horsefly,
I'm interested in the expander plug that you use. Have you relieved the area behind the nose so that only a short section of the expander plug is working to open up the case mouth? If so, how much smaller is the relieved area? And how much working length is left on the expander plug?
This sounds like something even I could do. :shock:
Keep on hav'n fun!
bullet runout
-
horsefly
- Posts: 265
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 8:59 pm
- Location: West Texas
Good Morning, MikeT;
You have the idea. The only critical dimension is the expander part itself. It is a ring about 0.050 at the end of the part. The area behind is relieved five or six thousandths and I put about a 45 degree bevel on the end to guide the case.
I just use a three inch bolt or (preferably) socket head cap screw with threads to fit the die (mostly Lyman M-die bodies). Stick the threaded end in the lathe, turn off the head and leave about an inch and a half of threads. Turn the rest to rough diameter, make the relief cuts and finish the remaining ring with a stone or paper. Then make a screw driver slot in the threaded end.
It really is an easy project and for a few bucks you can have a whole box full of expanders of whatever diameter you want.
Y'all be good.
horsefly
You have the idea. The only critical dimension is the expander part itself. It is a ring about 0.050 at the end of the part. The area behind is relieved five or six thousandths and I put about a 45 degree bevel on the end to guide the case.
I just use a three inch bolt or (preferably) socket head cap screw with threads to fit the die (mostly Lyman M-die bodies). Stick the threaded end in the lathe, turn off the head and leave about an inch and a half of threads. Turn the rest to rough diameter, make the relief cuts and finish the remaining ring with a stone or paper. Then make a screw driver slot in the threaded end.
It really is an easy project and for a few bucks you can have a whole box full of expanders of whatever diameter you want.
Y'all be good.
horsefly
