Made a Plug

[Gary]

Similar to a NOE expander plug for my 30 cal brass. Putting a .312 cylinder of Lead into a sized 30-06 piece of brass is no longer a problem.

 

[Todd M]

How many thousandths over do you have to make it to end up with .312 brass ID?

 

[Gary]

Todd; I cut filed and sanded it down to .313. Made the business end ( the expander part) extra long cause the other two I made were to short.

 

[Todd M]

Perfect thanks! Was just wondering about spring back.

 

[Ian]

Yep. What steel did you use? I don't know how I made anything work before I bought a lathe. Oh, yes I do....spent oodles of money on stuff that was "close" and customized it with a drill press and files/sandpaper.

 

[Gary]

Got the steel bar from a master welder ( he TIG welds mostly Aluminum for Boeing), next time I see him I'll ask. It cuts really well/easy and shines like Silver. I've been using it for pins, ect. and it doesn't seem to rust.

 

[Ian]

Probably some kind of chrome-moly or even SS. I've been making mine out of SS mainly because I have a bunch of it about the right size and it is very slick compared to 4130 or 1030 that I've tried in the past. Over time the SS is very consistent and doesn't start to gall up if not lubricated. I don't like lubricating inside of case necks when using my PTE spuds because powder will sometimes bridge in the case neck. Only downside to 303 is it is rough on drills.

 

[Brad]

I have used a variety of steel for items like that. Today I would probably use 1144 by choice. Easy to machine, reasonable in price, and it will polish up easily.

 

[JWFilips]

I hand made a few M die style spuds maybe 4 over the years mostly for my worn out mil surps...These were done in a drill press with files and emory and carborundum papers The hardest part for me was to reduce the "to be thread section" so I could thread it for the 10-32 thread with normal threading dies......Just a lot of work but impossible to buy! They all work