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HTRN
05-27-2006, 06:19 PM
I was on Magma Engineering's website the other day and they had some blurb about the Star on their front page, but what got my attention about was the line "Sizing dies are available from .218 through .585" Is this true or just a mistake? I was always under the impression that the Stars were limited to .512 or so..

Can anybody shed some light on this?


HTRN

Buckshot
05-28-2006, 04:28 AM
...............Hmmmmmmmm!? The Star die has a .750" body diameter that is interupted by a rebated section where the lube holes go.

http://www.fototime.com/0BC9ECC796F51F9/standard.jpg

At .585" the .750" section has a wall thickness of .0825". One eigth inch is .125". This is a die body I made and do not recall the rebate OD.

The Lyman die body is .700 (give or take a thou) and I know there are musket shooters who have opened Lyman dies to .580" and that's a .0600" thick wall. Pretty thin but they're HB Minie's generally of pure lead. If the dies were hardened they might crack, I dunno. The Stars would be a bit thinner I'd think unless they delete the rebated waist, or don't go as deep.

I made a Lyman .518" die for a guy with a 50-70 and the 30* angle at teh bottom was a narrow thing to be sure.

......................Buckshot

Beau Cassidy
05-28-2006, 09:39 AM
I'm with Buckshot on that one. It's gonna make for a pretty thin die. I would not wan't to be the one pushing those size bullets thru a star- especially if they are hard. Not sure the handle could take it. I stick to ww .452 dia on mine.

Beau

HTRN
05-28-2006, 12:05 PM
See for yourself. (http://www.magmaengr.com/item.php?id=24)

The reason I ask is because I've been thinking about building a real thumper, a .550 Magnum(Basically a .460 Weatherby blown straight). Jacketed bullets for this size are, to put it mildly, expensive, thus making the idea of shooting cast mighty appealing. Now I know Mountain Molds will make single cavities that big, but my cornundrum was, how do you size and lube 'em?

If seems like it is possible to make a die large enough, but perhaps modifying the default pattern, like making the necked down portion smaller, and only wide enough for the ports.. I have some D2 about so I may make the die myself and heat treat it to maximum strength(IIRC that's around Rc 40 or so, havta double check).

The other option is to design and build a new sizer, something I really don't want to do.


HTRN

13Echo
05-28-2006, 01:33 PM
HTRN
Pan lube and make a push through sizer to fit your press - If you take out the die bushing on some of the RCBS or Lee Classic or others you should be able to make as big a die as you want, shy of light artillery that is. Of course what you are proposing comes awfully close.

HTRN
05-28-2006, 03:25 PM
I have a Redding UltraMag - without the die insert it's 1.25"x12 - I guess that perhaps this is the best idea. Anybody have a photo of press die so I have a starting point for a design?

And the .550 project isn't "light artillery", It's a "chiropracters special" - 9K ft/lbs will do that.:mrgreen: As for real "light artillery" I've been seriously considering Building a 4 bore dropping block - NEI sells a 3500 grain mold, and Kreiger sells barrels. Might be fun to build as mini arty piece. :holysheep Best part is, It doesn't require any NFA paperwork as a 4 bore has a "sporting use" exemption. With Cast boolits, and surplus powder, it would even be fairly cheap to shoot.

Sigh. Once again the term "Too many projects, not enough money" rears it's ugly head. :sad:


HTRN

13Echo
05-28-2006, 10:03 PM
Use one of the Lee sizers as an example, just "super size it"

Buckshot
05-29-2006, 03:35 AM
...............HTRN, for a push through die body all you need as a basic one is a piece of 1-1/4" HRS. Mystery metal works just fine in this application! It should be about 2" long. Bore one end 1/8" over your boolit's diameter, 1/2" deep. Reverse it and drill then bore to within a thou and a half or so of finish diameter.

If you have a taper reamer (probably #9 or #10) ream, or bore in the taper to a 1-1/4 depth. Then hone the remaining 1/4" wide sizing portion inside the die body to your desired ID. While you're honing that, it will somewhat break the edge formed by the angle into the sizing area the reamer made.

After it's done cut some threads into it so you can use it in your press and make a pushrod to fit the ram to push the boolits through.

................Buckshot

HTRN
05-30-2006, 03:35 PM
Buckshot, thanks!


HTRN