Lee powder-thru, benchrest rifle expanding die.

[Ian]

Something like that. Most of you know how much of a Forster Benchrest seating die fan I am, and how much I prefer case-actuated charging dies. So have wanted to combine the concept of a charging die, neck expanding/bellmouth die, and the sliding-sleeve alignment system into one die for some time now, so today was the day.

In an effort to save time and energy I started out with a basic Lee rifle charging die body (the long one) and did my engineering based on that. First caliber is .30-30 because I already have a chambering reamer.

After figuring out the travel dimension of the Lee powder measures and the depth of the powder-thru spuds, I turned, drilled, and reamed a sliding sleeve with a shoulder at the top to guide the case. I bored the neck part of the sleeve to .345" to allow the belled mouth to pass back through.

I still have to make the actual PTE spud to work with this setup, but that takes a few hours and will have to wait.

Here's where I am now:

 

[fiver]

nice.
but the title had me laughing for 5 minutes before I opened the thread.

 

[Ian]

Yes, there was just a hint of sarcasm in there. But fortunately the die body's two inside diameters are pretty much dead-on concentric with each other and that was the only real requirement for this to work. I've made sure the pieces I produce will be close-tolerance and concentric.

 

[Ian]

Just got finished with the 303 SS powder-thru expanding spud and it verks!!!!

This thing is positively fanfreakintastic. I wish Lee would make these, it's just two more parts.

 

[waco]

Sweet!

 

[Spindrift]

Wow. Brilliant idea, excellent execution!
If I understand correctly, no changes to the die body itself was necessary, «only» adding the spud and sleeve?

 

[Bret4207]

Okay, Luddite here. I figure it might have something to do with a progressive press? What does it do?

 

[Wasalmonslayer]

That is a fantastic idea and job well done Ian!

I have made a couple for pistols now I am off to draw up some rifle ones.
I have been doing this in two steps first was expand with the noe m style spud then charge with the rifle charge die.
One step would make it to where I could do a loaded round on my classic cast turret without pre size the brass.

 

[fiver]

Bret it flairs the case mouth, opens the neck, and dumps the powder in the case.
the case is held by that sleeve in alignment with the neck sizer stuff so all the cases get the same treatment.
if you want to change the ID of the neck just throw in another spud.
want to change to 308,, just swap in another sleeve.

 

[Ian]

Yep.

Here's the setup: Put a case in the shellholder, pull the handle to resize. Dispense a primer in the cup while holding the case in compression. Prime on the downstroke. Expand, bellmouth, and charge powder. Grab a bullet while indexing to the next station, place bullet and seat with the Forster die. Index to either roll crimp or factory crimp die and crimp the case mouth. Index to sizing station, swap loaded cartridge for empty from the case lubing pad and and repeat.

 

[Bret4207]

Learn something new every day! Thanks for the explanation!

 

[Ian]

Bret, this all kinda started way back here https://www.artfulbullet.com/index.php?threads/lets-make-a-better-expanding-die.3597/

Been mulling over an cheap, practical solution ever since. Pretty sure I got it squared away now.

 

[Tomme boy]

One of Forster's tool and die makers is the person that got me into accurate rifles and reloading. He did all of my reloading at first. He built me a Mauser in 243win. He used a barrel he said that they had laying around. It would shoot 2" groups at 400 yds. One of the rifles I wish I never sold. He is gone and missed.