Anybody on here cut their own dies?

[linebaugh]

I am building a wildcat from scratch and no dies that I am aware of will be availble to modify for my intended use. I know Whidden can help but I am onsidering ordering a second reamer for making a sizing die when I order my chamber reamer. Has anyone on here done this and how easy is the process?

Also for the bullet seating die I was planning to make a die with the chamber reamer. Is this a viable solution or should I be considering a different approach?

To start with I can cobble dies together for the intial forming, I assume, but will want some better dies when I get to the actual finished project.

Any thoughts or ideas on this would be greatly appreciated.
This is a simpleish straight wall case or possibly with a slight taper btw so hopefully less complicated than a bottleneck. As simple as it seems at first blush I am still undertaking a complete wildcat so it is going to be a lot of thinking to get to a finished product.

Thanks for any guidance.

 

[butchlambert]

I use the chambering reamer to make the seating die and spec'd a sizing reamer based on the chambering die. What works for me is .oo3 smaller at the base and .oo2 smaller at the shoulder on the sizing die and set it up for neck bushings.

 

[RCE1]

A lot of people buy Newlon die bodies in the correct bore, then use a chamber reamer to cut the die.

 

[Tucker65]

Newlon die blanks is what use. Had a resize reamer made along with my chamber reamer. On the resize reamer I had H&M Nitride treat it for me. The micrometer seater is just finished how they come from Newlon.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Newlon die blanks is what use. Had a resize reamer made along with my chamber reamer. On the resize reamer I had H&M Nitride treat it for me. The micrometer seater is just finished how they come from Newlon.

View attachment 1470801View attachment 1470802

I've been wanting to try that process but never have. Thought I might just use a stainless bbl drop and have it nitrided, if that works well. Does the nitride work well and how much smaller is your sizing reamer vs chamber reamer. Do you need to account for anything in the size with the melonite process. I would think not but asking to be sure. Also, have you done them in smaller calibers, like a ppc or br case, as that more along the lines of what I have in mind and I'm sure the exact numbers are likely different for a 338 Lapua vs either of those. TIA!--Mike

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Have you tried the neck sizer, body die, mandrel route? Often works well until you can send formed brass away for a custom die.

 

[butchlambert]

I've been wanting to try that process but never have. Thought I might just use a stainless bbl drop and have it nitrided, if that works well. Does the nitride work well and how much smaller is your sizing reamer vs chamber reamer. Do you need to account for anything in the size with the melonite process. I would think not but asking to be sure. Also, have you done them in smaller calibers, like a ppc or br case, as that more along the lines of what I have in mind and I'm sure the exact numbers are likely different for a 338 Lapua vs either of those. TIA!--Mike

Mike, I may have some die blanks.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Mike, I may have some die blanks.

Thanks Butch but I'm mainly interested in the melonite aspect. Any details on surface finish prior to and/or any dimensional change that needs to be accounted for when meloniting? I assume, maybe wrongly, that 416 stainless will work for the die if melonited. It seems like it might be a good way to go for making your own sizing dies but that's why I'm asking, as I haven't done any this way and just curious.

 

[Tucker65]

Thanks Butch but I'm mainly interested in the melonite aspect. Any details on surface finish prior to and/or any dimensional change that needs to be accounted for when meloniting? I assume, maybe wrongly, that 416 stainless will work for the die if melonited. It seems like it might be a good way to go for making your own sizing dies but that's why I'm asking, as I haven't done any this way and just curious.

The Nitride process doesn't change the dimensions of the part. Stainless or steel die blanks can be used from what I've been told. I polished my blank before sending it in for Nitride and after treatment I gave it a good cleaning and polished the inside again.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

The Nitride process doesn't change the dimensions of the part. Stainless or steel die blanks can be used from what I've been told. I polished my blank before sending it in for Nitride and after treatment I gave it a good cleaning and polished the inside again.

Thought so but thought I'd ask. Thank you!--M

 

[DaveTooley]

First you have to make the chamber large enough that making the FL die is easier. It's not the time to get cute with small numbers. +.004" min over virgin brass. FL die -.0035" on the base and -.004" on the shoulder from the finish reamer has always worked for me.

 

[butchlambert]

Thanks Butch but I'm mainly interested in the melonite aspect. Any details on surface finish prior to and/or any dimensional change that needs to be accounted for when meloniting? I assume, maybe wrongly, that 416 stainless will work for the die if melonited. It seems like it might be a good way to go for making your own sizing dies but that's why I'm asking, as I haven't done any this way and just curious.

Thought so but thought I'd ask. Thank you!--M

Melonite is great on sizing dies.