Rust preventative for your presses?

[SavageHunter11]

I inherited my grandfathers Hornady LnL AP last week and it has some surface rust on it as well as rust on the powder drop. I talked with Hornady's customer who advised me to disassemble the press and powder drop and treat any affected areas with Naval Jelly and fine steel wool. So that's on this weekends list of projects but I am looking for a preventative to prevent this from happening again after I get the rust taken care of.
I had a couple of different suggestions from local gun store workers from WD-40 and PB Blaster to Marvin's Mystery Oil (the guy was super adamant it was the greatest stuff ever) and white lithium grease....honestly none of those sounded like good suggestions (but I could be wrong). Wondering what out there is proven to be a good lubricant/rust preventative to presses?

 

[Greyfox]

I swear by WD40 as a rust preventative. I have carbon steel components that were treated back in the 70's with no signs of rust.

 

[seedyn]

A guy on one of the forums a few years back did quite extensive testing of like 25 or 30 various lubricates and rust preventatives and had pretty conclusive results that Frog Lube and The WD40 PRO Rust prevent lubricant were very good (raw steel expose to outdoor environment for a year +) at preventing rust and corrosion. I have been using the WD40 PRO on all my metals since and have been very impressed! Stuff just works!

 

[SavageHunter11]

A guy on one of the forums a few years back did quite extensive testing of like 25 or 30 various lubricates and rust preventatives and had pretty conclusive results that Frog Lube and The WD40 PRO Rust prevent lubricant were very good (raw steel expose to outdoor environment for a year +) at preventing rust and corrosion. I have been using the WD40 PRO on all my metals since and have been very impressed! Stuff just works!

I thought WD-40 dried out and gummed up after a while? Thought I had been told to stay as far away from WD-40 as possible. Is there something different about the PRO stuff?

 

[birdiemc]

A guy on one of the forums a few years back did quite extensive testing of like 25 or 30 various lubricates and rust preventatives and had pretty conclusive results that Frog Lube and The WD40 PRO Rust prevent lubricant were very good (raw steel expose to outdoor environment for a year +) at preventing rust and corrosion. I have been using the WD40 PRO on all my metals since and have been very impressed! Stuff just works!

I checked out that study last year and ended up buying Eezox. It has worked well.

 

[Nameless One]

Dont use anything but dri-lube on your powder measure drum and parts. Any kind of oils used on the drum area can seep inside and contaminate powder. I also use dri-lube on all my hornady equipment. Hornady is the worst for rusting. It can flash rust just as soon as you open the packages from brand new. Since i started using dri-lube, i`ve never had a rusting issue ever again. As for lubing the press itself, i use a good white lube. Us it sparingly. A drop of gun oil (i like G56 or a good CLP brand) Dosent take much to make these LNL presses work good once lubed properly. For those that have ZERK fittings on your press, and decent moly EP grease works the best.

 

[Jcalloway8603]

What kind of dri lube do you use?

 

[Nameless One]

What kind of dri lube do you use?

I use the LiquidWrench brand. Has the exact same ingredients as Hornady`s case lube. And it is the same lube i use to lube my pistol cases when i`m reloading. When you go to buy some dri-lube, make sure it dosen`t have silicone in it. The LiquidWrench brand will not harm your powder. Silicone based dri-lube WILL ruin your powder.

The exact one you want is found in the RV camping section at walmart. About $3.84 a can
Liquid Wrench RV Dry Lubricant

 

[SavageHunter11]

Dont use anything but dri-lube on your powder measure drum and parts. Any kind of oils used on the drum area can seep inside and contaminate powder. I also use dri-lube on all my hornady equipment. Hornady is the worst for rusting. It can flash rust just as soon as you open the packages from brand new. Since i started using dri-lube, i`ve never had a rusting issue ever again. As for lubing the press itself, i use a good white lube. Us it sparingly. A drop of gun oil (i like G56 or a good CLP brand) Dosent take much to make these LNL presses work good once lubed properly. For those that have ZERK fittings on your press, and decent moly EP grease works the best.

I haven't gotten to the powder drop but I did the press itself tonight. Stripped the whole thing apart and cleaned all the pins, retainers, and the whole press itself. Ended up lubing it with a tube a white lithium grease I had and now it runs slicker than snot.

The powder drop will be a task for this weekend but I plan to pick up a can (or two) of that dry RV lube you talked about.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Nameless One]

I haven't gotten to the powder drop but I did the press itself tonight. Stripped the whole thing apart and cleaned all the pins, retainers, and the whole press itself. Ended up lubing it with a tube a white lithium grease I had and now it runs slicker than snot.

The powder drop will be a task for this weekend but I plan to pick up a can (or two) of that dry RV lube you talked about.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Your very welcome!
White lithium grease is perfect. Put a film of it under the shell plate as well, right where the ball dimples are. Dab a grease in each dimple should be more than enough lube. The grease helps dampen the shell plate while its rotating and your powder wont jump out of shorter pistol cases when the shell plate cycles station to station.

When you tighten the shell plate bolt, what i found works very well for mine, (raise the ram enough to clear the drive unit below) is to tighten the shell plate bolt down so you feel quite a bit of drag when turning the shell plate by hand, then unscrew the bolt just enough to free it up. The shell plate wants to turn freely without any wobbly movement. Should roll like freight train after that. You`ll have to set the timing when you start reloading with it. Sometimes they cycle nicely, until you start reloading with it.

 

[corsair4360]

FYI - the name WD40 is an acronym for Water Displacing 40 as in the fortieth compound the man tested.....

 

[Nameless One]

FYI - the name WD40 is an acronym for Water Displacing 40 as in the fortieth compound the man tested.....

The only thing i use WD40 on, is to coat my harley engines as a winter corrosion protector. By springtime when i get my bikes back out to ride, just a quick degreaser, i`m rollin down the highways with a clean sparkling engine. I have no other uses for WD40 other than that. WD40 evaporates pretty quick. And its film does not last long.

 

[Black Tail Hunter]

Birchwood Casey makes a product called Barricade. It is specifically designed for removing and preventing rust and it is gentle enough to use on blued finishes. It lifts rust nicely with fine steel wool and a thin film on the ram will prevent rust from returning. I have also used it on some of my older blued rifles if they develop slight surface rust with extra fine steel wool and it takes rust off without damaging the rifles finish.

 

[jrock]

I agree that no wet lube should be used in the powder drop. Strip it, clean it, and wipe it down with a dry cloth. I don't lubricate mine. I use Tri-Flow on my press. I use Fluid Film on my machinery when I want ultimate rust prevention.