Help Identifying a Top Punch

My memory is getting worse. I last lubed some boolits several months ago with the Lyman 450. I went back today to do a little house keeping and when I removed the top punch, it occurred to me that I didn't remember what mold it went with. The size die that was in the machine was .356. I think that the boolit was the MP 359-135. When I compared the nose of the boolit with the top punch, the punch recess was larger than the boolit.

I'm hoping that the flat bottom of the recess was to allow the boolit to conform to the die since the boolit nose is flat.

Can anyone help?

So I'm guessing there are no numbers stamped on the top punch in question?

Sorry I can't help more, but I don't sweat top punches all that much. If my standard 1" long ¼" rod that masquerades as a top punch doesn't work, i.e deforms the meplat, I dig into the spares for one that more closely fits. These are stored in a plastic box about the size of a cigarette pack that holds a few dozen top punches that mostly came from an auction.

Robert

I suspect that your response is going to be typical of most. I don't know why I didn't think of checking the box I keep the mold in. As I suspected, there was no top punch in the box. Since I started acquiring MP and NOE molds I have kept the top punches and allen wrenches with the molds. These top punches don't begin to match your collection, but I still try them if I need to lube some of the old Lee GB molds. Sometimes it works. Also , like you I have a couple of flat punches that I use on flat nose boolits.

If it is a Lyman or RCBS top punch it should be marked on the top end.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KenT7021

If it is a Lyman or RCBS top punch it should be marked on the top end.

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No markings. Again, I should have remembered that. I have placed the punch in the box with the MP mold.