"how to" advise needed

[BT Sniper]

Hey guys,

I have a .451 swage die I have little use for. It is a one step bullet forming die that makes RN and SWC type bullets. What I would like to do is bore it out to use as a core seating die for .458 bullets. I need some advise as to how I should go about increasing the bore diameter and to what size I should bore it out to. .456, .457, .4575? It is not that hard of steel as it was easily scratched by the hardened punch that came with it. I'll look into hardening it a little better afterwards.

Any and all advise would be great especially if any one has some experience with this or something similar.

Thanks,

BT

[phil218b]

At one time I think you were looking for Rediscover Swaging, did you ever find a copy?

[BT Sniper]

Was trying to find the Discover Swaging as I was told it had the most info on making dies. No luck though. May have found one to borrow. I don't know anything about his other books but I can possibly find them.

I've got alot of new ideas I'm working on. If I had more time I may have completed some by now. Going to bore this .451 die out some how and use 45 ACP cases for 400 grain 45-70bullets. Also working on .308 and .338 riffle bullet dies but that is a long way off and a whole nother thread.

[Red River Rick]

Dave Corbin doesn't go into too much detail regarding die making in his book "Rediscover Swaging". He does have a drawing showing the "D" style reamer, used for roughing, and the "Split" lap, used for final finishing, on "Point Forming" dies, but that's about it.

Your best bet, to open up your existing die, would be to "Lap" the interior with an adjustable barrel lap. These are available from DME or McMaster-Carr.

There a couple of threads, somewhere here in the swaging section, that have some good info on this topic. You may want to check them out.

FWIW

RRR