I was resizing some 30-06 tonight and one of my cases went in real hard. Not the stiff feeling like not enough lube. Some crunch sounding and pulled it out. I didn't try to squish it in either. Soon as I got the case in my hand I could tell something was amiss. The shoulder was dented all over the neck was wicked dirty and there was a black good covering it with a couple peaces of tumbling media.
So I sprayed in some PB blaster and dumped it out. After I pulled the rod and found that the hole area above the expander ball was chock filled with gunk.
After wiping it all down I ran some Hopes #9 and wiped it down.
Then finished running my brass.
I also found I need to do that as well when using my cast bullets in the seating dies. Afton times I will end up with extra lube and lead build up and will need to clean it out after I have finished.
Any advice, comments, or concerns?

I had to do the same thing with my dies..BTW,I lived on Bigelow Hill Rd for 7 looooooooooooong years until I escaped the PRMe...

use ATF and or atf+wd40

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Afton times I will end up with extra lube and lead build up and will need to clean it out after I have finished. Any advice, comments, or concerns?

Dies need to be clean, doing it's not rocket science. Any light solvent will do nicely; kerosene, mineral spirits, ATF, WD-40 or any other spray lube, etc.

I prefer to just give my dies a quick coat of ATF or some cheap spray lube/protector (usually Walmart's $1 "Lube") at the end of a session and put them away. They are usually "cleaned" just before re-use.

Decap pins and seater plugs are removed, toilet tissue wrapped around a pencil makes a swab, a bit of whatever solvent on it and the innereds get wiped spotless before mounting in the press.

Doing it this way insures that any bug that may have crawled in a stored die won't be a problem for me.

Wasn't sure if this was something that needs attention. Haven't heard of anyone with this issue besides my self. Haven't seen any published stuff on this.
Emailed RCBS a while back and they just told me to use what ever is good for my gun.

Now I may feel dumb after asking this but, using "aft", I have no idea what the stuff is. I just normally use Hopies #9 or WD40 after using PB or brake cleaner.

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one of my cases went in real hard. Not the stiff feeling like not enough lube. Some crunch sounding and pulled it out. I didn't try to squish it in either. Soon as I got the case in my hand I could tell something was amiss. The shoulder was dented all over the neck was wicked dirty and there was a black good covering it with a couple peaces of tumbling media.

James, I am curious as to why there would be pieces of tumbling media in the sizer die? It occurred to me that if that happened, the cases were not clean when they entered the die. That would be a bad thing because if your peocess is leaving any type of crud in the die for the sizing process, there is a possibility it could also still be there for the loading process and if there is enough left to reduce the space available for powder,it could be very dangerous! Take care and have a great day.

ATf -- automatic transmission fluid.

DO NOT USE BRAKE CLEANER ... its a liver smoker

use wd40 as a solvent, and atf to protect... or a mixture

I clean dies twice a year; before and after my high volume loading. I prefer Break Free CLP.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

I use an old and worn copper brush with a solvent(SC) patch wraped around it,screwed on to a Sinclair chamber cleaning tool.The Shooters Choice solvent is great for removing the stuff that makes a die,dirty-dust,molly,lube,brass and copper,brass chips etc... Once the patch or patches come out clean,I replace with a WD-40 sprayed patch to slick and protect the die.I then finish with a dry patch to remove the excess WD-40 and polish it up.I do this just before or almost every time I use my dies.I then take my dies and store them in a room where they will not rust.I also use a toothbrush and a little WD-40 to clean the shellholder just before I use my dies.I find that when I do this,my rds are better aligned just before they enter the dies.I notice this most when I am full lenght resizing a large case like the 458 lott.The cases enter the die easier without hitting the die rim.

I clean my dies before each use.
If they are being put away and stored for an extended period of time I will also clean and oil them at that time. I dislike Lee sizer dies because of the requirement for wrenches to disassemble them.

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Originally posted by R D McMillan:

quote:

one of my cases went in real hard. Not the stiff feeling like not enough lube. Some crunch sounding and pulled it out. I didn't try to squish it in either. Soon as I got the case in my hand I could tell something was amiss. The shoulder was dented all over the neck was wicked dirty and there was a black good covering it with a couple peaces of tumbling media.

James, I am curious as to why there would be pieces of tumbling media in the sizer die? It occurred to me that if that happened, the cases were not clean when they entered the die. That would be a bad thing because if your peocess is leaving any type of crud in the die for the sizing process, there is a possibility it could also still be there for the loading process and if there is enough left to reduce the space available for powder,it could be very dangerous! Take care and have a great day.

I m thinking that the die I ran before it had some peaces of walnut in the neck/mouth when adding lube to the inside of the neck. Something as simple as not getting all the media out of the case. But there was a lot of other crud from just long term use. I groups are fine, but now with cleaner dies I may get better groups. My run out are normally under .002 or better.
But I think I maybe getting into the practice of cleaning out my dies after every use.
Thanks for all your help!

Be sure and relube your dies after you clean and/or degrease them!

I stuck a case in a die that was cleaned with a degreaser even though the case was properly lubed..........................DJ

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Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!..................

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
Be sure and relube your dies after you clean and/or degrease them!

I stuck a case in a die that was cleaned with a degreaser even though the case was properly lubed..........................DJ

AMEN... experiance is a terrible teacher.

quote:

Originally posted by Terry Blauwkamp:

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
Be sure and relube your dies after you clean and/or degrease them!

I stuck a case in a die that was cleaned with a degreaser even though the case was properly lubed..........................DJ

AMEN... experiance is a terrible teacher.

LOL thats if you live thought it!
Thanks for that advice! Glad I DID do it and finsh off with hopes #9 otherwise I m sure I would have gotin a stuck case.....come to think of it, I had to run extra lube.....DOH! Ever feel as if you should have known something and did it anyways?
Glad, really glad you pointed that out.

I take the die apart, dump the spindle and resizer ball into a small tray of kroil and, holding the die over a garbage can, I hose it down liberally inside with WD-40 and let it drain. I repeat if things don't look good. I put a large patch on a cleaning rod and try to work it thru the die and then I spray the die with brake cleaner. Yup, goodbye liver. I'm probably shortening my life by at least 15 minutes. I follow with a dry clean patch to see if there is any residue. Then I spray the inside and outside of the die with Rem Oil. The spindle and ball are wiped clean with a patch, sprayed with brake cleaner and then get the Rem Oil treatment. Sounds a little tedious when you write it down but it only takes a couple of minutes to do.

I don't but what's the matter with BORE CLEANER ??. I use MEK or Acetone with a swab and polishing

compound ( On really dirty or surface rusted dies ) . Even silicone carbide grit and a expandable

mandrel swab on a portable drill for nasty surface rusted dies , polished to perfection .



Then Boeshield T9 to lube and preserve never had any problems what's so ever using those methods .

Kroil is Good Stuff also and is really Handy for removing stuck cases .

PB Blaster is also an excent cleaner and lube . lubes better than wd-40