trimming or chamfering. The grease would be from lead bullet lube or sizing material. I do not know enough about what you are doing to give you a better answer.

 

[oldguyguns]

Thanks for the input. I use either jacketed or coated bullets and mostly once fired cases.

 

[rvb]

my pistol dies get cleaned every ... who am I kidding... clean them?! haha.

Seriously, "as needed." If you notice them getting sticky, clean them. I don't worry about a few tiny brass shavings. Brake cleaner or electrical contact cleaner. I'm more likely to clean the powder funnel than anything else. The type/amount of lube will make a difference. Mine probably get cleaned every 5-10 thousand rounds. I use one-shot lube for pistols.

I'll clean a little more often for rifle since I use a lanolin lube (Dillon) and gunk builds up faster.

-rvb