Cleaning dies. How often?

[rusty815]

I usually clean then after each session, but that's because I'm a perfectionist, I weigh all my charges to. My uncle has had his press for ten years and never cleaned anything.

[sargenv]

I've had to clean the seating die once in a while if the bullets I am using have wax on them, but otherwise I can't remember ever cleaning dies just from basic use..

[Cowboy T]

Loading lead bullets clean out the excess lube out of you crimping die.

That's about all I've ever really had to do. I use tumble-lube, which covers the entire cast boolit, including the nose. An infinitesimally small amount of the liquid Alox will stick to the seating plug with every boolit. Over a few thousand rounds, that will add up. So, I just take apart the seating/crimping die, clean it out, reassemble, and put it back in. This takes maybe 5 minutes.

The other dies, I find that I don't really "need" to clean them. However, I still do it every 10,000 rounds or so, just because I'm that way.

[noylj]

You clean when something gets so dirty that it is harming performance.
Look inside. Dies don't just get dirty, per se.
The expander plug will often pick up slivers of brass (from brass not chamfered) and "may" be cleaned. The slivers, in general, are pushed out of the way and don't cause any affect on the loaded rounds, but some can't accept a dirty die.
Loading lead bullets with excess lube will push excess lube into the seating stem. Most seating stems that I use have a "cavity" where the lube goes and it doesn't affect COL. Many claim that their seating stems do get so gummed up that they need to clean the seating stem. I have also NEVER had to clean lube out of a crimp die, but it can happen, I suppose (no one would lie about it, so it must be true).
So, it all comes down to inspection and cleaning as YOU feel is needed.
Note: you may wish to consider if you are trying to over think things. Most of these types of questions do not and can not have specific answers--any more than someone can tell what press, dies, bullet, powder, or COL would be best for you.

[TimRB]

Cleaning dies is vitally important. I bought one of those "yearly planner" calendars at OfficeMax and marked the cleaning dates. As a backup, I also have the dates programmed into a similar app on my iphone.

Tim

[Full Clip]

Yeah! Another reloading task to feed my obcessive-compulsive disorder!!!