cleaning lee carbide dies?

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boombag13

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hi all, im wondering after reloading how many rounds should i clean these dies? theyre for .45 ACP, every 100? 500?...also, how should i clean them & with what? thanks in advance
 
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I probably clean mine every 500rds or so, it seems the sizing die get the dirtiest. I just spray them out with brake clean, since brake clean is very cold and will cause a bit of condensation on the die, let it sit and dry for about 10 minutes before using it again.
 
boombag13 said:
hi all, im wondering after reloading how many rounds should i clean these dies? theyre for .45 ACP, every 100? 500?...also, how should i clean them & with what? thanks in advance
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I clean my cases before sizing, if your shooting an auto loader and the cases hit the ground dirt and grit can get embedded in the brass. The dirt and grit will scratch the cases and can also become embedded in the carbide ring.

How often you clean your dies depends on how dirty "YOU" let them get. It depends on how you clean your brass and what if any type residue is left on your cases. With cases cleaned and tumbled with wet stainless steel media your dies will need to be cleaned the least. At the other end of the spectrum if size your cases without any cleaning the dies will get dirty very quickly.

I was using a new set of Redding carbide .44 dies the other day and I had not loaded pistol ammunition in many years so I broke down and "READ THE INSTRUCTIONS". I had been in a hurry and only cleaned the cases with Lyman walnut media coated with polishing compound and the cases were dragging from the abrasive. The instruction stated with carbide dies "some" lucubration may be needed, so I applied some Hornady Unique case lube on every tenth case to smooth up the operation.

Bottom line, dirt grit or abrasive polish on cases should be removed to help keep the carbide ring slick and the resizing operation smooth.

"Das Firespitten Louden Boomer" ;)

 
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boombag13 said:
hi all, im wondering after reloading how many rounds should i clean these dies? theyre for .45 ACP, every 100? 500?...also, how should i clean them & with what? thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Lee dies are fine. The only ones I like better are Hornady and Redding and they are a lot more money. You can eliminate a lot of die cleaning by tumbling your brass in fine ground corn cob. It removes most of the surface crud that can scratch the carbide ring. If you use it untreated or with a non-abrasive polish it won't harm the die. Periodically (maybe very 500-1000 rounds) scrub out the die with a bristle brush (even an old toothbrush) and lacquer thinner. That will remove all the accumulated gunk. Lacquer thinner is a good solvent, evaporates quickly and leaves no residue. 09outlander mentioned brake cleaner. I've used it too and it works well but I find it evaporates almost too quickly, sometimes before I'm finished scrubbing.
 
I use mainly lee dies in my Dillons. Generally happy with them.
I can't remember the last time I cleaned the dies, though - and I produce A LOT of ammo.
I wouldn't get too hung up on it for pistol.
 
Their carbide, so their tough.I use the same patch and holder I use for cleaning 30 cal rifle's. Just insert part way pull out so it fold's on itself and spin it in my finger's.
 
For the most part I only clean the seating die, as it gets lube buildup that affects seating depth (mostly in the 9mm).
 
I never resize dirty brass, so my dies do not get dirty, really.

Every 500 rounds or so I just spray them with compressed air to make sure.
 
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