Making 310 dies

[Intheshop]

I put a WTB add in for needed 38 sp seater die.

But,am starting twds just making it instead. Anything special about seaters? Well fitted stem to bullet,keep the die straight as possible,threaded stem to match original if possible?

Got all the other 38sp dies and shell holder,just missing seater. Trying to get a NIB Tru Line turret press up and running.

 

[Ian]

Don't forget the crimp shoulder? Should just be common-sense dimensional lathe work, make the internals and the stem/jam nut any way that is convenient. If you had a .38 revolver cylinder reamer you could probably do the whole inside and crimp shoulder just with that and a little polish.

 

[Charles Graff]

The threads on the 310 dies are some odd old obsolete french threads and there is nothing commercialy available to match. Whether or not a lathe will cut such threads is unknown to me. 38 Spl is a common die and you should be able to pick up an orphan die on Ebay. I keep a RN seating stem and turn another dead flat. A flat seating stem will give good alightment on any bullet with a flat place on the nose.

 

[KeithB]

What is the thread spec on 310 dies?

 

[Paul Gauthier]

I think I would start with a Lee die, turn it down and rethread it.

 

[Pistolero]

I think I remember 5/8"-32, maybe 5/8-36, but wouldn't bet much on it. A thread gauge will tell the story in
a jiffy.

Thread gauge is not handy, but a bit of caliper work indicates 5/8-33. But, need to verify with a thread gauge,
if it has "33" on it! Tried a 6/32 screw and it is very close, but NOT 32 TPI. I am betting on 5/8-33.
Definitely screwy.....pun intended.

Bill

 

[KeithB]

Just wondering if it would be worth it to make up a few threaded blanks to add to the inventory...

 

[Pistolero]

The issue is chucking it up and doing the internal work without buggering the threads.
Probably would do the insides first then thread, if I was making it all myself, for that reason.
I suspect I would be setting up my external gears to thread this oddball, too. I seriously doubt
that 33 TPI is in my QC box.

Bill

 

[fiver]

you could probably make a blank collar to protect them.

 

[Pistolero]

Close - thought it was a seater, but looking at the second picture, it is an expander. Could be
converted, but maybe not to crimp, too.

Check our eBay item #
173838678283

Bill

 

[Pistolero]

It would have to be slit to be able to squish down and grab, or maybe have a locking
ring/nut. Might not be real concentric that way, but probably close enough.

But 33 TPI is going to be somewhat of a PITA to deal with.

Bill

 

[KeithB]

33 TPI? You're jerking me around. Really? What a PITA! That doesn't translate into anything, English or metric. No problem with CNC but on a gear driven machine that could darned near be impossible to make.

I use threaded 5C collets that I make from emergency (blank) collets to hold threaded parts concentric to OD threads. No thread damage that way but a little more trouble to make. With all the different ways to use a 5C collet in lathes and mills it's worth considering if you plan to do much work.

Of course if you stick the whole die out of the chuck so you can work on the OD and ID and then cutoff all in one setup that would keep things concentric.

 

[Ian]

According to the 310 page the thread pitch is 30 for all three possible diameters.

 

[KeithB]

30 is maybe better if you have a geared machine.

 

[Pistolero]

OK, good. I could tell that the pitch was slightly different than the 6-32 screw, but I got it the wrong
way, slightly coarser, rather than slightly finer. And way easier to make than 33 would be. But, hey, after
recently making a number of 1/2-27 star punches.......you get used to the early gun stuff being very
strange threads. But of course, not any standard thread.

Bill

 

[Intheshop]

Found a set of Lee carbide,3 die set that will be the donors..... 20$ to the door.

Something is going to happen,one way or another......

May just punch out the turret to 7/8" and forget the whole 310 thing?

 

[Rootmanslim]

5/8x30. Tons of them on Ebay. I started loading in 1956 with a TruLine. It worked but I don't miss it a bit. My 3 Redding turrets are so superior ----- no contest.

 

[fiver]

you'd want to line bore the new holes from the bottom so they line up with the ram.

 

[Pistolero]

I wonder if you can cut the carbide sizer down to 5/8 without the carbide falling out....if you intend to. Maybe
just cutting down the seater, which should work.

 

[Intheshop]

Am looking for stock to make a new turret.

I can make a new one "probably" faster than setting up to punch out existing holes..... which if you look at pics online,the factory turret is too small of diameter ( for my tastes) to run the bigger holes.

And Pistolero,your last post basically ripped a page out of my thought process.....