Top punch question

[Minerat]

I have a RCBS LAM and am just getting the necessary dies to start using it. First thing off is I bought a H&I 0.431 sizer die to be 0.001 above what my barrel slugged. I need to charge it with lube but since the sizer is in the garage it's too cold right now for that, so I can't try to size a boolit to see if it matters.The top punch I got with the MP 429244 mould does not fit into the die body, it mic's at 0.4478 dia. The 38 cal top pinches and the 45 cal top punches all go into the die bodies that I have for those calibers. I guess what I need to know is should the top punch go into the sizer die body?

Thanks,
Steve

[Wayne Smith]

Depends on the boolit length and the placement of the lube holes in the die body. I have several rifle boolits that never go fully into the die, I have a couple of 357 boolits that do. I don't have the Lee soup can but I'd bet it does.

[seaboltm]

The bullet in general only needs to go into the sizer enough to fill the lube grooves with lube, and not much deeper at all. That is to say no, most of the time my depth is set so that the top punch does not enter the sizing die. Most of my molds are flat nose, and I tend to keep a flat top punch loaded in. I have found that for most of my applications a single flat top punch does it all.

[Minerat]

Thanks Guys, Kinda thought it would depend on how deep the boolit had to go in, so will have to wait for it to get warm enough to give it a try. I have a top punch for a 41 cal that has the same nose that will probably work in a pinch. Or in a pinch I'll order another TP for 0.429 from from theprofessor.

[paul h]

My garage can get plenty cold, so I zap my 450 with a heat gun to motivate it in the winter.

[Minerat]

I thought of that but I'm just not ready to stand out there tonight (+7 deg). We went from summer to mid winter in 3 days here so I need to get the right mind set for the cold. Think I'll ponder moving the sizer inside for the winter.

[myg30]

Kind of difficult to use a sizer with warm gloves on too ! Specially them .380's

come on springtime.

Mike

[Minerat]

Well it finally got above freezing and I got the jet engine heater out and got the garage to 60 deg. The boolet is not long enough, so the top punch has to go in the die. So out came the 41 TP and it works like a dream. Had to heat the lube to get it to flow. Life is good. Now I can start working up loads for my SBH. Thanks everyone for your input.

[John Boy]

Excuses - Excuses! What a bunch of woosies that have to wait till Spring to cast cause the garage is cold.
Buy a kerosene forced air heater and git out there and cast ...

With 75,000 BTU's - even heat the pot & mold up

[Minerat]

Mine is propane and is 108,000 btu. I call it a jet heater cause that is what it sounds like.