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Thread: 30 cal flaring die discovered in my kit

  1. #1
    Boolit Master Drew P's Avatar
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    30 cal flaring die discovered in my kit

    I have been loading for 308 and 300bo and sometimes shaving lead, or ending up needing to flare the mouth a little. The Hornady powder drops don’t come in 309 size?! Anyway what I found in my kit is a 32/20 cowboy set from rcbs. This set has a wonderful flare die that I tried for these cartridges with great success. It even has an M die step type shape.
    Just thought I’d pass this on if anyone is finding they need a little help starting bullets in sharp edged cases.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy dimaprok's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drew P View Post
    I have been loading for 308 and 300bo and sometimes shaving lead, or ending up needing to flare the mouth a little. The Hornady powder drops don’t come in 309 size?! Anyway what I found in my kit is a 32/20 cowboy set from rcbs. This set has a wonderful flare die that I tried for these cartridges with great success. It even has an M die step type shape.
    Just thought I’d pass this on if anyone is finding they need a little help starting bullets in sharp edged cases.
    I found Lee Universal flaring die works pretty well but NOE is even better. With lead bullets its a MUST.

    Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


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    Cowboy die sets usually have flare dies due to the lead boolit requirement of Cowboy Action Shooting, also most any straight-walled cartridge case die set will have one.
    I give loading advice based on my actual results in factory rifles with standard chambers, twist rates and basic accurizing.
    My goals for using cast boolits are lots of good, cheap, and reasonably accurate shooting, while avoiding overly tedious loading processes.
    The BHN Deformation Formula, and why I don't use it.
    How to find and fix sizing die eccentricity problems.
    Do you trust your casting thermometer?
    A few musings.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Drew P's Avatar
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    Is there a cowboy set for 308 though? Or 300bo?

    Normal rifle sets are either size, seat, crimp or size, seat/crimp.

    What do most people use? I’ve been getting by with inside chamfer.

    I only have this one “cowboy” set but I have to say that it’s very nice set I think. Even looks nice lol. They seem somewhat unique and I like that rcbs basically invented the category of die set by naming them. Die sets descriptions are often lacking so the details are lost. With cowboy sets you’re basically assuming the end user is loading Lead bullets. For us, that’s nice for us! This flare die I have is perfect for us.
    Please correct me if I’m wrong on any of this. It’s taken me a while to get a gasp of what all different dies and companies are doing and it’s been somewhat expensive to learn as well! I’m on my 3rd 45acp set as a result. Started with Redding, then Lyman, and now Dillon and I’m certain that will be the last, for that caliber.

    I just love it when you can use a die for multiple calibers.
    Last edited by Drew P; 02-11-2018 at 10:53 PM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Drew P's Avatar
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    I just checked and it looks like rcbs cowboy sets are only available in 7 calibers, all cowboy type actions.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    ... and the amount of case mouth flair should be to allow 1/2 of the bullet base to be seated in the case
    Regards
    John

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    LEE Universal expander with NOE plugs. Various sizes within a given caliber, all with steps like M dies.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master Drew P's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WALLNUTT View Post
    LEE Universal expander with NOE plugs. Various sizes within a given caliber, all with steps like M dies.
    Oh those are cool! And cheap! I’ll have to see what other sizes I might need and try one.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master mehavey's Avatar
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    Anyway what I found in my kit is a 32/20 cowboy set from rcbs.
    ...whose shank is 0.310" (Hmmm.... I'll try it tomorrow on my Krag (Cast sized 0.311)

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    RCBS makes a set for the 30-30 geared to a .309 boolit.

    The expander inserts are available individually through Midsouth or Midway

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    For 300 AAC you have to use LEE Universal expander or similar product or you'll end up shaving a ring of lead off every time. At least I did at first.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I have been using a LEE .30 carbine PTX die for my .308's. Had to modify the die a bit, but not too hard to do as I think that the PTX die body isn't hardened. Works well with the auto drum measure.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Drew P's Avatar
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    The ptx insert I machined was VERY hardened.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by dimaprok View Post
    I found Lee Universal flaring die works pretty well but NOE is even better. With lead bullets its a MUST.

    Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
    But you have to have the Lee Universal Die to use the NOE inserts....they do work wonderfully together...like having a Lyman M-Die for $6.50 !
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check