resizing die maintenance

What grit sandpaper is safe to use with a little hopps or something to clean the die shaft?

Also what do you guys use to clean inside the die and what method to make sure its good and clean inside there?

thanks

Matt, I clean my dies inside and out with a good bore cleaner like Hoppes or Shooters Choice and several patches. But I don't load as many metallic rounds as some on here probably do. I'm sure there are other ways that may be better.

Clean cases before loading. I would probably try something like brake cleaner and a clean cloth. I would not use sand paper on any part.

gotcha...the only reason I asked is because I have seen it more than once on videos with dry/wet sandpaper and some oil or hoppes to clean and polish the metal.

I just didnt catch what grit they were using.

But I was weary about using it.

What part are you wanting to sand and why do you need to do this? The inside part of the sizing die is polished from the factory, so if you get up in there doing some sanding, how will this improve the die? I only seeing this causing multiple problems.

I use a brake cleaner or a carburetor cleaner. On the sizing die, I take the seating stem out, and put the cleaner on a Q tip and run the Q tip inside the die. This will get out anything you need cleaned up inside the die. I will follow that up with a shot of One Shot for lube, and re assemble.

And HE ^^^ probably reloads more than the rest of us combined.

+1 on the break cleaner and one shot. Use an old cotton under shirt scraps or q-tips to wipe off any dust or grit, then follow up with the one shot. The mandrel can tarnish after a while and loose its smoothness. I use 0000 steel wool to polish it back to smooth.

thanks guys...Its my first die I bought and didnt know how to maintain one and it got a little corrosion type rust on it from left over lube and just mal-treatment.

I have wiped most of it off, but was just trying to get the inside as clean as possible to shells dont stick on it as well as the sizing rod that goes inside the die.

jmho- be very careful about the info on yoofloob. i've
seen some "reloading" videos on there and at least 50%
of them are lucky their reloads don't blow up.

also, if you keep your dies in the boxes you may want
to put several desiccant packs in with them to hold off
any moisture

The first die set I ever bought was a set of Hornady 270 Win dies. I still have them, and they work great. Just clean them up with some brake cleaner or carb cleaner, and it will clean all you need. If the die is scored or pitted from rust/corrosion, then you may need a new set. I keep a toothbrush from the dentist as my brush for cleaning the threading up when the threads get gummed up.

This explains your halitosis.

buy new dies, start all over. I clean with Balistol and large cotton patches. I use the LARGEST Swabbits

LOL! I actually had to google that!

Dude ain't right!

Like most here I use brakr cleaner

LMAO. Jay churching it up with the big words for the burn. Nice.

Like others said don't use sandpaper.

Break your dies down and spray (entirely, inside and out) them with http://crcindustries.com/auto/?s=05089 (CRC Brakleen, red can, from an auto parts store, Home Depot, Walmart maybe, get the chlorinated, not the un-chlorinated - I'm not totally sure why but it makes me feel better being less green than a tree hugger). Oil where appropriate before reassembly. Use q-tips if necessary for both cleaning and oiling.

As a bonus you can also huff the cleaner.

Coming clean on multiple levels!

lol I love razzing Chad

Depending on the amount of usage I ultrasonically clean all of mine in a homebrew formula called ED's Red and mine is a bit different from the recipes you see on the internet. prevents rust and removes any build up inside the dies. I have never heard of using sandpaper on them ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm2FIY7jJYc

Heres an example of what I was seeing...fastfoward to about the 6:30 mark.

It looks like he's polishing the expander ball. Why?

Just an FYI. RCBS will polish out interior scratches on your die for a $5.00 fee. They just sent me a new die when I sent mine in.

Even though its 600 grit sand paper I would think that to abrasive when in a drill. Sand a few thousands off the mandrel and bullets might start to not seat without shaving. I don't get the polishing either. Cleaning the grit and grime yes.