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View Full Version : The Lee "Universal Expander Die".......



BruceB
03-23-2006, 01:19 AM
....is NOT exactly "Universal".

I received this die yesterday in a hurry-up order from Midway....needed scope bases for that new .223 Whitworth Mini-Mauser, on which NOTHING ELSE is easy to jury-rig, apparently.

The die's concept looks just fine, since all the die really does is flare the case-neck to allow easy seating of cast boolits. However, the inside diameter of the die will not allow a .416 Rigby case to enter. Ergo, it ain't "Universal", and I'll have to continue using (no kidding!) my RCBS .30 Carbine expander die and the 'feel' method, at least for the .416 brass.

For anyone else, who's not crazy or warped enough to shoot a .416 Rigby, the die looks like it'll work just fine.

Lee
03-23-2006, 01:40 AM
I've seen the ads, never bit on one(yet). Would I presume that it is an Universal "RIFLE" expander die???..............................Lee:)

MT Gianni
03-23-2006, 02:05 AM
There is an article in this months Fouling Shot on using it to bump up the diameter of gas checks from 6mm-8mm. Other sizes back to the drawing board, but it should work for 30's. Gianni.

Duckiller
03-23-2006, 02:09 AM
While I NEVER intend to put a .416 Rigby to my sholder, I have sons that aren't as sensebile (daughter agrees with father on THIS topic). I have the Lee die and I am trying to envision why the Rigby case won't fit. If the taper of the case body prevents it from entering the die in standard configuration i.e. only large plug in the die and threads of adjusting screw just below top of die body, then why can't you put both plugs in die, small over large, and turn adjusting screw almost all the way in so that the flaring is done at the lower end of the die. Am I not understanding something. Duckiller

chunkum
03-23-2006, 07:18 AM
I think the arrangement Duckiller is suggesting will work, with the .416. The only time I"ve found this die's function to be marginal is with .45 Auto Rim brass where even with the "small" expander uppermost, positioned to give the greatest "length", the die bottoms out on the shell holder just as the sides of the "large" expander marginally engage the upper edge of the brass. It does "expand" it, but only a minute amount.
chunkum

BruceB
03-23-2006, 10:44 AM
Gents;

Yep, I could flare the .416 Rigby casemouth at the very bottom of the die, but only by doing the actual flaring by "feel", not in the more-consistent manner of running the case up to a positive stop when the ram hits the upper limit of its travel just as the flaring takes place.

This, as I indicated in the original post, is exactly what I've been doing with that .30 Carbine die for the last 11 years. It works, but the Lee die will not accept the Rigby case in the same manner as it does all the smaller-diameter brass.

Using the RCBS .30 USC die, I set it so the die body is barely engaging the threads in the press, and then set the expander rod so IT is just barely engaging the internal threads of the die. I can then run the .416 case into the die until it touches the flared portion of the expander rod, whereupon I just hold a bit of pressure against the expander with my right hand on the press handle, while I gently tap the right hand with the left, and watch closely to see a bit of upward movement of the case, indicating that the flaring has occurred. This works, and is quite easy after a bit of practice.

The Lee die can be used in a similar manner, but it is less-satisfactory because the press handle is in an awkward position for my current technique due to the case only entering the die about an inch or less. In the .30 die, the Rigby case can be inserted almost 3/4 of its length and the press handle is about horizontal.

I say again, the Lee die may work for most cases, but "Universal".......nope.

DaveInFloweryBranchGA
03-28-2006, 09:56 AM
Why don't you call Lee, tell them this information and see if they won't tweak the die for you to fit your caliber? Might be a simple, inexpensive, possibly free solution.

In my lifetime, I've never found a single thing that was "one size fits all" that really did fit all. Most times, it seemed like a more true statement would have been "one size fits quite a few, but not all." Variety is the spice of life, hence, lotsa different things out there.

Regards,

Dave

gbair
03-30-2006, 05:23 PM
I agree with Dave. Call Lee. I been using their product for over thirty years and they have always taken care of my problems.
Greg

dromia
03-30-2006, 05:52 PM
Doesn't help me with my .577" Snider brass either. :(

Maybe "universal" is just its name not its application.

BruceB
03-30-2006, 07:03 PM
Ackshully, it's no biggie, and I suppose I was gently poking a bit of fun at Lee. Some of their claims occasionally sound like dim echoes from the Herters' catalogs of honored memory.

I'm for-certain-sure that the percentages of folks who load the Rigby or the related .378-.416-.460 Weatherby rounds are not a significant part of their target consumer base (or handloaders of the .577 Snider, either!).

It's rather funny, too, that the RCBS expander die for the tiny .30 Carbine sees a LOT of duty as the flaring tool for most of my really large cases. The inside diameter of the RCBS Carbine die is a good bit bigger than the Lee's, and it functions just about as the Lee will. With either of them, I wouldn't be able to run the press ram to the end of its travel, and it would still be a "feel" operation just as it is now.

RayinNH
03-30-2006, 09:26 PM
Bruce, it sounds like its time to call "Buckshot Tool & Machine Inc.".
Ray

ben1025
03-31-2006, 01:36 AM
BruceB: Have you set a date for the Winnemucca shoot yet? I think I'm going to miss it again this year but not for medical reasons. I'll be in New Jersey the the latter half of May.

454PB
04-02-2006, 04:12 PM
I have one of the Lee expanders, but I made a simple tool years ago to use as a "M" expander tool. It has interchangeable ends that fit into a piece of 7/8" X 14 tpi rod and a recessed set screw to hold them in place. It flares the mouth to accept the boolit, but also expands the neck enough to allow seating without excessively squeezing the boolits. For instance, the one I use for .30 caliber allows for sizing the boolit .310". They seat easily and yet won't move with normal handling.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/eddard49/Homemadeneckexpanders2.jpg

chunkum
04-02-2006, 05:52 PM
Now that's the "cat's pajamas" for sure. [:)]

drinks
04-02-2006, 08:35 PM
Chunkum;
Have you tried adding a dime on top the expander plug column?
Don

chunkum
04-02-2006, 08:59 PM
I hadn't, Don, That just might effect a cure for the .45 Auto Rim brass I'll give it a try and report back on it.
c.