A 'delumping' die for 30BR cases

[AlNyhus]

Can you see a color change in the brass with that burner nozzle set-up? or are you relying on time only.

The time to reach the temp wanted (determined by Tempilaq). Different brands of brass can show quite different coloration at identical temps. -Al

 

[durand mortenson]

Next stop was a draw back of the cases. High tech stuff is pretty seductive. Try to not get all turned on by this setup.

If you're thinking about making up something like this delumper, don't get all hung up on run out numbers. The advantage this gives is managing the 'lump' so you can turn the necks in one pass and not struggle with the internal donut at the bottom of the neck.

Good shootin' -Al

As usual great photos...very instructive.

Mort

 

[JMayo]

@AlNyhus I'm interested in the long adjustment screw on that PMA great idea...
the allen wrench use sucks for me.
Do you think a hardware store has the right size?

 

[AlNyhus]

I'm interested in the long adjustment screw on that PMA great idea...the allen wrench use sucks for me.
Do you think a hardware store has the right size?

It makes a nice difference...at least for me. Besides a bigger wrench size, the length just lays between the thumb and index finger and lets the turner float a bit easier. The screw is a 32 thread pitch...either a 10-32 or a 12-32 I grabbed from Ace Hardware...bring your old one along to make sure. Flatten the end with a file so there's a good area to bear against cutter holder.

Hope this helps. -Al

 

[brcman]

Al- in your 1st post you referred toa 7BR "body" die, can you be more specific? Such as is it a F/L die with no provisions for a bushing?

Wayne

 

[BoydAllen]

Al- in your 1st post you referred toa 7BR "body" die, can you be more specific? Such as is it a F/L die with no provisions for a bushing?

Wayne

As far as I am aware, Redding is the only company to offer body dies. They only size up to the base of the neck (and may be set to bump the shoulder if needed) and the hole in the die above that part is a little larger than the neck of a fired case would be ,so as not to affect the diameter of the neck. I have a Redding body die for 6PPC that I have examined closely.

 

[AlNyhus]

Al- in your 1st post you referred toa 7BR "body" die, can you be more specific? Such as is it a F/L die with no provisions for a bushing?

Wayne

'Morning, Wayne. Here's the part number:

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You can also use a Redding 22BR or 6BR Body Die as the body portion is identical on all of them. With those, you could open up the neck with a smaller carbide bit to get through the hardening and then use a standard HSS .327 chucking reamer....no need for a stepped reamer.

Heck..a BR series non-bushing neck sizing die might even work. Or a standard seating die for the BR cases. You wouldn't have as much case support but that may or may not matter for what we're trying to accomplish.

Hope all is well with you, Wayne.

 

[nakneker]

Great thread. Some guys have the OCD/mad scientist gene in their DNA, always make me jealous. Nicely done.

 

[AlNyhus]

For what it's worth, I made a second die with one small change. Rather that going up in the die afterwards with a tapered stone to slightly smooth the neck/shoulder junction, I left that area sharp.

When you run a case up in that die, the 'lump' is just nicely shaved off by the sharp edge and ends up as a sliver of material around the upper shoulder. Actually works pretty slick. I'm sure after a while it will deburr itself from use. Or maybe not. I call the Veg-O-Matic die.

Another thing to mention is the importance of getting some lube on the inside of the shoulder area of a 6BR case before necking it up....around the corner of the bottom of the neck. If you just lube the inside of the 6mm neck, the shoulder area that forms the 'lump' when it's expanded will be dry and pull on the expander...which contributes to the necks coming out wonky. Imperial on a q-tip works great to go around the corner.

Nothing new for the guys that have been making these 30BR cases for.years but it might help if you're just getting started.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[brcman]

Thanks to Al and Boyd. I'm just rethinking what I have been doing.

 

[muleystalker]

Great writeup Al, I was wondering what the difference in the end result would be if you used this carbide cutter/turning pilot made by K&M? Is there an advantage to the way you did it, not trying to argue or anything I am just getting ready to make some 30BR brass and trying to learn any ins and outs already figured out by others who have been there already. The 30Br is a new cartridge for me. I know 21st Century makes an adapter for their turner to fit this pilot, not sure about PMA. Thanks for all the great info you post.

Dave

Carbide Cutting Pilots - K+M Precision Shooting Products

Carbide Cutting Pilots for use w/ our neck turning body has four cutting flutes used to remove the “dough-nut” at the inside neck wall and shoulder junction

kmshooting.com

 

[AlNyhus]

I was wondering what the difference in the end result would be if you used this carbide cutter/turning pilot made by K&M?

The K&M pilot is used by quite a few people I know as a combination mandrel and donut remover.

This die is more for dealing with the external 'lump' at the bottom of the case neck after it's mechanically expanded and straightening the neck. The necks can be turned in one pass rather than removing the 'lump' and then final turning the necks.

For reasons I don't fully understand, this method also minimizes the internal donut. By pin gage, there's right at .0005 (half a thou.) internal donut...and some show less than that. It's small enough that you can push the case on the .3060 carbide turning mandrel and not have it hang up at the bottom of the neck.

My good pal Randy Robinett has been making his 30BR cases using custom ($$$) fixed neck dimension full length sizing dies for years....hard to image how many cases he's made that way. This is just my dirt-clod way of duplicating that process using commonly available, inexpensive die options as a starting point.

Just my 2 cents worth over my first cup of Sulawesi..... -Al

 

[muleystalker]

The K&M pilot is used by quite a few people I know as a combination mandrel and donut remover.

This die is more for dealing with the external 'lump' at the bottom of the case neck after it's mechanically expanded and straightening the neck. The necks can be turned in one pass rather than removing the 'lump' and then final turning the necks.

For reasons I don't fully understand, this method also minimizes the internal donut. By pin gage, there's right at .0005 (half a thou.) internal donut...and some show less than that. It's small enough that you can push the case on the .3060 carbide turning mandrel and not have it hang up at the bottom of the neck.

My good pal Randy Robinett has been making his 30BR cases using custom ($$$) fixed neck dimension full length sizing dies for years....hard to image how many cases he's made that way. This is just my dirt-clod way of duplicating that process using commonly available, inexpensive die options as a starting point.

Just my 2 cents worth over my first cup of Sulawesi..... -Al

That is what I was looking for, makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the detailed explanation, very clear and concise as always, I appreciate it.


Dave,