Author Topic: New dies ordered. (Read 1354 times)

Donna · « **on:** May 17, 2004, 10:01:08 PM »

Hello all,

Just sent off a die set order in 6.5mm to Richard Corbin. Forgot how expensive dies can be. But I tend on having lots of fun when I get them. There for a 260 Remington that Im having built on an XP-100 mid grip laminated wood stock with a Krieger tube for pistol metallic silhouette shooting out to 200 meters and later out to 500 meters maybe. Im going to employ a S-20 offset secant ogive that equals a radius of .5 deviation. Thats the Rt / R = 0.5, where Rt is the radius of a tangent ogive nose whose length is the same as the actual nose. This was discussed in another thread but unfortunately I cannot find it right now, Ill keep looking.

Donna :wink:

talon · « **Reply #1 on:** May 18, 2004, 03:23:31 AM »

That's a very pointy bullet!! do you intend to have a FMJ, or a very small open tip? The ejection pin (punch) for a bullet with such a fine tip must be of a special type. How will it work?

Donna · « **Reply #2 on:** May 18, 2004, 03:47:59 PM »

Hello Talon,

The offset makes the actual nose length about 1/2 the length of the S-20 tangent. It will be an open tip but I have a trick to get around the especially small ejection pin. My ejection pin will be 0.060 inch but Im getting a lead tip-forming die too to gently close up the open tip ever so slightly. Problem solved. Im already doing the same thing on my .224 die set. The open tip closes up just like it was a FMJ except its a Total Metal Jacket (TMJ). Nice little trick a?

Donna :wink:

talon · « **Reply #3 on:** May 19, 2004, 08:03:11 AM »

Using the LT die/punch to close up the jacketed point is risky and generally not recommended because you chance damaging the punch face. But, you've been doing it for sometime with your 224 set and obviously have experienced no damage. Could this be because the .22 cal jackets were very thin walled? Are you sure you can do it with heavier jackets, especially considering the standing recommendation? Because Richard is building that punch, have you asked him what he thinks? I ask this because I'd like to do the same thing you are doing, especially when using light cores that sit well down in the jacket.

Clint Starke · « **Reply #4 on:** May 19, 2004, 04:14:35 PM »

Donna, I did that for years with 6mm and .30 bullets. I'd overpoint the the bullet in the point die just a bit, and then close up the point with the LT die. Works great. In a Hydro press, I'd raise the ram to it's uppermost point with the LT die, then drop in a bullet and screw the LT punch down by hand until the point was where it needed to be, then lock down the punch holder. Worked with both J4 and Sierra jackets

C.S.

Donna · « **Reply #5 on:** May 19, 2004, 09:35:22 PM »

Talon-

It should not be a problem as Clint said. But if you have any doubts you could have Richard case harden the LT punch. But it really takes very little pressure to close an unsupported open tip and because it is unsupported you must be careful that you dont apply too much pressure causing the tip to collapse but its easy to adjust properly.

Clint-

And I thought I hit on a novel idea, oh well. LOL

Donna

talon · « **Reply #6 on:** May 20, 2004, 04:13:59 AM »

I'll give it a try. Just goes to show how versatile swaging is!!

Donna · « **Reply #7 on:** May 20, 2004, 01:00:56 PM »

It always brings a smile to my face talking to all you guys (and gals) on this forum.

Blessings to you all.
Donna :wink:

KEN · « **Reply #8 on:** August 18, 2004, 06:36:32 PM »

Hello Donna & All

I have been lurking on this forum for a while, reading all your comments ect on bullet swaging. And now would like to come out of the dark as so to speak, and start in the direction of swaging my own bullets.
And one of the calibres that I am interested in is a pointy 6.5 bullet also for target shooting.
After reading you comments I have settled on a RCE Walnut Hill press, and get Richard to me manufacture a set dies for me. With regards to your 6.5 bullet what weight will do you intend to make? Are they going to be RBT type? And the type of jackets that you will use. As I have several have several 6.5 calibre target rifles from 260 Remington to a 6.5-06 Ackley improved.
I hope you don't mind me asking questions, as I feel this is certainly away to get answers that I have before making mistakes.

Thanks for your help.

Ken Melgaard
In Australia

Donna · « **Reply #9 on:** August 18, 2004, 06:59:29 PM »

Hello Ken,

First off, let me welcome you to our Bullet Swaging Forum. Now to the fun business, you have made a fine selection on the Walnut Hill press. The weight that my die set should be able to make is 100-grain to 180-grains. Yes, they will be the RBT type and I am going to be using the Bergers J-4 jackets.

And NO, we do not mind questions here, ask away! :wink:

Donna

Smokin7mm · « **Reply #10 on:** August 19, 2004, 03:11:19 AM »

Donna, do you have a picture of a bullet you have closed the open tip using the LT die. I have been making 6.5mm BT for several years from a set of dies that Richard made for me that very closely duplicated the Sierra 142gr MK. The big difference is the size of the open tip. He tried a smaller ejection pin but kept bending them so had to go to the .060 pin. The bullet shoot very well as is ( I won the IHMSA WCC Unlimited Bigbore championship title the very first year I used them) but it would be nice to close the tip if feasable. Does the LT die have to be cut with the same reamer as the PF die? I had these dies made several years ago and he may not still have the reamer.
Bret

Rick Teal · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2004, 02:46:29 PM »

I understand that LT dies usually have a 1/2 calibre smaller ogive than the bullet you're making. This allows the surplus lead to be cut off by the jacket itself. Otherwise, the surplus lead would cake on the outside if the bullet jacket.

Donna · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2004, 09:51:19 PM »

Here is a pic of an open and closed tip. No, the LT die does not have to be cut with the same reamer. You can have the same or a different curvature to the LT die compared to the PF die either way it does not matter. The section of the tip that is affected is so small I dont think the bullet will know the difference.

The closed tip bullet is not bent it is an optical elusion. As you can tell the opening is closed off very well.

Whatever the base is of your bullet use that punch to support the base of your bullet.

Donna

Smokin7mm · « **Reply #13 on:** August 20, 2004, 03:04:26 AM »

The reason I asked (I do not have any TF dies) was a concern for the support of the bullets ogive while closing the tip. If too much pressure is applied could the bullets ogive bulge. Also, is it just a optical elusion or does the ogive change at the tip where your closed it? Thanks
Bret

Smokin7mm · « **Reply #14 on:** August 20, 2004, 03:06:35 AM »

Oops, sorry that should have read (I do not have any LT dies)

Donna · « **Reply #15 on:** August 24, 2004, 05:26:33 AM »

The support of the ogive is of concern too much pressure and you will cave or collapse the unsupported part of the ogive. I go to the point of just collapsing the ogive then back it off a little so that there is no collapsing. The LT die does have a slightly different radius than the PF die that part is not an optical elusion.

Donna