Top Punch for custom bullet?

[Snyd]

A little back ground...I just spent most of the day trying my hand at pan lubing for the first time. I've only done tumble lubeing and am a noob caster. Well, after doing it over and over using techniques I've read about I finally got some lube to stick in the grooves on some bullets with my beeswax/vaseline lube. But got much more everywhere else. I'm thinkin I want a lubesizer but can't see dropping the cash on a Star, at least not yet. So I'm thinking a lyman 4500

Anyway, this leads to my question regarding top punches. I have a custom LBT mould I bought off a forum member here who had Veral make it for him. It's a 355gr .452 WFN with an 80% metplat, the thing is almost a wadcutter. If I buy a Lyman 4500 what do I do for a top punch for this boolit? I'm not a machinist so can't fab anything.

[Wayne S]

A couple of choices,
1. contact "buckshot" here and tell him what you need,

2. buy a TP for a much larger bullet, .500 +- when you get your lub/sizer place your bullet in the sizing die, and the .500 TP in the ram, coat the nose of your bullet with your lube and use either J B or bondo and put some inside the TP, lower the arm so that the TP is resting on your bullet. wipe the excess JB/Bondo off the TP and your bulet, and wait till it hardens.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

+1 for using epoxie to make your custom nose punch as Wayne states above, it has worked for me a long time...

[358wcf]

Snyd-
Contact member "38-55" on this forum. Last I knew, (2009) he offered to make you a custom top-punch if you would send him a few sample boolits, for a VERY nominal charge for time and materials. If one of our members offers a service to the forum, you better believe the work is top-notch! Shoot him a PM and he will steer you straight-
Good luck to you, and as a note- I've had fabulous luck with the RCBS lube-sizers. Used the original for 35 years with no problems, adding another new one just last year. One of anything is never enough- two or three is ALWAYS better!

358wcf [smilie=1:[smilie=1:[smilie=1:

[RayinNH]

Snyd, for a flat head boolit you only need a flat punch. Make one from a 1/4 bolt. If you use a hex head, just grind the head round. I you use a socket head, just fill the socket portion with JB Weld or epoxy or even a piece of lead pounded into the opening and then filed flat...Ray

[Snyd]

Thanks for all the options guys.

[38-55]

Snyd Sir,
I can help ya out.
358wcf,
Thanks for the kind words and I'm still lurking here...
Stay safe
Calvin

[eka]

Use a larger punch than necessary and use hot melt glue. Wax the nose of your bullet. Press into the glue as it is hardening. If you later decide to remove the glue, it comes right out with the tip of a knife or screwdriver. You can also accomplish the same thing by using aluminum foil in a large punch. Just press the nose into the foil to shape it and then a drop of hot glue to hold the foil in the punch.

Keith