Do you clean new dies before the first use?

flyingtorpedo

OK, so after reading, gathering supplies, asking some questions here, and reading more I'm ready to start reloading. I've got some Lee Pacesetter dies and was just wondering if I need to clean them before I use them. I'm assuming I do. What is the best/easiest way to do it? As always, thanks for the advice. [:D]

Pinhead

Clean them just like you would your firearm. Take them apart and clean each piece with bore cleaner or some other solvent that will desolve grease and very lightly oil them. I do this also after every 5 or 6 hundred rounds or once a year, which ever comes first. They will last a lifetime if you take care of them. Matter of fact I have two sets of dies and a reloading press that my uncle bought and used until his death and I then got them to use. That 60 years now and they still look almost new. My experience anyway.

scrubberguy

flyingtorpedo:
Started useing brake parts cleaner for a lot of that stuff. You can't believe what this stuff will take off!

Use it outside away from Paint, your glasses, cars,or anything else you don't want cleaned to baer metal also wear gloves of some type.

It evaporates very fast so I'd say you be ready to load in 20 minutes just to be safe.[8D]

jtmarine0831

quote:Originally posted by scrubberguy
flyingtorpedo:
Started useing brake parts cleaner for a lot of that stuff. You can't believe what this stuff will take off!

Use it outside away from Paint, your glasses, cars,or anything else you don't want cleaned to baer metal also wear gloves of some type.

It evaporates very fast so I'd say you be ready to load in 20 minutes just to be safe.[8D]


Sounds like a bad experience![:p]

Brake cleaner works great for degreasing dies, especially if you have reloaded alot of ammo and/or there is heavy lube build up. I also use a soft bristled brush to scrub mine out.

JustC

NON CHLORINATED break cleaner is much easier on things it may get on. I use that for chambers, barrels, breach plugs, dies, etc.

5mmgunguy

Absolutely. There is an oil that needs to be cleaned out. After cleaning I will lightly oil the outside body and threads and inside threads. But not the part that will be sizing. That only sees case lube. The best stuff I have found is brake cleaner...just make sure it is not the water based one.

flyingtorpedo

Thanks guys. [^] I picked up some brake cleaner while I was in town earlier today. Now I just got to wait for the wind to die down so the cleaner goes where I want it instead of into the neighbors yard. [:D]