BT Sniper
I'm working on printed sets of instructions to include with the purchase of my dies. Here is a look at first draft for the 40 cal one step dies. Please feel free to look it over and make any sugestions as to how I might simplify it or make them better or if I may have left somthing out. I'll contine to improve upon these instructions and even add pictures to this thread (and future printed instruction sets in future) for easier understanding.
Thanks
BT
p.s. Edits and corrections are posted in bold red type. Thanks Guys!
BTSniper 40 cal Swage Die
Dear valued customer,
Congratulations on the purchase of your new BTSniper one step 40 cal swage die. You now have the ability to make a life time supply of bullets, from nothing more then scrap brass and lead, and take control of your shooting needs. In a very sort amount of time you will recover every penny spent on this purchase and start actually saving money. The more you make the more you shoot, the more you shoot the more you save and the more money you save the happier you will be. If you are not %100 satisfied with your purchase simply return for a full refund with 30 days of receiving your purchase.
I have spent three years perfecting this process to provide you the absolute best set of tools I can make. I believe this is the absolute best 40 cal swage die available. You will not find an easier or cheaper way to make perfect 40 cal JHP bullets so let’s get started!
Step 1. Expand annealed 9mm brass
Step 2. Seat a .356 120 grain cast boolit lead core
Step 3. XTP notch top of jacket (skip step 3 and proceed to step 4 if not making notched bullets)
Step 4. Form bullet
Step 5. Eject bullets, load and go shooting!
That is it! Yes, it is that simple but for those of you that may need a bit more info lets go into further detail.
Notes, tips and further explanation.
Step 1.
Anneal the 9mm brass anyway you like so long as the entire case glows, using direct flame is preferred. Once the case glows you are ready to move on to the next one. Let case air cool or drop in water, both ways produce the same soft brass. Matter of fact drop them into a bath of hot water with some citric acid in it to help clean the brown tarnish from the anneling process off the brass case. After the case is dry you will now get better results from your prefered method of tumble cleaning the brass should you chose to.
Use the appropriate shell holder to hold the 9mm in your press. Postion universal die with expanding mandrel in your press till the exposed mandrel stops just above the top of the shell holder. This will get you close to the proper setting. Expand the 9mm till mandrel bottoms out on bottom of brass case and adjust die for repeated results. Perfectly annealed 9mm brass will not feel like any work is being done in this step. Try a piece of regular 9mm brass to see the difference. Any brass that is not annealed will be noticed and should be discarded in this first step.
Step 2.
Cast 120 grain .356 boolits to use for cores. I prefer the Lee 6 cavity molds. Use as soft as lead as possible. Wheel weight is fine but certainly no harder then the 10-11BNH of wheel weight alloy. The softer the lead the less ware and stress is exerted on all your equipment. Simply drop the lead bullet in the expanded case then bump it back into the expanding mandrel only enough to push it into the bottom of the case. Do not use excessive force or the case expand. Combine step 1 and 2 back to back while you have the 9mm in the shell holder.
Other boolit molds and weights will work but I recommend and set up the dies using 120 grain cast boolit cores. Any heavier core will make longer bullets and we need to keep these bullets .700 in length or shorter. Typical projectiles made in this die average about .685 in length. I consider .700 to be the absolute maxe length bullet to shoot out of a 40 S&W.
Step 3.
Replace internal components of the universal die with the XTP insert. With the 9mm brass in the shell holder extend the ram to the top of the stroke of the press. Position XTP/universal die in the press till the teeth of the notch punch contacts the top of the jacket of the 9mm brass. Retract the ram and tighten the universal die 2 additional turns. This will get you close to the max available notch possible. Adjust to your desired amount of XTP notch you wish to produce on finished bullet. If too much notch is applied in this step the jacket will expand to big to insert in point form die. Check to make sure your notched cases will be able to insert into the die without problem.
Step 4.
The point form die is preset for a RCBS Supreme press. The small top lock ring is also preset to your exact die and NEVER needs to be adjusted. This small ring is set under pressure while I formed a bullet. Loosen only while the die is under pressure from a formed bullet. Any adjustments needed to this die should only be done with the 7/8-14 large lock ring. Should you need to take apart your die for what ever reason make a witness mark with ink to know where to return the settings to. The ejection pin is a EXACT length. This length is exactly the length where the top ejection pin head bottoms out on the top stop bolt. This also serves as a tool for you to be able to reset the adjustments of the top stop bolt of your die.
Position point form die in your press and base punch in the shell holder slot. I can’t be sure all RCBS presses are the same so don’t assume no adjustments will be needed. With everything in place use one of the JHP bullets I provided you with and apply some of supplied lube to entire surface of bullet. Run bullet into the die and adjust, if needed, till you are able to feel a little pressure at top of stroke while forming bullet. The bullet I supplied you with was formed in your exact die from annealed 9mm brass and a pure lead core case from a lee .356 120 grain mold. This will get you close. Now take seated cores and jackets from step 3 and attempt to form in your die (apply lube to EVERY BULLET formed in this die). You should be able to form this bullet while seated using one hand. It should not require excessive force and will be similar to FL sizing a large mag brass case. Adjust die till your bullets look like the ones I provided or bullets you are happy with.
Step 5.
Use a hammer or mallet to eject the now formed bullet and move on to next bullet. My auto eject will eject set up will eject the bullet easily and quietly. When you get tired of swinging a hammer to eject the bullet my auto eject is a very good tool to use. It will double your production rate while reducing fatigue and will not wake the wife, kids, or neighbors.
Precautions Dos and Don’ts
Always use anhydrous lanolin based swage lube with every bullet formed.
Keep lube, jackets and bullet cavity of die clean. Every so often swab inside of die with a Q-Tip
Do not attempt to swage anything you shouldn’t be with these dies. Like solid copper etc.
Use standard reloading precautions when loading these bullets. Start with published starting load data for next heavier bullet. Example, if you are making 185 grain bullets start with load data for the 200 grain bullet and work up watching for pressure signs. These bullets will be longer then commercial bullets of same weight. This is because of the thick solid base of brass and larger HP. I have done much R&D work to design the very best combination of all factors involved. Be sure your projectiles are under .700 in total length when used in the 40S&W and do not seat them any deeper then needed to feed and function from your magazine.
Bullets seated to deep in the case are at risk of contacting the thicker part of the case at the base and cause a bulge. Always check loaded rounds for fit and function in your firearm and never force the slide/blot closed on a live round and attempt to fire. A .700 length projectile seated to proper SAAMI length specs will function safely in the 40 S&W Be sure to check for any variables such as different case manufactures as some are thicker than others.
Check bullet diameters to be sure they are always safe for use in your firearm. I make sure every die I sell produce bullets from .3995 to .4008 at the max in diameter.
Store dies in dry location when not in use
If at any time something doesn’t “feel” right when forming a bullet STOP! Eject the bullet and throw it a side to be remelted. Figure out what was wrong before continuing. Typically it is the result of a case that was not fully annealed that slipped into the batch.
If you get frustrated at any time STOP! Take a break and come back later. Any problems will magically fix themselves when you return. I do not expect you will have any problem at all but I mention this only from firsthand experience.
Clearly label and separate all annealed brass from safe brass of the same caliber! If you were gone tomorrow would someone be able to determine which brass to keep out of circulation? A fully annealed brass case live fired is dangerous to everyone!
Be sure all cases are fired and not primed before annealing.
Thank you for the purchase of this high quality set of dies. It is my wish that you will be completely satisfied with their use and the bullets they make. Please feel free to pass on your experience with this set of dies and post any reviews or range results you wish. Should you ever have any problems or concerns please feel free to contact me at any time.
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Good shooting and Swage On
Sincerely,
Brian Thurner
Last edited and current as of 3/17/2012
BT_Sniper@hotmail.com
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I didn't have time yet to put the pics in place. Just a written first draft, pics and figures soon to follow. Kind of looking for anything that might be confusing to anyone that hasn't swaged, or anything I may have missed from those that have. Or from those of you that received a set of dies from me, especially this 40 cal, how do you think I could make your first experience even easier and even more positive? Or any thing that may have stumped the first time swager that I didn't cover well enough.
Originally Posted by BT Sniper
