Die Cleaning & Maintenance - Lee Rife Dies

[Oregon John]

I am new to reloading. I'd like to know what you do about cleaning new dies, and what you do about oiling (?) or other types of die maintenance.

Should I clean the new dies with break degreaser? If so, do I oil them after use? What procedure would you recommend.

I have the Deluxe Rife Die set neck sizing die for the .223 and for the .243. It has a carbine neck sizing die, which states that case lube is not necessary. Is that true?

Thanks for any information.

John

[jckeffer]

After reloading more than 50 cartridges I do clean my dies and brake cleaner does work quite well. I also use a cloth buffing wheel on my dremel with a little polishing compound to really give the insides a mirror finish. I don't have any hard evidence that this improves the performance of the dies but they do seem to operate a little more smoothly, especially the carbide dies. As hard as the dies are I don"t believe I one could ever changed the shape by polishing. I clean and dry them after polishing , oil lightly and wipe off as much of the oil as humanly posible.

Carbide dies do not require lube though I've only had experience with pistol cartridge carbide dies. Using lube on these dies can result in deformed cases.

I also know from experience that if you don't clean your dies occasionally you will eventually run into probelms such as case scoring and even denting. Grit and dust will adhere to the lube and create deep scratches on the case walls. Too much lube can cause case deformation.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

i clean my sizing dies thoroughly after each use. i LIGHTLY oil them with rem oil after they are cleaned (brake cleaner to clean them). NO lube is required for neck sizing with collet die, but is necessary for full length case sizing. I use hornady one shot, and you will find 50% hate it, 50% love it. I love it. The 50% that hate it aren't using enough of it which causes their cases to get stuck in the sizing die. There is a fine line between enough and not enough. I also have the exact 2 die sets you have. I have yet to use my .223 neck sizer ( i load for ar and mini 14, but may someday get a bolt .223) and only use my full length sizer in .243 for new brass ( i shoot it thru a bolt rifle). These dies are great and I have had not a single problem.

[Oregon John]

What about before you use the dies? Do you use the break degreaser to first clean, and then use the dies, then after done oil them lightly? In other words I assume the dies should not have oil on them for reloading, at least the part where the cartridge case meets the die.

[smiljko]

I have lee rgb dies and I noticed that if you don't wipe them with oily cloth outside after use that they rust very easy. As for the first use-I cleaned them with hoppes and brush and wiped them dry.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

i lube after I clean. oiling them before using them is kind of overkill, if you oiled them after your previous use. Remember too that the die should remained oil during use because you are lubing your cases. I use to use lee lube, which is a great lube. but, after a hundred rounds or so through through a FL sizer would leave a little bit of a mess in the die. As you size, some of the lube comes off the brass onto the die. It never hurts to periodically clean them after 50-100 rounds. Also is good because you want to keep your dies clean so they don't get scratched. Don't be too worried about it though. as long as you are using clean brass, you SHOULD have no problems. Throroughly inspect your brass before you size it for dirt, grime, splits, cracks, etc....just a good habit to get into. hope this helps!

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

by the way....you will want to use lube when full length sizing...for sure! no lube for neck sizing only.

[Oregon John]

All good information. Thanks for your responses. I should be reloading my first rounds today.

[wncchester]

John, that Lee neck die doesn't need lubing but it's not carbide either.

Not much point in cleaning a die set after use, just give it an oiling and store them. I use a cheap spray lube from Walmart to protect from rust while stored. CLEAN them before each use.

The spay lube, again the Walmart brand, works fine to clean dies too. Follow up the spray cleaner with a paper towel wrapped around a pencil to twist into the dies and wipe them clean.

DO NOT just spray a cleaner into the Lee collet neck die. To clean, unscrew the alum. top cap, pull the three innerds out and wipe them clean. Apply a thin smear of some kind of thick grease on the forcing cone that makes it all work. The sized cases don't need lube but that cone section sure does!

[Starvingboy]

Hate to be the cheap hobo in the crowd, but I don't clean my dies all that much. I typically reload 200+ at a throw, so cleaning every 50 would be a pain. Thus far, no troubles, but I've not been reloading for eons like some out there.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

it depends a lot if you are using clean brass, too.

[F. Guffey]

Oregon John, If the dies are new, clean and without oil use a hard wax on the outside, the wax seals the die from contact with the atmosphere and fingerprints, clean the inside of the die with a paper towel on a stick, dowel etc. only, do not use a wire brush sand paper, brake degreaser etc., the pepper towel should turn without resistance if the die is smooth.

There are some that clean dies by tumbling, when I get a set of dies operating like they were designed to operate I apply the 'leaver policy' I 'leaver alone' except for the paper towel on a stick, the pepper comes out dirty after use every time and the finish/surface inside is unchanged.



If the dies are used, remove the oil, apply a hard wax and clean the inside with a paper towel on a stick, a light oil on the paper towel does not hurt and is recommended.



F. Guffey