Question regarding press maintenance?

chewie70 · January 29, 2007, 01:58 PM

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum and pretty much new to reloading (haven't reloaded in probably 20 years). Alot has changed since I last reloaded and this site has been an invaluable resource for my equipment purchases.

Now for my question. I recently purchased the RCBS pro 2000. After making around 100 rounds, the ram seems to be sticking and not automatically returning to neutral after seating the primer. I'm assuming this is due to a lack of lube on the ram piston, and was wondering what everyone is using for this. Gun oil, grease or something else? I would greatly appreciate any info that you all can provide.

Peter M. Eick · January 29, 2007, 03:18 PM

On my Pro2000, I use a bit of 20w50 on the ram and the pins. Just enough to have it move smoothly. I have tried lighter oils and they tend to drip off over time. I use powdered graphite (lock lube) for the baseplate which helps a lot.

You have a great press. I have made about 158,000 rnds on mine and still love it.

chewie70 · January 29, 2007, 03:27 PM

Thanks for the input, I'll give that a try. When you say pins, what are you referring to?

**Mike Irwin** · January 29, 2007, 04:17 PM

I use Remoil with teflon in it on my presses. Works well for me.

Peter M. Eick · January 29, 2007, 04:24 PM

The big pivot pins at the bottom of the press where all of the levers link together. I put a drop on each side of each pin prior to a major loading session. Or maybe once every 2000 rnds. Look at how it moves and you will see where to put the oil.

chewie70 · January 29, 2007, 04:37 PM

Thanks for the help guys.

Ausserordeutlich · January 29, 2007, 08:45 PM

Doesn't the manual tell you where to lube and what to use?

cheygriz · January 29, 2007, 11:54 PM

I've had good luck on all of my presses with plain old non-detergent sae 30 motor oil. Dillon 450, Dillon 650, Lyman Orange Crusher and Redding Big Boss

Williamr · February 2, 2007, 01:35 PM

I am going to surprize all of you on what I use to clean and lube my press and its parts and to lubricate my fired brass before the reloading process. I use...extra virgin olive oil...from Italy. I tried it a couple of years ago when I ran out of my regular lube, and I had alot of brass to resize. It worked great if you don't use to much. Then I tried it on csae forming. It worked fantastic. No more stuck cases in the sizing die or forming dies. Now I use it on my press when I take it apart and clean it and lube all the parts. I have not gone back to any patrolem based lubes.

williamr

Art Eatman · February 2, 2007, 04:56 PM

For several decades I've just hit the moving parts with a little squirt of WD40. Every year or so...

Art

Ausserordeutlich · February 2, 2007, 06:37 PM

Art: Whatever lube was there was dissolved by the WD-40

rem33 · February 2, 2007, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Whatever lube was there was dissolved by the WD-40

Good chance it is old sticky lube or oil that is his problem and the W-D would cure that.

HankL · February 3, 2007, 09:29 AM

Ausserordeutlich, Be cool, Art was around when oil was being formed.

Ausserordeutlich · February 3, 2007, 10:12 AM

I'm absolutely SURE that Art knows that WD-40 is a solvent, with very little lubricity.

Art Eatman · February 3, 2007, 11:39 AM

"If it doesn't move and it should, WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, duct tape."

Art's dictum: If it works the way I want it to, it's good. If it doesn't, it ain't.

A drop or two of thin oil is helpful, sure. But it eventually gets cruddy, and the WD40 is a good cleaner. What can I say? I haven't worn out a press in 50-some years.

I inherited an old C&H "O"-type press that looks like it's older than I am. Lord knows when my uncle acquired it; he started loading ammo way before WW II. It works...

Art

Peter M. Eick · February 3, 2007, 05:40 PM

But Art,

How do you keep that fine West Texas dust out of the WD40? This time of the year was heck on hinges up in Midland with the spring dust storms. I hate to think what it would do to the press in the garage in my old case.

(Sometimes moving back to Houston does have advantages. Exchange dust and grit for humidity and rust!)

amamnn · February 3, 2007, 10:14 PM

WD-40??? never heard of it!!!!

Why not use Kroil? The oil for creeps or something like that.

mjrodney · February 4, 2007, 05:06 AM

Here in Florida, where the humidity is always high, oil of some type is a must.

My equipment has been getting a weekly wipe down with WD-40 each time I use it.

Rams and linkages both before and after the reloading session.

Everything seems to slip and slide with relative ease.

WD-40 appears to lube the reloading press well enough, if you are a low volume reloader and you wipe the press down routinely.

January 29, 2007, 01:58 PM	#1
chewie70 Member Join Date: January 29, 2007 Posts: 36	Question regarding press maintenance? Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and pretty much new to reloading (haven't reloaded in probably 20 years). Alot has changed since I last reloaded and this site has been an invaluable resource for my equipment purchases. Now for my question. I recently purchased the RCBS pro 2000. After making around 100 rounds, the ram seems to be sticking and not automatically returning to neutral after seating the primer. I'm assuming this is due to a lack of lube on the ram piston, and was wondering what everyone is using for this. Gun oil, grease or something else? I would greatly appreciate any info that you all can provide.

January 29, 2007, 03:18 PM	#2
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	On my Pro2000, I use a bit of 20w50 on the ram and the pins. Just enough to have it move smoothly. I have tried lighter oils and they tend to drip off over time. I use powdered graphite (lock lube) for the baseplate which helps a lot. You have a great press. I have made about 158,000 rnds on mine and still love it. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

January 29, 2007, 04:17 PM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	I use Remoil with teflon in it on my presses. Works well for me. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

January 29, 2007, 04:24 PM	#5
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	The big pivot pins at the bottom of the press where all of the levers link together. I put a drop on each side of each pin prior to a major loading session. Or maybe once every 2000 rnds. Look at how it moves and you will see where to put the oil. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

January 29, 2007, 11:54 PM	#8
cheygriz Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2002 Location: high up in the rockies Posts: 2,289	I've had good luck on all of my presses with plain old non-detergent sae 30 motor oil. Dillon 450, Dillon 650, Lyman Orange Crusher and Redding Big Boss __________________ If you think a mighty military force is expensive, wait 'til you see what a weak one costs.

January 29, 2007, 03:27 PM	#3
chewie70 Member Join Date: January 29, 2007 Posts: 36	Thanks for the input, I'll give that a try. When you say pins, what are you referring to?

January 29, 2007, 04:37 PM	#6
chewie70 Member Join Date: January 29, 2007 Posts: 36	Thanks for the help guys.

January 29, 2007, 08:45 PM	#7
Ausserordeutlich Junior member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 996	Doesn't the manual tell you where to lube and what to use?

February 2, 2007, 01:35 PM	#9
Williamr Member Join Date: January 23, 2007 Posts: 18	Press Maintenance I am going to surprize all of you on what I use to clean and lube my press and its parts and to lubricate my fired brass before the reloading process. I use...extra virgin olive oil...from Italy. I tried it a couple of years ago when I ran out of my regular lube, and I had alot of brass to resize. It worked great if you don't use to much. Then I tried it on csae forming. It worked fantastic. No more stuck cases in the sizing die or forming dies. Now I use it on my press when I take it apart and clean it and lube all the parts. I have not gone back to any patrolem based lubes. williamr

February 2, 2007, 04:56 PM	#10
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	For several decades I've just hit the moving parts with a little squirt of WD40. Every year or so... Art

February 2, 2007, 06:37 PM	#11
Ausserordeutlich Junior member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 996	Art: Whatever lube was there was dissolved by the WD-40

February 3, 2007, 09:29 AM	#13
HankL Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: The Sunny South Posts: 2,174	Ausserordeutlich, Be cool, Art was around when oil was being formed. __________________ Check 6

February 3, 2007, 10:12 AM	#14
Ausserordeutlich Junior member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 996	I'm absolutely SURE that Art knows that WD-40 is a solvent, with very little lubricity.

February 3, 2007, 11:39 AM	#15
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	"If it doesn't move and it should, WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, duct tape." Art's dictum: If it works the way I want it to, it's good. If it doesn't, it ain't. A drop or two of thin oil is helpful, sure. But it eventually gets cruddy, and the WD40 is a good cleaner. What can I say? I haven't worn out a press in 50-some years. I inherited an old C&H "O"-type press that looks like it's older than I am. Lord knows when my uncle acquired it; he started loading ammo way before WW II. It works... Art

February 3, 2007, 05:40 PM	#16
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	But Art, How do you keep that fine West Texas dust out of the WD40? This time of the year was heck on hinges up in Midland with the spring dust storms. I hate to think what it would do to the press in the garage in my old case. (Sometimes moving back to Houston does have advantages. Exchange dust and grit for humidity and rust!) __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

February 3, 2007, 10:14 PM	#17
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	WD-40??? never heard of it!!!! Why not use Kroil? The oil for creeps or something like that. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

February 4, 2007, 05:06 AM	#18
mjrodney Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2006 Location: SW Florida Posts: 435	Here in Florida, where the humidity is always high, oil of some type is a must. My equipment has been getting a weekly wipe down with WD-40 each time I use it. Rams and linkages both before and after the reloading session. Everything seems to slip and slide with relative ease. WD-40 appears to lube the reloading press well enough, if you are a low volume reloader and you wipe the press down routinely. __________________ Proud supporter of the NRA

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