Making neck sizer dies

[WayneShaw]

Mr. Seaman I think you would do well and back away quietly while you can and save face.

 

[jfseaman]

Mr. Seaman I think you would do well and back away quietly while you can and save face.

You have declared your intentions to be confrontational or attempt discredit me as a form of revenge. Attack away.

 

[Eddie Harren]

@butchlambert and @Eddie Harren probably meant to provide information by neglected to.

I'll take a stab at what I think they might have said:

• "A note about unhardened dies, if you don't clean them, dirt and debris can collect and embed in the surface. This may cause vertical scratching of the brass. So, I suggest cleaning and checking your unhardened dies frequently or harden them per instructions provided by the die blank maker or steel provider."

• "After reaming your dies, be sure to chamfer and polish the die mouth. Failure to do this will make your die a brass razor (LOL)."

You needn't put words in my mouth.( I never mentioned either of these subjects) You're doing just fine on your own.

 

[jfseaman]

Your words made it seem that it was unquestionable that unhardened dies inherently cause scratching that destroys the brass.

..What I and others have experienced is a light linear scratching that resembles a light frosted surface. It does no real harm and will work. The other thing I felt was the sizing effort was more on the unhardened die than the same die that was hardened or melonited...

As for more effort on hardened vs. unhardened. That is logical and follows physics.

So after talking about scratching, now it is frosting and of no consequence. Are goading people into arguing with you?

 

[WSnyder]

Not at all. I believe my term "scratches" got inflated from what I intended and I clarified.

I didn't say it was of no consequence, if it was no consequence why would I cease using unhardened dies and go to the trouble of hardening them or meloniting them? I said it will work but "I" feel it's not optimal. My opinion not fact. Take it for what you want.

Have I said anything argumentative? I believe I only asked you for additional information as I am always curious as to what others say works for them.

 

[jfseaman]

Not at all. I believe my term "scratches" got inflated from what I intended and I clarified.

Have I said anything argumentative? I believe I only asked you for additional information as I am always curious as to what others say works for them.

No problem then.

 

[WayneShaw]

You have declared your intentions to be confrontational or attempt discredit me as a form of revenge. Attack away.

Confrontational? Discredit? Attack? You are nutz. I just said you should give up and save face, cause you are dealing with a couple very experienced and respected gun people.

 

[jfseaman]

Confrontational? Discredit? Attack? You are nutz. I just said you should give up and save face, cause you are dealing with a couple very experienced and respected gun people.

Hmm.

 

[RonS]

Hogpatrol, thanks for the tip. I looked on Midway's site and somehow missed that one. This is the reason, when in doubt I turn to accurateshooter....

 

[hoz53]

There are of course many steel recipes that could be used. PTG die blanks are 4140, "Barrel Steel" or "Ordnance Steel". I use old barrels and barrel cut-offs to make lots of the inserts. I order rod for expanders from http://www.onlinemetals.com/ For experiments I might use some 1020 cold rolled from the hardware store.

If things get really serious I'll get some stainless. Which one depends on what I am doing.

I also like O1 tool steel. I make firing pins for mid 1800's guns from this when needed. Hardening is simple heat and oil quench.

Thanks jf seaman and Hog for answering the question about the steel.