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Link Posted: 4/8/2013 10:24:08 AM EDT
[#1]
Progressive press tip: Put another lock nut on the underside of your sizing die. It's the only one that has enough threads beneath the toolhead and it's the only one that gets worked enough to come loose anyway.


re: rusting dies

Some of my dies rusted even though I live in the desert. It came off easily with a wire brush and solvent. I sprayed silicone spray on them and wrapped the unused toolheads in plastic.


re: Factory Crimp Die

Why? All that is neccessary is to remove flare from the case mouth with a taper crimp die, such that loaded rounds drop into the case gauge. Pistol case lengths, untrimmed by their nature, will vary so you will have to set up to taper crimp the shortest case you will encounter.
Link Posted: 4/8/2013 11:19:53 AM EDT
[#2]
Just noticed this thread.  I used to reload for my dad some 30-odd years ago, and I'm trying to get back to it for myself now.  There are a lot of things I guess I've forgotten.

Recently got a SIG in .40 S&W and I want to reload for that.  I've read all the threads where people have been blowing up their guns, and I intend to load some pretty mild loads.

Dug out my dad's Lachmiller press, and bought some Lee Precision dies for .40.  Decapped and resized 50 rounds last night, seems to be as I recall.

BUT -- this die set has four dies, not three -- so I'm a bit confused.Resizing die is the same, and there is a die to flare the mouth of the case so you can drop a bullet in -- but it seems to be awfully easy to flare the mouth so much that a bullet will FALL in all the way to the powder charge!  How to prevent that?

And this set expects me to pour my powder THROUGH that same die into the case.  Not sure I'm going to do that.

Next, the set has a bullet seating die.  That's simple enough.

Finally, the crimping die.  Guess I didn't use one with the.270.  How do I set the crimping die?  Surely one shouldn't just crimp the round as hard as possible???
Link Posted: 4/8/2013 1:28:02 PM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
Quoted:
My cousin is setting up a tool head on his 650 to deprime, size/trim (1200 trimmer) and neck size with an M die.

He was setting up the M die and was getting a belling on the case mouth that would open to the point that the brass couldn't fit back into the case gauge.  He stated that the instructions included were less than adequate and called me to see what I thought.  As I don't have any experiece with that die, I was unable to provide any advice.

What is the best way to set up an M die?


I can do better than that. I'll share how I tuned my XL650 tool head. First die to install is Dillon trim die, then sizer/decap die, followed with Lyman M die. I use an M die to lightly flare case mouth by 0.002 over sized case mouth diameter. Once this is done, brass won't case gage in an L.E. Wilson case gage because of flare, just makes sense that it won't.

Setting XL650 tool head for size, trim, M die in the sequence I set dies.

1.) Install Dillon trim die in station # 3. Run die down until brass will case gage using either Dillon or Wilson gage. I use Wilson and by the way, my gages are rust free. When set, secure lock nut. To keep trimmer from "torquing" trim die out secure trim die with another lock nut from under tool head. I use a Lee lock ring. Most use Hornady lock ring, which ever, one works as well as the other for me.

2.) Install RL1200 trimmer. I load a trimmed to my desired trim height bottlenecked brass. My preference for .223 is 1.750. Load trimmed brass in shellplate and extend ram. Then back locking nut off trimmer and run trimmer down until trim blade touches brass. Secure lock nut. Adjust as needed. I cheated a bit last time I set mine. I ran trimmer down until blade touched brass, lowered ram and loaded an untrimmed, but previously sized piece of brass, turned trimmer on while securing with one hand and extending ram with the other. This was an up, down, on and off flip of trimmer switch until trim height was dialed.
Then I secured lock nut. Better have a good grip on the trimmer is my advice.

3.) I have a Dillon carbide sizer in station one. After setting trim die and trimmer I extend ram with trimmed brass loaded in trim die. That done I run down sizer die until base firmly touches shellplate and secure lock nut.

4. With stations one and three loaded, ram extended I set M die to bell 0.002 over sized case mouth diameter.

Now you're set to load 2nd tool head with Lee Universal decapper. Suggest to your friend that he either case gages occasionally at station four or move M die to second tool head.

Not everyone will agree with this method. This is my method for my operation. We set the bar for standards within our operations. Anticipating an antagonistic  response or three I'm going to say a few things. I don't worry with work hardening brass seeings I anneal every other firing. For those who don't anneal your first pass will be different than mine. Instead of questioning my method, explain your own method and reasoning but whatever you do don't poison this thread. You do and you might feel some teeth where a door might swing. Keep it upbeat and constructive, please.

dc.


No it doesn't make sense.....

The LE Wilson rifle case gauge is cut to accept a fired case without resistance(.254" neck ID), so a resized case with only .002" flair(~.248" at the flair) should fit back into the case gauge with no problems after being sized and flared, if it doesn't you're not doing something right.

EWP
Link Posted: 4/8/2013 6:31:57 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
Just noticed this thread.  I used to reload for my dad some 30-odd years ago, and I'm trying to get back to it for myself now.  There are a lot of things I guess I've forgotten.

Recently got a SIG in .40 S&W and I want to reload for that.  I've read all the threads where people have been blowing up their guns, and I intend to load some pretty mild loads.

Dug out my dad's Lachmiller press, and bought some Lee Precision dies for .40.  Decapped and resized 50 rounds last night, seems to be as I recall.

BUT -- this die set has four dies, not three -- so I'm a bit confused.Resizing die is the same, and there is a die to flare the mouth of the case so you can drop a bullet in -- but it seems to be awfully easy to flare the mouth so much that a bullet will FALL in all the way to the powder charge!  How to prevent that?

And this set expects me to pour my powder THROUGH that same die into the case.  Not sure I'm going to do that.

Next, the set has a bullet seating die.  That's simple enough.

Finally, the crimping die.  Guess I didn't use one with the.270.  How do I set the crimping die?  Surely one shouldn't just crimp the round as hard as possible???




Even if you flair the case mouth too much the bullet shouldn't be able to drop all the way into the case unless the case wasn't sized correctly to start with.

To set your flair die put a resized case in the press and raise the ram, now screw the expander die down until it touches the case mouth, lower the ram and turn the die down an additional 1/2 turn and you should be very close, adjust down as need for the bullet to just start in the case.

If the bullet still drops completely into the case after adjusting your expander die then the case isn't being sized correctly.

To set the crimp die screw it in the press until it contacts the shell holder and set the lock ring, with the adjustment stem backed all the way out insert a loaded round into the shell holder and raise the ram, now screw the adjustment stem down until it comes in contact with the case mouth, lower the ram and screw the adjustment stem down an extra 1/4 to 1/2 turn and you should be set. You can measure the case mouth to see if the flair was completely removed by the crimp, if not adjust the crimp down until the flair is completely removed and your done.

EWP
Link Posted: 4/9/2013 4:41:35 AM EDT
[#5]
Thanks for the info, EWP.  Now if I could only find some primers, powder, and bullets I'd be all set!
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