New expander for 44 mag

Brad

Brad

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I want to make a new expander for 44 mag. The Hornady expander I am using now is way undersized for the bullet size I am using.
I was going to make a die body and thread an expander into it. Even have the die body made.
Can anyone tell me why this needs to be two pieces? Why can I make a threaded shaft to go into the press with an expander turned on the bottom? The expander doesn't need to be inside a die so why put it there? Think of an M-die spud hating free below the press with no die body around it.

I plan to make the expander .428-.429 with a flare on the top to expand the case mouth and prevent shaving the bullet.

Ideas? Comments?
 
3

358156hp

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When we get Toms machine shop set up in it's new building, I'm planning on making us a new set of powder funnels for our Dillons. I'm thinking I want the expander to go the full length of the bullet shank to uniform everything, and have the flaring shoulder similar in design to the M Dies. The first round will simply be an M die that will work in a Dillon powder measure. We'll fine tune things from there.
 
Brad

Brad

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I have thought of making powder funnels for the Dillon but I need to get better at machine work before I get that "fancy".
I want to expand the full length of the bullet with a slight flare at the top.
Any reason it can't be all froma single hunk of metal? I'm think more saving in my time than I am in material cost.
 
3

358156hp

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I'm thinking it can be done cheaply using sections of worn out barrels, turned in the lathes. It may or may not be desirable to bore out the rifling. The doggone things are only a maximum of 4 inches long. We are on the same wavelength on the end product.
 
Brad

Brad

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Worn out barrels would be good for Dillon funnels. Where to get the worn barrels?

I'm looking to make an expander for a traditional press right now. For now I don't need the speed for making 44 mag rounds. This expander will also do double duty for 444 Marlin.
 
3

358156hp

Guest
Are you looking at a Hornady style expander, or something more like an RCBS expander? The first thing I'd look at it turning down expanders from larger calibers in the same product line. Something like 45 Colt expanders, or perhaps something from a rifle, like 45/70 for instance. With some of the more popular powder measures (like Dillon) using expanders & powder funnels all in one, a lot of expander dies don't get used in the first place.

Gunsmiths often have junk barrels that they know they cant use, but can't bear to throw away. Ruger 10/22 barrels should be good for funnel use up to around 7mm or so. I'd expect 25-26 cal barrels to work okay up to around perhaps 31 to 32 caliber. Custom barrel shops throw away the barrel stubs left over from rebarreling rifles with custom tubes. Some of them could be as long as six inches or so. More commonly, I'd expect to see them around four inches.
 
Brad

Brad

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Right now I am looking at a Hornady style like they ship with 3 die sets
 
3

358156hp

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Those either have the expander turned as part of the die itself, or they're made separately and pressed together somehow. I'd try using a different style of expander die, like a Durachrome, RCBS or Lyman and turn a larger expander button down to the size you want. NOE also makes expanders, but I have no experience with them. I think they're supposed to fit LEE dies.
 
3

358156hp

Guest
Okay. The outside threads are 7/8-14. The inside threads can be anything you want, as can the I.D.
Not everybody has a lathe in their garage. Unfortunately I don't have a 44 M die to offer you dimensions on.

Have you talked your wife into the mill yet?
 
Brad

Brad

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Ah, there is the key. What internal threads? I will make an expander with 7/8-14 threads on it. The expander will thread into the press, not a die
 
Brad

Brad

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I need to do some measuring with a case in the ram and see how things measure up
 
3

358156hp

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I think I understand you're describing. You could make one from a 7/8-14 bolt with a threaded hole in the center, and an appropriately turned stem in the center. Hmmm... not a bad idea. You could make one actual "die", then make a series of interchangeable stems in your desired sizes, and switch the centers as desired. Total outlay, one 7/8 bolt, then however many 1/2 inch bolts, turned to fit whatever you want. Both the main bolt and the center bolts could be made adjustable, with jam nuts.

On second thought, 5/8ths might be better for the center. Once you cut threads off a bolt, I don't know what diameter might be left.
 
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Brad

Brad

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Looking at things my idea may be OK for 44 mag but not 444 Marlin. The 44 mag case done the way I was thinkng would leave me 1/2 inch of threads in the press, the 444 is a definite no go.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
My first thought is ram travel stop, someone already brought it up. If you want to go from scratch, I'd just make a standard die body, bore and thread the top to 1/2"x20 and turn the end of a grade 8 bolt for the expander and re-harden after polishing. Use a regular nut for jam nut For .45 caliber you'd need to step up to 5/8"x18. I have some 5/8"x18 grade 5 all-thread pieces about 5-7" long if you're interested, might send some along with some bullets to try at some point. Lathes need constant care and feeding.
 
Brad

Brad

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I have a body I made today that has a 1/2-18 (?) internal thread. An expander can easily be made from 7/16 rod that is threaded for adjustment.

And no, not everyone has a lathe. The shortcomings of other members is not my concern!:eek:
 
F

freebullet

Guest
Brad have you seen the lee universal expander die?
It has 2 interchangeable expander plugs. The angles of it aren't the best but it can be made to work.
If you made different plugs/ longer die body you might be able to get the expansion type your after.
 
Brad

Brad

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That is sorta what I am after.
I made a replacement plug for an M die for use in a 30 cal rifle.

Much of this is about learning the lathe and how to make things that actually work.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
why not just use 7/8 bar and cut the threads.
then turn it to taper it down to your expander plus .001-2 then polish it to what you need after heat treating.
 
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