New expander for 44 mag

[Ian]

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.

The Lee rifle charging die and universal expander die both have 5/8"x 18 threads and I've turned several expanders out of the scrap pieces of soft rod I mentioned a rew posts ago. It works just dandy if you already have the dies and don't have a lathe...but DO have a bench grinder and drill press. I used regular 5/8 fine thread nuts for locking in the spuds.

Brad, 1/2" x 18TPI is a bastard size, you'll have to make the expander and thread it to match and make a jam nut too if that's what you did on the die body. I was suggesting the 1/2x20 because you can just use regular bolts that are already threaded, just whack off the head and turn down the unthreaded shank for your spud. What would REALLY be useful is to make extra-fine threads, like 24 or 28 tpi, for finer adjustment. You could make a nut out of the top 1/4" of the die body (make it that much longer than normal to begin with) and part off the ring and maybe file a couple of flats on it for a wrench.

 

[Brad]

What I really need to do is get an internal threading tool and learn to single point cut those threads too. It would allow me to cut any thread I wanted instead of being limited by what tap I have or can find.
One thing I like about a 1/2 inch or larger thepread for the insert is that the expander portion is smaller than the thread and therefore I fan just start it in from the top, it is a bit asker than screwing it in from the bottom.
I need to look more at the body I made and see how the dimensions are gonna work out. I think I need to increase the depth of the counter bore where the case goes.

 

[Charles Graff]

The easy way is to pick up a used 44 Spl/Mag expanding die for the Lyman 310 too. They are marked an expand .429 and have the second larger "M" type step over the .429 part. They can be used in a bench press with the thread adapter. These sell for less than $10.00 on Ebay and are fairly common.

 

[Charles Graff]

The easy way is to pick up a used 44 Spl/Mag expanding die for the Lyman 310 too. They are marked and expand .429 and have the second larger "M" type step over the .429 part. They can be used in a bench press with the thread adapter. These sell for less than $10.00 on Ebay and are fairly common.

I use one and also have these in .452 and .454 for my various 45 caliber sixgun use. I also have them in .357 and .358 for 38 Spl./357 Mag use.

Since the shooters and handloaders sold their souls to those dreadful little yellow thingies, die makers make expanders for those gizmos which are often to small for softer cast bullet alloys that many of us like in our sixguns.

 

[Brad]

This is what I was talking about. I need to make a new one, this one is a bit undersized.
This won't work for anything much longer than a 44mag case but it certainly will do what I wanted.
Took less than an hour to make this and that I can live with.

 

[freebullet]

Long as your happy with it so am i.
Good work.

 

[Brad]

I need to make a different one for use in the 444 Marlin. The entire lathe operation is still a work in progress for me. I have gotten better but I still have mch to learn.

 

[freebullet]

Such is life.... I learned early on, never stop learning.

For as long as you've had a lathe I'd say your doing well.

Wouldn't mind seeing the next expander either.

 

[Brad]

It is started but I wasn't feeling it so I stopped. I learned that if not feeling it then nothing good is gonna happen.

 

[freebullet]

Been there.....

Better safe than sorry.

 

[Ian]

Brad, what if you bored and threaded a hole for a 1/4" bolt (head cut off) in the bottom of the spud and used it as an adjustable stop for the ram? You could put a jam nut on it to lock it in, and it would stop the ram on the case web, that way you could do you 444 brass without having to make a tall die body with an internal expander.

 

[Ian]

Here's a sketch:



If you don't want to deburr all your flash holes , just make a bigger stop punch (5/16") and cut a cup in the bottom so it doesn't squish the broached flash hole points back into the hole.

 

[Brad]

Never thought of that but it would work. You would also still be able to actually see the expander at work.
I may look at that

 

[MDF99]

I recently began using an aftermarket Dillon style expander for 45acp, it's dimensions are nearly identical to the 45acp Lyman M-die. It's made by Double Alpha. It works great. I believe they only have pistol calibers 9mm, 40 and 45 available. If one of you lathe smiths gets rolling on Dillon M style expanders I'd be very interested in them for my large bore revolvers if you decide to offer them for sale.

 

[Brad]

I am not even close to being ready to sell stuff. I have had my lathe for about 6 months and am still in a major learning phase having never run one before.

I will say that having a lathe has opened my eyes to potential new always of doing things.

 

[Brad]

Started on a different approach today. Got the expander spud and the die body made. Need to make the threaded rod that allows adjustment and thread the end to screw into the top if the spud. That will have to wait til after a haircut.


The spud is a bit longer than required but has enough taper to not touch the inside of the case below the base of the bullet. This length and taper will help make sure the spud enters the case mouth easily. The spud is tapped 1/4-28 on the top and will be threaded onto a 3/8-16 threaded rod that goes into a similar threaded hole in the top of the die body.

I haven't decided if I want to Locktite the spud onto the rod to keep it from coming off or not. If I do then the other end of the rod will get a simple slot filed in it to ease adjustment. If I leave the spud free to be removed I can turn a bit of a knob on the top of the rod. I can't do both or the rod will be captured in the die body and can't be swapped out for other expanders.

Thinking on it, leaving the spud free for removal makes the most sense. That is the easiest part to replicate for other calibers.

 

[Brad]

Learned a lesson the hard way today. Turned some 1/2-13 threads but they wouldn't thread into the tapped hole. Drove me nuts. Checked with a thread pitch guage and dang it, I cut 12 TPI, not 13. What the heck?
Oh, that little hear change. Yeah, it matters. A 26 tooth gear in place of the 24.

Almost got the thing done but I'm tired of it for now. 5 plus hours at the lathe is enough for one day. Remaking a part sorta takes the wind out of my sails.

 

[freebullet]

We are laughing with not at you. Hehehe

I can't tell you how many times I've went back to the drawing board when fabricating.

 

[Rick]

Don't worry Brad, that is guaranteed the very last time you forget to change the gears right up to the next time.

 

[Brad]

Yeah, I know. It will happen again, I'm sure of that.
Some lessons just need to be learned the hard way?

The concept is good, I'm just not sold on this being the way I want to go. I need to do some cogitating on the idea and see what comes to mind.