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Im thinking of making a better compression die. I've been using my lee 458 sizing punch upside down and it works fine. But why not reinvent the wheel while i have the time. I may go the way of using a lee die and just make a punch that screws into the top or i might take a piece of 7/8 x14 bolt and turn a portion down to .458 who knows. I just wondered what others are doing and what they dislike or like about the setup
My compression tool is made of industrial nylon (RHS of the pic), one end goes in the seating die the other is indexed to the depth that you want to seat the projectile. In use, you settle the powder with a drop tube then into the shellholder and ram the compression plug into the case, remove the plug and seat the projectile.
https://i.imgur.com/umI4a0y.jpg
Thanks Wallace i remember seeing that setup here but i had forgotten it till now
easy, a BACO .45 compression plug in a lyman "M" die body.
I have some made up like Wallaces with a dedicated machined stem. these work very good and easy to set. I have made quickies from lee seaters by wrapping the stem with masking tape (7-8 wraps or more) to form a pocket at the dia then fill with JB weld and let cure the adhesive on the tape makes a good release agent actually. Then when cured remove tape sand down and square end. Be sure to rough up and clean seater stem good before taping up. EIther the expander die or seaters work here. I like the seaters as there is more surface for the epoxy to bond to. Most of the expanders can be converted with a allen head cap screw turned to size and head dia.
Another is to turn a dummy bullet from aluminum or brass to match your bullets form but .010 undersized on dia and use this in the seater die. Sized right the seater wont even need reset.
I made one for my 44-40's. I picked up an isolated 44-40 seat die off of e-Bay cheap. I filled the seat insert with a filler and sanded it smooth when dry. It fits the mouth of the case perfectly - extend it the right amount and seal it tight. Viola - a compression die.
Track of the Wolf see Lee thru powder dies and sells plugs for powder compression . One die with interchangeable dia plugs. I make my own plugs. Use the same die and make expander plugs to whatever size I need.
Got box of TOTW plugs for all my calibers in different bullet diameters for same caliber including metrics using the Lee expander die...$2.99 each. Have to get a job just to buy Lyman M dies from $25 to $35 each
I use the Track of the Wolf Lee plugs too.
Order one and you can very easily replicate in different calibers. Or even just take the top end measurements off the expander plugs that come with the Lee expander die and make the compression shank the size you need.
I've heard of others machining a steel copy of the bullet they are using but that's a bit of a machining project if you don't have a lathe.
I don't see why one would need to machine a copy of the boolit - just a rod the proper diameter and length is all that would be needed.
I've got a few that I turned to use in a Lyman M-die body. Even with my beginner level lathe skills it was a breeze.
Couple of years ago I had BACO make me a steel compression plug in 45 Colt threaded to fit my Redding expander die. BACO has a lot of compression plugs in stock to fit various die brands.
Montana Compression die
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011260595