Cleaning and lubing powder measure

Guy B. Meredith · May 16, 2000, 11:25 PM

Instructions for setting up my powder measure say to clean off the shipping grease and lube with a graphite base lube.

I will be calling Hornady tomorrow for information, but they will no doubt highlight their products. What are the rest of you doing to keep the powder path clean and lube the measure mechanism? I am using the case activated measure on the Lock-N-Load AP.

Sport45 · May 17, 2000, 08:41 AM

If it's all metal a shot of gunscrubber or brake cleaner will degrease it. If there's a lot of plastic hot soapy water might be the best way to clean. You can lube it with a few puffs of dry graphite. It's sold in hardware stores as a dry lubricant for lock cylinders. In use, the powder itself should keep it lubricated. This is from experience with a Dillon 550, I don't know the particulars of the Hornady.

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"An unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

Cesare Beccaria, the father of modern criminology

Southla1 · May 18, 2000, 08:49 PM

I have had an RCBS Uniflow measure since about 1965. In 1992 when Hurricane Andrew roared through South Louisiana and scored a direct hit (right in the x-ring) on me, I lost the roof of my shop in which my reloading room was located. There was also many large garbage bags of clothing stored in the reloading room awaiting a garage sale. Naturally everything was soaked with the 10 tto 15 inches of rain that accompanied the storm. It was several weeks before I was able to even relegate the bags of clothing to the garbage dump. Everything in the room was moist, mildewed, and smelled rather "ripe". All of the equipment was rusted, some of it frozen with rust. The Uniflow measure was frozen tight with rust. I had to "persuade" it with a small ball peen hammer to get it apart. A brushing with a wire brush and a rubbing with a lite oil then wiping it dry of the oil cured all of its ills. To this day except for that one time it has never been lubricated. All of my reloading equipment was salvaged, along with all of the powder. My only loss was about 1500 primers that got soaked. I now have an air-conditioned-centrally heated reloading shop built onto the carport so the humidity is even less of a problem now.

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Carlyle

May 16, 2000, 11:25 PM	#1
Guy B. Meredith Senior Member Join Date: August 29, 1999 Location: Salem, Oregon Posts: 1,581	Instructions for setting up my powder measure say to clean off the shipping grease and lube with a graphite base lube. I will be calling Hornady tomorrow for information, but they will no doubt highlight their products. What are the rest of you doing to keep the powder path clean and lube the measure mechanism? I am using the case activated measure on the Lock-N-Load AP.

May 17, 2000, 08:41 AM	#2
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	If it's all metal a shot of gunscrubber or brake cleaner will degrease it. If there's a lot of plastic hot soapy water might be the best way to clean. You can lube it with a few puffs of dry graphite. It's sold in hardware stores as a dry lubricant for lock cylinders. In use, the powder itself should keep it lubricated. This is from experience with a Dillon 550, I don't know the particulars of the Hornady. ------------------ "An unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." Cesare Beccaria, the father of modern criminology

May 18, 2000, 08:49 PM	#3
Southla1 Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 19, 2000 Location: Jeanerette, La. Near the Posts: 1,999	I have had an RCBS Uniflow measure since about 1965. In 1992 when Hurricane Andrew roared through South Louisiana and scored a direct hit (right in the x-ring) on me, I lost the roof of my shop in which my reloading room was located. There was also many large garbage bags of clothing stored in the reloading room awaiting a garage sale. Naturally everything was soaked with the 10 tto 15 inches of rain that accompanied the storm. It was several weeks before I was able to even relegate the bags of clothing to the garbage dump. Everything in the room was moist, mildewed, and smelled rather "ripe". All of the equipment was rusted, some of it frozen with rust. The Uniflow measure was frozen tight with rust. I had to "persuade" it with a small ball peen hammer to get it apart. A brushing with a wire brush and a rubbing with a lite oil then wiping it dry of the oil cured all of its ills. To this day except for that one time it has never been lubricated. All of my reloading equipment was salvaged, along with all of the powder. My only loss was about 1500 primers that got soaked. I now have an air-conditioned-centrally heated reloading shop built onto the carport so the humidity is even less of a problem now. ------------------ Carlyle