Been 7 years and many thousands of rounds. I want to remove the ram and clean it and especially inside the press where the ram passes through. I clean the ram above and below the hole where it passes through and it still comes out greasy once it passes through there.

I use solvent (#9) or nail polish remover if I need to get my parts clean.

Gas leaves a film and stinks but it is an option if you don't want to go to the store.

But how do you get into the hole of the press where the ram slides through? That’s what I need to clean out.

Over the years, there have been dozens of Hornady presses, you haven't said which one.

All pressed have some form of lever and linkage on the bottom of the ram. The axil pins are either nut and bolt assemblies or pin with keys, rings or cotter pins. Take the linkage off, slide or drive the axil pins out. At this point there may or may not be one last retaining ring just below the shell holder area, that would keep the ram from falling on you foot!

I nor anybody I know, ever disassembled a single stage press for routine maintenance. The risk of damaging parts (or loosing Them), was too great for the reward!

Do not lubricate with oils or grease. I use dry lube (from Elmer's) or One Shot case lube from Hornady. A graphite spray lube that dries quick (like Dri-Lock) works fine also.

Yes, Dillon recommends 10W30, but Dillon expects you to tear it apart every 50,000 rounds or so, they are the exception!

I have had old presses that were stored in wet basements. They had light surface rust on the ram. I coated them with a very fine oil (3-in-1) and scrubbed with 000 of 0000 steel wool and rinsed with spray break cleaner, move the ram to the other end of the stroke and repeat, dry lube and you are done. (1" emery cloth or plumbers sand paper works better than steel wool, when polishing with fine oil!)

Ivan

It’s the Lock N Load Single Single Stage press.

Yeah, I was thinking maybe just clean the ram on both side with alcohol, maybe spray some brake cleaner at the base of the ram where it slides through the press and then blow some compressed air through there, and then spray some graphite on both sides and cycle the press a few times.

Also, the arms of the ram seem to have developed some rust? It’s rust colored freckling. Scrubbing with oil and 0000 wool doesn’t remove it like it would remove rust on a gun. The press is 7 years old and is mounted in my garage. Doesn’t get overly hot or cold and I started wiping the press down with Barricade just to give it some protection. I’m not even sure it’s rust. Nothing else in the garage rusts.

Consider the grease or oil in there is functioning as a lubricant. It might be unsightly but now you want to remove it with substances that will remove the lube function. Many years ago I was taught that metal to metal contact was a bad thing. I would just keep wiping it down as you are, there is no harm done, just visual appeal.
If you believe it is small powder pieces working their way through, I would spray it generously with a case lube and cycle it several hundred times.

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Front sight and squeeze

Every decade I just squirt some KROIL down the ram (around where the ram comes up thru the frame); and maybe a bit on the linkage. My workshop is heated and air conditioned so I don't have rust problems. Kroil works on everything .... :-)
IMHO of course,
J.