22 TCM case question

[nightal]

I have been waiting for the TCM dies since Feb.
I saw set on GB go for $191.00 .
Ammo Warehouse is saying, they will be getting the TCM dies in Sept. from Hornady.

[NHPaul]

I located a set of .221 dies and they will have to be modified to make 22 tcm the only thing that needs to be done to them is to shorten them each by .346. there is no way they will work without shortening

[No_1]

I purchased 2 of the last available sets from CH4D a few days ago and expect them to arrive in 2-3 weeks. I was contacted by Hornady yesterday and they have indicated they are almost finished with a 1000 set contract for Armscor.

[GRUMPA]

Is there a link to armscor and the dies? It seems they show a bunch of other stuff but no dies.....

[NHPaul]

SUccess!! the modified dies work just fine
It does size the case body more than I would like but it fits and functions perfectly

[GRUMPA]

Inquiring minds would like to know just when you say it sized the case body more than you would like just how much that is.

I'm thinking about doing that to a different set of dies in 221 Fireball once I get them that is and trying that myself. But depending on how much it actually sizes the body a person might need to do some lapping in the ID of the die to open it up a bit.

[NHPaul]

About .003 about .20 up from the base. does not affect function and yes could be honed nicely rest went perfecto and I will be loading 22 tcm this weekend

[GRUMPA]

To put it in a nutshell you pretty much made a small base die?

[ray h]

The only problem for me , using a shorten 221 die is the shoulder dia. My 22 TCM new cases are mic'g .369 and maybe a 1/3 at .370 at the shoulder. The bases are running .372-3. My 221 Rem sized ( Redding die) cases are running right at .357 at the shoulder. Thats more than I'd like a case to expand at the shoulder. This brass is very strong, I made a 20 cal wildcat out of 500. When working up a forming load, I had another senior moment, I trusted my memory from a week before. It was a very hot load. Lots of head expansion but primer held. I think they built in some safety in this case since it was for the 1911 design gun. I've made a lot of wildcats off the LC 223 brass and my gut feeling is that load would have blew a LC primer. Using H380 my 22 TCM cases has the same volume as my 22 K Hornet.

[NHPaul]

Factory loads I measured are .365/.366 at the shoulder mine are coming out of the die at .363 , they chamber and feed perfectly and go bang I will run them over the chrony next time out and shoot from a rest to see how they group but I am happy and i can make lots of 22 tcm now with my butchered up .221 fireball dies. Not my first choice but right now thats the only game in town. When I can get a nice set of lee with a factory crimp die i will but for now this is what I am using.

[GRUMPA]

Well I got done altering my 221 Fireball dies and I got the brass within specs after a few hours of hand lapping the die in, they turned out rather well. I have a 221 Fireball case gauge and the 22TCM drops right in there but just like the die it's going to need to be shortened up.

I have a member that's going to send me a couple of factory cases and when I get them I'll whittle down the gauge I have so that I know the ones I'm making are going to work. Without a gauge and a barrel there's no way I can know for sure if what I'm doing is right or not.

The one thing that a person is going to have to do with the home made cases is ream them, there's no way home made cases are even going to be close to working without reaming..

[NHPaul]

I am making some expander/powder dies for lee powder measures if anyone is interested. I think this will make the reloading of this little beauty a lot quicker , at least for me YMMV

[HATCH]

Matt, my brother measured the factory brass and he said its thicker the most 223 brass. I want to say he said .018

[No_1]

That dimension is correct.

Matt, my brother measured the factory brass and he said its thicker the most 223 brass. I want to say he said .018

[GRUMPA]

I think I'll wait till I get a couple of cases that are factory and go from there. For some reason I was coming up with a .012 measurement but we'll see.

On a brighter note I did get the gauge issue resolved, now it's a game of hurry up and wait for some factory cases so I can do my magic on them and go from there.

Although I will need a couple of field testers when all is said and done with what I make.

Do I have any guinea pigs..errrr.....takers?

[HATCH]

That would be me.....
send me a PM with your address

[GRUMPA]

The part about the cases?

Or the part about the Guinea pig/field tester?

[HATCH]

both.. LOL

[nightal]

Grumpa, on 8-7 you said some one was sending you some TCM brass did you get it yet? if not PM me I will get them in the Mail TODAY for you.

[HATCH]

I am sending them to him. My order doesn't come in until today. I am also sending him a loaded round.
Factory brass and factory ammo.