Adjusting a case sizing die

[Kevin Stenberg]

I have been thinking about getting an all steel sizing die and reaming the sizing portion of the die to make it closer to my cylinders dia. I shoot a RRH & S&W 629 44 mag.
How long is the sizing length inside most pistol die sets?
I was thinking of doing the dia. change in the same way I change a lee bullet sizing die. A dowel wrapped in 1000 grit paper wetted with water. inserted into the die. Then roll the die on your leg to sand only in one spot at a time.
I figured a carbide die would be too hard to change the dia. of.
From all of your experiances am I off base in what I want to do? I don't have a lathe unless I bring it to a local machine shop.

 

[Ian]

Neck size them and segregate brass between the two revolvers.

I prefer old, worn, steel dies for FL sizing revolver and other straight-wall cartridges so a minimum of case "body" resizing occurs.

 

[fiver]

steel dies are actually tapered.
the carbide dies use a ring that sizes the case to one size.
I have heard of a brand that uses 2 carbide inserts to size the top and bottom to 2 different sizes, but don't remember who makes them. [redding maybe?]

just backing out a steel die will decrease the amount it sizes the case [to a point] I have used them to 'neck size' and to adjust the neck tension for some of my revolvers.
I think your plan is pretty solid but would take a little bit of time to accomplish.
you might think about drilling the primer pocket out of a couple of fired cases, inserting a bolt with a nut on the bottom.
and cutting them off to make a lap that works on only part of the die at a time.

 

[RBHarter]

A "fix" that I stepped in for the sloppy fat chamber in a 45 Colts 92' Rosschester was to use a gutted Lee 45 ACP FCD it leaves the brass about .481 . You might be able to do the same with a Lee FCD for the 44 .

Another possibility is to try a Savage,x57 or 06' family die just to serve as a neck die . I haven't checked dimensions to see if there is a particular cartridge that comes closer than others .

 

[Ian]

Excellent solution, RBH. Mine was to modify 7.62x54R brass (cut, trim, turn rim, cut extractor groove) and resize in a cut-down .45/70 die. Real PITA without a lathe.

 

[RBHarter]

I made some 32 Remington from 32 Winchester Special etc I feel the pride. All you have to do is turn off the rim and add the groove. Nope no where near as easy done as said.