45-70 top punch?

[beng]

Have a quick question, I have a Lee 2 cav. mold #457-405-F, also a Lyman lube & sizer die with a #191 top punch. The top punch will put a ring around the head of the 45-70 boolits when sizing, tryed a #429, it also puts a ring on the boolit. Anyone have the answer? I know, "STAY AWAY FROM LEE" many of you are thinking.

[John Boy]

Just take some folded heavy aluminum foil or JB Weld and make a mold of the ogive that fits into an existing top punch. Buying specific TP's is a waste of money. I have a TP for every caliber I cast and then make a mold (bullet specific) when needed

[RayinNH]

The ring doesn't hurt anything unless the looks really bother you. They fly just as straight...Ray

[mpmarty]

fill the top punch cavity with JB Weld and press the nose into it with a bit of saran wrap over the nose so it won't stick to the JB Weld. When the JB hardens you'll have a custom nose punch for that boolit.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Or, ---------- take you TP and chuck it up in a drill.

Then take a Drumel tool and chuck up a small carbide cutter.

Clamp the drill in a vice, turn it on then using the Drumel tool custom fit the TP to your needs.

If it is a tad large, I have not found that to be a problem, but if so the JB weld can fine tune the TP.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[stubshaft]

PM Buckshot. He can make you a few TP with oversize cavities to fit you boolit perfectly. If you are casting over 18BHN you can probably use just a flat punch that doesn't extend over the boolit nose (Veral taught me this trick).