Custom made reloading dies self made

[ellisprelli]

Hello boys,
Ive been thinking about making me a reloading dies, similar to Wilson and other HQ reloading dies.
Do you have some instructions or guide/drawings/material guide and etc. for this topic?
I have seen dies like this by the BR shooters and I'm interested to try making me one set.

thanks
EG Iceland

 

[Preacher]

You will need 2 reamers for this project, one for resizing the case and another for seating the bullets..
1 reamer will not do both jobs...
Not any harder to do than cutting a chamber.
100% set up on no runout is the key to a great die....

 

[ellisprelli]

OK thanks... any resources books links etc. ?
I have fitted few barrels this is the next thing I want to try 8)

 

[Nomo4me]

You might take as a first step ordering some reamers and Newlon precision die bodies. Newlon makes good stuff with pilot holes already drilled.

 

[JohnMill]

See if you can find someone to copy Bob Brackney's step by step instruction for making the set. He went so far as to tell you what steel to get and how to heat treat it. Now that was b4 Newlon die blanks and the heat treating services offered (I think) on both sides of the country. I'd start with Brackney his own self and I would offer money bout the first words out of my mouth. He does this stuff for a living . Not saying you wouldn't .
I could find out what issue of what magazine for you as I've got the index

 

[jscandale]

I make mine out of 1144 stress proof or 416 SS. First bore a pilot hole, then bore to size of the reamer bushing, cutoff then turn between centers with a drive dog, thread and chamber. Bore the other end with a drill, chucking reamer and finish the bottom of the hole with a .500 jig bore reamer to accept Redding bushings and that's it.

JS

 

[JohnMill]

JS,
Do you then heat treat them? I've heard it both ways recently at the Williamsport BR School and still am not sure which way is best or why.

Thanks John

 

[jscandale]

No heat treatment. The die will last a long time if you make a practice of running clean brass through them. Dirt and carbon a tough on any die.

JS

 

[JohnMill]

OK thanks.
Just a note. I was set to make dies for 6BRX and 6mmSuper LR, using Newlon blanks for press dies and Wilson blanks for hand dies (seaters). Now I have both sizers from Whitley (Redding bushing/ shoulder bump) www.6mmar.com. I will still make the seaters as I prefer the arbor press for target rounds.

Thanks for the info

John

 

[jscandale]

Good luck!

JS

 

[butchlambert]

I would not suggest boring and reaming the bushing hole to .500. The bushing needs to float both side to side and vertically. Case hardened or heat treated dies are much slicker and don't embed with trash that will scratch your dies.
Butch

 

[jscandale]

I would not suggest boring and reaming the bushing hole to .500. The bushing needs to float both side to side and vertically. Case hardened or heat treated dies are much slicker and don't embed with trash that will scratch your dies.
Butch

If that works for you, great. This works for me though. When the whole die body is turned between centers, there is no need for a few thousants of float in the bushing. Plus, a .500 reamer usually makes a hole about .5005 which is enough float to ensure no binding.

JS

 

[butchlambert]

Think about it jscan, you turn and thread between centers. How tight are the threads when you screw it into the press. How square is your press and the ram to your press. You have a stack of tolerance. Do you ever wonder or ask why some of the better shooters use the Forster co-axial press? Check it out. It allows the die to float.
By the way, what dimension and type of boring bar do you use to bore the bushing hole?
Thanks Butch

 

[jscandale]

Well Butch,
Modestly, I would actually consider myself "some of the better shooters" (high-power, not bench rest) as I have several state and national trophies under my belt. I do in fact use a Bonanza Co-Ax press in addition to a Dillon 650. Like I said, my method is tried and trued, but I'm not selling anything here and I do realize that there is always more than one way to skin a cat.
To answer your question about boring, I indicate the center and single point bore the hole to around .480 then ream to size with a .500 chucking reamer then finish off the bottom of the hole with a jig bore reamer. The end result is just fantastic. If you like, you could use a .510 reamer and a .510 jig bore reamer for additional float if you prefer additional float. I certain don't see the harm in it.

Thanks,
JS

 

[butchlambert]

This has nothing to do with your shooting ability. What size boring bar do you use to bore the pilot hole that your reamer bushing will follow when you ream the chamber in your die?

Butch

 

[jscandale]

The pilot hole is made with a 1/4" twist drill then opened enough to use a boring tool that I ground out of a piece of tool steel. Nothing fancy.

JS

 

[CentrePunch]

Like JS,
I bore my bushing recesses with very little clearance probably .001" also using a boring tool ground from a piece of HSS.
However my dies are home made wilson type cut with the same reamer used for my chamber.
All turning is done in a Tru-grip collet chuck indexed to "0" on my .0001" DTI so there are no concentricity issues

Ian.

 

[jscandale]

Ian,

I have found that a jig bore reamer does an excellent job on finish boring the bushing die hole. All you really have to do is start the half inch bore about .100" and go the rest of the way with the jig bore reamer until the indicator reads the desired depth. It's one of my favorite machine tools in the box.

JS

 

[CentrePunch]

JS,
How do you eliminate getting a chamfer in the bottom of the bush recess?
Surely your jig bore reamer has a small angled lead?

Ian.

 

[jscandale]

JS,
How do you eliminate getting a chamfer in the bottom of the bush recess?
Surely your jig bore reamer has a small angled lead?

Ian.

That is actually the sole purpose of the jig bore reamer, to cut a flat bottom hole to exact diameter. You first have to get the hole started with a twist drill or boring bar. If you do an internet search for a jig bore reamer, you'll end up scratching your head a lot like I did. I got mine from a good friend who is a long time tool and die maker. I have talked to Dave Kiff about them and he does make them. You'll never find one in the MSC catalog either. It looks like an end mill but only cuts on the face and not on the flute. If you by one, you'll have it the rest of your life.

JS